Shoreline 24" x 18" Oil

I have been sorting out which paintings to submit for two local exhibitions because the forms needed to be posted today. This one,which you may or may not remember, needed brightening up, which is what I did. I am happy with it now.

Best wishes for a very happy weekend, everyone, and happy painting!

Flip 24" x 20" Charcoal

Playing, today, with charcoal.

Bread + Water 12" x 8" Oil

The brief for the afternoon at the WA was 'Bare Necessities'. Well, I've been humming the tune all week! I couldn't think of a better idea than bread and water, so took a photo of this set up. Among the ideas were a nude, a pair of boots, a row of coloured pencils, a matchbox and a cute child with a bare bottom. Maybe I could photograph the other work done in the group and show them here in future. An amazingly diverse group, and endlessly fascinating how folks minds work! The star of the show, though, was the delicious home made cake, presented by Pat, of which I had two slices. What diet??

Beginings

Stretch 20" x 30" Oil

Tumble 20" x 30" Oil

I have had a splendid day! I think I have mentioned it before, but I love these trampoline images, especially the initial drawing/blocking in stage. Slapping on the paint and moving it around to get what I am after is something I find particularly exhilarating, and even more so after the intense 'fiddling' of trying to get Janice right.

Welcome to all my new followers.....enjoy! Happy painting everyone!

Janice

I shall let this be for a couple of days. I can't see for looking!

Janice 12" x 16" Progress

Janice in progress

This is my sister, Janice. I have painted her before but yesterday I wanted to do a perfect lovely pencil drawing. I had a wonderful afternoon, taking my time and thinking it was going very well.


This morning I notice that everything was 'out' because her face was too long, and several times I sat, eraser poised...but I couldn't do it. It certainly brought home to me how important it is to keep drawing, hand-eye co-ordination sure suffers if you don't.

Not to be beaten I took her to the WA this afternoon and, so far, it's better. I find oil paint is far more forgiving than graphite, but because I forget to erase before correcting and I hate that shiny thing that happens! Her features are better proportioned anyway, and her face not too long, but there is some work still to do. I vow to get back to the pencil....one day.

Next week at the WA the brief is ' Bare Necessities', which no one will own up to suggesting, and which caused a lively discussion. Judith said she expected me to do one of my nudes and perhaps she could draw a statue, and everyone else confessed to being stumped for ideas. Of course 'Bare Necessities' can be interpreted in many ways, bread and water, anything you couldn't live without (like painting), etc, and Judith thanked me for broadening her thinking, and breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't HAVE to do a nude! It should be interesting to see what they all come up with.

Idea 2....(Carolanns')

This wasn't as easy as I thought it would be and I had to stop before I wanted to. But you get the gist? I had thought that I would do two figures but Carolann suggested 'lots more children and lots more balloons'. Three is getting there.

My heart wasn't in it today as my niece has posted 60 photos on Facebook of herself and her sister on the trampoline! Fantastic photos, and with her permission, I can't wait to paint them. Luckily, they tie up nicely with my ideas for the hospital paintings. Life is GOOD.

Have a brill weekend.

Friends

MARY

The task today, at the WA, was to draw each other, a 20 minute sitting each. Penny asked me to give a few pointers, as I do portraits, but the the others generally don't. I decided to demonstrate, but did my usual thing of concentrating on the job in hand and forgetting to talk!
I chose a carbon pencil because it looked like mostly everyone else had pencils. I prefer charcoal, though, as I find it easier to work and far quicker to get a good result.

IRIS

JUDITH

PAT

A jolly enjoyable afternoon, as agreed by all, even those who found the subject difficult, and we vowed to do it again. I would like to meet outside one week and do a landscape. Now, THAT would be a challenge for me!

Idea!

I have been thinking about the HUGE painting for the hospital and this sketch was my first idea. I felt that even coloured in it would not be happy enough! Ilike the idea of balloons and a figure, so......

This is the very rough sketch of of the next idea. I wanted to keep it simple, but attention grabbing! On the balloons, which isn't very clear, will be depictions of ice cream, jelly babies, cats + dogs, dolls, ballet shoes, things that create happy memories. If I go with a boy it would be scoring a goal, boating, trains, skateboards, etc. Maybe both? I would very much appreciate feedback. Do you think it will translate to huge? Would cartoon depictions on the balloons be better than realistic? So much to think about and I really want it to be GOOD!
Happy painting!

Re-visits

UNSURE 16" x 20" Oil

No theme at the WA yesterday but painting for the exhibition we are having in September. I took 'Unsure' to liven it up a bit as I had felt it was tonally dull. I am happier. It was a weird afternoon, everyone was totally silent, totally engrossed in their work.... there is usually someone chatting, or asking for guidance. Then the kettle went on and it was all change...everyone talking nineteen to the dozen! That's better. No cake though!



