Latest Commission

One of the reasons I'm behind with my blog is the latest commission I have been working on...its a big one!                       2 Canvas each 40in x 12in to hang above each other on the wall.. What the camera does not pick up is the soft metallic gold paint I have used on the birch trees.                                                                                                                             The light catches it beautifully.. Nicki who commissioned it also asked me to include some foxgloves--which again do not show up in the photo... but do look very effective in 'real life' ..As I usually do with a commission I had been sending Nicki photos of each stage so she could tell me if she liked it or wanted anything changing..                                                          When it was finished Bill gave the artwork 3 coats of varnish to protect it and it was ready to deliver to Nicki..... now as you know we have had some awful experiences with couriers-with canvas and paint arriving here damaged, so Bill said ''we will deliver them to Nicki and you will know they have arrived safely with no damage to them.''.               So today we had a 180 mile round trip to Macclesfield  to personally deliver them!     It was worth it to see her happy face when she saw them for the first time in the flesh!        Plus we got to have a lovely steak at the pub over the road and a mooch around Newcastle Under Lyme on the way home! Nicki said she will send me a photo of them in situ in her living room so will look forward to receiving that!

Foxgloves And Dragonflies

Barry painted with me earlier in the year when I went to do a workshop for the ABC41 club of which he is a member..he came along with his wife Denise who was a bit nervous!

This is a lovely subject to do and the results are quick to show too..I love teaching trees--everyone soon gets their own style very quickly--and trees are a bit like signatures-all unique to each person!

5th time for Liz who travels down all the way from Derby with the other girls-she loved using the monochrome paint!

First time for Gaynor, who also travelled down from Derby-lots of nerves but soon settled into it, lovely results too..

The workshop was a birthday treat from Cynthia husband-they stayed nearby and made a weekend of it-first time using acrylic and oils for her--she has tried watercolours before though..

5th time for Jo too--the Derby ladies will be receiving their artist brooches next time they come!

Christiania really enjoyed her day-said it was her first time since she was at school!

Diane drove everyone down from Derby--so Bill made some boxes so the paintings could all be stacked safely in the boot for the journey home.

everyone found it very interesting to use the acrylic first--then oils--and then right at the end have the choice of adding some colour to the monochrome...

Sharon got on well with the acrylic paint and had some great trees happening!

Lovely bold trees from Karen !

First time for Mary-she cant wait to come again!

everyone hard at it here!

Mary with her finished painting--she left hers monochrome-apart from the foxgloves and dragonflies..

I loved Barry's and  Denise's paintings--they added a touch of lilac to just the bottom of their paintings-very effective!

Karen loves colour--and her painting took on a real magical look--Cynthia left hers monochrome which looked just as good!

Isn't it amazing just how different the paintings can turn out so easily!

Amazing results from the '''Derby Five'''

Christiania, Denise and Barry with their finished masterpieces

Foxgloves And Dragonflies

It was lovely to see Pamela again...her second time with me--and no nerves this time! She was one of the most nervous students when she was given a gift voucher by her daughters! She came by the market to see me and was convinced she wouldn't be able to do it a all! She was happily proved very wrong!  She came along with her daughter Carolyn on Saturday, and both made lovely jobs of their paintings!

A happy Carolyn with her beautiful painting..Its an interesting painting to do--using acrylic and oils..Just black and white paint with a tiny bit of colour for the foxgloves and some shiny metallic green for the dragonflies.A couple of students added a touch of bluebells blue as well which looked lovely.

It was great to see Derek again-- he does so well in the workshops--he has Parkinson's and also had a stroke in Nov so he really is amazing ! He is booked in for another couple of workshops in the near future too..so will look forward to seeing him then.

Lilli came along for the first time with her mum...she created a lovely spooky enchanted woodland scene!

Derek with his finished painting.

It was lovely to see Joan and Claire again--both did very well--its a great picture to perfect your trees!

Andrea and Audrey made great jobs of their paintings-- 2nd time for Andrea and the first for Audrey-though you would never have know from the results!

Lisa and Lilli with their masterpieces..well done!

1st time for Judy who came along with son Nick and Jen who were painting for the second time with me..

Dot was another first timer with me although has used acrylics before--though not like she did in the workshop! Bob will be back this Saturday to paint Oriental Dawn with his daughter!

Pam and Carolyn with their beautiful paintings!

Amazing just how different the pictures were isn't it? This is one of my favourite subjects to teach and I will be setting another date for it in the autumn..keep watching the website for more dates..

Foxgloves And Dragonflies Workshop

Well what a busy workshop we had on Saturday--17 students,, some new ones and some been before! Several due to get their artist brooch for attending 6 workshops next time! Foxgloves and Dragonflies was a new subject-using acrylics and oils to create a pure fantasy scene.We used some beautiful metallic paint to paint the dragonflies--with a touch of glitter paint on top--beautiful effect-shame it does not show up on the photos! Above is Pat adding her trees..

Hardest part of the painting is getting the shape of the pond correct--Jan got hers right straight away!

Natalie has some lovely character trees!

Tracey adding the foxgloves...

Trudy adding some detail.

We found a lovely little bird in one of Beth's trees at the end--of course she added it on purpose ;-)

Rachael and the girls had all been on a midnight charity walk and didn't get in til 4.30am...I'm amazed that they all painted as well as they did bless em!

Helen has been to quite a few workshops with me now--and is painting at home too!

Donna adding some smaller trees before going on to the foxgloves...

First time for Kelly--

and Roland---though you would never know would you?

Pauline's painting is coming alone beautifully here..

Malcolm about to add some more branches to his lovely trees..

Anna travels a long way to paint with me..she loved working with both mediums...

First time for Teressa too--though you would never know from her results...

Jaq bought along her father in law Rick for his first time--she will get her artist brooch next time...she added some lovely poppies to her painting--they worked really well!

First time for Rick using oils and acrylics--he normally uses watercolours--but he got on just fine with them!

As it was a new subject and a larger than normal class we did run on a little over time and Teresa had to leave before the group photo as she had visitors!

Amazing just how different all the paintings are...

and you would never be able to pick out the first timers paintings from the others!

wonderful results!!!

A lovely workshop--am looking forward to teaching this one again next year!