Class of Aug 9th "Stormy Skies"

I had 2 last minute cancellations at 11pm on Friday night because of illness..so I was down to 12 students for Saturdays workshop..and they came from far and wide again---Claire's sat nav bought her the long way from Birmingham--we are not quite sure where she came but it involved a lot of country lanes so she was going back via Kidderminster! First time painting for her--we will also see her at the end of the month to paint The Waterfall!

Christine came along with another of her granddaughters-Alex for the second time... Christine's hubby stayed to watch the proceedings too,,and showed me his great camera--I liked it so much I came home and ordered one for myself! Been promising myself a new one for a bit...

Alex made a beautiful job of her painting..

Ann enjoyed working with the oils and got a really dramatic sky going on very quickly!

Looking good!

We had a good mix of subtle skies and more dramatic ones....

Jackie was starting to wish she hadn't put in quite so many waves  when it came time to drag the wave out with a brush after!

First time for Jackie who was supposed to come in March with her daughter and group of friends--unfortunately she had a fall and broke her ankle and had to put off coming until yesterday...

her daughter Michelle who was also painting for the first time had a call to say her hubby had had an accident just before we started the class...and had been rushed to hospital with suspected broken ribs--so they dashed off as soon as we finished--will be in touch with her to see how he is..

Steve was with us for the 3rd time..he and wife Sylvia chose to do the 12in x 24in canvas..he did a dramatic bold version and Sylvia went more subtle!

Here is Sylvia adding the final details to her picture!

Beautiful results from everyone as usual..

Well done ladies x

WOW !

I had a phone call yesterday from Barbra who owns a shop in Ludlow.
The tenants have moved on to a larger premises and the shop is up for let again.
Barbra asked if I wanted to put some paintings in the empty shop until new tenants could be found!
So today we went down with a load of paintings and some posters about the classes and got it all set up.
The shop is in a prime position on the Bullring, just a few yards from the most photographed hotel in the UK--The Feathers Hotel-a beautiful black and white building.
It was amazing just how many people were looking at the windows when we setting up-so hopefully we will get some sales/ students from it.
The shop has 3 windows on 2 sides so great for display purposes.
It was lovely of Barbra to think of us and offer this opportunity.

Ludlow Art Society Exhibition

The Ludlow Art Society has its summer exhibition on at the moment,its being held at the local College in Castle Square.

I had my stewarding duties to do today and a very interesting afternoon I had.There was a steady stream of people all afternoon and we sold 2 paintings.

the standard of work is very high this year, there really is some beautiful work in the exhibition.

Your Age

A bit of trivia sent to me by one of my regular readers Tom-

YOUR AGE BY EATING OUT
Don't tell me your age;
your waiter may know!
YOUR AGE BY DINER & RESTAURANT MATHS
DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute. Work this out as you read .
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to
go out to eat.
(more than once but less than 10)
2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)
3. Add 5
4. Multiply it by 50
5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1758...
If you haven't, add 1757.
6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.
You should have a three digit number
The first digit of this was your original number. (I.e., How many times
you want to go out to restaurants in a week.)
The next two numbers are
YOUR AGE ! ------ (Oh YES, it is!)
THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2008) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS

Ludlow Art Society Summer Exhibition

I am sorting out which paintings I am entering into this years Ludlow Art Society Summer Exhibition.
Its difficult to decide which ones I am putting in--I know I will be entering some of my Black and White Birch Trees, and one of my Manic series, but the other 3 I'm undecided on! I have never seen any encaustic art in the exhibition before so maybe I will put one of my big wax paintings in too.
The exhibition runs from Saturday August 16th until Monday 25th August. Its being held as usual at the Harley Centre, Ludlow College, Castle Square, Ludlow, Shropshire.
Unfortunately I will be unable to attend the private viewing as we will be away doing a big craft event at Tern Valley, I'm sure I can get someone to go along on my behalf---one or two of my students maybe!

Congratulations Sharleen!!!!!

We want to congratulate my friend and student Sharleen Toller on starting up her own website gallery on www.affordablebritishart.co.uk
She is my first student to do so although I think Mandy wont be far behind her!
We met Sharleen last August at Onslow Park steam rally when we did the craft fair there,such a short time ago and look at her now!!!

Sharleen took to the technique like a duck to water and quickly started painting at home.She has already sold some of her work,Im sure the future is very bright for Sharleen!

FROM SMALL ACORNS

Here are some of the pics from the start of the "from small acorns " exhibition.

