Preparing for the "All About Art Event" on the 25th July

Have started doing my prep over the last few days for the above event.....my brief is to run 3 x 45 minute Brusho workshops each for 30 people and the SAA usually like their workshop participants to leave with a completed painting.... have warned them that may not be the case with yours truly!!

There are so many tips and  hints to share with Brusho and the main thing is to get people to have a go with it, see what a fantastic medium it is and share a few way of using it. Having said that I have been working on a few fast and easy to complete pieces though not sure yet if they will be achievable in the timescale, still a few more days to work on things yet though...it's quick enough to get the initial impact of the first layers, it's the building up to a finished piece which takes the time.

Here are a few of the things I've been working on

I've had to choose the colours we will be working with which is why there isn't much variety of colour with these and I will have to decide what I'm going to do and as you will all know by now decisions aren't my strong point!! Anyway will be spending a bit more time on this before I decide and it may not be any of the above I will be doing!!

Moving South?!? And the SAA "It's All About Art Event"

You can imagine my surprise when I was in Lytham, puppy walking along the beach and I got an e-mail from the SAA inviting me to attend their "It's All About Art" event in Islington to run some Brusho workshops for them!!

Knock me down with a feather!! As many of you will know I have been very receptive to any offers of work taking me further South but wasn't expecting that one!!

Anyway a few logistics sorted, like how I was going to get there, where was I going to stay etc etc and I am very happy to say I will be at the event running 3 BRUSHO workshops on Saturday afternoon at 1.00/2.00/3.00 pm though I will be there as the event opens in the morning.

Would love to meet any of my "virtual" friends met through my blog and  facebook so if you are "umming and ahhing" about whether to go to the event, make the decision now and pop along on the Saturday!! Come and see me either for a workshop or just to say hello....I don't want to be "Billy-no-mates" twiddling my thumbs!!!

As I said, I will be running 3 sessions each of 45 minutes where I will be going through some of the basics of how to use Brusho and how to get the best out of it!! All materials are included and apparently you will need to get there early to avoid disappointment if you want to book for workshops.

Now as far as I can see, you won't find my name anywhere on the SAA website or on the promotional material for the event (the SAA only highlight their "top" artists!!!) but I promise I will be there and the only one teaching Brusho during the afternoon so it's me or no-one!!!

I'm very excited to be invited to take part in the event, as you all know, I love running workshops and I love going to art events so this sort of  kills 2 birds with one stone!! See you there!!

3rd Birthday!?!?!

Well just after actually.....it was my blog's 3rd birthday on the 30th March but I have had a lot going on not to mention my son and his partner emigrating to Switzerland so no time for blogging am afraid!!

As many of you will know I have had a lot of workshops since the New Year so all is going really well with more bookings coming in each week... I was looking over the last 3 years since I retired and things have got busier and busier so I am definitely not complaining!!

I do have some really exciting news to share hopefully in the next few days, so watch this space!!!!

In the meantime just thought I would reminisce a little as as well as sharing a couple of new paintings and would post some significant pieces (in my mind at least!!) of the past!!

My last post was about daffodils and here is a new WIP

I am liking how this is progressing but still need to work on it a bit more

Then a painting I have done before of a house in Kirkby Lonsdale by the river but this time with a completely different palette

and finally we received a beautiful bunch of flowers and this was a little interpretation of them

I don't get a lot of chance to work on my own pieces when I have a lot of workshops as I spend time preparing for them and working on pieces I can deliver to 15 or 20 people.... preparing for workshops, I am constantly thinking about the best ways to share the techniques and skills and how to get the information across in the easiest way and I also need to be able to do the paintings fairly quickly as most sessions are only 2 hours.

So what about the last 3 years... I have done quite a few exhibitions including a solo one in Garstang, a craft fair, Watercolour workshops, Brusho workshops (including a fab day jointly running a session with Joanne Boon Thomas) demos, opened and judged exhibitions, I've done commissions including one for a church entrance foyer....... I have also become a PA with the SAA and had a feature published in their November "Paint" magazine.

So what for the future? Well, I have to say it is the teaching I really love. I have been invited to a lot of new places this year so I am hoping to build on that for both this year and next and travel further afield especially further South, Wales and Scotland!!!  Any groups and societies out there who would like a demo or workshop... wherever you are do get in touch and I will see what I can do!!! I am about to run an all day session in Wrexham so I am hoping that will open some new doors too.

I continue to work on my style and technique learning all the time and am lucky enough to be attending a 2 day workshop with Fabio Cembranelli on the Summer... I know..... amazing!!!

Now for a few blasts from the past

I was really delighted with this, not only because I really liked how it turned out but because it also raised £100 for the Poppy appeal... I will certainly be doing something similar in the future....

This was my first attempt at all wet in wet... ie wet the front, back and front again so the paper is literally sopping wet, quite different from how I usually paint and certainly a challenge but so rewarding when it works and creates the most beautiful effects.

I did this at the joint Brusho workshop Joanne and I held near St Helen's and rather liked how it turned out... demo pieces aren't always the best but this one worked well and I liked it better than the practices I had done previously... just shows practice makes perfect!!

Finally 2 paintings of Archie, our little Grandpup who is now a little Swiss dog!! He's having fun exploring his new surroundings walking his little paws off...he's such a clever friendly boy, he will be charming all the Swiss residents and whipping those Swiss pups into shape!!!

So my art journey is taking lots of twists and turns and I no longer worry, think or concern myself with the destination... I soon came to realise it is the journey which is important and as long as I am loving every step I don't need to worry about where I'm going!!

On a final note... thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my blog, the numbers are constantly climbing though for the best part unless people leave a comment  I have no idea who you are but thank you anyway and I hope you enjoy and continue to follow me on my path.