Picnic in the Park

I was in the park about six weeks ago and I saw this happy little group of mums and tots,I went over and asked if I could take a few pictures.They were so kind when I explained that I wanted to do a painting of them.I had  a great time painting this scene using some of the brushstrokes from this weeks challenge.

Stockwood Park Gardens 2

This is my entry for this weeks DPW challenge set by Mary Douglas.I loved this challenge and it is really worth doing,painting this way has opened my eyes to a different type of brushstroke that enriches any painting.Although I do need to practice to improve this method.

Bowl of Aubergines

Best laid plans and all that!! I have been trying to paint early in the day but in the last few days that has not been possible.Still  at least I got to paint today and I feel much better for it.

The 7 Links Project

I got a lovely surprise yesterday from a great artist friend of mine called Yasha Sharma http://www.yashasvision.blogspot.com .She has tagged me in the 7 Links Project which has been started "To unite bloggers (from all sectors) in a joint endeavor to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again."
 
The seven categories:
Your most beautiful post
Your most popular post
Your most controversial post

Your most helpful post
A post whose success surprised you
A post you feel did'nt get the attention it deserved
The post you are most proud of


The blog owner is asked to to link a top post in each category and then tag 7 other bloggers so that the chain continues.


Here are my choices

1.My most beautiful post: I love the colours in this and the movement of the asparagus fascinated me as they drank up the water.

2.My most popular post:This post has recieved the most pageviews.Its an entry to one of the dailypaintworks challenges to paint a red rose.

3.My most controversial post: This was also an entry on one of the dailypaintworks challenges to paint this lady sitting on some steps texting away on her phone.Its controversial I think because I called it "Get A Life." I really do think that we all need to spend less time on the phone.

4.My most helpful post: I called this Nevertheless because I think too much food is thrown away and I included a recipe using the green shoots from this onion.

5.A post whose success surprised me:This because I used a palette knife and felt I did'nt have enough control of the paint.I think the result came out good but its that feeling of letting go..I should do it more often!

6.A post I did'nt feel get the attention it deserved: I spent absolutely hours on this! Yellow is a transparent colour and I could'nt get the right shade until finally I painted  it over in white and then yellow on top.I really like the composition too.

7.The post I am most proud of: I am proud of this because of so many factors....I like how I managed to get the transparency of the glass,the colours I chose,the money raised went to Japan,someone liked it enough to buy it....I could go on.....

Seven bloggers I would like to tag are:
1.Karla Uphoff
2. Maria Baluis
3.Elizabeth Frazier
4.Giselle McMenamin
5.Anita Badami
6.Linda Nickles
7.Karen Stitt

Blushing Pear

I bought this dish about four months ago but I could'nt work out how to use it until today.You know when a light bulb goes on and a composition comes to together in your mind....the rest is history as they say.

Lakeside Geese

This is  by far my favourite subject at the moment.They look so peaceful and I feel the same when I paint them.For the last few months I've been trying to paint everyday and not managing to do so.My routine is to finish off all the work that needs doing and then paint at the end of the day.Now I have decided to paint as early in the day as possible because every day I don't paint is a day wasted.

Greetings Cards

I've recently had some of my paintings printed onto greetings cards and they are now in the two museum shops in Luton.I had a meeting with the retail manager and she loved my work.She said that they are trying to promote local arts and crafts so my cards were a welcome addition to their shops.I am also looking into holding an exhibition of my work in the exhibition hall at Stockwood Park.

These are big steps for me because it means exposing my work to my local community but its also exciting.

Aubergine Trio

This was hard!!

Tea and Comfort

I've redone the background because I was'nt overly thrilled with it.It felt like the biscuits were blending into the background.I've also tried out pastels for the first time, as a medium to enhance acrylics.Its given the edges a softer effect which I rather like.

Tea and Comfort

This is my entry for this weeks DailyPaintworks Challenge to paint your favourite teacup or mug.This challenge was set by Karla Uphoff.This is going back a bit  to my previous style ,but nevertheless it was still fun to do.

Parkland

"To laugh often and much: to win the respect of  intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics  and to endure the betrayal of false friends.To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child,a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."

Quote by  Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Cone Flowers

"Flowers are those little colourful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark,somber skies blanket our thoughts."
Quote by Dodinsky.

Stockwood Park Gardens

There are so many landscaped gardens at this park that any artist is spoilt for choice.This one was rather complicated and there are alot of details I have left out ,which is something that does'nt come easy to me but I am learning....I think.

Backgarden Sunset 3

Most evenings I have the camera ready,if there is a spectacular sunset I run out to the back garden and take some pictures.

"I remember a hundred lovely lakes,and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees.The trail has strung upon it,as upon a thread of silk,opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets."

A quote by Hamlin Garland