Chip came down from Telford with his lovely owner Sharleen,you can just about see him in the company van-watching every move we made while filling the back of it up!

Many many thanks go to Sharleen for all her help(and Dennis)

Some of the other pics are of the paintings I have put in--I have not shown the rest of the paintings because I DO NOT WANT THE STUDENTS TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE JAN!!!!!

look forward to seeing you all tomorow!! lots of love Di x

This Will Make Some People Laugh!!!

We all had a laugh and a joke today about Bills photography skills, and how often the pics he takes come out all blurry! So I took over the camera when some of the children had a go at the encaustic art--and we all joked that they would come out blurry as well--which as you can see they did!!!!!

So big big apologies got to the blurry ones but Alexander, Kaicannon,Isabella, Catherine and Heather all really enjoyed themselves doing the encaustic art!

We had some remarkable results using the iron and melted wax,some surprising things appeared as if by magic! We had some faces and animals turn up in their paintings, one beautiful wolf's head in particular!!!

Wyevale Garden Centre

We are going to get everything sorted now for tomorrows new venture at Wyevale Garden Centre.
We will be there all day , I will have all the painting subjects on display and some other extra ones as well.I will also be painting all day in oils and acrylics so people can see just what happens in our classes.
There will also be demonstrations in encaustic wax going on in between.
I am really looking forward to it, at least we will be in the warm and dry.
At the weekend its the 2 day Medieval Fair at Ludlow College--always a busy affair and a lovely venue with plenty of room for us to show off my paintings to their best!! The money raised is for the Air Ambulance so its a great cause to support.

Waterfall class

We had a lovely relaxed class today.

Everyone had been before to my classes and some had met each other at previous classes.

We didn't get started painting right a way-as usual in the classes we all have to put the world to rights first-then Jan finished preparing the canvas with linseed oil for me while I checked that we all had the correct colours on the palette!

We had some beautiful waterfall's , each one different to the rest-its always amazing just how different they can be-just a little more pressure on the brush when putting in the waterfall can completely change the finished effect.

The sky's were very dramatic , some did not need a moon adding in at the end-they already looked like there was a moon behind the clouds!!!

Jan's and Jacks were really striking skies!

Everyone is getting excited about the forth coming exhibition--many thanks to Sharleen for offering to pick up Jan and bring her to the opening night-

I have ordered the extra frames that students want for their paintings and they will be ready for the exhibition.

From Small Acorns

While we were doing the class this morning, one of my old students called by with her paintings to put into the 'From Small Acorns'exhibition.The lucky thing is going on holiday for a month and wont be here for the private view so she dropped them with me today.

The top 2 paintings she has done in classes, the bottom one she has done at home using the method I taught her.

Its very effective.

I have encouraged students to paint at home and to enter the paintings done without my instruction, into the exhibition-It will make very interesting viewing for everyone.This student has done very well-she has sold 3 of her paintings done in class with me--the last one sold for £180 --she had priced it high as she didnt really want to sell it-but someone liked it so much they paid the money for it--a great buzz for her!!

Tomorows Class and The Exhibition

I have had a cancellation for tomorrow which means that I have Jack and Sharleen coming here to paint.
I have had some more of my students get in touch wanting to display their paintings in the ''From Small Acorns''exhibition in Leominster. I am not sure that there will be much room for me to put any of mine in the exhibition at this rate!!!

I have already increased the order for glasses at Tesco because the numbers have gone up--the last thing I want is to run out of glasses at the private viewing!!!.
I have found that Tesco is very good --they hire out as many glasses as you want free of charge-whatever sort of glasses you want--I have on order a very large number of wine glasses and tumblers- so far! There is going to be a certain amount of car drivers there so we will be catering for them as well!!
I have some beautiful wines already-white ,rose,and red and we will have some orange juice cocktail for the drivers as well as some other soft drinks.
There will be some of the children that have attended the classes there-I have decided to group all of the childrens work together-I am sure that people will be amazed at their results!

Brians latest Painting

Brian, one of my one to one students came over with his wife this morning to buy some canvas off me and to show me his latest painting that he has done on his own at home.

Very impressionist to look at with his bold sky that had a hint of pink that stopped it feeling too cold.

He said that he had used a knife to do the sea, which works very well.

The addition of the little yacht with the red sail is a clever touch!

Brian had used what he learned in the classes to do this painting and I hope there will be some more paintings included in the exhibition that have been done out of classes.

