The Gorge WI Ironbridge.

We went over to Ironbridge yesterday to do the first demo of the year...Maureen the club secretary has been to quite a few of my workshops after we met at Ludlow market over a year ago..so she recommended me to the organiser Ann..we put up the display of paintings and greetings cards as well as it was quite a big room.I was able to do my demo first before the ladies did they meeting and then we stopped for coffee and did the raffle for the paintings. There were quite a few ladies who painted already there so there were some questions from the audience about the techniques I used.I painted the usual pictures I use for demos--The Waterfall and Summers Day as they use a wide variety of techniques and brushes to achieve the picture-they are also very quick for me to do as I have had lots of practise doing them....I actually had the waterfall picture done in less than 20 mins right from blank canvas to signing it much to everyones amazement,,,,the Summers Day took a little longer at 25 minutes! That left 15 nmins for me to chat to the ladies about the workshops in more detail.

the paintings were passed around after so everyone could take a closer look..

Elizabeth won the Summer Day and Jenny The Waterfall... we will see one of the ladies here at Ludlow for the Stormy Skies and it looks like we may go over there and do a workshop with the ladies as well...

Stormy Poppies Workshop Oct 22nd--results!

We met Ebony and her mum at Burwarton show earlier this year...it was Ebony's 7th birthday yesterday and Mum booked her in as a surprise ---she didn't know until this morning what she was going to be doing-and she was chuffed to bits to find she was coming to paint with me!

Lin hasn't painted before but has done creative things like making cakes and icing them--even down to making the flowers from icing for the decorations..so she has some creative flaire to start with....

Pearl making great progress...first time for her with oils..

Svana made a beautiful job of her painting...she used the bashing and tickling brushes with ease..

Kay is making a start on her grasses here...a mix of light and dark ones before we get to the poppies....

Wow Ann...you are making a lovely job of those poppies..

Laura came along for the first time with her aunty Elaine-who we met recently on the market...they were both astounded at their results and how different they turned out to each others...

Elaine decided not to add poppies to her painting--but to just emphasise the grasses instead....and it worked well..

hard at it..

hardest part--the signing of the paintings!

Lovely work from everyone....

some great stormy skies and poppies!

Ebony's mum wanted to get some pics of everyone's results as well...I'm sure we will be seeing everyone again for some more painting workshops!

Some very happy artists!

Birch Tree Workshop

It was lovely to see Rod back-he came last week to paint Emerald Woods and loved it so much he came back to paint Birches before going back hone to Clacton on Sea-he chose to use the browns and silver combination on a 12in x 24in chunky canvas.Birches works well whatever colours and size canvas we use...and allows the students to personalise the painting and make it theirs!

Howard and Hilary were back again,they really enjoyed the workshop-though I think I tired them all out in it---there is a lot of up and down to the table to do the splattering each stage!

Carole has been before,,and we met up again at one of the shows--cant for the life of me remember which one now--anyway-it was lovely to see her again and she made a lovely job of her painting..

Nancy has been once before and has yet another gift voucher to use up after this one---gift vouchers make a great pressie-especially if families know they have been to me and enjoyed it..

it always amazes me just how engrossed the students get when painting--its rare that they seem to notice me with my camera snapping away...

Jenny was very nervous to say the least when she came in with Trevor who was doing his 3rd painting.She works alongside him, and was convinced she wouldn't be able to paint anything that looked like a picture....

Trevor....he has always been a confident artist and very early on made decisions without being prompted by me..

Rosemary was another first timer...and came along with her daughter Rachel who had been once before and used oils in Stormy Poppies...she was also convinced she wouldn't be able to do it and thought she had overdone the first stage when using the sponges...as she found out--you cant really do that bit wrong!

Jenny received her artist brooch today for achieving her 6th painting.The painting is for her sons Christmas pressie..and she made a lovely job of it....

this is the fun bit--splattering the tree sand background..lots of paint flying everywhere..and me shouting "that's it hard and fast" to the amusement of everyone,,,,but you have to really do it hard and fast for the paint to come off the brushes properly!So we had lots of laughs and chuckles from everyone when we were doing this bit!

Rachel made a great job of her picture--good mix of light and dark in her background

Howard doing his splattering

all hard at it..totally unaware of me and my camera!

Trevor's painting almost finished...

Jane's painting -nearly there..

Hilary's painting--lovely job..not much more to do to it now..

don't they look great?

brilliant!!

well done everyone !

Well Done Rhys!

Well done to my nephew Rhys---he is going to be doing his work experience in July with one of the countries top chefs Will Holland at his local restaurant  la Bécasse.It will be quite an experience for him! Rhys loves cooking and regularly cooks at home--he makes the most beautiful cakes....cant wait to see what sort of things he will be doing after being with Will! Take a look at the website   http://www.labecasse.co.uk/