Birches Workshop

We had a change of venue for yesterdays workshop--Clee Hill Village Hall... our usual room was needed for the wake of a local legend Miss Wait..so we were happy to oblige and let them have St Peters Hall..Clee Hill was a little closer for a few of our students too! We had a good mix of students-some first and second timers, some who have been quite a few times before..and as always there is a wide choice of size and colours for this workshop..

Ana, Sarah and Sylvia...this photo shows just how different the paintings  can be!

Ann, Dru, Rachael,Krys and Karen ---1st time for Krys and Karen

2nd time for Alan and 8th I think for Karen... they travel a long way from Mansfield so they stopped for a couple of nights in a lovely B+B in town..

2nd time for Nikki and her mum Jill.. its a wonderful workshop to do for all ages and abilities--also lots of fun and laughter all the way through...I will be setting another date for The Birches soon...

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?

The Waterfall Workshop

We had wonderful results from Saturdays students..its always interesting working in oils on a black canvas.. It was Marks first time painting, he traveled down from Mansfield with Karen and loved it! Looking forward to seeing them again soon! 2nd time for Ana and Anna 3rd time for Caroline and I think 7th or 8th time for Karen... it was a laugh a minute all through the class...''bashing'' brushes, ''tickling'' brushes and ''bush '' brushes had everyone in fits!

GRRRRRRRRR

I have had a shitty sort of week this last week...I have waited for 3 huge canvas to arrive so I can start the biggest commission ever--9 ft by 4ft 6in --they failed t arrive as promised and I'm still waiting.... then I had a delivery of paint by DPD couriers--I now have a purple and pink driveway and wheelie bin...

looks like it had been dropped--and not enough packing around the bottles..

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Then another delivery -again by DPD some huge canvas screens --with a hole all the way through the packing and screens--

its just beyond a bloody joke...

I will defiantly never ever use DPD for delivering any of my paintings....looks like they play football with the parcels...I just hope it isn't them bringing my big canvas...

Donation To O'Connor Unit

I have been raising money on my regular market stall for a few months now.I have sold some small paintings that were getting a little rough around the edges,and also I have a sealed tin on there with a request for donations if people have been having a laugh at my quote slates.. everyone has given generously and I had enough to buy 2 Dyson fans for patients in the O'Connor unit at Shrewsbury Hospital where my son has been treated for  Hodgkins Lymphona over the last 12 months or so..Chemotherapy can make patients very hot and there were never enough fans to go around everyone who needed one so they were very welcome!

We took them over to the hospital last night as we were in the area visiting another hospital for Bill--they were thrilled to have them!

My son Jim had a stem cell transplant in Dec at the QE hospital in Birmingham , he came out on New Years Eve and is back under the care of Dr. O'Connor again now.. he is doing really well and they are pleased with his latest results--

A huge thank-you everyone for your kind messages ,hugs and support over the past year-it means a lot that you care.  We are not on the market again until April 5th now but donations are still being given by students etc, and when the tin is full again we will be buying another fan for the ward! Thank  you very much everyone xxxxxx

 

 

 

Mystical Moon Workshop

First workshop of the year and we had 6 first timers out of the 10 students! Liz-above had been once before and painted in oils so completely new for her using acrylic!

First time for Jan on left  who came along with Phil and wife Pauline who were painting for the 3rd time..Jan was a little nervous-which is natural when doing something new-but she soon settled down and got the hang of the brushes and paint!

Pauline chose the blue shades to paint her picture-- there are quite a few variations of colour that can be used in this workshop..

Becky came along for the first time with Dawn-also first time and Kate who was painting for the 3rd time with me.. Becky is expecting a baby boy in just 5 weeks so she had the option of a sitting down easel..

Very interesting to see how the different colours work..

sorry Kate--you are a little blurry here! Love your chocolate shades you chose to do your painting with..

Nikki bought along her Mum -first time for both,, and both have booked u for the Birches at the end of the month- will look forward to seeing them both then!

Hahaha--say one for me while you are down there! Sometimes its just easier to get on your knees!

adding the twigs is always interesting--and everyone improves with each one they do.. by the time they get up to the moon they are all quite expert!

Gill is adding her twigs and branches here..she seemed to find it quite easy...

Sharon adding the finishing touches.

Well done everyone--great results!!

