Bridgnorth and District Art Society Demo- Wed 14th Dec

After a busy day on Ludlow market yesterday we rushed home  and got everything ready for the demonstration at Bridgnorth and District Art Society.. we arrived at 6.50 pm and were met by Sandie who had organised the evening.She kindly helped us unload the van..We soon had everything set up in the room -stands with paintings on , photos of students etc.

 

I did my usual demonstration of The Waterfall and Summer Day..both went down well with the audience and there were lots of interesting questions asked ..I think everyone was surprised at the speed of the technique ,and also the lack of horrible smell that can accompany some oil painting demonstrations when the artist uses ordinary turps! Why some artists still use the smelly stuff amazes me---its very nasty stuff-very bad for you and your health! I always use low odour white spirit to avoid that!

The winners of the rafffle...Ann on the left was over the moon when her number was drawn...I thought we were going to have a few tears there for a minute...she had been over chatting after I had finished painting and had been saying how she would love to win the Summer Day painting! Her hubbys number was drawn next --it was their lucky night  but they kindly let someone else have a go for the Waterfall painting! Sandie won that painting and she was going to donate  it to one of the members who was at home poorly--what a lovely gesture.We had a lovely evening and the time flew by...we had a lovely moonlit drive home--and a lie in this morning which was just great! For once the phone didnt ring or the postman kock the door...and I woke up when I had slept enough!

Reeds in The Breeze Workshop Dec 10th

Richard and his family , wife Lynn, 10 year old son Zak and daughter Alice have been to me once before last year to paint Mellow Moods.This year Lynns mum Peggy joined them--she came all the way from Didcot in Oxfordshire to join us...and would be here every week if she lived nearer she said bless her!

Peggy getting stuck in to her beach---she really loved it-after working in watercolour she found the oils really easy and forgiving..

Zak was very bold--as 10 year olds often are--they have no fears as the adults can do..its quite normal for all the adults to walk in the room terrified--after all --if they have never painted before-they have no idea of what to expect.All the nerves have usually gone after the first 5 minutes though,,,,after a good laugh with the'bashing' and 'tickling' brushes and a touch of the 'bush' brushes everyones nerves are gone for good...

Alison made a lovely job of her picture, she chose to add add a touch of purple in the sky-and she applied it very delicately...beautiful Alison-well done..

Jenny has been once before--to paint Grasses...using acrylic..This time she wanted a painting to match her bedroom--so she did the sensible thing and bought along a pillow case in the colour she wanted--a lovely duck egg blue.I quickly mixed up the colours for her and got a great match  for her..

I met Katherine on the market a couple of weeks ago, she is coming again next week to paint Squirrels Eye View.

Margret was a first timer--and loved every minute of the workshop--her hubby came in just before we had finished and was amazed at the results of everyone...sounds like he would like to have a go as well..

Julie was another of the first timers---she quickly settled down and produced a lovely tranquil painting

Jacqueline was another first timer-she got the hang of the knife very quickly--as did most of them today...sometimes the knife can be a tricky  tool to master.. getting the angle correct can be hard but we had no real problems today with it!

We met Alison at Onslow Park earlier this year..and she bought along her mum Pauline-who drove all the way from the Wirral to join us..both first timers--they were both very good and sat down after each stage-thus avoiding any fiddling with the paintings that can go on otherwise!

Ann was another first timer..and she loved it--and seemed to find it all pretty easy...

everyone hard at work...

wow--beautiful work everyone...

don't they look great? Well done everyone..

well done--some lovely paintings there everyone..

Alison and mum Pauline had to leave a little earlier than the others because Pauline had a long drive home--so I got their pics before I did the final line up--lovely calm , tranquil results--loved Alison's purple poppies!

More Cards

My lovely friend Lin has sent the latest in my Winter Wonderland Christmas cards--all of local Ludlow scenes I took with my camera when we had the hard frosts last year....the one above is taken on the Middleton turning just outside Ludlow--the dead oak tree is just begging to be painted......

Sparky Cat has commissioned some Christmas cards of his own this year---to send to his special friends....I love the snow flakes on his back! Isn't he a handsome fella?

this scene is taken on the Millenium Green ,Dinham----you just wouldn't want to park your bum on that seat that day!

