I’ve been wanting to paint more views of Newark-on-Trent. Just five miles away, it is our local market town which we visit every week to shop and to use its cafes and occasionally its pubs. Newark is a beautiful townscape with a mixture of Medieval, Georgian and Victorian buildings together with a compelling ruined castle and an extraordinary market square. This year I have made a particular effort to focus my ideas on how to capture some of the essence of the town in my paintings.

Susan Isaac - Newark Castle from Trent Bridge

The castle dominates the western approach to Newark as you walk or drive over Trent Bridge. I made several views of this during the Summer. In the first of two shown here, I was struck by the pattern of light filtering through the railings of the bridge. The railings themselves seem to march across the river towards the stricken castle. I exhibited this in the Thoresby Open Exhibition in September – it was joint winner of the ‘Tony Wilkinson Prize’ and also the ’Solo Exhibition Prize for 2012′ which means I will be  hold an exhibition at Thoresby sometime in 2012 (dates to be decided). The painting is now on display at the Newfield Galleries in Newark.

Susan Isaac - Newark Castle & Trent Bridge

In the second painting I enjoyed creating a composition that contrasts the monumental bridge parapets with the more distant blocks of the castle. The interplay of light and dark was also a strong element in this historic juxtaposition. This painting has been selected for the first Harley Open Exhibition which will be running from 7 Jan – 5 Feb, 2012.

This morning I sent off 6 paintings to the Staithes Gallery ready for their Lifeboat Show, running from 8 – 25 April. Colours are all tints and tones of powdery blues and rose pantiles in these Yorkshire paintings. Most of the paintings I’ve done are on a square format, although for the latest I have returned to a long landscape canvas, perfect for the horizontal emphasis in most seascapes, and one which allows a fresh take on the view onto the estuary. 

Susan Isaac - Early Morning Light, Whitby Steps (oil on canvas, 40 x 102cm)

Staithes is a place that would take a long time for me to exhaust.  Each time I approach a new painting,  even favourite views, there is always a fresh variation in emphasis to be found or a different format which allows a new set of compositional possibilities.  The more you look the more you see. This set of paintings is on the moody tonal side, in soft blues and grey browns enlivened by the red of the pantiles. The profiles of the buildings and the geographical features give enough interest without devising atmospheric effects. The two paintings of Whitby however were partly inspired by  the extremes of the daylight.  In particular the view from the swing bridge in which the light becomes shattered into splintering shards of pastel colour. 

Susan Isaac - Old Whitby from the Swingbridge (oil on canvas, 51 x 51cm)

The West Front of Southwell Minster (oil on canvas, 51 x 51cm)

As well as my own paintings, prints, cards and ceramic sculptures, I will have some work on display by the potter Carl Gray and woodworker Mark Greene, who share a philosophy of sustainability.

Carl Gray owns and manages his own woodland and makes wood-fired utilitarian ceramic wares.

Carl Gray - 'shot cups'

Mark Greene creates individual hand-built furniture and woodcraft pieces using reclaimed timbers.

Mark Greene - small oak boxes