Embracing the Messy Joy of Oil Painting in My Hove Studio by the Sea

Clara Wilkinson's seaside studio in Hove.

Here's my palette of the moment. Yellow. Inspired by a recent trip in the Van Gogh sunflower landscape in the South of France.

I use Jackson's oil paint as much as possible as the consistency, pigments and prices are good. These canvases are all about Cadmium yellow - a hue I particularly love as it is bold and beautiful and has a slight warmth to the pigment.

I have always worked with linseed oil since my A level art studies and I now also use a non toxic paint thinner and cleaner usually by Gamsol by Gamblin. I'm starting to be very aware of toxicity in the studio and have filled the space with air cleaning plants. Some Peace Lillies and Rubber Plants bought from Beards and Daisies now surround my canvases. I'm also trying to leave the doors open as much as possible (wrapping up in warmer layers) as the seasons change and Autumn approaches.