Summer Paddling

A commission from friends of their girls in the sea on the Cornish Coast...

Huge canvas - started sketching out in a blue pastel and blended this with acrylics to create a loose style.

Can't wait to do more like this.

Prophetic Art...

I was fortunate to go to my very first Prophetic Art Conference at Ffald-y-brenin on the Pembrokeshire Coast in September.

Learnt lots, "Stood on tiptoes" to hear from God, met some amazingly creative people in an incredibly beautiful valley, and finished the day with pink fizz and lots of laughter at the The Golden Lion in Newport.

My first 'dabbling' with my new found gift/skill/toy was at a friend's 24 hour prayer space in St Neots, a little market town by the river Camb.

"Go with it", "Try it out", "Nothing is too silly to paint" all rush to mind as you fight the need to create a perfect painting, and instead endeavour to grasp on paper a concept from the Almighty (or your own imagination). It seems that both are worthy of the time and effort if the person or people who see the art pulled together are benefitted and encouraged by it. Happy Days.

Be Transformed by the Renewing of your Mind was the scripture that sprang to mind as I 'listened' for a word from Heaven for the prayer room... so here it is, along with some pictures from the prayer space, and some pictures of Newport, and the cross at Ffald-y-brenin xxx

 

 

 

Christmas Journey

Sold as a Christmas Card commission for The Leprosy Mission Shop for Christmas 2013

Pretty Green Stained Glass Trees...

A quick water colour but I love the way the light is coming through the trees – the branches remind of the leading on stained glass.

JOY

The Joy of the Lord is your Strength



Had promised my friend a painting several years ago inspired by another artist and an "I want one like that" comment!



She has had a difficult few years, and has been a faithful friend, confident, comediene (!)  and absolute hero to me despite it all and I wanted to give her a birthday present that would encompasse up our friendship.



Our friendship is summed up in these words "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up" in life, in faith, in hope, in worship, in work, with family, looking to the future, that is what we do.

Family Tree

A good friend commissioned me to paint a family tree for her parents golden wedding anniversary. We had a good chat about what she wanted, and she had sketched out her ideas.


I wanted some inspiration to create something really unique. I visited one of our Fair Trade suppliers in Richmond, they are based in a unit within the grounds of a huge London town house. We walked through the long lawned gardens of the house and went through a little gate in the wall to go out for lunch (the first time I have been out for Polish food - it was fabulous!) There is a huge blossom tree in the centre of the garden, which actually reaches the entire width and into the adjacent garden. I took a few pictures and was able to base my family tree on this beauty! Rumour has it, The Archers was originally thought up in this very garden.

The Blossom Tree & Me 

Started with washes of colour to create depth, and then began to create the deep roots and knots in the trunk   

Began to create the blossom using a very pale pink to pick out flowers, & a grey blue for shadowed areas creating form.

Began work on the trunk, which became 'blues' sometimes these things are not planned... and they take me by surprise! I love it when that happens - I am sure the paintbrush takes over sometimes.

Detail showing the family names 'carved' into the branches

Faith, hope & love carved into the roots of the tree

Almost finished... but suddenly felt the background wash tones didn't quite work...

Complete. Very happy with this piece, and happy to find out the recipients were very pleased, and had never seen a Family Tree like this one... ! 

Preparation ...

Busy preparing for my exciting new venture at Fineshade Woods ... scanning in some watercolours to create brand new prints and postcards to sell alongside my artwork. Take a look at the watercolours I have just added to the collection, and why not find out more about Fineshade while you're here? http://www.forestry.gov.uk/toplodge

Autumn Porch

Spring Porch

Autumn Leaves Detail

Sunny Spot Detail

Fine Shade Woods!

Had a great opportunity early in March to get outside with my pastels, paints, a good friend, and a flask of hot coffee! A misty start cleared to gorgeous sunshine, perfect for painting in the trees of Fine Shade Woods.

Faye is an extraordinary artist, so was a little afraid at first to put pen to paper in her presence... but soon got over myself.

