Back to school

So, I'm doing this!

I have signed up for the OCA Drawing Foundation course

I will be recording my progress on my new blog 

Suffolk Beach

OK, I know it is sunny April now, but this was inspired by a winter stroll way back in January.

Acrylic on deep edged canvas

50cm x 40cm

Miss August

Proud to have been included in Beccles Society of Artists' 2017 calendar.

No painting!

I haven't really painted in a while due to spending all my spare time training this little lady, who we adopted from a rescue charity in August.

I have managed a little bit of sketching and a little bit of crochet in between dog walks and training sessions...!

School Visit

Today I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my art with pupils at the Primary School where I work. 

Great to be able to inspire some budding artists and answer so many thoughtful and interesting questions. 

Exciting News!

 Very proud that this painting has been awarded a prize at the Beccles Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition 2016. 

SOLD

Beccles Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition

I shall be exhibiting these four paintings next week at Beccles Public Hall (for more details about each painting, see previous posts) 

This is always a popular exhibition with lots of talented local artists showcasing their work. 

Pink Cottage

Inspired when out walking across the fields near my home earlier this summer.

This canvas has taken a while to complete, mainly due to how tricky it is to capture the natural beauty of these amazing yellow fields. 

    Acrylic on canvas

    40cm x 40cm

    SOLD

    (I love this little corner...!)

Now for something a bit different...

I learnt to crochet last summer (well, re-learnt after a gap of about 30 years!) and, since the first of February this year, I have been working on a blanket for my daughter to take to university later this year. Last night, I finally finished and have to say I'm feeling very proud (of it and of her!) 

Now, I must get back to my painting desk before I am tempted to start my new hooky project!!

Messing about on the river

Just a couple of little watercolour sketches inspired by my recent outings on the River Waveney supporting junior scullers from Beccles Rowing Club.

watercolour on handmade paper

approx 20cm x 20cm each

River Waveney, Beccles

Further to my post on 20th March, I have spent my Easter holidays playing around with this painting inspired by the view of Beccles and the river Waveney from Beccles Rowing Club. 

Acrylic on deep edged canvas

40cm x 30cm

Playing with skies again...

Having fun being bolder and more experimental with my paints than usual.

Watch this space to see whether it's successful...or not!!

Walberswick Beach

Acrylic on deep edged canvas

30cm x 30cm

LOVE looking for the teeny weeny little hints that reveal my bold choice of underpainting...

Violet Skies

X

Acrylic on deep edged canvas

30cm x 30cm

SOLD

Close up texture...

Playing with skies...

Feeling daring today!

Inspiration returns!

I have not found (...or made!) enough time to paint over the past four or five months, with the exception of the little (still not quite finished...) sunflower study in the background of this photo. 

So, this morning, I have prepared two canvasses in anticipation of a bit more time back at my desk. 

I often under paint using this gorgeous turquoise but fancied a change (...and a challenge!) so have painted one in this amazing Naphthol Red. 

It will be interesting to see the effect it has on the colours I paint with....

Exhibition time!

Beccles Society of Artists is holding it's 46th Annual Exhibition

1st-8th August 2015 

Beccles Public Hall

My entries...

...coloured images can be seen on previous posts!!

'Yorkshire Sunshine'

'Beach Huts'

'Greek Balcony' (SOLD)

'Coastguard Cottages, Dunwich' (SOLD)

Bamburgh from Holy Island

Painted from photographs taken during our holiday to beautiful Northumberland last summer. 

Am now wishing I'd had a larger canvas to hand when I chose this view...a perfect excuse to explore this wonderful view further!

acrylic on canvas

25cm x 30cm

Coastguard Cottages, Dunwich

Finished painting this today...

Acrylic on watercolour paper

 approx 50cm x 33cm (excluding mount)

SOLD

Irises

A vase of these gorgeous flowers on my sunny windowsill were too tempting to ignore!

Approached this painting with a looser and more relaxed style than usual...a bit different but I had fun!!!

Acrylics on canvas

40cm x 40cm

Light and Shade

I have been playing around with tonal values in two very different media this afternoon:

I have finished (I think...maybe...!) 'January Morning', a tonal study experimenting with Indian Ink and white acrylic paint.

Indian Ink and Acrylic on watercolour paper

52cm x 34cm (approx)

I also found myself totally engrossed in an experimental collage using small pieces of torn newspaper to represent the light and shade in a study of Ted Hughes' Iron Man, based on the illustrations by Andrew Davidson, for a year 5 art lesson later this week!! 

Collage

40cm x 28cm (approx)

I am very tempted to develop this technique and attempt to incorporate it into a piece of my own work....

Getting Prepared...

Today I have been stretching paper and under painting canvasses...getting ready to be inspired!!

Yorkshire Sunshine

One of my favourite places to visit in Autumn is Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield. We visited on such a beautiful, sunny day last October that I got carried away with my camera, giving me plenty of inspiration for when I finally got to my desk!

It's taken me a while to finish this one off (to be honest I could keep adding leaves here and there for ever more...)

                        Acrylic on canvas

                          30cm x 40cm

Greek Balcony

On a recent visit to an art gallery, inspired by a painting of an interior by Annabel Mednick,

I remembered this photo which I took on a holiday to Greece in 1989! 

I have tried to use texture and a strong contrast between light and shade to create a sense of the cool interior and the warm summer sunshine outside.....

acrylic on canvas

30cm x 25cm

SOLD

Orford, Suffolk

A couple of watercolour sketches following a lovely walk around Orford Ness a couple of weekends ago with my husband and my camera...

Watercolour on handmade paper

Approx 20cm x 20cm

Watercolour on handmade paper

Approx 20cm x 20cm

WW1 Poppies

A relaxing hour spent preparing some examples for an art lesson tomorrow with year six children...a good excuse to ignore my ironing this evening!

Beach Huts

I have been working on this painting over the summer and am in danger of never declaring it finished! 

(I still haven't completely decided whether to add more texture to the foreground...or not)

acrylic on canvas

40cm x 50cm

Rediscovering Watercolours

I have not painted with watercolours for some years but following a recent holiday to Northumberland I felt inspired by the magnificent scenery. I am a little rusty but really enjoyed rediscovering how tricky watercolours can be!

These little sketches were painted very much with my aunt, who lived and painted in Northumberland, in my thoughts...

Bamburgh Castle from Holy Island

Watercolour on handmade paper

20cm x 20cm

Mainland from Holy Island

Watercolour on handmade paper

20cm x 20cm

And this is what happens when you get carried away with 'splattering' your watercolours, forgetting your half finished acrylic painting is right behind you!!!!

Beccles Society of Artists - Annual Exhibition

This summer I shall be exhibiting three paintings for sale 

and a fourth is available as a raffle prize...

Suffolk Fields 1

 Suffolk Fields 2

Sweet Williams

 Suffolk Beach - raffle prize

Sweet Williams

And now for something slightly different, I have not attempted a still life for quite some time...

Acrylic on Canvas

40cm x 50cm