One for the road ...........

I used an oil primed Belgian linen panel for this painting and I just love the way the paint sits on the surface, such a pleasure to paint on ... expensive though (especially after postage to France)! If you've never tried it, I suggest that you give it a go, I wish I had found it earlier!
I think I need to redo this photo as it looks ill defined and muddy on this shot.

SOLD
8 x 10 inches

Some more photos from the art class. We couldn't set up easels this time, but next time we aim to have it all worked out. It was a little difficult for them painting flat on the tables but in the end it all worked out fine and they managed very well.
It was all about the basic handling of paint and how to start and finish a painting with the wet in wet technique. We didn't touch on underpainting, glazes, or scumbles, etc. but I'm hoping that they will progress to that over the next courses.

Showing them the colour I was mixing

My first oil paining :-)

Still alive and well ......

I guess I'm not the world's most prolific blogger, but I get back here sooner or later. I tend to have about four paintings on the go at any one time and usually end up finishing them all around the same time so the posts tend to be once a month.
I have also done a couple of commissions but I'm not posting them as yet.
This was a big one for me 60 x 25 cms (24 x 10 inches) and is done on gessoed hardboard. I liked the delicacy of the iris against that big, heavy stoneware jar resting on the edge of the table. Any suggestions for a title?

SOLD

I taught my first all day art class yesterday and it was a lot of fun for me and the students all seemed to have enjoyed as we are planning more classes. I just worked on basic painting techniques with them and they managed to complete 2 'alla prima' paintings in one day!
For some it was their very first oil painting (close up view below) and they were thrilled with what they achieved in such a short time.
It was great to have students who were so enthusiastic and they did a fantastic job of pushing away that fear of failure and the "I wont be able to do that" mentality and did themselves proud (just look at those smiling faces).
I did the lessons at a painting holiday resort here in France so if anyone is interested in painting holidays (with a swimming pool!!!): www.paintinfrance.eu/index.htm




I'll be back tomorrow with another painting and maybe another pic of the art class.

Day three .... more stuff

Bored yet? Anyway ..... a few more pics for your perusal. I may leave a few days between the next post for a bit of a break.
This is an old cast iron kettle that was given to me by friends in Yokohama and I love the unusual shape, it seems to float above the table because of the unusual hidden bottom.

40 x 30 cms (approx. 16 x 12 inches)
oil on canvas board

SOLD

24 x 19.5 cms (approx. 9.5 x 7.5 inches)
oil on gessoed hardboard

SOLD

A few more paintings ....

As promised in yesterday's post .... a few more photos with more to come tomorrow ...
As you can see, I re-visited a few old friends just for the enjoyment I get out of painting these dark background subjects.

For sale: 24 x 26 cms (approx. 9.5 x 10 inches)

Oil on gessoed hardboard

SOLD

8 x 10 inches (approx. 20 x 25.5 cms)

Oil on gessoed hardboard

SOLD

Long overdue .....

It's been a tough month as I haven't been happy with what I've done recently and hesitated posting anything new, but I have decided to just go ahead and put some of them up for show.
I guess I have been feeling a lot of peer pressure, because before I started the blog I wasn't getting praise from artists that I admire so much and now I feel that I have to live up to their expectations of me, so 'good' is not good enough!
I've had a few paintings that just haven't worked at all this last month and they have been consigned to the bonfire pile.
I will post more work over the next few days.

The 'hat' paintings were done because of all the painting I have done over the last few years, the previous hat paintings seemed to be the most enjoyed by a lot of people ... and I enjoy painting them (my summer and winter hats).

8 x 10 inches Claesen's Belgian linen panel
SOLD

8 x 10 inches Claesen's Belgian linen panel

SOLD

Winsor and Newton Featured Artist

I received great news today .... that I am now a Winsor and Newton featured artist.

I am absolutely thrilled by this and it made my day!

You can see it here if you are interested:

http://www.winsornewton.com/community/featured-artists/

If you use Firefox as your browser and don't see my profile, please make sure to click the UK Union flag at the top of the page. Then enter the address above once more (copy and paste it from here).

Firefox loads the US site as default and not the UK one. Only Firefox seems to be a problem.