Hospital, Shobdon, and Everything Else!

Well after being told on Wednesday that my operation had been cancelled I received a letter marked 'urgent' today from the hospital telling me the op is to go ahead as planned! So I will be out of action for a few days recovering but am expecting to be able to hold the Poppy Field class on July 10th as normal.
If its any different I will contact everyone booked and let them know!

We had a lovely day at Shobdon today--its always lovely there-and because its quiet we can catch up with news from our friends there.
Our friend Elaine--alias 'Jones the Bead' always asks to be put next to us so we can have a laugh and natter over the weekend.
We have supported the event from day one 6 years ago and made friends with Elaine then--she is such a lovely person--she went round the food marquee today and came back with some beautiful fruit cookies!
I tryed to catch her with the camera having a munch!
Elaine makes the most beautiful beaded things-and always has something new to display-she is very talented and has more patience than anyone I know with those tiny little beads!

Last year at Shobdon we were fortunate to meet someone else who was to become a special friend--Lin.
I cant believe that its only a year since we met--it seems like we have known each other for ever!
Lin makes the greetings cards from my paintings-they are sooo popular-she has a great eye-and crops the photos of my pictures to create the cards.She knew I was getting down on my stock of cards so she sent along another 90 with her friend this morning to sell over the weekend!
We cant wait to meet Lin again tomorrow and catch up with everything.
Lin will be taking photos of my new paintings to turn into cards--and I know that the bluebell woods one will be used as one for a start!
I got some lovely snaps of the pool at Shobdon again--I will be using the images as a new class subject and I have logged the photos on www.protectmywork.com
The scene looks quite tropical, the water is covered in duckweed which makes it look completly green!

Class of May 15th "Birches"

Well this is just a quickie as we are away on holiday and Ive just realised I hadn't put Saturdays class on here!

We had 14 in class- 7 who had been before and 7 newbies.
My 13 year old niece came along to help as we wanted to get away asap after the class.
Nat a tat as shes known was an absolute gem--she washed sponges, brushes changed water and held paint pots when needed.

Most students used a huge 36in x 14in canvas to create their masterpieces on, and we knew the class would take a bit longer than the usual 4 hours.
We had great fun as usual--the newbies were all quite nervous as is normal-- but soon settled down to it and all the nerves quickly vanished!

Sue found it easier to turn her painting upside down to put branches and grasses in, which made us laugh!

The venue at Helena lane has a cafe which proves popular with the students--we have a menu in class which the students can choose from and order, Bill takes the orders down and the cafe has it ready for 12pm when we stop for dinner.Its one less thing for people to worry about before leaving home to come to class.

Everyone was astounded with their paintings--and wants to come back again!
Kaitlyn received her artists brooch for attending 6 classes.
She loves a challenge bless her and is very quick at learning the new techniques each time.

Sunflowers class April 3rd

I have now decided that this painting will be the subject for the class on April 3rd.

Its painted in oils and is suitable for all ages and abilities from children and first time artists.
We will use a 12in x 24in chunky canvas.

I will be making a separate class of the other sunflower painting done in acrylic later in the year.
For more details please check out the website where you can now book and pay for the classes online if you wish!

www.paintingmyway.co.uk

Todays Class-Tropical Sunset

We had 2 newbies in class today and also Hannah who had been once before.
Tropical Sunset uses both oil and acrylic paint and it proved to be an interesting painting subject.
To start we did some under painting using acrylic paint,put the canvas outside in the sunshine for a few minutes to dry and then covered that with some white oil paint medium.
Then came the interesting part-putting some colour into the painting-
Each painting gives the artist the chance for their own personality to come out in their picture.You soon find out who is the boldest and who is the more subtle ones!
Pattie lives over the road from us and was painting for the first time-she seemed quite calm and not very nervous at all, Paul had travelled from Shrewsbury as had Hannah and her Nan.
Hannah had been once before to do the Forest Pool painting.
Everyone one laughed when I said we had to turn the paintings upside down to do the reflections of the palm trees , but soon realised it was the easiest way of doing them!
We are seeing them all again soon, Pattie and Paul are coming to do the Birch Trees and Hannah is coming to paint Mellow Moods with either her mum or her Nan.

