Heat in the Afternoon

This little gouache study was painted on a hot afternoon, the kind of day when the colours feel almost too bright to be real — the pink of the umbrella, the sharp blue of the pool, the deep shadows holding the heat of the day. I love working in gouache; it’s such a responsive, honest medium — quick-drying, richly pigmented, and wonderfully portable. Perfect for painting en plein air while travelling, it allows me to capture fleeting light and colour before they shift.

These small studies are the first stage towards larger paintings — a way to explore composition and mood on the spot. The paint dries to a soft, velvety matte surface that seems to hold the warmth and immediacy of the moment.