Class of April 12th

We had an interesting time today in the advanced class.
A real mix of subject paintings.
Carole had a friends photo taken when abroad to work from -the palm trees were in silhouette in the evening,It was a real treat to watch Carole in action-she needed very little help, once it was decided she needed a black acrylic base, Carole just got on with it. Carole had bought her own canvas as she prefers to work smaller than out usual size.She also bought with her some beautiful paintings that she had done at home, which I didn't get chance to get pis of.We will call on her next time we are in Leominster and get some photos-they are really beautiful.

Hayley -Caroles daughter hadn't painted for over 6 months and was unsure what to paint, but after a look through the photos I take for inspiration and the book of copy rite free images, she decided on a beautiful bright sunset.After getting over her initial fear of the colour and the big white canvas(which was completely understandable after 6 months not painting!) Hayley did the most dramatic sunset painting.
Jan had a lovely photo of a Japanese Maple tree that is being used on her posters for her Reiki Healing sessions--it was quite a challenge for her , as we had never covered a subject quite like it before in class,but the finished painting looked really great.Jan has also gone away with some ideas for a painting for her daughter!

The final member of the class was Joyce who has never attended any of my classes, but had been to classes elsewhere so has some experience of painting wet on wet. She is having a one to one tomorrow and Monday.
I am also on the craft market tomorrow, so we will have a busy day- I will go and set up with Bill on the market, then pick up Joyce from hotel, back home to paint "Summer Day" and then after dropping Joyce back at her hotel I will join Bill on the craft Market.
It is usually quieter during the morning, so Bill should be ok on his own!

Todays class

We were minus one student today--Yvonne had to work.Im sure she would have rather been painting!
We had a mixed lot of students today,
Sam who had been once before bought along her mother in law who hadn't done anything like this before.
Pauline and her hubby had been once before and Jack and Mandy have been quite a few times.
Right from the start you could see that the paintings were going to turn out very different to each other.
As soon as the surgical gloves(Supplied by me to protect their hands) went on and they picked up their natural sponges, the paintings all evolved in different ways.Jack had several spooky faces appear in his pic straight away--he always laughs at me picking them out!
But soon everyone was spotting faces of trolls and all sorts of things in the paint!We had a a great laugh as usual in the class.
The pathways all went in different directions which made it very interesting.
The trees were a bit scary for some of the students to do, but everyone soon settled sown and when it came to the splattering part, we ended up in fits of laughter! I ended up with black spotted boobs, and feet after some of the splattering went wrong when I was holding the plate with the paint on (thanks Gwen!!) But everyone soon got the hang of it in the end!
When it came to the finishing touches-adding the foxgloves with the encaustic pen --there were lots of nerves , but again after a few practise runs on some card everyone produced some great foxgloves.
I had previously ordered some acrylic varnish from the SAA, as I knew we had some acrylic classes coming up.
All acrylic paintings benifit from a couple of coats of varnish to bring out the colours and protect them.
I am happy to supply the varnish at cost price from the SAA to my students.
Pauline and Chris also went away with the SAA joining forms, catalogue and a free copy of Paint magazine.

class of May 3rd --Emerald Woods

This painting has just 2 places left-its a very popular one and quite easy to do.A lot of scope for individual personalities to shine through!

Please get in touch via the website if you would like to join the class.
www.paintingmyway.co.uk
Check out my 'snaps' pages on my site to see all my happy students with their paintings---you will see that many of my students come back time after time--my classes get booked up very quickly and I have a waiting list for some subjects.

The classes are very friendly,laid back and informative at the same time- great fun and a beautiful painting to take home as well!
Take a look at the guest book to see what some of the students have said about the classes as well!

I have kept my prices the same for the past 4 years--£35 which includes all materials used in class. We paint on a high quality box canvas which does not need framing-although if you wish to do so we supply a lovely frame to match your painting for just £12. Great Value!

Places Left in Classes

The class for Saturday March 1st is now full---Snowy Reflections
I have had an unexpected cancellation for the African Dream class on Saturday March 8th. So just one place left on this acrylic class.

