WA - Fair / Circus

This is a terrible photograph of a painting by Trevor Chamberlain called 'A Corner of the Whitsun Fair, Hertford', dated 1989. I fell  in love with it then, and if I had had the funds, I would have bought it!

I couldn't find the painting online, so took this from his book 'Oils - Trevor Chamberlain' in the Ron Ranson Series Painting School.

The brief at the WA was fair / circus, and not having my own photo of such a subject, took the opportunity to copy.....well.....sort of!  Needs a lot of attention to bring it up to scratch.

Stella 10" x 12" Oil

Not sure Stella deserves this, I hope she forgives me, but practise is practise and all valuable.

WA - Hands/Feet

I was totally taken aback by how many people drew their own hands for this, something which didn't even occur to me!

Margo 10" x 12" Oil

Jan 12" x 14" Oil

I have decided that once a week I would delve into my stack of 199 (!) paintings and either finish one or paint over it. Remember this? My sister Janice, which I thought would be a good start, as I shall visit my parents next week.

After a couple of hours it still isn't Jan....almost, but not quite, her mouth and eyes.... maybe I should have started again!

Check 12" x 16" Oil

Better....looks more like Roy.....but I can see a few places need tiddling. I forgot my palette knives yesterday, and the black ground was still wet, so this was mostly done with fingers. Very enjoyable!

WA - White on Black

'Check'  in progress

It will be my husband, Roy, when it's done, who says to use artistic license and give him more hai and less chins!

I'm In!

My studio! I'm in! It is brilliant! It still needs racks and shelves and a wash basin, water and electricity, maybe, but hey, I can paint in it! I feel so humble, so much work and effort, I feel unworthy, why would Roy do so much for me? I can never thank him enough, I am so thrilled!

It didn't take long to get the paint out! I have been tiddling these today and they are getting there, I think.

Thirteen 10" x 12" Oil

Grandpa's Hat 10" x 12" Oil

Hertford Art Society Annual Exhibition

All the work is in....ready for the off.

The judges, Geoff Hunt, Martin Smith and Jean Noble, scrutinising one of mine and reaching for the X!

Gallery owner and good friend Stephen Lowe waiting in line with my painting to be judged.

It bombed!

Sculptor Paul Bainbridge with one of his works.

Stunning!

Paul judged the 3D work and declared Kathy Burman the winner with her abstact piece. (in the middle here)

The judges perusing the best pieces to pick the prizewinners.

Best in Show 'What's in the Bucket' by Christine Spence

and also my favourite piece.

Best abstract.

Another prizewinner.

As usual I had a fantastic day. It is so, so interesting to see the way it all works. The judges seemed to be rather harsh this year, with very few pieces awarded AAA,  one of which was one of mine, though...woohoo! Something to be proud of, as I saw so many stunning pieces in the reject pile, and many disappointed friends. Best friend, Stella Green, had all four of her submissions accepted. I'm very proud of her, and that has given me something to aspire to next year. I got two out six accepted.

I would recommend seeing this exhibition...it is always excellent and always inspiring.

WA - Still Life

Tools   18" x 14"  Oil

I went to the art club this afternoon with every intention of painting more boats, as I need one more painting to submit to Hertford at the weekend. I thought the topic was something else, which I hadn't prepared for, so when informed it was Still Life, well, inspiration struck! If I'd had all morning to think about it I know I wouldn't have done this. As it is I had a wonderful afternoon and I'm chuffed with the painting....so far! The burning question.....leave as is? ......or try and set it up again to continue? Over to you, fans.....

Sarah Too 16" x 16" Oil

Finished...as good as it's going to get!

Next!

As Yet Untitled  18" x 18"  Oil WIP

Made a start on the next painting and it was just flowing off the brush. I didn't want to stop! I'll bet it doesn't continue so well tomorrow.

Jeff 10" x 12" Oil

My brother Jeff, a gift for my Mum. Happy birthday, Ma!

Coast Too 16" x 20" Oil

Fancied just slapping some paint about, fast and thick, and I loved this image the first time I did it.

WA - Portrait of a Famous Person

Hepburn  16" x 16"  Charcoal

Maybe a few tweaks required, but that went well, I thought!

Panic!

Cromer  16" x 16" Oil

Posed  16" x 20"  Oil

I've been fiddling with these paintings this week. I have given all the paintings that were earmarked to go in the Hertford Art Society Annual Exhibition to the Out of the Box Independent Curators to show at the Rampant Horse in Gayton. Consequently I am in a panic as the deadline approaches! And neither of these will do, I fear.

WA - Charcoal

Sarah  16" x 16"  Charcoal

I didn't need telling twice to get the charcoal out...I love it! Rubbing, erasing, swishing it about with a brush, getting my fingers in and pushing it every whichway! This is from a photo taken at a HAS life drawing session, of the delectable Sarah. Needs a little tiddling yet, but I shall post her here when done.

Happy painting, everyone!

I have been fiddling with this all day, and now I am fed up with it!

Blakeney 20" x 16" Oil

Finished! 

Waiting 12" x 10" Oil

It didn't need much tiddling, after all!

Waiting 12" x 10" Oil

Some refining of shapes to do, but you get the idea?

WA - Cartoons

Cartoons! No I didn't do cartoons, not many of us did!

I took along a painting to carry on working on.

Blakeney  20" x 16"  Oil   WIP

So far, so good...lots to do yet.

Sunday Morning

I was routing through my paintings and found this one.

Sunday Morning  20" x 16"  Pastel  1997

And I took this photo on Sunday morning! 15 years apart and a different house, but nothing much changes around here! Don't mention the hair!

WA - Spring Flowers

Time to Reflect 20" x 28" Oil

I have been working on this all afternoon, and thought it just about done, but can you see a difference from yesterday? !!

Update. Lovely title suggested by Peter Kavanagh, who also pointed out that the skirt was not quite right, so I have made amends and tiddled up a few other passages that were bugging me.

WA - WIP

The program had been rearranged for today, which I had forgotten about, so while everyone else was having fun painting roses, etc, in the style of the travellers decoration of utensils, I took along this WIP to carry on with. Everyone produced stunning work, which I would have loved to show you, but, oh-oh, something else I forgot.....my camera!

Untitled (yet) 20" x 28"  Oil

Fiddled!

She cetainly looks less like a cardboard cutout!