New Artist Fair

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well and enjoying getting back into painting after the long summer. I know many have taken up the 30 day challenge with Lesley, good luck, its a fantastic challenge.

The New Artist Fair was this weekend and I can't tell you how exhausted I am. My friend and I took my paintings up on Friday and spent a good two hours hanging them. There was an evening preview but we came back early because of work and family. We went back on Sunday and stayed for four hours, it was fun meeting all the other artists and visitors. I am very excited to tell you that I have an offer from a bricks and mortar gallery in Maidstone to sell my work!!!!

As of last week I am also represented by Advocate Art which is an artists agency who got in touch with me ( it makes a great change from chasing people ), so a lot has been happening and its all good.





Hopefully I will get back into painting today. :  )

Our cat Pisho and my paintings all packed

Two hours of hanging!!

The Old Truman Brewery
outside the venue

What I love about London, the contrast between old and new
St Pancras and Kings Cross train stations

 

Apple and Flowers

To create one's world in any of the arts takes courage.

Quote by Georgia O'Keeffe

Apple and Flowers
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"

Deepest Blue

Deepest Blue II
Oil on wrapped canvas 7"x 5"
 

Its not often you get something for nothing so I was very happy to pick up these beautiful roses from our local mini supermarket for free. They were a little past their best but cutting the stems fairly short revives them and gives them a new lease of life.

I am really enjoying painting two versions of the same subject side by side.
I don't know why the colours are so sharp but you can see that the middle photo is more true to the original colours.

 

Deepest Blue
oil on wrapped canvas 7"x 5"
SOLD

Zen Sheep

Sheep have such a wonderful way of looking so calm and collected as if they are meditating.

Zen Sheep
oil on canvas board 4"x4"
SOLD

Zen Sheep II
Oil on canvas board 4"x4"

Pear and Grapes I and II / Pink Rose and Fruit

I was up two hours before work and really enjoyed a quiet house to paint, I think this could become a habit. I also found a few hours this evening, so its been a productive day.

Pear and Grapes I
Oil on canvas board 4"x4"
 

Pink Roses and Fruit
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"
SOLD

Pear and Grapes
oil on canvas board 4"x4"

Decadent Rose II

My second painting for today.

Decadent Rose II
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"

Decadent Rose

With all the sun we've been getting the roses are just so decadent and laden with scent.

Decadent Rose
oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"

Pear and Plums

I have about three weeks painting time and as is the way with life, I find myself with less and less free time. So I've decided to paint two at a time.

Pear and Plums
Oil on canvas board 4"x4"

Pear and Plums
Oil on canvas board 4"x4"

Pear and Plums

The group exhibition is from the 5th to the 7th of September, its the New Artist Fair and its going to be held at The Old Truman Brewery.  http://www.newartistfair.com/sept-2014-summer-exhibition.html

All the artists taking part are now listed including yours truly. I am so looking forward to it, I love London, my spirits lift as soon as I get on the train heading there. The architecture and general vibes I find are very artist friendly.

Feeling Woolly

You know that feeling when you just don't feel sharp. What I need is a fresh Autumn morning with a  slight chill in the air, to walk in and think about how to move forward.

I used a photo taken by Kathleen Walker from Paint My Photo.
http://paintmyphoto.ning.com/photo/sheep-grazing

Feeling Woolly
oil on canvas board 4"x4"

Cherry Love

I have found from experience that when I am in a ditch where my painting is concerned, sometimes a simple fruit painting goes a long way towards digging myself out.

Cherry Love
Oil on canvas board 4"x4"
SOLD

Singular

I am going to be part of an exhibition that showcases sixty emerging artists, its at a top London venue and I now have a month to prepare for it!!! More details to follow.

Singular
oil on canvas board 8"x8"

Wealth

Wealth comes in all shapes and forms. Having a beautiful bunch of dark pink roses in a jar with all the equipment, and the time and energy to paint them is for me wealth indeed.

Wealth
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"
SOLD

Beach Days

This is a commission for a lifeboat man.

Beach Days
Oil on wrapped canvas 12"x9"
commission

 Incidentally the painting I donated to the lifeboat station last year was auctioned and raised over £150 for a new lifejacket.

The Beautiful Journey

The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.”
― Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience




The Beautiful Journey
Oil on wrapped canvas
8"x8"

For The Love of Roses

For The Love of Roses
Oil on wrapped canvas 16"x16"
commission

This is a commission for a buyer that wanted a larger version of a painting that has already sold.
Painting four times my usual size as been quite hard, but I'm glad of the experience, and of course the money means I can carry on painting. :  )

We've just had a summer shower,  the plants and garden are sparkling.

