Squirrels Eye View Workshop

We had 3 ladies in to paint Squirrels Eye View on Saturday--good job we only had a small class--poor Bill has had the most awful tennis elbow and we would never have got set up for a big workshop! Helen was painting her 4th picture while Emma and Lorna were first timers..

Adding the finishing touches to her painting--Helen chose the autumn shades..

Lorna also choose the autumn shades, but used a little more red and yellow..she loved it--and really surprised herself with the results...

Emma used the spring time colours,it gives it a completely different feel..I love the light catching the leaves..what you cant see on the photos is the metallic paint we used to add some rays of light..its very subtle and shows up as the painting is moved..

lovely vibrant results for all of them--well done girls!

Exhibitions..Demos and Extra Workshops!

We are calling The Teme Valley Leisure Centre at Church Stretton tomorrow to change over some of the paintings,,,I hope we don't get the snow that's forecast!!It will be an interesting journey if it does!

I have an extra private workshop coming up one Sunday next month for one of my students who is arranging friends and family to come--looking forward to that very much!

I am also going to be doing a demonstration at The Severn Valley Country Park at Alveley nr Bridgnorth on Thursday May 15th at 7.30pm --9pm ish..I will be painting 2 oil paintings from start to finish in front of you... it will be a very entertaining evening -Promise!! Cost is just £5 and will include tea/coffee and cake..To book please ring 01746 781192

I will also be holding a painting workshop at the Severn Valley Centre on Mon 16th June when we will be painting Summer Day ..booking for this workshop is to be through me/my website www.paintingmyway.co.uk  time will be 10am -2pm

 We are doing our first market of the year-weather permitting on Sunday Feb 9th--lots of crafty things will for sale on all the stalls.

all in all a busy time coming up for us...

New Venues....

We have a couple of new things going on at the moment--we delivered some paintings to be displayed in a recently opened pub/restaurant on Wednesday. Neil and Tasha are the new landlords of The FForest Inn , Llanfihangel-Nant-Melan, New Radnor, LD8 2TN.
They are holding their first annual Burns Night tomorrow as Neil is Scottish..
 The menu sounds beautiful-its such a shame we live so far away  or we would be there joining in!
They have got a variety of artwork on show in their restaurant, and we will look forward to seeing some photos of it all in situ soon.
We wish them all the success in the world...and will no doubt be popping over to try their lovely food soon...

We are going over to the Severn Valley Country Park,nr Bridgnorth tomorrow to meet up with the manager re holding a workshop there in the near future..Im going to be doing a demo there on Thursday May 15th for the general public..more details will be announced as and when they are decided!
Its a beautiful part of the country-with beautiful views from the  building where we will be painting-so plenty of inspiration for everyone..

No workshop tomorrow as the room was not available , so its going to be a lovely day off...I'm feeling much better again recently--the stronger Tumeric tablets have kicked in and I'm pretty much pain free again...
Ive been catching up on little jobs around the house that have been waiting to be done--sorted out the food cupboards in the kitchen yesterday-- quite scary how out of date some of the stuff was!
And how come there was 3 boxes of stuff to take up the tip and yet the cupboards are still choc-a -block full?
One of life's little mysteries!

Serenity Workshop

One of my favourite subject matters--Serenity--always lovely results from everyone! All the students were either first or second timers-hard to believe when you see the end results. Above is 12 year old Anna ..

Kate 13 is adding her snow to the bushes here..

Ella is just 10 years old..first time for her..

Dawn and Adrian have been once before and did a diptych between them--they wanted to do same in this class---with great results--and they didn't really argue at all about what went where! They are joining us again for the Birch Tree workshop..

getting down to the fine detail here!

Gill travels from Guildford to come to the workshop with her friend Sally who lives locally..they both went back to their pictures at the end to touch up the distant trees on the horizon..sometimes it needs the tiniest bit of touching up to make something better...

Sally adding some snow to her bushes..

Janey loved her first time painting..and made a great job of her painting..

Claire was another first timer..again, a beautiful painting at the end..

2nd time for Hazel..loved the end result..

12 year  old Chloe had been once before with Nan Hazel..she seems to find it pretty easy and follows my instructions with ease--as did everyone in the workshop!

Wonderful results from everyone!

Chloe and Hazel..

Dawn and Adrian.

Gill, Sally and Claire

Kate,Anna and Ella

Janey with her painting!

