Oriental dawn-- Sept 6th -4 places left

I have 4 places left for this atmospheric painting next Saturday.

It is suitable for complete beginners.

If you would like to join this class please get in touch with me via the website

www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Class Of July 19th --stormy Skies

Stormy Skies is a great painting to do to get to know how to use just a couple of colours to create a masterpiece.

This painting uses just black and white paint to create this stunning monochrome scene.

Its a very atmospheric painting.You will learn to use several techniques, brushes and other materials .
This painting is suitable for all abilities from first timers to more experienced artists.

If you would like to join this class please get in touch via the website http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk/

There are 5 places left for this painting.

Nat A Tat at the Craft Market

My sister in law Jan called by in the morning of the transport show along with my niece Natalie otherwise know as Rat a Tat or Nat a Tat!

Natalie is just 11 years old and normaly she loves to just have a go at the encaustic art, she did a couple of these melted wax paintings, then went off with her mum for a look around in the castle.

I got a call a from Jan a bit later to ask if Nat could have a go at the oil painting. she had been gagging to have a go when I was painting earlier!

They arrived shortly after , and I went through the different stages of the painting on my canavs paper and Nat did the same and we soon 2 paintings almost identical-much to the amazement of onlookers!

I went through each stage of the painting in the same way as I do in the classes-Nat was able to follow my instructions with ease-even with onlookers watching!.

It showed what can be achieved with instruction, and I will see some of the people watching later in the year!

Tropical Storm

Here is my latest work-Tropical Storm. The colour on the close up photo is closer to the true colour of the painting.

Painted in oil on box canvas , its a very atmospheric painting.The stormy skies in the background show a storm is coming.The palm tree fronds are starting to wave around in the wind and the waves are lapping up the beach.

If you are interested in buying this painting it is £120 including P+P in the UK.If you are outside the UK please get in touch.

http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk

BIG Canvas!

I have treated myself to some giant canvas-some are 5 ft and some 4ft.They are stored on the landing at the moment as we are short of space!
Im itching to get started on them and will be painting one of the 5 ft ones later today.Its going to be interesting working this big-the problem is where is it going to live while drying!!
The house is full of canvas-all shapes and sizes-we could do with an extension to keep them all in!
I will post the work in progress on here a-if I remember to take the photos-I tend to get carried away when I am painting and forget to take the pics.

Class For June 21st "Summer Day"

Back by very popular demand 'Summer Day' is one of the most popular paintings that we do in class.
The changes can be rung in many different ways and it is always very successful even with first time students.
The painting always turns out different in every class-as usual!
Each person interprets what I show and tell them in the step by step sections differently.
Each person will paint their sky different to the next person , as with the sea and the beach, when it comes to doing the foreground flowers, its lovely to see the confidence emerging from even first time artists as they paint a variety of flowers from poppies to daisies.
If you would like to join this class please get in touch via the website
www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Dilwyn WI Thursday March 20th

We were at Dilwyn WI on Thursday evening doing the usual demonstration,there were lots of questions from the audience during the demo, as several of the ladies were already artists.
One of the ladies went away with a free copy of 'Paint' magazine and the catalogue and joining forms for the SAA of I am a Professional Associate of the SAA (Society for All Artists) which means I carry their endorsement as a tutor and demonstrator.
For just £22 a year you recive high discounts on art materials, a bi-monthly Paint magazine and lots of other goodies.You can also enter their yearly art comptition.Well worth joining. The postage and packing is free if you are a member and they deliver the next day as a rule.

Class of March 15th

Today's class was something of a family affair-- We had Mr Derby of Old Barn Print, Stanton Road,Ludlow who does all my printing needs for me--posters, leaflets etc ,along with his wife Marion, daughter Jeanna and a friend of Marions- Jan.

Marion and Jan had seen me at one of the local WI demos that I did last year and decided they fancied a go!

It was a very laid back class as usual, after a coffee and some chocolate biscuits to start , we got stuck in to painting.

