Winter Wonderland Workshop

It was lovely to see Zac and his Dad again after a few years--Zac has grown up so much since we saw him last! He enjoyed using the different brushes and techniques and had a lovely atmospheric painting quite quickly!

Jon (above) and Carol (below) were in the area on holiday from London... both were first time students, and were soon at ease with the materials and both seemed to find it quite easy!

Carol managed to make her pond look really deep...

Richard went for more purple shades in his painting, but its not showing much in the photo for some reason!

2nd time with me for Caroline, she bought along her hubby Arthur

Arthur is adding the final details here,

The students have the option right at the end to add a touch of glitter to the painting,,, its a very subtle glitter that just gives the effect of frost, Zac added some to the snow and then just a touch to his moon...

I love how he put the moon peeping out from behind the clouds..

Lovely results everyone!

Winter Wonderland Workshop

Im very late getting the blog done again--where does the time go to? This subject has lots of different bits to it--some easy-some not so easy..but all the ladies tackled it really well and what great results we had from them! Looking forward to seeing them all again...

Winters Walk

Between work commitments and illness we were down to just the one student yesterday..so Chris came to the house to paint Winters Walk..Only her 2nd painting--she came along to the Serenity workshop a few weeks ago and loved it so much she booked into another 3 workshops!

We had a visitor at lunchtime--Simon-one of my students kindly picked up a set of veg cutting tools from Kidderminster for me after I saw his impressive veg on Twitter LOL...he gave us a demo and Chris was so impressed she was going to call by on her way home to pick some up for herself!

She loved painting using he acrylic and oils...and can be seen here adding some clear glitter to the snow to make it look really frosty!

Well done Chris--will look forward to seeing you in the ''Into The Light'' workshop next month!

Think we need a bit more practise with the potato cutter! But they made lovely crisps..

The carrot spiral cutter was great...can be used for all sorts,,,

The tomato cutter was very easy to use,,,and the potato spiral tool worked well...the kids will love the curly chips! I'm so lucky to meet such lovely people through the workshops,,thanks again Simon...will have fun practising with all the tools in the future!

Winter Wonderland Workshop

Winter Wonderland is one of the hardest subjects I teach..lots of different element's to it..but everyone was up to the challenge yesterday! Great fun working in oils on a black canvas. 5 of the ladies were first timers, though you wouldn't know it to see the end results ..will look forward to seeing the ladies again soon!

Louiza on the left came along with her mum Sue on the far right for the first time..Pat and Chris have been a few times before..

Winter Wonderland Workshop

It was Annette's 2nd painting with me--she came along with her Dad Tony and sister Tina..   She made a beautiful job of her painting, and it was lovely to see them all having a laugh together in the class....                        I had 3 last minute cancellations unfortunately---one of whom didn't even bother to let me know--I will not be taking any more bookings from her unless I have the full payment up front from now on--I don't like doing it but I am a business at the end of the day, and while I know people sometimes have to cancel because of illness etc its only common courtesy to let me know they cant make it.

Tina adding the final finishing touches to her painting....didn't need the swear box this time quite as much Tina ;-) Tina received her award for attending 6 workshops but chose the artist palette key ring instead of a brooch!

Tony looking at what to do next....

Paul was painting for the 2nd time.

Looks like a keep fit class at times...LOL

Well done everyone!

Winter Wonderland Workshop

Anne managed to create a stunning 'mackerel' sky in her painting..and when we left to come home there was a beautiful mackerel sky outside too..its amazing what can be achieved with a limited palette of just 3 colours-blue,black and white

Anne's hubby Martin had an awful bad back bless him and was in a lot of pain by lunchtime...however he soldiered on and made a lovely job of his painting..Martin added some extra detail to his picture with a crack in the ice on the pond and his fence which went all the way up his path too--

I loved the sheen on Jackie's pond--it looked really cold and frosty..

Jaq is adding some reeds to the pond here--she chose to use the purple shades rather than the blues-it gives it quite a different feel..

Helen is adding the snow to her fence posts here....she told me that all her friends and family are well impressed with her paintings she has taken home so far..and think she is really talented-which of course she is!

Lovely results from you all--well done!

beautiful sky when we left the room..

Summer Day Workshop

 They came from far and wide to paint Summer Day--3 travelled from Derby, Anna came from Bristol and David came from nr Stockport with his wife-they made a weekend of it and stayed in the Dinham Hall Hotel-which was very good they told me this morning when they called by the market to see us! Davids wife had intended to go into town while David painted but she ended up staying and watching the workshop and she couldn't get over just how easy it was and how different all the paintings turned out!
We had a very easy-on workshop-everyone seemed to find it all quite simple to follow my instructions-- even the knife work on the waves didn't faze any of them! We had most of the picture finished before we stopped for lunch,,with just the foliage and poppies to add later--though some of the students added some pretty daisies too..all in all a great day, with great company!

Anna was amazed at how easy it was to complete the painting-she had quite a drive from Bristol to come and paint but she is coming back in April and June and I had a lovely message from her today saying how much she had enjoyed it and how it was worth the long drive! She used a mix of the browns and greens for the foliage and it did work very well...

First time for Christine who was bought along by her granddaughter Rhianna who has been before..Christine made a beautiful job of her painting--quite subtle...

Rhianna chose to just add daisies and left out the poppies---it worked just as well..the waves were just perfect too..

Liz has been down from Derby 3 times previous with daughter Diane..not long now til they get their artist brooches from me for doing 6 paintings! She loved how easy it was using the bush brush to create the grasses in the foreground!

Marianne was painting her 2nd picture-- good to see her looking so well--she had to cancel her previous booking because she had to have an op..

First time for Sharon..who came down from Derby with Diane and Liz..she seemed to find  it quite easy too...

Vanessa was bought the workshop as a present..she tackled it easily--hard to believe it was her first time!

David was also booked in as a present..

Another first timer,,Trina..again -no problems following my step by step instructions..

Diane adding the grasses to her painting--she has requested a painting for the future--I have promised to work on it and let her know when I'm happy with with it as a workshop subject...watch this space!

Wonderful results everyone..

Its amazing just how individual they all turn out!

Well done!

Lovely results!

Well done !

Well done both x

Reeds In The Breeze--workshop results..

I must apologise about being late doing the blog..life has been so busy of late with one thing and another... Above you can see  7 year old Luke who is our little helper--he often helps Bill set out the brushes,tables etc and helps me fetch the paintings off the van...he is a very determined young man who knows exactly what he wants to put on his canvas...

Martin chose the yellow ochre shades for his painting...this was his 3rd painting...

Anne wanted her painting to be on the subtle side..she is fast becoming quite an expert at beautiful skies....

Jenny was a first timer-she loved the workshop and created a lovely painting with ease..

Debs came along with Jenny for the first time-she was quite a amazed at how easy it was to paint...

Brian has painted before using watercolours but this was a first for him using oils..

2nd time for Veronica, she is making a beautiful job of her painting here..

1st time for Joan who we met at Onslow Park Steam rally earlier this year along with Clare, both followed my step by step instructions to  the letter..

Claire adding dome detail to her distant hills..

Iva adding the bushes/grasses

Claire's very first time..lovely job..

John's 3rd time with me--he is already finding his own style.

Joan was convinced she wouldn't be able to create anything worthy of hanging on the wall...as are most people when they come for the first time,,its always lovely for me to see them gaining confidence with every brush stroke.

7 year old Luke was very bold with his beautiful big poppies...

Wonderful  results from everyone..