Sunday 30 November 2008

Brothers Too 20" x 16" Oil WIP



I decided to show you this because I started differently to usual. I have been following Susan Carlin and David Darrow ( and learning a lot) and drawing the composition first, as they do. But I watched Rolf Harris paint the Queen again and he paints the whole canvas, blocking in big shapes and then makes finer and finer adjustments. So that is how I have started this.

Man + Boy 20" x 30" Oil Finished


All it needed in the end was a little refinement on the boy. I like this a lot.


If you would like to purchase this painting for 400 GBP please email me.

Friday 28 November 2008

Interspect 24" x 24" Acrylic

I have started another double portrait today, but it is in no fit state to view.....it hasn't got faces yet! So as not to show favouritism, it is of my other two brothers, Steve and Andy. Coming soon.... and then of course there is my sister, Jan.
I thought I would show one of my personal favourites, so far. I love the composition. It reminds me of myself at that age, sitting, isolated, at a party, far away in my own little world. The original was sold, but I missed it, so I painted this one for me. Having said that, if you really like it, I am not averse to selling it!
Have a good weekend, as I shall, because it's HAS day tomorrow! Check my other blog next week!
If you would like to purchase this painting for 300 GBP, please email me.

Thursday 27 November 2008

Christmas Gifts





It is only four weeks to Christmas! I know where you can get that perfect gift for someone special in your life. These drawings are fun, personal and very affordable. But email me now for more info, time is running out!

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Premio Dardos Award



Today, my amazing blogger friend, Dianne, has given me an award.
This award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing and art work ...that's the general idea. I am really thrilled to receive it. Thank you for your unwavering support Dianne.

The rules of this award are as follows:
*Show the image of the award on your blog.
*Link back to the blog that gave the award.
*Nominate 15 other blogs that you consider deserving the same. (How Many?)
*Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve selected.


OK, here is my list of fabulous bloggers:
Today I have been painting. A friend gave me some freesias ( my Mums' favourite flowers) and I thought 'great, good subject'. Well, three times I wiped it off, and then gave up. I have usually painted flowers with watercolour and found oils just don't convey the delicacy I was after. No awards for my efforts today, Dianne!
I carried on with 'Man + Boy', but I won't post that again until it is finished.
Thanks for your visit, don't forget to comment or, at least register your 'reaction'.
Happy painting.

Thursday 20 November 2008

'Man + Boy' 30" x 20" Oil WIP


Roy went to work today so I could do some more to this. Comments always very welcome and I don't know if you have noticed the 'reactions' part at the end of each post? I would love some of those too!

Tuesday 18 November 2008

'Red Pepper' 10" x 10" Oil + 'Man + Boy' 30" x 20" Oil WIP

Just to show you that I did darken the background on 'Red Pepper'. I am happier with it now.


This is the painting I am working on, of my brother Jeff. I was going to present the boy as a photograph, but really, no-one has a photograph of themselves that big! Do they? So a painting, then? In a different style, perhaps? More colourful? Looser, tighter? A la Van Gogh? Help! Suggestions fully appreciated, please.
Roy has a week off work, so I shall be playing for a few days, no painting. Back next week!

If you would like to purchase 'Red Pepper' for 70GBP please email me.

Thursday 13 November 2008

TAGGED!




I have just been tagged by Dianne!This is a really fun way to get to know your blogger friends! The rules of this great game are:-
1. Put a link in your posting to the person who tagged you.
2. List 7 unusual things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 other bloggers at the end of your post and comment on their blogs to let them know.


I have read what others have written about themselves and I am just so boring! This is really difficult, but here goes:
1 I adore and cherish my husband, Roy.
2 I love naturist holidays....the freedom, which is very important to me.
3 I was a doctors' receptionist for 16 years, and I was the nice, helpful, happy, one.
4 My favourite food is fish and I love them all except squid, if that is a fish, because I had the screaming abdabs cleaning one once. Never had oysters or lobster, something to achieve before I die!
5 I was expelled from school for swearing at a teacher and making him cry. I was an awful child.
6 I canoed on the River Nene from Wellingborough to Peterborough, it took a week, with 6 teenage boys, camping on the banks. Where do you pee? As the only female it was excruciatingly embarassing.
7 I adore and cherish my husband, Roy. I know, I know, but really there is nothing else!
Well actually, there is something else, I 'ran away' from home when I was 21, to escape a tyrannical, abusing father.
How could I have forgotten that I appeared on national television! A program called 'A Brush with Fame' which aired about three years ago. 75 artists converged on Cambridge for a regional heat. The first thing was a 1/2 hour self portrait, after which 50 of us were sent home again. Next was a 3 hour portrait of a celebrity, after which 10 artists were left standing, me included.
Then another 3 hour celebrity portrait. I didn't win the heat, but was thrilled at how far I got and enjoyed the experience immensely. The processes of filming were fascinating. I painted Barry Norman and Lord Charles Brocket.




These are the three judges, Christian Furr, an artist who painted the Queen, David Lee, art critic and editor of the art paper The Jackdaw, and Gerald Scarfe, caricaturist.


My 7 bloggers of note, just because I love their paintings, are:

1 Michael
2 Theresa
3 Qiang
4 Marc
5 Nigel
6 Greg
7 Michael

Enjoy!

Red Pepper 10" x 10" Oil

My painting of my brother is progressing oh - so - slowly and not up to scrutiny yet. I had to do something else, today, so I did this.....fast! I am a slave to what I can see and painted the background as it was. A little thought might have suggested it would be better dark. Try that tomorrow.


If you would like to purchase this painting for 70GBP (unless otherwise stated) please email me.

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Remembrance Day


I know I painted this in the summer, but I thought it appropriate for today. It is for my Granddad, who died, fighting to preserve the freedom for me to be able to paint this, though during the second world war, not the first.
Rest in peace, Hugh Felce.
I have been thinking of the unimaginable horrors he must have endured and the worst thing is that it still goes on. So this is for every serviceman, too, in heartfelt gratitude and admiration. And for every woman who has lost a grandfather, father, son, nephew, cousin or uncle.


Sunday 9 November 2008

Cool Off SOLD


Here is 'Cool Off'' again for those of you who haven't seen it or have forgotten what it looks like.
May it live forever in a happy home!
I've done no painting this weekend because I am trying to improve the ref photos for the painting I have started of Jeff. Photoshop is completely alien to me, but I am trying. Perhaps I should stop listening to other folk, I was quite happy working from rubbish photos before! No...I shall persevere for I have to make better paintings. Onwards and upwards!

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Adolescent 30" x 42" Oil + Brothers 4 3/4" x 9" Oil

To redress the balance, this is an early portrait I did of my eldest son, Richard. He was about 15, and I had to make a note of how awkward and unsure and gawky he was! I did a smaller pastel version of this, which won a prize in a local show! I remember how thrilled I was, and there was money involved, and I'm sure it encouraged me to carry on.




I found this photo, of Richard and Andrew, when I was looking for the one of Andrew that I wanted to paint. It struck me how similar a composition it is to my painting of 'Sisters' that I did back in July.
I'm very into 'family' at the moment, painting wise, that is, because I have started a new larger painting today, of one of my brothers, Jeff. It's to be a double portrait of how he is now and also of the boy. There, I shall have to finish it now that I have told you all!
I sold ' Cool Off' at the show at the weekend! Yippeeeeeeee!!!!!
Sorry this post has been a long time coming, but I have to change my routine now the clocks have gone back. Getting to the studio with lots of time to paint, in daylight, has been nigh on impossible! Got to get my act together!
Happy painting, thanks for your visit.

If you would like to purchase 'Brothers' for 70GBP please email me.