New Brusho Workshop with Joanne Boon Thomas

I arrived bright and early at Sunshine House (where I will be running a series of 4 "Loosening up" workshops in March... details to follow) for a one off workshop with Joanne. As ever Joanne brought new ideas and techniques to the session which was great for me as I have already attended quite a few Brusho workshops. All creative ideas go to Joanne on these paintings.

What I did want to talk about in this blog is how workshops don't always bring out the best in us, at least not at the time... how we often put pressure on ourselves not only maybe to please and impress the tutor but to actually produce that oh so elusive masterpiece and although I have produced a couple of very pleasing pieces at workshops, in general it is rare and really not to be expected.

A good tutor should fill you with ideas and enthusiasm, as both Jean and Joanne have done with me so that I may not produce "the one" at the workshop but I will come home and be inspired to put their techniques, energy and passion into my own work in my own way..... what you actually do on the day is slightly irrelevant... what you learn on the day to take away is paramount!! So excuses made for my efforts at the Brusho workshop.... here is what I did!!

This first one was from one of my own photos of poppies in the garden from last year and isn't finished yet but can already see there are a few muddy bits but I can use some bleach to lift in parts so not a lost cause with this .

 I think this was the best piece I managed on the day using some slightly different ideas... less is more with Brusho and again, possibly  bit heavy handed in parts but again a touch of bleach might just do the trick.

 This piece was altogether trickier, we created a variegated wash which wasn't an easy technique and I have used bleach in parts but again heavy handed to the bottom where you can see the muddier mixes.. a creative crop may be the way to go with this one!!

So I think this illustrates exactly what I'm talking about where I "could have done better!!" But I am certainly not despondent, rather inspired and excited to continue on my Brusho journey as the potential of this medium is phenomenal!!

Anyone who might be interested in buying the DVD and E-book which will answer all your questions can purchase it here

Flowers, flowers and more flowers!!!

This is a clematis from my garden which I painted at Bolton Art Circle tonight. I took this photo a couple of weeks ago as the flower is so lovely and it's the first year it has bloomed like this and we got so excited about it!!! Take a look....

I didn't really have the right pink shades with me, have got 3 of those big palettes from Ken Bromley's which Jean Haines introduced me to and I took the wrong 2!!!! Anyway despite that. I like how this one has developed, I like the loose feel to it and will be working on some more like this.

I seem to be drawn to flowers at the moment, maybe it's because the garden is decimated by all the tropical rain we are having in the Northwest and I am longing to see some of the flowers we have planted in the last couple of years blossom.

These two are vaguely based on images from Paint my Photo. I have chosen a poppy for one of our July images in the loose group as we have 3 large clumps of poppies which were looking so promising.  Again the rain keeps destroying them, as soon as any come in to bloom, before I get out with the camera the rain gets them and they are ruined!!! But poppies were on my mind so these are my goes. The first is in I guess what you might call "my style" and the second is based loosely on a hint of a poppy in Jean Haines new Book, Atmospheric Watercolours. I think the second might need  bit more definition but again am liking the direction its going in and also quite liking the first..... now that is an improvement, me actually liking some of the things I am doing!!!

Have been having a bit of a lean spell...... doing plenty of painting but lots for the bin and not much to show so am pleased to see these coming to life on the paper!!! I don't need motivation to paint at the best (or worst!!) of times and when things start turning out I need even less and I get more excited and obsessed about it all..... hardly seems possible but just makes me want to paint more!!