Exciting times....

Not only am I booked to do the Cambridge Open Studios in July with Nina Sage, but the Carnelians have just booked a two week period to exhibit at the Michaelhouse Centre on Trinity Street in Cambridge for two weeks in November this year. This is a very central location and obviously the month before Christmas Cambridge is very busy - so hopefully a large footfall. It is just next door to the Cambridge Contemporary Art Gallery, which a brilliant place to visit - it has different medium exhibited there, but seems to specialise in fine art prints - last time I was in I noticed they had even got some John Piper prints - love his stuff.

When the builders have finished redoing my studio (hopefully end of February), I really do have to start working hard for these two big events. I have lots of ideas of techniques I want to try, possibly combining my present techniques with those of Sarah Bee - who taught me at a course at West Dean. Interesting possibilities there.This painting was my second attempt at Sarah's class - combinging an underpainting of acrylic with pastel on top. This painting ended up rather fussy, but I can see the potential of the technique and how I can adapt it. I have lots of photos from the New Zealand trip last February that are just begging to be painting and I'm really excited about it.

I have also just booked myself on a course with Chris Forsey
I have liked his work for ages, as he mixes watercolour, acrylic, inks and pastel (and probably lots of other stuff too), which is right up my street. This course will be for landscapes, which is something I really want to develop this coming year.


Obviously nearer the time I will be posting further information about all these events on this website.

Only other things to promote - the Purple Printmakers (which includes Sherry and Nina) have an exhibition on at Bishops Stortford College at the moment. I went to the preview night last Friday - some really great work there. What I love about this group of artists is that they all started off at the same course at Curwen Print Study Centre on a year's course, but since leaving they have all explored different areas of printmaking - some really exciting combinations of techniques have been used. A really talented group of ladies - and an exhibition well worth going to see.


So - all in all I think 2014 will be an exciting year, with lots of things happening. Looking forward to it!

Tutor day at Hilton Art Club

I was asked to do a tutored session at the art club last Friday morning. The subject was to be my acrylic ink technique. This was going to be a challenge - a really wet medium, takes ages to dry and is really risky (things can go wrong at any stage - and often does)!

Most people hadn't used the inks before and definitely not in the way I use them, so a lot of explaining to be done initially. Luckily I had prepared quite a few tester pages, giving examples of how it reacted - especially in terms of being able to use watercolour techniques (which they were aware of) such as salt, cling film, masking fluid etc. I also had tried out calligraphy inks on the tester pages, as I had a lot of colours - however it doesn't have the same vibrancy when diluted. However, I also tried the spritzing on Indian ink - loved the effect on the Bockingford paper, so maybe I'll be trying some monochrome paintings at some stage.

Some of the member had problems in terms of the ink drying too quickly - whereas I can draw the whole thing first before applying the water. I think this was two-fold. Firstly quite a few tables were placed near radiators - basically it was too warm and therefore dried the inks more quickly. One member had brought her own inks, which looked like the Liquitex version of the FW inks I use. However, when reading the label, they mentioned they were quick drying - not so helpful.....  However, they did keep their vibrancy when diluted, so could be used on small paintings - not the size I generally do (which is double what is in the photo, usually 1/2 imperial).

Another issue someone had was that when they tried to remove the masking fluid, it either didn't remove properly or ripped the paper. Sometimes the ink stays quite thick on the page - however, I have found that this tends to be the thicker inks (either semi-transparent or opaque). You can feel it when you are applying them on to the paper - they just don't flow the same way. This means that having a print-out of the FW ink chart, which shows which are transparent, semi-transparent or opaque, is really helpful in deciding where to put the inks in relation to the masking fluid.

I was delighted that everyone tried the technique and went outside their comfort zone in certain cases. I think it is always good to try new techniques and mediums every so often - you never know when you'll find something that you absolutely love. That was the case with me and the inks. I used to be so timid, but you can't be with colours like these!

I am probably going to be fairly quiet for a while now. Although I have lots of paintings to do for the July Cambridge Open Studios, I have a major project coming up - redoing my studio. Up until now I have been managing with no running water, everything piled under the eaves in miscellaneous plastic/cardboard boxes and some absolutely ancient melamine furniture (that goes back to the ark). Well - February brings the builders and I will have a basin - with hot and cold running water and draining board - and fitted cupboards along one wall. On the other wall will be open shelving for books next to my plan chest and at the end will be storage for all my canvases/portfolios etc in purpose built shelving, so they don't fall on to each other. Really looking forward to getting organised and making it a proper studio at last. At the moment I am just going through everything - throwing out stuff that isn't needed and boxing and labelling things so that it is all easy to find one I have all the cupboard space. I can't believe the amount of equipment I have - but it all gets used at some stage and as I love doing mixed media it all needs to be immediately available. Can't wait.....