Saturday 11 April 2015

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.







14 comments:

  1. Fascinating reading your progress Judith. Your love of what you do shines through, and your wish to impart your knowledge to your followers, and in 2 hrs. Now that is quite a challenge. I appreciate that a lot of planning goes into a workshop/demo. Your work is really stunning and your wip of daffs is juicy and rich and I could eat it. Enjoy the next phases of your arty adventure. xx

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  2. Thank you so much Polly.. your comments are always so encouraging!! I'm sure I will enjoy the next phases if past performance is a predictor!! Just so lovely to be able to work at your passion!!

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  3. So much going on in your life. It's good to be busy, especially at something you love doing. Particularly love the daffodils.

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    1. Am really lucky Jean to be able to work at what I love... it doesn't seem like work at all!!

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  4. Following you as ever......and really enjoying hearing about all your adventures!!!

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    1. Thank you as ever Val!! It's lovely that you have stayed the course with me!!

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  6. Have just stumbled on your blog and so excited as your style is exactly what I am hoping to achieve one of these days. At the moment after 3 years of acrylic lessons and dabbling in watercolour I have now decided nothing competes with the transparency and ethereal look if watercolours. Have to make time now to read all your blogs - 3:years worth I believe. You have inspired me to carry on doing what I love

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    1. Wow. am delighted to have had an impact!! Would love to know who you are... it just comes up as anonymous for me... anyway I hope you enjoy the rest of the ramblings here... all 3 years of them!!! Totally agree with you about watercolours... nothing comes close for me and the more I do the more happy accidents happen so I do hope you carry on... remember painting is a skill not a talent and the only thing which will stop you "getting there" will be giving up and I hope you won't do that no matter how hard it gets... you can do it!!

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  8. Thank you for encouragement which has made me more determined to carry on despite all the wasted paper. Also will ask someone to assist in setting up my ID. My name is Lesley and I hail from South Africa.

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    1. Aw thanks for that Lesley from South Africa!!! Just a thought on the wasted paper.. I used more paper once I started painting like this than in the whole time before but I try not to think of it as wasted... I like to think that every bit of painting rubbish took me one step closer to where I am now and I still have my disasters btw!!

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  10. Are you organizing any exhibition for this art?

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Would like to thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog, why not leave me a message then I know you've popped by!! If you have any enquiries please send me an e-mail to

judesfarnworth@hotmail.com