Local art exhibition

This week is the village Feast Week - a 7-day extravaganza of events including a ball, Michael Jackson tribute band and other events in the marquee and sporting events such as cricket and sports day on the green - together with an art and craft show for all ages. I have again entered in to this art show - just returned the "best in show" shield which I won last year, so they can present it to the next overall winner.

Have put in the following two:

My lovely secretary bird, who is now gracing the top of the blog. This acrylic ink painting is officially now owned by my youngest daughter. I had promised to paint her something at Christmas, but due to commitments never got round to it. So I asked her, before the Open Studios, to choose her favourite one - and this is it. Obviously I wasn't going to enter it as it was no longer mine, but she very kindly said that I could put it in and then she'll put it up in her bedroom. I have to say this is a favourite of mine, so very glad it is staying in the family, where I can see it!

The other one is another large acrylic ink painting (on half imperial) of peacock feathers. I had actually shown the girls all the available paintings and asked their opinion on which should go in - and these were the ones chosen.

I went over to see the exhibition yesterday - voting is split into adult and child - so you can vote for both categories. I think that is fair, although still difficult to compare a selection of pretty sophisticated photographs done by older teenage boys with art work done by under 5's!

Having looked at the competition in the adult section, think I am in for a rough ride! Some really fabulous works of art so stiff competition.

The local art club I am a member of also has some space in the village hall to display their work - showing people what we do and trying to bring in new members. I was also asked to put in a few to that - although this is just a display, not for voting on.

For my large piece I selected the nigella and bud - a much more simple flower painting done in acrylic ink and soft pastel.

Having sold my large peacock, I thought I'd put in my little one (quarter imperial) done in acrylic ink. I love the jewel-like colours of peacocks and acrylic ink hues work so well in this regard.

The last one to be put in is the nigella seed heads done in acrylic ink and soft pastel - a small painting done on quarter imperial but cut down from that size a bit.




Exhibition closes on Saturday and presentations are made at the afternoon tea, served in the marquee and eaten whilst sitting by the grass maze on the green - how English is that?





Haven't mentioned the grass maze before. On the edge of the green we have this ancient maze - cut out by William Sparrow to commemorate the restoration of Charles II (where we live was Cromwell territory - there is event a statue of him in the local town).

There used to be loads of grass mazes around the country in Shakespeares time - mentioned in some of his plays. Most have grown over and are long gone, but luckily people in the village have kept this in good condition and it is a popular place for visitors and locals alike. My girls used to try and race each other to the middle - timing themselves to get a better result each visit! They are too old for that now, but I often see other children doing the same!

Another one flown....

Just said goodbye to "Here Comes the Sun"  - bought by people who couldn't make the exhibition days. It is winging its way to France soon.... I love seeing the sunflower fields in France, so a very apt to take the painting over there!

This was done with just acrylic ink and, unusually for me, also included using a brush. I try lots of techniques and implements to move the ink around - just depends on the subject matter and using negative painting in certain areas worked for this one.

Cambridge Open Studios finished for this year....

And now it is all over....

I seem to have been working towards the Cambridge Open Studios for absolutely ages - lots of new paintings done, framing and then setting up the exhibition. One day on from the last open day and it has reverted back to its normal space.

The second weekend was also brilliant - managed to have a little bit of lunch at 3pm (no chance before that) and then more people came - so that was the end of that!

Sold some more of my paintings - for example my Lonesome Pine. This is a screenprint I did of a beautiful tree near my Mum in south Devon. We discovered it on a walk through the fields down to a secluded beach - standing all by itself (hence the title). Every time I walk past this tree, I stop and admire it - the fact that it is still standing even though it is really open to the elements there.



I found that one of the large mounted works I sold - a lily in acrylic ink and soft pastel - I hadn't actually taken a photograph of - which was very remiss of me. I normally keep a record of all my paintings, as I like to look back at them sometimes.

Another mounted work that is going off to another home is my lilies in drawing pen and acrylic ink. I played around with texture with the acrylic ink - using cling film and when dry, did a detailed drawing of some beautiful lilies I had in a vase. Sometimes it is quite nice to revert back to a detailed drawing, as I normally do such free work with my acrylic ink paintings.

Another painting leaving is my close-up of a sea holly. This was done in acrylic ink and soft pastel. Sometimes things just work - and that was the case with this one. The inks at the bottom left-hand corner were dribbling off the page when I was doing it. For once it didn't turn to mud - they mixed beautifully and turned into a wonderful rainbow of colour, so I just left it to do its own thing. Sea holly is a great subject to paint with these inks - the spiky "leaves" surrounding the flower are so dramatic. Luckily the flower stall at the local market quite often has some and I grab them whenever I can.

I am having a few days off from art - to catch up on things I should have done over the last few weeks and haven't had time to! After that I think I am going to treat myself to some sketching sessions. The local botanical gardens in Cambridge are wonderful and, although parking is appalling, it is a great location, especially in the green houses. We also have a great zoo nearby and a raptor centre - so both of those are on my list. I also want to go to some exhibitions in London before they finish. Haven't been to the Matisse Cut-Outs, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition - and then someone told me of a John Piper exhibition (a small one) in another gallery, so must go and see that. Of course Cambridge Open Studios itself hasn't finished - some artists are open next weekend. This is my chance to actually go and see some other studios. Already got the list together and it seems like I am going all over Cambridgeshire as none of them are near each other, typically.

Will post some of the sketches as and when I do them.... so keep reading!

Another brilliant opening

Nina and I decided to open for a few hours tonight for friends who couldn't make the weekend openings. It was planned as a low-key affair (with some wine and other refreshments - although due to the heat the elderflower cordial got consumed more than anything else!)

