David 24" x 24" Oil

I started this awhile ago, I wanted to paint it just because I like the image. It is from the photo that the brilliant artist, David Larson Evans , used for his profile in the summer and I have his generous permission to give it a go.

Not sure I am happy with it yet.

I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a prolific, successful 2010! Thank you all for your support , help and comments during the past year. It is very much appreciated.

Roy now has ELEVEN days off work, yippee!, and I doubt if I shall paint, so until next year have fun!

Philippas' Girls 16" x 20" Oil Progress

This is turning into a mammoth task! It is very difficult to marry up several photos and get a coherent image. It brings to mind the words of Dave Darrow, who says that to make good paintings you need good reference material.

I always prefer to take my own photos, and shall, in future, insist on doing so, but in this instance there was no time.

I shall persevere!

Philippas' Girls 16" x 20" Oil WIP

Now for the hard part........finishing!

Work In Progress

Last week I did no painting because Roy had the week off work and we (ok, he) cracked on with the bathroom, setting the drain for the shower, concreting the floor and making good the walls. Good job! I did get a day out, though, exploring the north Norfolk coast. We had a splendid day and I have wonderful photos of Wells-next-the-Sea, so look out for some coastscapes........maybe.
I have been working to finish this commission of Philippa's Girls this week, which is priority. I am enjoying this, I do like a limited palette...have I said that before? Nothing is quite right yet, but I am getting there.

HAS 29.11.09

Went to Hertford Art Society life drawing day on Saturday. This is the pick of the bunch. Please see my SharonElaine blog for more.

Sketches

A lovely lady has been inspired by my 'Sky High' painting to ask me to paint her two lovely daughters. I have been working on putting together a composition from a lot of brilliant photographs. It has been a good challenge, great fun, and hard work. Which one would you choose?

Shoreline 24" x 18" Oil

Not sure if you could call this finished, but I have to put it aside to make a start on Christmas commissions.

There is that triangle again! Don't know what it is that draws me to a triangular composition, but it keeps cropping up although it is not something I consciously look for.

Exploring 10" x 12" Oil

Another for my 'At the Beach' series.

At the Wedding - Simon + Wendy 11" x 12" Oil

Of course....the bride and groom!

'Back to School!' with the WA

Windfall

Leaf Print

The theme this week was 'autumn fruit, berries, leaves, etc', so I grabbed some apples from the garden as I was setting off to the WA. Others were having so much fun printing from leaves, so I abandoned my apples and had a go. I've not done anything like it since primary school! I giggled a lot and made a mess and had such a good time. I like the image too. Imagine what can be achieved with planning and care!

The Look 20" x 16" Oil

This is one where I could fiddle forever! But I mustn't.

Matt Oil In Progress

Jen Oil In Progress

Concentrated on Jen today, and it's going well! I really do like using a limited palette.

For Remembrance 12" x 12" Oil

I often think how hard it must have been for my Nana, and thousands of others, to be left to bring up children alone. War and it's aftermath is unimaginable horror to me. And it makes me angry, because we don't learn, do we? War is still happening. It also makes me very thankful and grateful to my Grandad, and to every serviceman, past and present, who work tirelessly to preserve my freedom, which I cherish beyond measure.

The Look 20" x 16" Oil In Progress

My cousin Matt and his lovely wife, Jen. The've not been married long, a couple of years, I think, but can't you just tell! I love this image, I just hope I can do it justice.

At the Wedding - Patrick 10" x 12" Oil

SOLD

Love that tie!

Snow on the Mountains 12" x 16" Ink + Acrylic

WA day today, with the theme "snowy mountains". I again used ink and acrylic paint because that was in my bag! Other folk were using pastels with incredible results. I may have to find mine for the next landscape themed afternoon.

What drew me to this image was the criss- cross pattern of the lie of the land, but that seems to have got lost along the way.

Happy Birthday, Uncle David!

Actually, his birthday is tomorrow, but I shall be visiting and delivering this pressie, celebrating his 70 years of life!

Apologies for the terrible photo, in a hurry again!

At The WA

'That Hat Again!' 7" x 9" Paper

'Following' 9" x 7" Paper

I have been framing like crazy for the exhibitions this weekend, so no painting, but I did take time out to go to the WA. This week we were putting into practice all we had learnt last week at the demo. Mr Pickles had demonstrated a landscape with his ink and watercolour, but I wondered how it would work with figures. I like it!

The Cherry Tree 6" x 8" Ink + Acrylic

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at the WA being thoroughly entertained by a gentleman, Donald Pickles, who demonstrated his technique in ink and watercolour wash painting. You know how it is....you see something like that and you immediately want to have a go!

So, this is a card I have made for Mr Cuthbertson, the gentleman from whom we bought our little piece of paradise. I have long felt I wanted to thank him for the very warm welcome he extended to us, in the form of a letter, detailing the secrets and history of the house. Thank you so very much, Mr Cuthbertson.

