Waller Avenue in the Rain

How has it been over three weeks since my last post!!! I have to admit it is proving harder than it has ever been to get back into a daily routine of painting. I've been trying all sorts of remedies, going to see exhibitions, buying self help books on creativity, in fact I am waiting for Julia Cameron's " The Artists Way" to be delivered. I had this book about seven years ago and foolishly thought I would not need it since I was well into my daily painting after I read it. I have however started to write the morning pages which so many people swear by, this morning.

This rainy painting has been on my easel for the last three weeks and finally I finished it last night, it felt like a weight has lifted and the gate is open again to creativity.

Waller Avenue in the Rain
oil on canvas board

My Version of Trafalgar Square

It's been too long since my last post and most of the time in between has been spent trying to paint  and failing miserably. Life is such that there is always something going on and from experience I have not let things stand in my way, I have continued to paint through thick and thin. So what has been stopping me now? Possibly energy levels are not what they were and yet from the history of famous artists, for example Renoir, who was so ravaged with arthritis he had his brushes taped to his hand to carry on painting from a wheel chair during the last three decades of his life.
I feel inspired by the courage and strength of such artists and feel that I can paint not just now and then, but daily, with my heart and soul.

This hasn't turned out as good as I wanted, but I painted this one today and its a new beginning , I'm back and I feel hopeful that I can carry on with this incredible art journey with my friends from around the world.

Trafalgar Square
oil on oil paper

Winter Woolly

This is one I experimented with last year, my rabbit hole year.

Winter Woolly
watercolour on watercolour paper

Winter Flowers in Watercolours

  If anyone has any elderly neighbours now is the time to look in on them, the weather is seriously cold and  sometimes they don't look after themselves very well.

Winter Flowers

Watercolour Flowers II

I should have posted this one yesterday.

Watercolour Flowers II

Watercolour Flowers

Since I began this blog going back just over six years ago I have always been busy with work and kids. Through plenty of trials and tribulations I did not stop. Now I feel ready to get back to what I used to do and it does feel so good.

Watercolour flowers





 

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!! I wish you all great health and prosperity for 2017.

This is a quick fifteen minute sketch, just  so I can post something and start this new year. I have been going through a block, I can't seem to get into the habit of daily painting. I know it's simply a matter of beginning after the long break.

Rose sketch using a black biro

Glorious Greys

Thank you so much for all your welcome comments ladies!!!



The National Gallery in London is holding the Australian Impressionists exhibition and its on till 26th of March. I was very lucky to see this on the 12th this month with a dear friend. It's not a huge exhibition, but the quality is amazing. I particularly fell in love with this painting by Tom Roberts called Trafalgar Square. I have copied it today as a learning exercise as I have already bought a print to drool over!! After the exhibition I tried to find this viewpoint with my camera, it was quite difficult, because its been over a hundred years since this was painted, so much of the skyline has changed. My next painting, all being well is going to be my version of Trafalgar Square from one of my photos.

I've spent my spare time this last week setting up this corner of our living room, it's more organised and there is more light next to the window. I really enjoyed painting in my corner today and feel refreshed and ready to carry on with my painting journey, to learn and grow my skills.

After Tom Roberts Trafalgar Square
oil on oil paper

A New Beginning

Hi everyone, I hope  you are all well and looking forward to the holidays.

I shut down my blog back in March and its been a long journey back, the result has been that I have not painted as much as I normally did. I have now realised, thankfully, that I need this blog and all the wonderful artists that I kept in touch with. I look forward to catching up with what you all have been doing and to getting back to what I love best, painting everyday.

This is one I painted last month.

Autumn Trees
oil on oil paper
12"x 9"

Au Revoir

Hi everyone, my blogging artist friends. After much thought I have decided that its time to close my blog down, it makes me sad, but I move on to the next stage of my life as an artist. I'm going to miss blogging, its been a life line in many ways, a comfort when I felt isolated or  down and I always felt joy in sharing my work with you all. I will still be keeping in touch with many of you, so expect to see my comments from time to time.
Thank you for all your comments and encouragement.
I wish you all health, happiness and joy in your art and life. xxx

Gratitude

I feel I am lucky. I am grateful for this life that God has given me. I am happy, as I am getting to do work that I want to do and enjoy doing it.

 Sonam Kapoor

Gratitude
oil on oil paper
8"x 10"

A Pair of Old Boots Sketch

This is something I've revisited a few times in my sketch book.

A Pair of Old Boots sketch

More Daffodils

I thought I was finished with daffodils this year, but every time I see them on sale and they are so cheap, I can't resist that little bunch of closed buds that promise to burst into life within hours of putting them in water.

More Daffodils sketch
watercolour paper

More Daffodils
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

Instinct

In art as in love, instinct is enough.

 Anatole France

Instinct
oil on oil paper
8"x 10"

Busy as a Bee

Its been a little on the cold side these last few weeks, its making me a little wishful for summer and the gentle hum of  bees and the warm sun. Although I would be overjoyed to have just one day of snow so I can paint some more red cars, something about the cool snow and the warmth of red.

Busy as a Bee
watercolour and ink
watercolour paper

Happy Things V ( A better photo)

My routine at the moment seems to be work, housework,  and then painting. This means that its usually late by the time I start painting and so too late to take a proper photo, so here is a better photo for yesterday and as its Sunday, a beautiful sunny Sunday, I can paint all day. I wish everyone a peaceful, happy Sunday whatever you're doing, and thank you so much for all your recent comments, I love you for it. xxx

Happy Things V
oil on oil paper
8" x 10"

Happy Things V

I had better luck with my vintage teacup search yesterday, a little further afield but I didn't have to buy the whole set and I found two teacups and saucers.