When Brian has the black frame around the box canvas it will set it off a treat!!

I will be ordering some more frames this Friday for students who want them ready for the exhibition.

Good Idea Bill !!!

I always clean the brushes out in the garage sink after a class/one 2 one etc.

It has been getting a little cluttered up out there lately cos Im not the most tidiest of people, and the brushes have been hanging around on the draining board til they have dryed out completely.

Bill has said for a while that we need something to put the brushes into straight away after they have been cleaned, then they can dry out thougherly, then they are ready to put into the individual boxes for the classes.

Simple but effective, he knocked up this storage unit for the brushes this afternoon while I was doing the one 2 one with Penny!

I can put the brushes straight into there as soon as they have been cleaned in the odourless turps and cleaned in the brush cleaning soap and dryed , and they are ready to put into the boxes for the classes. So much easier -thanks Bill xxx

I have just replaced all the scriptliner brushes that we use in the classes with new ones and the old ones I will keep for when we do acrylic classes. The new brushes are also available for sale for just £3.50p including P+P

I also have a new stock of painting knives that will be on sale for just £4.50p including P+P-they sell out as fast as I get them in-once people see just what can be done with them , they all want one!!!

BIG HUGS FOR SHARLEEN AND CO !!!!!!

Loads and loads of great big hugs for Sharleen -one of my students, who has designed and printed the invites for the private viewing and the posters for the ''From Small Acorns'' exhibition.

Me and Bill would have been days sorting that out! We still are not the most computer literate of folk, the computer is a necersary evil as far as Im concerned!

Sharleen has made a fantastic job of doing the invites and posters and we are chuffed to bits with the result!

YOU ARE A STAR!!!!!!!

Also a great big thanks to Penny who is going to supply some of the cheese for the ''private viewing'' She is so enthusiastic about the whole thing--she cant wait to get her paintings on display to the general public!!!

Its great when all the ideas come together, it literaly started out as a small acorns sort of thing and has grown and grown to be this great big oak tree!!!

Off We Go-- To St Audries Bay

We are still packing everything ready for the off to St Audries Bay! There is so much to remember-the list gets longer each hour!

I should have stopped at home while Bill fetched my friend from Stafford who is house/pet sitting but decided to go along for the ride last night instead!

There is no rush to get there though-as long as we arrive in time for the lovely 3 course meal this evening!

I will have internet access while I am away so I will keep you all posted with whats happening at St Audries Bay!

Childrens Encaustic Parties

After an inquiry today after a mum who I met at the weekend, I am able to announce that I will be available for childrens encaustic art birthday parties.

The children will be supervised and shown how to create beautiful melted wax pictures.
I will also supply a frame for the birthday child to put his/her favorite picture in.
They will be able to make some postcard size pics and also 1 A4 size.
If you are interested in having an encaustic party please get in touch with me.

Latest Encaustic Artists!

As promised --2 of the latest encaustic artists at the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival craft fair in aid of the Air Ambulance.

Oliver and Hannah--- Little artists in the making!

Hannah had a go at encaustic art yesterday and bought back nanna and grandad today to have another go and to choose the colours she used today--I think they were very impressed!

Oliver is going to join us in a class to paint Tropical Summer Day in the near future----well- after Christmas! I now have a waiting list of people who want to join a class, and I have a full capacity of students until next year. I will be planning next years classes hopefully while on the painting holiday at St Audries Bay, the time seems to fly by--there is not enough hours in the day to get everything done that I want to do!

Little Stars !!

As Promised --Kate and Sarah who both had a go at encaustic art and really enjoyed them selves--Its been very busy today with everyone wanting to try it out!

This Weekend's Food And Drink Festival

This weekend see's one of Ludlow highlights--The annual food and drink festival take a look at http://www.foodfestival.co.uk/ Ludlow will be heaving with people from all over the country and the world.

There are beer trails and sausage trails amoung other exciting things going on in the town.

The Streets Alive will be in town with the stilt dancers,music and loads of things going on in the town square.

We will be in the college Saturday and Sunday doing the craft fair which raises money for the Air Ambulance.

I will have room to put lots of paintings on show and as usual I will be demonstrating both the encaustic and oil painting techniques.

Several people that we met at Onslow Park steam rally will be coming to the craft fair to pick up their encaustic sets, that I had sold out of!!

I have stocked up with plenty of supplies of encaustic stuff so hopefully I wont run out of stock this weekend!