Love In The Midst class --Aug 21st -oils

One of my new subject subjects-its been requested by one of my present students--painted in oils--suitable for all ages and abilities including first timers-check out the website for more details

www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Lovely Surprise

When we got back from Hereford there was a message on the phone from a lady who attended one of my classes over 3 years ago.

She had come with her daughter for a private class for their birthdays.

Its their joint birthdays soon and she was wondering if I still did classes!.

We all take it for granted that everyone is on the Internet these days, but of course they are not, and as she is not local had no idea if the classes were still running! We had a lovely chat when I rang her back, she said they had a lot of fun when they came the last time.

They are booked into the SaturdayJuly 12th class next week so that means there is only 2 places left for that class now.

If you want to join us for that class--which turned out very interesting last time we did it in class--get in touch via www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Acacia Sunset

Ive been working all day on my latest painting.

Acacia Sunset has been done on a massive 150 cm x 30 cm box canvas, in acrylic paints.

I have put layer upon layer of shades of reds,oranges and yellows onto the canvas.

Each layer has been dried with the hairdryer in between coats.

It positively glows and will really lighten up any room it is hung in.

The acacia trees are painted in black acrylic and they really stand out on the bright background.

The pic on the top is a close up of the left hand side of the painting.

The shadows of the trees and grasses do not show up very well on the photographs.

If you would like to buy the painting the cost is £200 which includes P+P in Uk .If you are outside Uk please get in touch via http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk/main/contact.html

LIttle Bird

We have a lodger at the moment--Sparky Cat bought in this little baby robin last night- he hadn't harmed him at all.
Previously he had bought in a dead one and after he bought in this one he bought in another dead one.We don't think he has had them out of the nest-they were all fully feathered and almost fledged so we think they had fell out of the nest.
We put this one into a tissue lined bowl and covered him over-fully expecting to find him dead from shock this morning.
However he was very much alive and kicking and wanting some breakfast went we went downstairs this morning!
He accepted some moist bread from the tweezers very well, but we decided he needed more natural food and Bill dug up some worms and cut them up for him---YUUUUUKKKKKK
not a good experience feeding wiggly cut up worms to a baby bird!!!
It is gross-but baby bird loves them, he ate 2 largish ones and is sleeping like a baby now! He should be able to fly and fend for himself quite soon, so hope we can keep him going till he is strong enough!

Sundorne WI--- Wed 2nd April

After a busy start to the week getting work on a commission nearly finished, we had a trip to the other side of Shrewsbury to Sundorne WI.
The letter sent when booking stated that they met at "The Lantern"
Unusual I commented to Bill-they meet in a pub!
When we followed the directions to The Lantern we found it was not a pub but a community centre!!
It was packed when we arrived, and we set up at the back of the room while their meeting went on.
They turned their chairs around watched my demo -there were a few questions but mainly it was silent!!!.
I finished the first painting in record time-Winter Wonderland was finished in less than 15 mins-and I was stopping to talk as well as painting!
There were many comments when I carried the painting round after I had finished it, -a lot of people said "its the first time Ive seen an oil painting that looks fantastic close up as well as at a distance"
When I started the second painting "Summer Day" it was even quieter-again I finished in record time.
Joan won the 'Winter Wonderland' painting and I donated the 'Summer Day ' painting to the WI to use for raising funds for their chosen charity.
I am conscious that all of the WI and art groups that have booked me to demonstrate all have to pay for the room that they meet in by the hour, so if my demo goes on for too long they have to pay out more money for the room, so I have to keep it as short but imformative as possible.
So my demos range from 60 mins to 120 mins depending on their circumstances!
There are lots of interested ladies in Sundorne WI that will be coming to a class.
I have 3 ladies from Hadnall WI coming again to class tomorrow.
This will be their 3rd time.
I also have one of the WI members neighbours booked for a class at their home for 6 people! Its all go at the moment!

Sundays Craft Fair

After the awful weather on Saturday and during the night we were not sure whether we would be going to do the Craft market or not until we woke up and saw what the weather looked like on Sunday morning.
After losing an hour's sleep with the clocks going on the last thing we wanted was to start unloading and getting soaked!
However the morning was bright and the sky was blue, so we decided to chance it.I'm so glad we did.
We had a lovely day, several of my students called by to see us for a chat too which was lovely.
One of them ,Kay took the opportunity to book up for another 2 classes.
Chris and Pauline who had attended yesterdays class,also booked up for May too.
It stayed lovely and sunny all day, there was a steady stream of visitors to Ludlow,and some locals were mooching too.
All in all we had a good day, we seem to get quicker setting up the stall-we were done by 9am.Its been as late as 10.30 sometimes but we have got it off to a fine art now!
We know how many paintings we can fit on the stands and roughly where they will go.
I like to have all the class subjects together so I can explain to potentual students the sort of thing they will be able to paint when they come to class.Then all the other paintings, that I dont teach can be displayed together.It works very well, but I leave the hanging of them to Bill-he gets them up nice and straight--unlike me!