Started with using oil pastels to get a feel for colours, shape and textures. Was quite fun just to play with this and loosen up. Haven't been outside painting since A-level art days - crazy really. Loved setting up my paints, water and paper out in the fresh air - felt a million times easier to be creative.

It is amazing having this woodland on our doorstep. Fine Shade woods is part of Rockingham Forest. It's  an ancient mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland. I love the feeling of being so small surrounded by these huge ancient trees. 

Loved the way the sunlight was casting such long shadows across the woodland floor and wanted to capture this. I began by lightly penciling a selection of the trees nearby.

I spent some time observing the skyline and background. The Lincolnshire countryside rolls across behind the trees and I carefully painted this in pure coloured segments of rust, green, yellow, and orange, changing to a light brown in the foreground, leaving the trees white. This created a great sense of depth straight away and a great backdrop for these huge old trees.

As I began to paint in some of the shadows on the tree trunks I loved the effect this had, and picked out the main colour of each trunk to create a more stylised look.

I had a decision to make as to how much of the trees to paint in, and what to leave white - I didn't want the drama of this depth to disappear by adding too much detail.

I decided to retain some of the white, almost skeletal trees, and to create more colour and detail on the others. I think this creates a sense of drama, and depth, which really captures the forests nature. There's also a sense of spring colour coming into the bare winter woodland.

Once I'd got the watercolour finished, I began to create outlines and texture in black pen. Really pleasing finished result, and I do feel I've found a niche with this water colour style. Will definitely do some more work in this style. 

Ready for framing. A gift for friends new home!

Some scribbles...

I'm still waiting for time to get on with my newest commission: a "family tree" ...  so I thought I'd post some of my favourite paintings and scribbles - some really varied pieces from the last few years: 

Backyard. Watercolour

A friends new arrival - a gift. Acrylics

For friends 60th birhday gift. John sadly died just over 2 years ago, so a special painting. Acrylics

Ferry Meadows sunset - watercolour

Grandad - sketch in biro

Wedding Gift - Pastels

Tactile Illustration for RNIB

Tactile illustration for photography exhibition - RNIB

Logo for friends new company - massive favour!

It's on the wall!

Finally I've hung the painting on my wall... !

I'm loving the size of it as it actually feels like you're looking through a window out to sea. A great seaside themed room.

Now for my next project... watch this space for two commissions I'm about to start.

Not quite finished!

I've got the bar in, but it needs some detail, and the foliage needs some work, but I'm happy that it's coming together - at last!

Still needs some work... 

Happy New Year - Painting has turned a corner !

So... 20 days later and I have actually done some more painting!! I have some other projects I want to get stuck into, so really wanted to make progress on the malta scene. I've been putting off the city part of the painting (which is huge!) because I didn't feel as confident on my skills, or on my understanding of the structures as it's been so long since I was there... the photo's are great, but don't contain the detail I felt I needed.

Still had to push on and started to paint in some of the initial shapes... strike one!

I selected 3 tones to give the buildings the depth they needed. A tawny grey for the seafront face of the buildings, slightly in the shade. A rich brown for the windows and shadowed areas; and a vivid lemon white for the sunlit edges, roof areas and church tower.

I had to really discipline myself to stick to one tone at a time. Building the overall image up patiently, rather than attempting to create too much detail on smaller areas first. Proud of myself for sticking to the plan! I do remember colour-mixing classes at college... I thought it was all a bit silly and structured and I tended to mix colours on a whim, so I did a black and white Henry-Moore-esque underground shelter painting as a result with some minor red & yellow ink highlights because I didn't like being told what to do... If only my tutor could see my clean colours now... Rob & Daphne may have been right.

Started to get excited as I stood back and could see the depth I wanted coming through... now on to some detail.

Have had some really positive comments about the sea in this painting. Got me thinking - David Hockney. I have vivid memories of painting swimming pools and creating sea collages during my A-level days. Must have had an impact! Chris Evans and John Sentamu have been tweeting about the Hockney exhibition . Might have to book some tickets.

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/hockney/

Just need to research some pretty Malta foliage, and decide what to put if anything on the bar which features in the foreground. Need a clean palette and a strong coffee today!