About a month after we lost Pisho, Minnie appeared in our garden, she was a tiny little thing and so full of energy and mischief. Here she is trying to swat the seconds hand in our clock, she's already knocked over two vases that were in the centre!!

Minnie the Minx

A Place in My Heart

Its funny how four years ago I actually felt uncomfortable around cats and was afraid of getting scratched. My daughter brought home a rescued kitten, our Tibby and at first I felt very put out, but slowly she grew on me and then our second kitten Pisho was rescued too. My heart broke over losing Pisho and there isn't a day when I don't think of her, there are reminders of her all over the house and garden. She was a very vocal cat and answered me every time I spoke to her, she made a lot of sense. She has a place in my heart, always.

 This is a random painting of a kitten from a photo.

A Place in my Heart
oil on oil paper

Solitude

The thoughtful soul to solitude retires.

Omar Khayyam

Solitude
oil on oil paper
8"x 10"

Conservatory Sketch

I had every intention of  painting  after I came back from our local charity shop to look for some more vintage teacups. There were some beautiful sets, but all I needed was teacups and saucers. I did choose a set of four cups that are modern but really pretty designs . I brought them home and after sorting out dinner I thought it would be a good idea to give them a wash. My mum taught me this great method that really gets rid of every bit of stain on crockery. In a large pot add Daz handwash powder and boiling water and soak the dishes that need washing for about twenty minutes and then a light scrub with a scouring sponge and they come up new and squeaky clean. So, I washed the cups and then thought I would wash all the cutlery since there was plenty of the soapy water left. After that I started on all the dinner plates we use and before I knew it I had spent the entire evening cleaning and ended up with sparkling crockery and cutlery, but no time to paint!!.
Just this little sketch.

Conservatory sketch

First Impression

Realize the value of putting down your first impression quickly. (Charles Hawthorne)

First Impression
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

Happy Things IV

This teacup is from the beautiful Art Deco period I love so much.

Happy Things IV
oil on oil paper
10" x 8"

Happy Things III

I've been digging out some of my china collection I've bought from charity shops over the last six years. Its fun  revisiting my love for painting ceramics.



Happy Things III
oil on oil paper
8"x 10"

Happy Things II

A better photo for yesterdays painting and one for today.

Happy Things
oil on oil paper
8" x 10"

Happy Things II
oil on oil paper
8"x 10"

Happy Things

Happy Things
oil on oil paper
8" x 10"

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

Chaim Potok

Teacup Sketch

Just a quick sketch that I will hopefully be painting tomorrow.

Teacup Sketch

Land and Sea

There is an eternal landscape, a geography of the soul; we search for its outlines all our lives.

Josephine Hart

 

 

Land and Sea
oil on oil paper

 

Lit Up

A house with daffodils in it is a house lit up,  whether or no the sun be shining outside. 

~ A.A. Milne

Expectation II

I'm hoping that by painting robins and snow we might actually get some snow!!!

Expectation II
oil on oil paper

Expectation

Snow was forecast  today but it looks like it passed us by. So a little robin painting cheered me up.

Expectation
oil on oil paper
5"x 7"

Fabric and Flowers

As promised a better photo of yesterdays painting. I will be adding to this post with a painting or sketch later on today though, hopefully anyway.

Fabric and Flowers
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

Fabric and Flowers

I couldn't beat the daylight deadline today, so I will take a better photo tomorrow. It was wet and cold today and Minnie, our kitten did not want to leave my lap and kept trying to pull the fabric down. In the end I gave up and waited until she fell asleep.

Fabric and Flowers
 

Minnie the Minx

Still Life Sketch

This is a sketch of a still life set up with a fabric pattern. Hopefully I shall paint this in oils tomorrow.

Still life sketch

This Moment

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

Omar Khayyam

 

 

This Moment
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

 

Apple Sketch

I've been neglecting my sketching so here is a simple apple.

Apple sketch
pencil on cartridge paper

End of the Day II

I always have my camera handy and love to capture moments like this.

End of the Day II
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

French Peonies

I am very lucky to have a friend who lives in the South of France and she sent me some beautiful photos of peonies that grow in her garden around March time.

French Peonies
oil on oil paper
10" x 8"

Tulips

Life obliges me to do something, so I paint.” Rene Magritte



Plums on Green

A little painting that is reminiscent of the first year I started painting in acrylics.

Plums on green
acrylics on watercolour paper.

Belonging

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

Mother Teresa

 

Belonging
oil on oil paper
10"x 8"

 

Chrysanthemum

Yeeay!!!! 31 paintings complete today!!

For next month, God willing, I have bought myself some mixed bouquets and will be working on larger and more stylised flower paintings and try to use different colour palettes. Its early days, but I am excited and looking forward to some more experimentation.

For todays painting I have dug out an old clip on lamp, at the brilliant reminder of a friend, and found that it is so much easier to work out the lights and darks. When I first started painting I did use a lamp regularly and looking back find some of those paintings much stronger. It just goes to show that we can lose our way sometimes and I am grateful to have people around me who help me find my way again.
Thank you so much for all your comments this past month, your encouragement makes all the difference. xxx

Chrysanthemum

Apple and Plums

I've been struggling with a mixed flower bouquet, I've scraped it three times and then put it to one side for another day. Instead this was blissfully simple, however I will return to my bouquet tomorrow for a challenge is to be relished.

Apple and Plums
 

Part of the Journey

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.

Greg Anderson

 

Part of the Journey
oil on oil paper
14"x 12"

 

Within

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Buddha

Within
oil on oil paper
8"x8"