There are 4 places left for Eternal Dawn on Sat April 5th.

There are just 2 spaces left for the Stormy Skies class on Saturday April 19th and 3 places left for Emerald Woods on Sat May 3rd.
The classes are getting very booked up very quickly

Congratulations Trine.

I have to congratulate my good friend Trine who lives in Norway.
She is a fellow artist, who works in a totally different style to me. Here is a link to her site http://mtv65.blogspot.com/
She does a lot of Chinese style painting using traditional inks, paints and papers and she has really worked hard at her art. She is now selling her work all over the world and even has an e bay shop.
It would seem it has been worth it-last year she had an article written about her in a magazine-now a Norwegian newspaper has done an interview with her about her and her work! You can read all about it on her blog.
We met when she came over here last year and stayed with us for a week to paint.We had a lot of laughs and fun and we have been great friends ever since.
Well Done Sis xxxx

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.

What A Day!!!!!

I have spent most of the day on the computer sorting out all my sales off ebay. I decided to sort out my clothes that have become too big since I lost weight, and sell them on ebay--they all finished last night and today--amazing what they have fetched!!!!!!
Trouble is Im a bit rusty when it comes to ebay so my dear sis has had to come round tonight to sort out a couple of things,now we have got paypal sorted things will be a bit quicker next time!
I have loads more stuff to go on there--trouble is I havent much time to do it all-my Beckie is moving house tomorrow-we have class -all being well and Im on the craft market on Sunday, so will have a busy time next week doing it all!

We have had torrentual rain here all day again, everywhere is flooded and I have had a couple of tomorrows students ring up worried they wont make it because of the flooding.We will have to wait and see--several of them have quite a distance to drive and at the moment Ludlow is more or less cut off from the outside world!

Todays Class

Here is todays student Penny.What a great painting Penny!!!

This is her third visit to me and we have become firm friends!

She bought me a beautiful gift of some silver earrings--she knows exactly my taste-they are what I would have chosen for myself!

She runs a lovely jewellery shop in the grounds of Ludlow Castle, called Astra Gems.

She sells the most beautiful things there, and always stops by for a chat when we are on the market, as its on her way to her shop.

We have a lot in common and are so on the same wave-length its unreal! We are going to have a girlie painting night at her place with some more friends some time in the future, I cant wait!!!

Her hubby is very much like my Bill--kind, caring and very helpful-as well, they will get on as well as me and Penny do!

Craft Fair.

This is me and Helen, a fellow artist member of the forum I am on, she was in the area on holiday with her husband for their anniversary.

They called by the craft fair, it was great to meet up with her and have a chat and a laugh!

All in all we had a very good day-the weather stayed beautful for us and there was LOADS of visitors about!

Caravan Site

We stayed at a great site while doing the Three Counties Show.It was quiet and clean and the food served at the pub was fantastic.

The Marlbank Inn is highly reccommened by us--just £10 a night with electric hookup and awning- great locals and cosy too!

We met a great couple from Neath who were also on their 2nd outing with their caravan, Wayne and Diane were a great laugh on both nights we were there!

Ludlow

There is a lot going on in Ludlow this weekend-the annual green-festival is taking place just outside the venue where the craft fair is,on the market square. Check out www.greenfestival.co.uk
On Sunday the market will be full of plants and things for the garden at the green fair

Lots going on for all the family, demonstrations and lots to see and do.

Also going on in the same building as us will be a big book sale that always attracts lots of people.
It promises to be a very busy weekend even if the weather isnt great.
Its also the annual carnival with proccessions all through the town, so if you are in the area pop in a and say hello!

Silvery Moon

This a triptch that I started some time ago and got put to one side!
I have had a finishing up day today when I went through all the stuff that I wasnt quite happy with.
I have done the sky again and added a moon, and also gone over the sea again.
I am very pleased with this painting now, the metallic paint really works well on water.
It measures 72 cm x30cm and it is £80 including P+P to Uk