1 Year Today....

I cant believe its a year today since we lost our fur baby --Sparky cat....

he was a handsome bugger...

who looked as if butter wouldn't melt...

got into all sorts of funny positions...

had some huge white teeth..

tried his hardest to look like one of my favourite ornaments..

always nicked the best seat in the house,

loved to lie in the sun next to his favourite little mate,

got his legs in a right tangle sometimes..

always had his one fang showing...

could almost talk...

and loved to beg for some ham....

he was our boy and we miss him so bloody much everyday...wont be getting another one cos once you have had the best that's it..... RIP Sparky xxx

New Subjects

I have set a date to paint something a little different to the usual type of thing I teach after chatting with Silvie who came to the workshop on Saturday!   She works at Teme Leisure where I have my exhibition at the moment--she said all the younger members of staff loved the examples of the abstracts I had hung there and would love to have a go at something like it!     Dawn who was in class said she would book in--which she has already, and so on  Sat Sept 28th we will be painting "Around The Twist" It will be great fun--using colours and some imagination using oils on a chunky black canvas.20in x 16in or 16in x 20in----- I'm sure we will have some lovely vibrant results.

Lots of options on what to do...these are just 2 examples! You can book on the website www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Summer Day Workshop

Looking good Sylvie..

11 year old Lucy was with me for the first time-along with Aunt Silvie..

Lovely Joyce...

Lin came along with Joyce--first time painting ever--she loved it and made a grand job!

another first timer--though you would never guess..

Brian was painting with oils for the first time..

Tina has been once before and painted the Big Poppy--this was a bit different--

Carole's masterpiece.

looking good..

Carol was here with her granddaughter Alice...she managed very well...and her painting was excellent.

Dawn was down from the Wirrel for the 4th time--she bought along her friend Ashley-who was pretty convinced she wouldn't be able to do it..

finishing touches going in here..

nearly done...

Alice's painting was very subtle-her poppies really bought it to life..

lovely results from everyone again and we are looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

lovely!

Well done!

Sales and Stuff

Ive had a lovely few days with sales of paintings..."Lest We Forget" and "The Stormiest Skies" are going to be on their way to  Debenham ,Norfolk in the morning... My front room wall is going to be awful bare until I get another one painted! Ive had the poppy one on the wall above my green sofa  in there since before Christmas...I love the combination of reds and greens together.

I love this version of Story Skies.....I sold both from Affordable British Art website,,,

The huge Poppy Delight sold from my exhibition at Church Stretton last Friday...

And  "Keep Looking Up" which is one like this one--is on its way to Reading today.. took a photo of the one that's sold, Bill wrapped it up to send --and I realised the photo hadn't turned out! So this is the nearest I have to it--this one is also sold! Again sold from Affordable British Art,, a brilliant site run by my dear friend Ros...,www.affordablebritishart.co.uk    must say the sales are very welcome after the workshops being as quiet as they have been lately...the 6 major shows we missed last year because of the awful weather is to blame for the lack of students--I pick up new students from the shows the summer before.. I expected it to be quieter this year-and I was right---though I am fully booked on some of them already too..lets hope the weather is better this year!

The Waterfall Workshop

Phil has painted before at home and wanted to pick up some hints and tips to use...

John came along with Phil--it was a first for him-and he loved it!

Jac had been once before with Sue--they did the Serenity picture last time--and found this one completely different to do--different techniques altogether!

Sue had great fun covering her palette--it never fails to amaze me how different everyone is when it comes to their palettes--some keep them very neat and some are the opposite and use every inch---

Donna was painting for the first time,,,

as was Ray-we met him at the Doddington Friendship Club last year where I did a demo--he was bought a gift voucher-and admitted he didn't expect to enjoy himself---how wrong could he be? he wrote in my comments book!

Iva and her friend Veronica heard about me from my exhibition in Bishops Castle last year--both really enjoyed themselves...

Veronica used more subtle colours in her painting--more of the greens and yellow ochres--lovely result!

well done everyone!

Holiday in Denbeigh

We had a lovely couple of days away last week...we travelled to Denbeigh in North Wales and stayed at The Hawk and Buckle...this was the view from our room..

bedroom was lovely...but the highlight was............

the double jacuzzi in the bathroom!

there is something really decedent about pink bubbly--especially when drinking it in----

the jacuzzi!!!!!!! I think I may have overdone the bubble bath though! Great fun to be had in a jacuzzi-will defiantly be looking for one in the future when we go away! Shame our bathroom isn't bigger--I would be on the lookout for one to fit in there!

This was a bit of a shock when I opened the bedside drawer to put some clothes in and found these sex toys and lubricant-all new and sealed!!! We still don't know if the previous occupants left them in there or the landlord!  Cant imagine the landlord left them somehow--you could easily offend folk--luckily we are both very broad minded!  And the previous occupants would hardly ring the landlord and say they had left them behind -so that will remain a mystery!

The Hawk and Buckle pub where we stayed..

We had a scary journey home over Horseshoe Pass-we hit some black ice and nearly went over the side of a huge drop-we hit a tump of mud and grass and it threw us back into the road but when they say your life flashes before your eyes -they are not joking! I will not be travelling over any hills in the snow in the future!