TODAYS CLASS-EMERALD WOODS

We had a lot of fun today in the Emerald Woods Class. I met Andy and Andy-yes that's right-hubby and wife both called Andy!- on the craft market last Sunday. Both of them wanted to learn how to paint but were convinced that they couldn't.
They came along today and asked if they could do a diptych-a 2 canvas painting.
I couldn't see a problem with that and it turned out to be great fun. Once we had the pond shape sorted it wasn't too difficult. There was a little bit of competition between them from time to time and it was fun to watch them both deciding for themselves where to put things.
We ended up using my easel a lot of the time as it was easier to have both canvas's on there to match things up.Oliver earned his artists badge today-he is the first student to have one of the new style ones.
He has grown into a very confident little artist and I'm looking forward to seeing him again soon!

Class of Feb 28th -Forest Dawn

Forrest Dawn is a new class subjects painted using acrylic and oils,
You will learn composition,perspective,colour and how to use several different brushes and what they will do, as well as a painting knife.


The painting is suitable for all ages and abilities from 6 years upwards
If you would like to join us for this workshop please get in touch via the website
www.paintingmyway.co.uk
or ringing me on 01584 872013

Results

Well Ive had the results from my recent scan and coloscopy tests and there is nothing too much to worry about that some lifestyle changes wont put right!

Ive still got to go and have an endoscopy on Dec 3rd but Im not too worried about that!
That means that things are getting back to normal in the household-whatever normal might be here!

Class of Jan 24th-- Tropical Sunset

Warm
and Inviting-this tropical paradise will warm up any room its hung in!
Created using acrylic and oil you will learn several different techniques in this class.

This painting is suitable for all ages and abilities
If you are interested in joining this class please get in touch with me via the website www.paintingmywy.co.uk

or give me a ring on 01584 872013 if you have any questions about this class

Class Of Sept 27th

At last Ive managed to get yesterdays class on here! What a weekend we've had! Straight after yesterdays class we had to go to a family reunion, we didn't get back very early and had so much to do when we did get back! Brushes to clean and a car to load for a craft fair today!

We had a lovely time in class ---

everyone had travelled to get to us-no-one more than Vina and her daughter Tor who were up at 6am to travel from London to do the class!

Kath and Hilary -who we met at the Onslow Park Steam Rally last month came from Shrewsbury, Eileen came from Hereford and Mike came from Wolverhampton.

So they came from far and wide to be with us!

Amazingly everyone arrived on time from all their homes!

Everyone were first timers except for Mike----

Mike has been to a couple of other classes-but he emailed tonight to say that his family thought the painting he did with me was the best one, and I'm looking forward to seeing him again soon!

Tor had some great ideas of her own for her painting-right from the start-she wanted to know if she could add some turquoise colour to her sky-instead of just blue-of course I said yes-the idea of the classes is not to end up with a carbon copy of my painting-but to learn how to use the materials, and how to learn to develop your own style.

Nothing is set in stone-and hopefully I can advise you on any changes YOU would like to make to your painting to make it completely unique

Tors painting ended up very dramatic-with a lovely old twisted tree coming in from the left hand side.

The painting that I show you is just a guide-its always very interesting to see how quickly people learn to add things to their painting -all their own ideas, sometimes with a little help from other students too!!!

.I love to watch people develop as the time goes on-and it happens so quickly too.

Kath wanted to put a pathway down to her beach, with grasses and poppies growing alongside it.

I didnt realise til the end, when she showed me, that Mike had suggested to her to put a little gate at the bottom of the path-it worked really well!

Vina's husband came to pick her and Tor up and he was gobsmacked at their results-he really couldn't believe they had achieved the results in just 4 hours!

I woke during the night feeling ill-there is a sickness bug going around the area and it looks like Ive picked it up.

I was in two minds as to whether we did the craft market today or not-I felt lousy when the alarm went off at 6am this morning.

But after a hot shower I felt a little better, and we got on with loading the paintings into the car.

We had quite a busy day--I wasn't up to normal speed, but did my best.! Haven't felt right since I got up this morning and am looking forward to not getting up early tomorrow.

Lots of interest in the classes-will update the places left and the new classes tomorrow all being well.

The commissioned paintings were picked up from my stall as arranged , and Karen loved the Poppy Delight one--she hadn't seen any recent pics of it--trusting me to get it right!

I had a guide of the colours she wanted in it-but after the bare beginning-she hadnt any idea of what it looked like!

I signed it on the side and Bill strung it so it can be hung any way she fancies.

The Trio Of Sunflowers can only be hung the way intended because of the stalks!

Its late now so will update the new classes tomorrow.

Emerald Woods--Sept 20th-- 4 places left

I have 4 places left in this class.

It is suitable for even first time students.The results are great each time we do this painting in class!

If you would like to join us in this one please get in touch with me via the website

www.paintingmyway.co.uk