AT CAMBRIDGE STATION 9" x 14" Oil

Remember this from last year? I had painted it on very smooth board and the paint had not adhered very well. I painted it over it, today, which reminded me of painting by numbers, but it certainly is better for it.
I did think I would tiddle up some of the paintings I have already started for the several exhibitions looming, but I am having second thoughts. I find it very difficult to go back. Sometimes I don't see what got me excited in the first place, and to rekindle past feelings is impossible. You can end up with a totally different painting, so you might as well start fresh anyway! So all the paintings have gone back in the shed and a naked ( should that be bare?) canvas on the easel.
Thanks for your visit, and I appreciate all comments, good, bad and indifferent!
Happy painting.

Star 20" x 30" Oil

The theme at the WA was 'skies', so I took this with a view to making the sky a little more interesting.
But I couldn't concentrate because I had spent the morning meeting with Deborah, who is a doctor at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, looking to fill the walls with artwork in the newly refurbished Delivery Suite. She is a delightful young woman who knows what she wants and it was sheer pleasure to discuss the possibilities. The plan initially is to provide a huge (4' x 6' maybe) painting for the reception area and three more smaller (but still 3' x3') paintings for the main corridor, to be on permanent display. Then there is more corridor space, separate rooms and nooks and crannies galore to be decorated. I am so excited...what a project! Watch this space.

My Weekend

LANDED

GLEE
On Saturday I went to Hertford to submit my paintings for the annual exhibition. This year I got to stay and watch the proceedings. There were three judges who each awarded an 'A', accepted, 'D', doubtful, or 'X', out, for all of the paintings, hundreds of them, which we paraded in front of them one at a time. The judges were very generous, not many 'X's' and not a single 'XXX', but this meant that the paintings awarded 'ADD' had to be whittled down again. The prizewinners were chosen from all the paintings awarded 'AAA'.

After lunch, which was scrummy, the paintings were assembled on the floor in approximation of the final exhibition. I was unable to watch this as I had to go catch a train. The day was a revelation and very enjoyable although it was quite exhausting!

My two paintings shown above were accepted.

Yesterday, wonderful Roy bought a new PC, which I am spending hours trying to transfer programmes, files and folders, etc. from my old one. I shall paint again soon, though, there are lots more exhibitions coming up!

Flight 12" x 10" Oil

The theme at the WA today, was 'flight', encompassing balloons, bees, aircraft, kites, etc., This is my effort, using a photo found on the internet this morning.

The main business of the day, though, was to choose the best five paintings from the club. A local Art Shop/Gallery has an annual exhibition for any/all of the local art groups to submit five paintings, and a winner is chosen by the public. (I think) Last year the winning art group was .......The Wednesday Afternooners! So we have our reputation and standards to maintain!

We had 39 paintings to chose our favourite 10 from, which were then voted on again to find the final 5.

I have to say that I found it difficult as there was a nice selection of styles, subjects and mediums and who can predict if small will do better than large, or loose better than tight?

I am very happy to report that one of mine made the final 5!

In Sunlight 20" x 16" Oil

And now for something completely different, for me. I had a fancy for experimenting today, so I took a photo of my reflection in the television. I completely covered a canvas board with black, then wiped it off, pushed it around with my trusty tools, fingers, and added some blue, red and white until I emerged. I had wanted a painting more abstracted, less stark, but I'm happy for now, because it was such fun!

I started this painting this morning and took it along to the WA this afternoon, where I got a lot of questions and puzzled looks, and a comment from Mary, " I usually feel happy seeing what you have done, but not today". She has a fair point, I think I also prefer higher key work.

The cake today.......Penny you have to stop........was utterly delish! Cherry and almond! I had seconds and brought some home!

Lara 10" x 12" Oil

I have had a fabulous morning. Mary liked the painting of Ellis and asked if I would paint her sister, Lara. They are delightful girls, a pleasure to meet and with the bonus of painting them from life, I was happy as Larry! Thank you, Mary.

Strummin' 30" x 20" Oil Progressing

Ellis 10" x 12" Oil

Strummin' 30" x 20" Oil

What a fabulous afternoon at the WA! Ellis accompanied her grandma, Mary, (school hols) and agreed to sit for me. What a treat, and she was so good, a natural, and quite beautiful. Thank you, Ellis. Everyone thought it a good likeness.

After that, I made a start on the painting I took to do this afternoon, of my son again, copying his dad.
I have to say that I much prefer to work from life. One reason is that there is an added pressure to get it done before you lose the model and I know that I produce better results under pressure. Mainly though, a living, breathing person is infinitely more exciting than a photograph.

Oh, yes, and the chocolate cake was SCRUMPTIOUS!

Swing*2 18" x 26" Oil

Swing *2 18" x 26" Oil

Do your own thing at the WA today, so I started another 'swing' painting. Everyone seems impressed by how fast I turn them out! I think that is one of the benefits of painting every day.
When I started this blog, inspired by the daily painters, I decided I would have to paint smaller to get one finished every day. Recently, I have become aware that I hate painting small paintings and I feel I don't do them very well. Without that experience, though, I wouldn't now be able to paint a larger work with the speed that I do, i.e. 'Untitled' took me two afternoons and a ten minute fiddle. A year ago it would have taken weeks!
Today we had home made, by the wonderful Penny, Easter Cookies! Wonderful! Next week we are promised CHOCOLATE CAKE! But I really do go for the company.