Vintage Roses

These were a present from a good friend, their colours are softer and speak of times gone by.

Vintage Roses
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"
 

Romance

Romance like a ghost escapes touching; it is always where you are not, not where you are. The interview or conversation was prose at the time, but it is poetry in the memory.

Quote by George William Curtis

 

Romance
Oil on wrapped canvas 8"x8"

 

Delphiniums and a Rose

How did twelve days go by without posting!!! Work, and flagging energy I think are the main reasons, but I have not let that stop me in the past, so I vow to do better.
This is painted on wrapped canvas and a little larger than I am used to.

Delphiniums and a Rose
Oil on wrapped canvas 12"x 9"

Summer Rain

Isn't rain beautiful!! Especially summer rain where everything cools down and washed clean.
I've not had time to paint, but I did take a few photos of puddles.  :  )  I think I must have been a tree in a past life. Lol

Photo of a puddle.

Sunny June With a Cream Background

Thank you so much for all your comments, I love receiving them and I appreciate the time you all take to send me your encouragement.

The very nice buyer has asked me to change the background to a cream colour to tie in with her décor. Other than that she loves the roses as they are. In fact I think it looks better than before, what do you think?

Sunny June
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"
SOLD

Sunny June

Its a beautiful day, quite cool with plenty of sunshine. I've just finished this painting, which is a commission, I haven't shown the buyer yet but I'm hoping she likes it. I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed painting it, the colours are just so cheerful and uplifting.

Sunny June
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"

Strength

This Japanese proverb sums up how I feel about my work. There are times when I think I am doing ok, I'm standing up, but  many times I feel that I fall short of the picture I have in my head and what I have achieved on canvas. However I do think that I have come a long way and slowly, bit by bit I am nearer to my goal of becoming a professional artist.

 Fall seven times and stand up eight. –Japanese Proverb

Strength
Oil on canvas board 10"x8"

Fragrant Roses From Tracy's Garden

These roses have the most sweetest fragrance.


Fragrant Roses From Tracy's Garden
Oil on canvas board 6"x6"
SOLD

Flowers and Fruit

Thank you so much ladies for all your comments, especially since all I seem to paint lately is roses. :  )

Flowers and Fruit
Oil on canvas board
8"x8"
SOLD

Bliss

Its a beautiful sunny day, I had some time to paint.

Bliss
oil on canvas board 8"x8"

Starting Anew

All the fun and hard work, where the weddings are concerned is over. My best friend treated me to a day out in London, we went to see the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, I enjoyed the whole experience, the company, the paintings and just being in London lifts my spirits.

I feel as if I am starting from the beginning, I bought  some new brushes, my old ones have definitely seen better days. The difference is shocking really, the brushes glided over the canvas and the painting almost painted itself.
 Thank God for good friends.

Starting Anew
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"
SOLD
 

I have plenty of flowers left over from the flower arranging and the break has left me with a hunger to paint more than ever.

Wedding

My niece was married yesterday and I have been super busy making bouquets, centrepieces, and cakes. With all of this going on we have been carrying on with our work as well so you can imagine how tired I am at the moment. It has been a happy family occasion and emotional to see my wonderful niece happily married.

 I am hoping now to get back to my normal routine of painting everyday, and also catching up on what everyone else has been doing on their blogs.

I have been taking plenty of photos, here are a few.

The party the night before, kind of like a hen party.

The bride and groom.

 

 

 

Clarity Of Mind

Sometimes in order to make life less complicated you have to clear your mind and look at the bigger picture.

Clarity of Mind
Oil on canvas board 7"x5"
SOLD

Moving Forward

Even if you fall on your face, you're still moving forward.

Quote by Victor Kiam

Moving Forward
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"
SOLD

Cherry Oh Baby II

This is one of those forgot to post paintings, I painted this back in February. It has sold and is on its way to Londonderry in Ireland as I write.
We had some torrential rain yesterday with the largest hail I've ever seen, I certainly enjoyed watching the drama from a safe place indoors, I just hope everyone out found shelter.

Cherry Oh Baby II
oil on canvas board 4"x4"
SOLD

Apricots and Pink Roses

I'm back in my groove again, I bought a small bunch of these little pink roses and I'm enjoying watching them open. The apricots have this sweet fragrance and compliment the roses and blue creamer.

I've been listening to the Bee Gees.... You Should Be Dancing.....I love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JoZS6LgqYI

Apricots and Pink Roses
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"

Breaking Free

This is my first painting after nine days and I wanted to paint something that represents that moment of breaking free and the shear joy of coming back to something you love.

Breaking Free
Oil on canvas board 8"x8"
SOLD