New Venue

I'm pleased to announce that we will be doing a workshop at The Wirral Girls Grammar School on Sat Nov 8th  .                                                                                                                                         We had 4 teachers from the Wirral come down a few weeks ago to paint and they loved it so much they asked if we would go up there and do a workshop ...we are always happy to travel--

 Of course there will be a small extra charge (£5) to cover our travel expenses and we will be able to take up to 20 students in the workshop...  
                                                                                                                                                            It looks like there are possibly 12 booked up so far so if you live in the area and fancy having a go at painting The Birches in a range of colours and canvas sizes please don't leave it too long or it will be booked up!                                                                                                                                   http://www.paintingmyway.co.uk/a1-gallery3.asp?roomID=6163& pictureID=20172                                                                                                                                Its great fun to do and always fantastic results..plans are also in the pipeline for a workshop in Portsmouth too though not sure if it will be this year or next yet....watch this space..

Shobdon Food And Flying Festival

We were at Shobdon Food and Flying Festival at the weekend, our 9th year..where has the time gone? Plenty of space for the stands and for me to demonstrate!

It was lovely to meet up with past and present students--and everyone enjoys looking at the photos in the albums to see if they can spot each other in there!

I need to get some more small paintings done-almost sold out at Ludlow market the week before and didn't get chance to do any more before the show...

Pretty much all the paintings on display are workshop subjects..

There is always some amazing things on sale in the craft marquee--but this has to be the best yet--we met Alan Colebatch at a show a few years ago--what a talented blacksmith he is-- this huge horse is amazing...

beautiful..

Alan's lily was also a show stopper-and he sold it at the show....it would have looked lovely on my patio!

some more beautiful work by the woodcarver...

I did manage to catch the parachutes coming down but otherwise didn't see much of the rest of the show...

Birches Workshop

We had a few students unable to attend due to various reasons--however they will be coming along in the future! Although there is a wide variety of choices for the workshop, colour and canvas size-almost everyone decided to use the 20in x 16in canvas- Jenny and Anna used the 24in x 12in and the 12in x 24in..And the monochrome version proved to be the most popular colour...Everyone wanted to add a bit of bling in the form of metallic silver birch trees....Steven has been to the Yesterday workshop previously--and we will look forward to seeing him and his wife in the future ..

Jenny chose the same colours as me-beautiful bright autumn colours--love the path disappearing off in the distance..

Anna has quite a distance to travel from Bristol..but Bill was able to tell her an easier way  home than the satnav had bought her..being an ex lorry driver is very useful sometimes! She made a lovely job of her painting--managing to get her splatters on the trees very fine--though we couldn't work out exactly how-although I watched her every move! She admits she is addicted to the workshops--and we will look forward to seeing her again next month!

We had 4 ladies come down from the Telford area after one of their mums came along to the demo I did recently at the  Withington WI..all had tried watercolours before and a bit of acrylic but this was a first for them.. Helen is adding her dark trees here...

The silver paint stands out lovely against the bright autumn colours in Jenny's painting..

the last of the silver birches going in...

everyone was amazed at the difference each stage made to the previous one...

layering dark and light trees added distance and depth to the pictures..

I love the way everyone gets more confidence with each step...its often quite hard to paint over stuff you have previously painted--but it is necessary to add the depth and distance to the paintings...

adding the lines to the birches...

When we do acrylics we always have mats down to protect the floor in the room --its new and very light----to be sure we put down a huge tarpaulin sheet to do the splattering!!!

always interesting to see how everyone tackles this bit...

for a lot of this workshop you could hear a pin drop...everyone concentrating so much..

what great results from everyone..

After a 5 hour workshop it was lovely to come home and have a quick dinner to prepare--diet coke chicken is a firm favourite here-so quick,easy and tasty-and as the weather was so beautiful we sat outside by the pond to eat it...

One of our original fish--Moby is a real greedy bugger-and is always first out of the water  searching out food on the lily pads..

waiting for their dinner!

Pud was just as easy and delicious-fresh local strawberries, with low fat strawberry greek yogurt and a few tiny meringue's

Severn Valley Country Park Workshop

You couldn't wish for a better setting to paint in...listening to the steam trains passing by and the birds singing...The Severn Valley Country Park is just brilliant! It was lovely to see Jackie-who has been to quite a few workshops--she lives only a few miles away so it was very handy for her...

can you believe this was the first time painting?

Helen lives nearby as well..she bought along her youngest daughter Mikki for the first time---Helen has been to quite a few workshops now---think she has got the addiction like many of my students!

Mikki went for the light delicate effect--the painting lends itself to either bold or delicate so every ones happy!

Another first timer-Silvia--love the flowing grasses...

Doreen's first time too--she wanted a more delicate sky and added a touch of grey afterwards to liven it up just a touch...

It was Sally's first time too..and it was a birthday treat for her--she bought along a homemade cake-made with eggs from her own chickens and homemade lemon curd--it would have been rude to refuse a piece! It was to die for--don't thin one piece will make a difference on the scales at SW tonight--blimey Ive been so busy the past few days I should have lost loads!

all hard at work..

Bill has worked so hard lately bless him--he is enjoying 5 mins peace here outside the room -what beautiful views!

You can just see the steam train between the trees,..

Lovely results ladies--will look forward to seeing you all again!

                                                                             Many thanks to Susie who organised the demo and workshop at the venue--and made the lovely sandwiches we had for lunch!

Kinver Show

After a very busy Saturday workshop we were up at 5.15am on Sunday to get ready for Kinver Show..there was a bit of a  mix up when we got there and found just one space instead of 2 but it was soon sorted--and it must be a bit of a nightmare to get everything sorted out for everyone! We didn't have any electric so couldn't do the encaustic art demos, but I was able to do some painting with oils..

Plenty of room in the gazebos to set everything out nicely and lots of interest in the Boho Button Bouquets!

Ive got lots of button Buttonholes made for the show too..

The smaller paintings sold well..

Lots to see and do for all the family--but we didn't get much chance to get off and see as we were so busy with customers all day!

Bill did get away to see the display of vintage cars..

Having a quiet 5 mins!

Bill fancied some Beaver Pie--

The plan was to call back at the Bewdley poppy fields and get some new photos..but it was turned 7pm and we were both completely knackered so we gave it a miss...I did get some stunning pics just out of Kinver though..