This is the cherry tree, which I figure is about a hundred years old, which grows in my magical garden.

Pose 18" x 24" Oil

This is as good as this is going to get! I have tidied up the hands and the jewelry, for those of you who can't see a difference to the previous post. I decided not to paint a background, firstly, because it wouldn't be dry in time to frame it, but, mainly, because I think she deserves to be uncluttered.

Pose 18" x 24" Oil WIP

I put this aside last week because I didn't know how I wanted to proceed. I like this pose so much, and really want to put it in the exhibition, if only to judge the reaction to nudes in this neck of the woods, so today

I got on with it. I struggled and struggled and then suddenly it flowed. Still a way to go, shame I had to stop because tomorrow it may again be a struggle!

Damned Thing! 19" x 18" Oil

A larger version of my Uncle David, for exhibition.

Picadilly Circus 10" x 14" Oil

WA day today, where the brief was Picadilly Circus...at night, or in the rain, or with lots of people........
I enjoyed myself again.

Sky High Finished

SOLD

One for exhibition......if it dries in time to get it framed!

Congratulations, Diana.

Congratulations, Diana Marshall, who is the winner of my giveaway draw, and who chose this painting, entitled 'Girl'.

Thanks everyone for your interest, better luck next time.

Giveaway Draw

Today I have gained my 50th follower! Hello, Franco and welcome. To celebrate I would like to give a freebie painting to one of those followers. Email me your choice of painting, a 12" x 12" or smaller, from this blog and if your name is drawn at 6pm (GMT) tomorrow, you will receive that painting.
I thank you all for your support and encouragement, it means so much to me, long may it continue.

Sky High 20" x 24" Oil WIP

From a photograph......................she WOULD NOT stay up there! Just some refining to do....on the hands....on the legs....on the arms.........

Autumn 8" x 12" Oil

Went to the art club, who call themselves the Wednesday Afternooners, and who shall be known on this blog henceforth as the WA. The theme today was Autumn colours so here they are.

I didn't want to go, having no enthusiasm for the subject, but I made myself because, after all, the reason I joined was to challenge myself with different subjects. I really enjoyed painting this, it makes so much difference when there is no pressure at all.

The reference for this painting is a photograph by Annette R , who produces some stunning images. Thanks, Annette.

Sketches

Pearl

Shirley

Sally (I think)

Penny

Christine.

Judith.........well very nearly!

I also sketched a few of my companions at the WA.

Shopping 8" x 10" Oil

Still with the B+W, still working on a couple of bigger ones and struggling, but this one just flowed off the brush (and fingers!). Another possible for exhibition.

Pose 18" x 24" Oil

This is as far as I got with "Pose" today because I've been crushing the grapes from my garden in prep for wine making. Never done THAT before! We'll see where that goes too. The juice is very sour so I might have been a bit previous.

Kitchen / Bathroom Wall Update

I meant to include this in yesterdays' post, but as usual I was rushed to get done before Roy came home.


This is my kitchen / bathroom wall. It didn't come out easily! It is made of lots of pieces of metal, some bolted, some welded together and entangled in amongst the bits were water pipes. We discovered that the plumber was a smoker, fag ends everywhere, and that he had amazing dexterity. How he managed to solder some of the pipes is impossible to imagine as they were encased in the wall, which was older than the pipework! It took Roy three days to unpiece the jigaw.

This is the bathroom bit. We have cold water, but no hot, and Roy has rigged up the sink unit in the conservatory ( my painting space ) to enable us to wash, washup, prepare veggies, etc.

Life is good.... it will be a little palace when done!

Pose

Didn't know what to do next, or at least couldn't make a decision about which of the million paintings buzzing around in my head to do, so I grabbed a photo of a model from HAS and doodled for an hour. And, guess what, I like the way this is going!

Family

I went along to the art club today, and took this to do, in the hope of finishing, because at home there has been better things to do in the past week. You know how that first whoosh of excitement fades..... Any way, I can see I still have a bit of tiddling up to do.

I'll not be painting for a few days. Roy has taken a couple of days off work to get the kitchen wall out, (it's prefabricated, made of metal) and rebuilt, move the hot water tank to the loft and hopefully get the shower in. Wouldn't that be heaven. He tells me we might be without water for a few days! Gulp!

Where Is She? 14" x 21" Oil

I like to think I have patience, but not like this man and his little dog. They stood, with barely a fidget, for at least twenty minutes, as I watched while having a coffee on a day visit to the coast. They may be there still!

So Talk! 12" x 12" Oil

Another monochrome. I shall be painting as many as I can and take the pick of the bunch for exhibition at the end of October.

Your comments, votes, feedback, etc., will be very welcome.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Acrylic Sketches

" LEAF "

" APPLE "

Went to the art club this afternoon, where the brief was to " zoom in on any detail of plant or flower".