Stormy Poppies Workshop Jan 23rd

Its been one of those weeks this week..not had a minute somehow..So sorry to last weeks students for the delay in this write up...Norma and Dave on left have been before and painted Yesterday,, they had quite a  drive from Mold so they came down the day before and stayed overnight..They enjoyed using oils and it was interesting to see how they both tackled the painting.. Cristiana has been once before and painted Mellow Moods, and it was a first time for Caroline and daughter Zara. Both of them couldn't  believe they would be able to create anything worth hanging on the wall-but it didn't take long for them both to see just how easy it was to do..both really got into it and Caroline has already booked up for another workshop with her hubby!  I will never get fed up of watching people lose the fear they have when they walk through the door-- and the results speak for themselves don't they?

Stormy Poppies Workshop

Sorry Im so late getting the blog done--went off for a break in Blackpool after the workshop! Above is Robi who decided to use some different colours as she has painted this one before! She also added a little fence, which worked well too!

First time for Gosia  who is already a brilliant artist and paints people and animals-she loved the experience working with oils..

The other 4 ladies Teresa,Julie, Lyndsey and Sarah

4th time for Teresa

First time for Julie who came along with Lyndsey

Umpteenth time for Lyndsey LOL

2nd time for Sarah,,, lovely results from them all and will look forward to seeing them all again!

Stormy Skies/Poppies Workshop

I cant remember laughing quite as much as we did in a workshop on Saturday---don't get me wrong-we always have loads of laughs in the class but Saturday it was exceptional!! Unfortunately we were missing 4 people due to tyres blowing out en-route and sudden illness..but the nine ladies who did make it ensured we had a fantastic time! Fiona above was a first timer who came along with Ali-who had booked 8 places..3 of her ladies didn't make it on the day :-( As usual all the first timers were a little unsure of how they would do ...but all of them made a beautiful job of their pictures..

Sue was another first timer..I think it  amazes everyone just what can be done with just black and white paint--and such a tiny amount of it as well.

Ali is joining us again in 3 weeks along with Jen..

Margaret came along for the 4th time with her friend Joy who was painting her 7th picture and received her artist brooch that she  should have had last time!

Joy was actually painting her picture for a wedding pressie for a friend who had admired her first painting of Stormy Skies when she saw it...isn't she going to be thrilled when she opens it!

It was lovely to see Julie who I went through Grammar School with--great to catch up--she was most surprised to find there was no odour to the paints or the thinners --she had been worried about getting a migraine from it but she was perfectly fine...We only use a tiny tiny amount of low odour thinners right at the end of the workshop so nobody should ever bee affected by it--and the oil paint s themselves have very little smell.. so it the thought of the smell has ever put you off trying oils-rest assured you will be fine!Julie made a cracking job of her painting too...

This is the culprit for most of the giggling--Kerry was a  first timer--she had us in fits all through ...

Jen bought along a lovely baby bump so she had a sitting down easel ...she was also  giggling all day long too!

We had some unusual things appearing in the skies right from the start--  But the one above -everyone agreed looks like a koala bear

this one looks like a giraffe

quite a spooky face in this one..

and another in this one!

Wonderful results from them all...thanks all of you for making it such a great day for us too...did me the world of good to have a good chuckle like we did!

beautiful pictures ladies--

Wonderful results!

I'm very lucky to have such a rewarding job--looks like they all enjoyed the experience too judging by my comments book---thank you for your kind words-it means the world to me-will look forward to seeing you all again in the future!

Paintings Sold

I was pleased to sell two of the paintings entered into the Ludlow Art Society exhibition over the past week...I painted both especialy for it...Squirrels Eye View has proved to be a popular subject and Ive sold quite a few versions of it over the past few years..

Stormy Poppies was also done for the exhibition and I have been asked to make it a workshop subject too..So I will be setting a date soon for it... As only 16 paintings sold from the whole exhibition I was quite chuffed to sell two of them! Now to set to work on some new work for Church Stretton Arts Festival..

Stormy Poppies Workshop

Apologies for being so late getting the blog done...its been hectic since the workshop and I have been poorly too..We had a new venue for Saturdays workshop--Clee Hill Village Hall--lovely location with good lighting.Above you can see Martin with his little helper Luke-Luke helped his Dad put in some poppies! It was Martins 3rd time with me..

Anne did a more subtle painting than hubby Martin.. this painting works really well--bold or subtle!

This was Chris's first time painting--she came along with her friend Katie who I knew as we went to Grammar School together many moons ago! Katie has been saying for over a year whenever Ive met her at the boot sales that she will come along sometime--and at last she made it! I had warned her that it could be addictive and sure enough she and Chris booked up for another workshop on the day! They really enjoyed it and created some great paintings

Katie putting the finishing touches to her masterpiece!

Dawn and Adrian came for the first time-they had requested that they do a diptych on the taller narrower canvas...they made a cracking job--everything was lined up -sky,sea and grasses--wonderful results from them!

Pauline and her hubby Malcolm have been once before and painted Mystical Moon which is a completely different sort of painting to this--they both seemed to find it quite easy and both made smashing jobs of their pictures..

Malcolm adding the finishing touches to his painting..

Veronica went for the subtle effect, love it! Lovely soft sky and water--she didn't want to add the poppies-which are an optional extra anyway...she really got  the hang of the liner brush and managed to do lovely fine grasses.

Helen's hubby booked her in as a surprise for her birthday..she loved it! She loved the tickling and bashing brushes and was amazed at how easy each stage was..

Dawn and Adrian's finished diptych..

Well done both !

four of the first timers!

wonderful results!

Brilliant results from everyone!

Kinver Show

We were up early yesterday morning to go to Kinver Country Fair,,,they gave us a lovely double gazebo with loads of room to set up everything nicely...it only took us 2 hours to get it all sorted which is a record for us!

and some space for folk to come in and speak to us too...it was non-stop all day long with interest in the paintings and workshops..met some lovely interesting people too! Im looking forward to seeing a lot of them in my workshops in the future!

We were able to use one end for encaustic demos and the other end for painting in oils..

plenty of room to hang the big paintings!

The food marquee was next to us....and Bill quite fancied a pie for his dinner LOL...

Chloe had a go at encaustic art...and created a lovely picture with all sorts of little creatures in it! Well done Chloe

I painted this large Stormy Poppies while I was there-and a lovely couple bought it wet off the easel..I do hope they got it home safely!

As we set off for home we saw a huge black plume of smoke in the distance--turns out it was a huge recycling plant on fire in Kidderminster....

Well that pint is very well deserved--we didn't stop all day long...so we called at The Running Horse, Callow Hill, Nr Bewdley..As it was Fathers day they were doing a special offer of having the third course free...how could we resist?

I had the chicken satay and Bill had the garlic mushrooms and Stilton...

Bills starter looked and smelt lovely---didn't leave me any to taste though!

The main course was -well--spectacular to say the least--roast rib of beef-slow cooked with veg......it was delicious and came out on the bone--the meat fell off and melted in your mouth-the fresh veg were cooked to perfection and  the Yorkshire pud was huge--didn't manage to finish it all as wanted to leave room for the pud--