Everyones painting became very individual to them straight away as always happens.
Peter was quite bold with his use of colour while his daughter was quite light-handed with it.
Jan seemed the most nervous of the four of them, but settled down quickly!!.

When it came to painting the hills, Marions took on the appearance of the Welsh Coast while Peters was most distinctly Mediterranean.
Everyone had fun with the painting knife, it took some getting the hang of to get the pressure and angles right with it but everyone got there in the end.As I told them all -"its not something you have come across before,so it will take some practise to use it easily." Once we sorted out the angle to hold it , everything went well.
Its amazing to see how different the waves turn out, when the paint is pulled from the back of the wave with the fan brush it really shapes up!!
Marion decided to paint marigolds in her painting as a change from poppies, while the other tree did some beautiful poppies in theirs.
Peters grasses turned into wild onion heads bobbing around in the breeze, very effective and in keeping with his bold colour and style.
Everyone went away happy with their "Summer Day " Paintings.
Unfortunatly the weather decided to pour down at the end of class so we had an interesting 10 mins with 2 big unberellas , transporting paintings to the car! It was interesting to see that none of the students bothered about getting wet, just worried about their paintings getting wet!

Update On Stormy Skies class

I have just one place left on this class. As you can see from this picture of a previous "Stormy Skies" class , we get fantastic results-even from first timers.

If you would like to join the class on April 19th please get in touch via the website
www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Daisies and Dunes

Daisies and Dunes has been sold. Its been bought as a St Valentines Day Present for his wife.
I shall really miss this painting--I have had it hung in our bedroom opposite our bed.
Its been wonderful to wake up to and see the view!!
However --Im so glad its been bought for a St Valentines present--I knew it was waiting for someone really special!

Summer Day Walk

This is the latest in my "Summer Day" series of paintings.
Tranquil and calm, the poppies and daisies lining the meandering pathway down to the beach, are bobbing gently in the sea breeze.This painting can be framed in a matching lightwood frame for an additional £15.
It would make a great Valentines Day gift for a loved one.
I always post my paintings by special delivery, so they are recieved the next day.They are also insured and trackable.
The Summer Day Walk is £120 including P+P in UK-if you are outside Uk please get in touch.

January 19th Class

"Tropical Summer Day" Is being painted on Saturday 19th Jan.
This is a mixed class of children and adults.
I have had one cancellation for this class, so if you are interested in painting this picture please get in touch via http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk/

It is suitable for all ages and abilities.

Wellesbourne Art Society

We had a lovely ride down to Wellesbourne, nr Stratford Upon Avon yesterday. We stopped off and had a wander around Stratford, bought some bits and pieces before finding our way to where we were staying for the night.The Old Dispensary.

We had a lovely welcome from Jenny.

Pictured above are the lucky winners of the raffle with the 2 paintings that I did for them that evening.Catherine and John.

We were doing the demonstration at the local fire station--they were 2nd in at the dreadful tragedy in which 4 firefighters died.

The proceeds of the raffle for the 2 paintings I painted during the demo, went to the fund for the families that lost loved ones in this tragedy.

I will be returning to do one or two classes there by the sound of it,I only take 7 people max for a class in order to be able to give everyone enough time and show them the method thoroughly.There was a lot of people interested last night, so may have to make it 2 classes instead of 1 class.

Since I started teaching people to ''Paint My Way'' --my prices haven't gone up at all in over 3 years .I have absorbed all of the price rises of canvas , paint, and brushes and the cost of hiring rooms to hold the classes--because to me the most important thing of all is to show the ordinary man in the street that THEY can paint beautiful oil paintings -all they need is encouragement and to be shown a technique,which shows in what they produce in my classes-

The exhibition in Dec 'From Small Acorns'' will show that.

Class for 10th Nov

This class ''Tropical Summer Day'' is fully booked.

I will be setting another date to paint this picture early in the new year. I already have 2 children waiting for a date!!

I must sit down with my diary and get cracking with all the new dates for the coming year.

I have got a waiting list of people wanting to do specific paintings in the new year so I will work around those people and get the dates put on the website asap.

I have got quite a few WI's booked for next year already.