''The Waterfall ''Workshop Jan 11th 2014

It was lovely to get back to work after my Christmas break...one of my favourite subjects "The Waterfall" was the subject..8 first timers, 3 who had been once before and 2 who have been a few times-so a right mix of experience! Above you can see Josie who is on her 4 th painting...

Harriet is starting to add the waterlines to separate the bushes from the reflections,once that is done it makes a huge difference..the workshop was a birthday treat from her Mum-she is 16 on Sunday-happy birthday xx

Jackie was hooked from the word go....she is making great progress painting at home too---I love seeing her new work on Facebook.. she bought along her sister Karen today..

Karen created a wonderful atmospheric painting and quite surprised herself--as did all the other newbies in class.....

Helen came for the first time before Christmas and loved it so much her hubby bought her 3 workshops for Christmas...

Chris joined me for the 2nd time with friend Katie..both seemed to find it pretty easy..lovely results..

Katie adding some finishing touches to her trees..

Zoe,her sister Jay and Nan Margret came after having gift vouchers from Chris who came last year and loved it...all produced some wonderful paintings---amazing how different they can all turn out even when using the same colour paints!

I love the bright vibrant colours in Jays picture

Margaret's painting was a bit more subdued in colour, but just as lovely..

Samantha bought herself and her parents along on a friends recommendation who had been before..she was amazed at how everyone could paint such good pictures in such a short time and how different they all were..I believe it was a birthday treat for Robert too..

Robert found it pretty easy I think,,at the end he had his moon peeping out from behind the leaves on his tree...it looked stunning!

Rose adding the finishing touches to her trees..

Didn't they all do well?

Katie and Chris ...

Josie, Helen and Harriet

Jay,Margret and Zoe

Rose,Robert and Samantha..

Karen and Jackie--I love this photo--grinning like Cheshire cats!

Happy New Year 2014

Well its that time again....another year gone by and so much has happened in the past 12 months. There have been some very sad days  as people who are very much loved have passed away before their time,including Bills lovely brother Del-Boy who we had some cracking times with  and my best friends brother Frank who created my very first website all those years ago and always helped us out when we had computer problems.  Then there have been happier times too -meeting new people and going to new places..       Its been a busy year for us..we have done more markets and shows than ever before which has been both great fun and also not so good when it peed down with rain and we have got soaked and blown away in the wind!  But even on the wet days we always met someone who was interested in coming to join me in Painting My Way...     I am looking forward to meeting all the new students who will be coming next year having received a gift voucher for Christmas..and saying ''Hello Again'' to my regular students who come to me from all over the country--many of whom travel great distances to come and paint with me.           Without you all there would be no Painting My Way!!!   There are some new subjects in the workshops in 2014 as you can see on the website  www.paintingmyway.co.uk  I will be working on yet more new subjects  shortly and they will be on the website soon...           Health wise its been an up and down year for me..the polymyalgia rheumatica is still the bain of my life along with the steroids that I have to take to keep well...at least that's the idea! It started to get better a while back as I started taking turmeric tablets to help the inflammation and it seemed to help a huge amount at first--but any stress seems to make it flare up and there is no bigger stress than Christmas is there?     So I'm hoping now that is over with I will get back down  with the steroids and get back on the road to normality again..                                                                                                                                                        I have a lot to look forward to in the near future--my lovely friend Deb is getting married to Mick next week--I have made her button bouquet and buttonholes for the wedding and they are coming over to collect them and have a drink on Thursday, and we have our old friends Marion and Phil coming over as usual for New Years Eve tomorrow for a slap up meal and some drinks...so lots to look forward to.. so I will wish you all a Happy, Healthy New 2014 with lots of love from me and my lovely Bill    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                                     CHEERS !!!

Boxing Day

We have all the family around for Boxing Day for a buffet...we did enough food to feed twice the 17 that were here! But nobody went home hungry and several took doggie bags back with them!

Tommy was happy with his piece of bread and butter and garlic bread!!

Every year the house feels smaller as the children grow up! Half in the front room and half in the kitchen now when there is a get together!

Tuck in Bill!!!!

My beautiful niece-Nat a Tat....cant believe how she has grown up..

Nat and her lovely Mum Jan--who is sporting a big lipstick kiss on her cheek! We had some fun that day...as we always do when we all get together!

Christmas 2013

Jake opening his pressie off Santa,,,

This little man made our Christmas...he is such a happy little fella...

Always smiling!

and still glued to the TV...

having cuddles with his Daddy

the turkey was delicious! We were all well and truly stuffed after it all!