Latest Cards

I have a new card range in time for Christmas..taken from some original photos taken of the snow and frost last year. My lovely , very patient friend Lin has turned some of the snaps into wonderful Christmas cards for me...I'm chuffed to bits with them! Lin always gets my cards done in record time for me--for some reason the cards always run out all at once and I end up sending an order for 100 cards at a time--poor Lin works very hard to get them done for me bless her . They have proved to be popular on Facebook and I have lots of orders for them as I haven't enough here left at the moment...they are left blank inside so could be used for other occasions as well as Christmas..they are all of views around Ludlow so will be popular with locals and visitors alike.Above is the classic view of Ludlow taken from Whitcliffe--showing the castle, St Laurences Church and Clee Hill

The sun setting behind these frosty bushes look like they are on fire...

Ludlow Castle

Dinham

The Breadwalk

view out towards Bromfield

River Theme

Ludlow castle

Ludlow Town. We are on the market tomorrow and Sunday and then the next 2 Wednesdays--then we pack up the markets until April.. as its so cold up there..It will be lovely to have some time at home to catch up with some new painting ideas for workshops! The cards are available from me at the markets and will be avaialble on my website www.paintingmyway.co.uk shortly..

Poppy Field Workshop Dec 3rd

We had a lovely time in the Poppy Field workshop on Saturday...had some lovely photos of it as well.....until my camera decided to delete 1000 pictures again off the SD card.... that is the 3 rd time it has happened and Ive no idea why its done it ..it never happened once with my cheap point and shoot cameras---I'm looking for the receipt so I can send it back to the company I bought it off.  I'm not a happy bunny at all.So ladies you will have to wait til I can recover the photos and put them on to my website and here I'm afraid..I will be taking along my old camera in future until  I get the problem sorted out..

Wribbenhall 1st Brownies

We went to Bewdley on Sunday to teach the 1st Wribbenhall Brownies how to paint! It was a huge room and it was freezing cold in there when we first arrived as the heating was playing up! By the time we had got set though  we had warmed up nicely!

10 girls and 2 adults chose either reds/oranges or purples and blues for the small version of Yesterday.....

the paint didn't only go onto the canvas as you can see here.....

the girls enjoyed looking at the photos of previous workshops and seeing other peoples paintings...

concentrating hard on painting in the rabbits....

working hard...

everyone enjoyed themselves and some lovely pictures were created...the girls were a credit to Brown Owl Carol and her helper Ruth...

Poppy Field Workshop Dec 3rd

I have a few spaces left in this Saturdays workshop due to poor Janet having sciatica....her friend doesn't want to come without her so I have booked them  in for Winter Wonderland in January--and also recommended my osteopath Kevin Jones to her.... Poppy Fields is a lovely easy picture to do--we use oils and you will learn to use several different brushes and techniques..if you want to know more or to book into the class please contact me via my website www.paintingmyway.co.uk

yesterday Private Class

Suzanne had this private class arranged ages ago as a surprise fro her daughter Stephanie's 30th birthday..I went to Suzanne's home on Monday morning to do the workshop, Stephanie's cousin Abby was also going to have a go....

they all decided to use the purples,yellows and pinks as their colours.... 12 year old Abby is making a start on her sky here

I think it was the smallest space Ive ever done a workshop, but it was great fun, and it shows you don't need a huge room to be able to do it either! Stephanie made a beautiful job of her painting and had a magical scene quite quickly...

Suzanne was very nervous and didn't think she would be able to make anything of it....but she surprised herself , her sky was very dramatic...and as soon as the horizon line went in she could see it was working well...

Stephanie got right down to it when it came to doing the rabbits.....literally..on her knees...

Abby's painting was lovely....and the rabbits added a finishing touch...they all found them easier than expected to do...the final touch was to use some of the special metallic paint to add some flowers to the grasses--it will catch the light when they are hung on the wall. I left them some gloss varnish and instructions on how to use it--the colours will come out much brighter and the paintings will be protected against the heat , damp and steam in the home...

Suzanne adding the final tree to her painting..

last little bunny rabbit being added for Stephanie..

well Stephanie will always have something to remind her of turning 30.....I hope she has a lovely time at her party on Friday x

well done girls!

I was given these beautiful flowers as a thank-you from the girls---they are stunning...thank you very much x