Lilian---star pupil!

This is lilian painting her waterfall painting.

She wont mind me telling you that she is 83 years old.

We met lilian last year when we at St Audries.She said then''I feel like Ive known you for years,'' ----the feeling was very mutual!!!

Lilian painted her first painting last year and she painted 2 more this year.

The waterfall painting was much admired by everyone who viewed them--- all the paintings were put on display next to the dining room, and she actualy had someone want to buy her painting, but she didnt want to sell it!!!

Her grandaughter claimed her black and white birch tree painting last year, saying it was beautiful. Lilians son Graham who is the bar manager at St Audries wanted her to paint the poppy field painting which she promptly did and gave to him!

When she returned to Neath her grandaugher said to her that she had found her vocation in life, must say I agree.Lilian is a natural and although I said she was quite capable of painting at home she said she would wait til next year cos she enjoyed the classes so much!

I have a feeling that we will be seeing more of Lilian well before next year!!!

Her son Graham is the bar manager at SA and he had requested that she paint the poppy field painting. She did so and no one could tell hers from mine

Another Sunset

Another of the beautiful sunsets--I never tire of seeing them!

St Audries Bay Waterfall

This is the painting of St Audries waterfall that I painted for Mary.

I have tryed to capture the mystical feeling that surrounds the beautiful place.

It is one of the most peacefull, quiet places I have ever been.

This painting was done on a new canvas and although I primed it twice it started to dry out the very next day.

We will give it a coat of varnish the next time we are down there to bring out the colours.

Ive Lost------

Had a great surprise when I went to weight watchers yesterday--Ive lost 5lb !!!! Im a happy bunny now--although after the beautiful spread ( the coffee and walnut cake in particular!) we had at the WI yesterday I may have put a Lb back on!

Just checked and and Ive lost another LB !

Im going to try really hard to shift some more before we go on the Painting holiday at St Audries Bay. I will without doubt put some on while there-the food is second to none and 3 courses every night--there is aways a salad option but the other stuff always smells and looks so nice it will be hard to resist it!

Saturdays Class

I know----- I said I wouldnt be on here til next week!! well after todays brilliant class I couldnt resist it!

We were working in just black and white paint and the results were just astounding!

Shirley had the prize for the tidiest palette-the result can be seen here! This was her palette at the end of the class--amazing!

From left to right--Yvonne,Carole,Jan,Pete, Sharleen , and Shirley.

What great time we had today--Yvonne and Sharleen were both with me for the first time.

Yvonnes hubby Jack, had dropped her off at 10am and when he came to pick her up he asked how much had been sketched onto the canvas first-when I said nothing he was amazed!

They had quite a distance to come from Upton Upon Severn

He has booked for the next class along side his wife-the next class is now full.

Carole, ( and her daughter Hayley)

Jan has put the most touching message in my guest book,on my website http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk/ It makes my day when I get feedback like this.It has to be one of the most satisfying jobs in the world.!

I forgot to take a photo of Jans painting that she did last week.She bought it back this week for Bill to varnish and frame.

The difference it made was astounding. It is to be a present for her daughter birthday, she will be pleasently gobsmacked when she receives it!

You can see it in the background of the photo of Shirley signing her painting.

Carole who is very talented in other ways than painting presented me with another of her beautiful dried flower arrangements, done this time to match my kitchen, after she found out I have a silver theme going on there, I was so touched with this thoughtful gift.

Bill had traveled to Leominster this morning to fetch Carole, because her daughter Hayley was going to a wedding, Carole had said she would come on the bus, but we wouldnt hear of it-Bill set up the easels in the room and while I prepared the canvas and put out the paint, went off to fetch her from Leominster--its all part of the service!! as was varnishing last weeks canvas and framing them.

Exhibition

In December I am holding my 2nd solo exhibition at Leominster Library this year,

along side it will be my students work produced in the classes-everyone is looking forward to it and it will be interesting for people to see the difference in everyones work-even when produced in the same class!!

Here is Penny, one of the many students who will be putting all of her work done with me in class into the exhibition.