Luton Cricket Pavillion

This is where our son spends most Sundays playing cricket or football.It was a crisp early autumn day,the sky was so bright and free of clouds,just perfect for a photo.

Poinsettia 11

My present mood is taking me into  a direction that is opposite to my usual style.I have gotten looser over the last year but its hard to relinquish control normally.With this its more about emotions,I'm letting go of rules and allowing myself to make mistakes ,just to see where it will take me.As artists I don't think we ever stop searching for that perfect interpretation of our inner vision,in the process we find success at the most ,or at the least ,release from this constant need to express ourselves.

Fun

I had fun painting this,I'm not sure if its a success ,I'll leave that for you to decide.Today has been one of those steely grey days with a bite of frost.I felt like bringing some warmth and colour into the day.  : )

Apple and Toaster

This weeks DailyPaintworks challenge is to paint your toaster and reflections.Most of my toaster is white so  I chose to paint the top part.

A Walk in the Park

I painted this from a photo I took in Battersea Park.It was early autumn ,there was a slight chill in the air,the leaves were turning golden.It made me wish I had some plein air painting buddies.

Poinsettia

I buy a poinsettia every year and always try to keep it going for as long as possible,but they don't last very long.I wonder if anyone has any tips on keeping these colourful,festive plants going all year.

An apple a day

Maria Baluishttp://mariabaluis.blogspot.com/ mentioned two weeks ago on her blog that she was entering her toffee apple painting onto this website
http://web.mac.com/micheloosterhout/anappleaday/homepage.html

 Michel is collecting apple paintings or drawings,his goal is to collect 365. Anyone is welcome to join,so I now have this painting on the website.Its one I posted back in March, but consider it to be one of my best.

Lily

“Therefore, to be possessed with double pomp, To guard a title that was rich before, To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, To smooth the ice, or add another hue Unto the rainbow, or with taper light To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.”

William Shakespeare quote

Fresh Cream Cake

I've been super busy today and dinner is at my Mums so it does'nt look like I'm going to have time to paint.This is a cake I made last year.The best part is decorating with chocolate strands,strawberries,icing, sugar flowers and the edible glitter to finish off the look.

We All Have Wings

I'm borrowing a line from a song by Michael Hutchence from the group Inxs.The song is called" Never Tear Us Apart" ,Michael died when he was thirty seven and I think the world lost a huge talent and he is sorely missed.

This painting marks the end of my first year blogging.I've learnt so much and made some wonderful,kind and supportive friends.Before I started the daily paintings I spent more than half my life procrastinating,I did have small bursts of creativity ,but it never lasted.There were always good excuses too,and yet this past year has been filled with road blocks,frightening events and sadness too and yet I have kept on going.If there is something inside you that says paint then you can't ignore it,if you do it will make you miserable,so give in to this need to create,whatever it may be.

"We all have wings,but some of us don't know why." We are the lucky ones ,we know why .Onwards and upwards. : )

Best Shoes

Once again its nearly the end of this weeks challenge on DailyPaintworks.This weeks challenge was to paint shoes and I knew straight away which shoes to paint but because I picked a really difficult subject the trouble was starting it.As with any hard job ,once you start it should get easier .This though was difficult all the way through,and I'm not sure how well I 've done ,but its done.

Peacock

Today I decided to use what was in my head rather than something in front of me or from a photo.I have loved these majestic birds nearly all my life and as a child I did do quite a few paintings of them.My art  teacher  at school used to hang his favourite pieces of work near his desk and one of my peacock paintings stayed there for the entire year.It feels like I'm back at school after painting this!!

Nevertheless III

This sunflower was really past its best but nevertheless still has beauty and grace ,which I hope I have been able to capture,if only part of it.

Pink and Orange

I have a set of feather butterflies I bought to add to my flower arrangements and they come in blue which I've used before,but I also have pink,yellow,orange and a peachy colour.To me butterflies mean summer,sunshine,a clean environment otherwise such delicate creatures would not exist.

I'm beginning to realise that my mood does affect how I paint,like today I feel quite relaxed,I've been listening to David Bowie  Sound and Vision.Just enjoying the process of painting and not worrying too much about the outcome.

Miniature Disasters

Just as I started to paint this song was playing by KT Tunstall,I think someone was trying to tell me something!! Lol.

"I don't want to be second best,I don't want to stand in line,don't want to fall behind.................." These are some of the lyrics anyway,if you're a fan of KT then you might enjoy listening to this classic of hers.

Lillies on Blue

I'm having family round for dinner today so I'm not going to have time to paint.This is something I painted last year before I started this blog,which incidentally is coming up to a year!! Where has the time gone,this last year has been one of the hardest of my life and if I did'nt have this blog I would have struggled much more than I have.Keeping in touch with like minded artists who have been so supportive has been the saving of me.

Tea For Two

This weeks challenge for DailyPaintworks was a crowded cafe scene and I found it particularly hard.The main problem was what to include and what to take out and cropping.Today I was looking through some paintings by Matisse and felt inspired by his style.

Onion Family

So,I've licked my wounds,"put the stuffing back" and hope to come back stronger and more determined than ever.

Rejection

Wardown Museum holds an art exhibition  competition every year and it has been running since 1934.I entered two of my paintings on Sunday and today I recieved an email saying my paintings have been rejected.Its fair knocked the stuffing out of me.I feel  the  need to share my successes as well as my failures.

Stir Fry

I'm trying to get everyone to eat more veggies,not always an easy task! Especially when there are likes and dislikes.Still, painting them is definitely more relaxing than cooking and presenting them to a picky family.

Wrapped up in Layers

"The onion being eaten,yea though it be boyled,causeth head-ache,hurteth the eyes,and maketh man dimme sighted,dulleth the senses,ingendreth windinesse,and provoketh overmuche sleep,especially being eaten raw."

SOLD

John Gerard (Not a huge fan of onions,ha,ha)

Marriage Made in Heaven

 Lightly fry some onions and garlic,add chopped okra and pepper,cook for about five minutes.Season to taste and enjoy on naan bread or any toasted bread.

Lay Like Broccoli

Anyone remember Pretty Woman??

Unwrapped

These lovely fragrant lemons from Morocco were on sale at our local grocery ,some of them were wrapped in these lovely papers.Trying to paint the texture of paper and the pattern on it was hard but I'm always up for a challenge! : )