Mandy's Winter Wonderland

Mandy came for her one to one today.She was to join the class of Saturday March 22nd but had to cancel that because of other commitments.
YOu can see how her painting progressed step by step.
It was the second time that she had painted on a black canvas, the first being a waterfall painting some time ago.
It seemed strange to her to be putting transparent paint onto a black canvas because she couldnt see where the paint had covered.
As soon as we started to add the white paint, the atmospheric sky started to appear,then we went on to add the bushes and trees then the snow.
The pond was soon done using the fan brush and the tickling brush.The reflection of the main tree was added and then we were ready for the finishing touches ,the broken fences in the forground and the moon with some little clouds drifting across it.
She was chuffed to bits with the finished result!
We wil be seeing her again very shortly in the Birch tree walk class on March 29th

GOOD LUCK JIM

We want to wish my son Jim the best of luck for tomorrow--he is rallying at Weston Park in his Skoda Favorit rally car.He has got his all time favorite navigator with him --Steve Gould--- so should do really well!
He hasn't had this car out before so its fingers crossed that it all works as planned!
He has worked very hard on this car,after a break of almost 2 years. We hope the weather holds for him and he has a safe, fun day there.

Todays Class"African Dream"

I decided to take 3 different paintings to the class today. All using the same colours, all on the same theme.
All very contemporary paintings,I wanted to see how everyone would interpret what they saw, and boy was it interesting!!!!.
After having 2 last minute cancellations and having just 5 in class I couldn't wait to get started on African Dream.
Only one student-Colette wanted to do the painting on an 'upright' canvas-everyone else wanted to do the landscape one .
While we were painting Bill framed Oliver's and Colette's Summer Day painting from the last class.
It was such an interesting class to do--acrylic is sooo different to oil to use-and everyone who attended today had used oil with me.
Everyone interpreted the paintings differently today. Mandy got her first coat of paint on her canvas and it looked brilliant, didn't really need a second coat!
Everyone else let their first coat dry and then built up the layers afterwards.This was the time to take out the brush strokes, and add more definition of distant hills etc!
After we all sat down, having a cup of tea and coffee, away from the pics we all were able to pick up different things in the paintings-for example-Mandy didn't need to do anymore to her painting-it was great as it was!
Jan's needed a little water in front of it(sent Bill home for the special interference paint to do the water-good job its only a few hundreds yards away from the room!)
Barbra made a beautiful job of her painting but we all felt a little water in the front of her painting would enhance it also-so she added some too!!
Then after sitting down and looking at his pic--Oliver wanted some water in the foreground too.
They all used the gold and red interference paint and what a difference it made, shame it dosent show up in the paintings-they all look a lot redder than in real life.
Unfortunatly none of the pictures show up as good in the photos as they really are!
Its always the way with the red and orange paint, it just dosent photograph well!!
.
Had a lovely suprise when I got back after the class--''Acacia Tree'' has sold!
Bill had given it the final coat of varnish this morning, so it will be ready to post on Tuesday Morning for delivery on Wdnesday.
All of my paintings get 3 coats of varnish to protect them.
All my work is copyrighted with www.protectmywork.com

Latest Paintings

I have been busy over the past 2 days painting some new pictures.
On the left is African Acacia whic is in acrylic and measures 30cm x 70 cm. The sides are staple free and it does not require framing

The painting on the top right is called Winter Frost and again is painted in acrylic on to box canvas .
The size is 50cm x 40 cm.I have used a special shimmering paint on the water and some beautiful holographic paint over the trees. It twinkles in the light.


The painting on the bottom left is called African Dreams
Painted in acylic onto box canvas the sides are painted and it dosent need framing.
Bright and vibrant for todays contemporary home.
Size is 50 cm x 40 cm

Please note all my work is sent by SPecial Delivery-insured, trackable and next day delivery. The cost of p+p in UK is included in the price of the painting.
If you are outside the Uk please get in touch via the website.
www.paintingmyway.co.uk

ALL OF MY WORK IS PROTECTED WITH www.protectmywork.com