So many things happening and yet so many things not happening that one’s emotional state varies (mine does anyway). It’s all this : sometimes anger, anxiety, detachment, moments of peace and quiet and reflection, painting and drawing more, rediscovery of skills, sewing, cooking, taking more exercise than ever before, learning a language, eating more than ever before and putting on weight, trying to source basic shopping items (just what ARE people doing with the yeast I usually buy…how dare they, these ‘bread-making arrivistes’) reading more, saying “hello” to strangers in the street, speaking to friends more, walking to their houses and shouting and waving, speaking to friends on Zoom…then whomph, some days all of the energy just drains and even daily meditation or a ‘wellness walk’ or taking care is just another chore. I know intellectually that if I heave myself out and walk that I will feel better or if I get up and do something constructive but not too challenging then I will feel better. So I have finished off some pieces of work that were hanging around. I’m still enjoying sharing ideas and art work on Zoom with workshop friends and enjoying looking at other artists’ demos on YouTube, on their websites or on TV. Grayson Perry’s Art Club is great, Bob Ross fans can see loads of his demos on TV and there are the live Life Drawing sessions on BBC as well. Jean Haines has started her online tutorials and they are great. She’s really clear and helpful as she paints, and gives feedback if you join up. So I’m off for a walk in a minute but I’ll just put up some images of what I’ve been doing; the good the bad and the ugly and wrapping paper I painted for someone’s birthday present from her daughter…
Strange Days
Strange days, I’ve been trying to do what I can to keep active within the strictures of what is permissable.
We’ve a What’s App Art Workshop group which is fun and we’ve had a couple of Zoom ‘coffee break’ meet ups so we can wave and catch up. I started off really quite motivated but have on some days lost momentum. I made a schedule of things I wanted or needed to do every day but I realise it’s important to cheat a bit too and cut oneself a bit of slack.
I did some’ loosening up’ exercises and made them into bookmarks when I felt a bit ‘meh’. I am trying to finish off pieces that I had started as demos in workshops. I’m looking forward to getting on with acrylics and oils with these open days ahead. Stay safe and well everyone.
Studio time…
Next week my regular Tuesday and Wednesday workshops will start up again for a six week block. So tomorrow I will be working in watercolour and maybe inks. I’m enjoying the speed of acrylics and the facility to paint over areas and to glaze thin washes that stay put when other thin washes go over them. I’m fancy working over acrylics with oils too but not today. The small square acrylic is finished now. I keep fiddling and adding then taking away.
Working on a small acrylic and a few other pieces (…. experiments)
Workshops starting up again in March
The list is now fully booked but there is a waiting list. Another block of sessions will be published later on. If you wish to book, please see the ‘workshop schedule’ page and use the ‘contact me’ facility. The first two days, March 10th & 11th are Hares , Badgers and Hedgehogs…
Big Painting’s Little Brother on the go and first daubs of ‘Blean Woods’
Just working on these , I’m enjoying ‘studio time’ to mess about.
Holly, Ivy & Mistletoe workshops
Getting to grips (pun alert) with holly and its twisting shapes required some thumbnail ‘working it out’ drawings before we could go ‘all loose’ with our paintings. The workshops were great fun and some beautiful effects were achieved.
‘Penguins’ workshops…
Home Studio Workshops and the final Saturday workshop @Artycatiles, Rochester. Lovely groups and many thanks to artist Rachel Toll, who devised the great step-by-step plan and kindly gave permission for us to use it.
Christmas Cards, Penguins & Prepping
Christmas card folding, design based on prep pieces for workshops. We’ve just received a new print run of Christmas and non-Christmas cards.
‘Armistice Poppies’, new version
I’ve used brighter reds this time, Cadmium Red, not much Alizarin Crimson and brighter yellows, Cadmium Yellow and Quinacridone Gold. I made my green using French Ultramarine and Aureolin Yellow and dropped in extra blue here and there. It has been really interesting to revisit a painting and use different colours. One can never recreate the effects of very loose watercolour, which is part of the fascination that I have with this medium. I’m looking forward to some ‘studio time’ after Christmas to see what I can do with acrylics.