Happy New Year....2016

I cant believe where the year has gone...but in another way its been the longest year of my life...we started the year with my son Jim being very ,very ill with Hodgkins Lymphona and Haemophagocytic syndrome--a very rare condition, that saw his ferretin levels reach over 21,000 instead of the normal 196. He has had a gruelling regime of chemotherapy through the year , ending up with a stem cell transplant just 3 weeks ago in  the QE hopsital , Birmingham. I'm pleased to say he came out yesterday-- very tired, after being in isolation for 3 weeks and having the heaviest chemo thrown at him..he needs too stay infection free now and fingers crossed he has turned the corner..

My lovely daughter and her little family Wayne and Tommy have bought Jim's house off him as it was far too big for him--it was our family home when the kids were growing up-- so it has gone full circle now with a young family once again growing up in there.. It was a manic few weeks though-- they managed to move in in about 4 days  after the mortgage was approved after a cock up with the building society! In ,but not straight yet... looking forward to helping them decorate it as they want!

Little Tommy has kept us all sane through the year-- always smiling, happy and cheerful- he adores his grandad Bill..

Bless him...

Of course we had Becki and Wayne's wedding in March... it gave us something else to focus on and take our minds on what poor Jim was coping with...and he managed to come and have some photos taken with us too...it was a wonderful day from start to finish and   I couldn't have picked a better husband for my daughter...

Family

And before we know it ,its time to put up the tree again..

It does make you feel festive once the decorations come out..

and of course the fireplace Santa's... I have another week off work- and will be updating the website  www.paintingmyway.co.uk with more dates asap..places for the workshops are going very quickly , with one or two having very few spaces left in them..I will be introducng a couple of new subjects too at some point!  It just remains for me to wish all our family ,friends and students, past, present and future a very Happy, Healthy New Year 2016

Big Poppy Workshop

Well that's the last workshop of the year done and dusted! Great fun doing the Big Poppy with 7 students last Saturday..there are a lot of technique's to learn in the class using different mediums-and great scope to be imaginative ! Any colours work with this subject too--and Pat bought along a cushion cover she wanted to match up so she could hang her masterpiece in the bedroom when its finished! First time for Pat and Jasmine who were bought along by Dave who has been several times before!

adding the black centre...

wonderful colours Jasmine...

Joyce managed to make loads of different colours from a quite limited palette..

Lyn adding several layers of black paint to her centre,,

The crackle effect is showing up lovely in Carolyn's painting

Sarah chose the turquoise colours as it is a present for her sister and will match her colour scheme!

This is the part everyone loves--adding the melted wax detail...we had some lovely new ideas going on with coloured wax being used as well as the usual golds and silvers..really stunning results!  Just realised that I have no photos of Dave with his painting..sorry Dave,,,

Sarah with her finished painting-- the middle will darken up as it dries over the next few days!

lovely results everyone!

Reeds In The Breeze and more....

Its all go at the moment--my son is at last in the Q.E hospital in Birmingham to have a Stem Cell Transplant and will be in about 3 weeks..my daughter is buying his house and has just over a week to get sorted and move in-   I am seeing a specialist tomorrow at Hereford hospital ,   then I have my last workshop of the year on Saturday and the market in Ludlow on Sunday--phew--I'm knackered just reading it all....   anyway back to the main thing--  last Saturdays Reeds In The Breeze workshop..we had a mix of newbies and folk that have been to me before. The newbies were nervous as they always are--with good reason I suppose--trying something new is always a bit intimidating, but they soon found there was no need to worry at all! As you can see we had wonderful results form everyone!

Sarah on the left was painting her 3rd picture with me and had a strong idea of what she wanted her finished painting to look like...Its quite amazing just how quickly people find their self confidence about what they want and how to achieve it during the workshops..She wanted a solid blue sky with no clouds,a path down to the beach and daisies instead of poppies--and we will see her again this Saturday when she will be painting the Big Poppy in shades of turquoise! Ana was painting for the 2nd time-she chose the brown foliage instead of the green--both work equally well! Anna was a first timer and really enjoyed it-said she will def be back..

William and Suzie were first timers with me-- William was tired out by the end bless him-- daughter in law Suzie chose to paint some other flowers rather than poppies too--and had some photos on her phone that she could use as a reference!

First time for Heather-who was convinced she wouldn't be able to paint anything decent enough to hang on her wall...however how wrong was she--another one who loved every minute and wants to come again! Cathy has been before--they both chose the yellow ochre shades-lovely warm colours..

2nd time for both Terry and Judith--both handled the brushes and knife with ease and created some lovely paintings!

Caroline was painting for the 2nd time and Chris was on her 3rd one-- well done ladies! I'm so glad you all enjoyed your day and will look forward to seeing you all again soon..