Can't believe how well we did. Lots of brilliant feed-back from everyone who came. Nina and I both have to say goodbye to a number of paintings. Leaving me in the next few days are the following:

Last of my teasel series - I love this subject so much and have lots of the seed head in the studio - picked up while on the dog walks. I am definitely going to do more, as they are very popular.

Poppies are also popular and I have done a few. I have made this particular one in to a card and they have been flying off the table stand during this exhibition - maybe due to the World War I commemoration coming up?

My calla lilies - a lovely little painting (small being unusual for me). Going to a home with low ceilings and beams - my other paintings being much too large for that house! Unusually for me, I even used a paintbrush on this one - makes a change from just the dropper from the bottle....

The kingfisher had been fun to paint - even apply the masking fluid with a toothbrush to achieve the look of water dropping off the bird as it takes off! As the new owner said - I must have fun doing these paintings - and I do. I love bright colour, loose watery effects and the unpredictability of this technique. I can never replicate a painting and that is what is so great - keeps me on my toes.



Only problem is - I could now have sold the Lion painting three times, but of course I don't do giclee prints..... I want each painting to be completely original and unique.

Anyway, the exhibition is on this coming weekend too - so a bit of moving paintings around to fill the gaps and fingers crossed the framer is happy to do an emergency order for me, so I have enough to put up! Next exhibition I will make sure that I have a number of spare paintings sitting in the back of differing sizes - just in case. Can't always expect people to leave the paintings in the exhibition until the end of the event, especially if they live quite a distance away. Luckily I do have a couple of really large ones, so that is ok - just need to fill smaller spaces....

First weekend of Open Studios

Well - first weekend of Cambridge Open Studios finished. It was really successful and absolutely loads of people through the door - thank you so much everyone for coming to look at mine and Nina's work.

We both were successful in selling paintings - I have now sold the following:

My wonderful lion. I could have sold this a few times, but of course I do original works of art only - no copies - so this is the one and only painting. Going to a friend, so at least I'll be able to see him in the future!

He looked great in the exhibition - right at the end of the stands, sitting on a table - and of course in large format - half imperial, so once mounted and framed, he makes a big painting. I swear his eyes were following us around the room - spooky!

A favourite of my oldest daugher - my full length peacock. Again a really large painting and looks wonderful framed. I was worried when I first started this painting, as I hadn't done something like this before, but luckily the ink went in the right places and it worked! Serendipity or skill (or a bit of both, as it is a water-based medium)?

The last was a little watercolour and ink study. Again this was a popular painting and unfortunately I hadn't put any more botanical style studies in the exhibition. I really like painting in this way, so I am going to do some more for the next exhibition. It is sometimes nice to do a quiet close-up study of flowers sitting in front of you, rather than standing up doing dramatic paintings drawing with the dropper!


The other thing that was really successful was the cards I have made of my favourite paintings. I sold out of certain images and have done a rush order with MOO.com to get a load more before next weekend, when we are open again. People may not have the money to buy a painting, or the space to give it a home, but the cards are a reminder of those paintings and seem to be very popular with the visitors.

Obviously we had loads of friends and neighbours through the door over the two days. However, Cambridge Open Studios is very popular in the area and people travel all over the county to see artists that interest them. We were very lucky that we were obviously on the list of some of these visitors - and due to the posters we had put on the notice boards in the village, we even had people coming in to the exhibition who had just been picnicking on the village green!

Life is quieter for this week, but then we are open again next weekend. Hoping that we get the same sort of numbers through the door. We hardly had time to have any lunch, as there seemed to be a steady flow of people coming and going. We were also lucky with the weather, which stayed fine for both days.

Really enjoyed this first experience of Open Studios - definitely going to do it again next year.

Exhibition ready.....!

Paintings up, cards and other items on tables, labels done - just about ready for tomorrow's Cambridge Open Studio.

Sharing the exhibition area with Nina, we have half of the room each, which works well. Has given us a lot of space - thank goodness I have done a lot of work!

My paintings are so big, that I only tend to get two to a screen (which is 1m x 1.6m!)

Smaller work along the wall - not all of it in view in this photo. I have some of my sketch books out for people to have a look at.

Table full of cards, tags, keyrings etc with a backdrop of my lion, nigella and dandelion head. Thank goodness for the invisi-easel from Ken Bromley - they are absolutely brilliant! I discovered them at a friend's open studio event last year and I am amazed that I can stand, securely, a framed painting that is 29" x 22 1/2". Must buy more for the next exhibition....

Cards now been printed....

Just been down to DHL to collect the cards from MOO.com. What a great company - really fast delivery, even on standard and they look great....

 

Just chose a few designs that I thought would work in small format and, of course, I have a large number of cards already made up, so it will make a great display.

Last paintings coming from framer middle of this coming week and then exhibition starts a week today! Will start seriously setting up after today, as Verdi's Requiem taking up most of the day (rehearsals and performance). Busy life, but wouldn't have it any other way.

Back from the framer....

Latest batch just collected from the framer and I took the last lot along which will be ready next week.

Have just popped them into the bedroom opposite the studio, as we haven't any guests before the exhibition.

Really pleased with these three - look really dramatic and must find a good place to display them at the exhibition - lion, peacock and pheasant.

Leaning against another wall is the kingfisher, nigella and my secretary bird.

Smaller paintings lying on the bed - nigella, calla lily, peacock feather and peacock head.

along with the crested crane and the hawk eagle.

Just mounted for the browser is the old rose, the quirky guinea fowl and a coloured pencil drawing of a woodpecker.



Obviously there are quite a number of framed and mounted paintings already here, which I have to sort out. Need to work out which paintings look good together for the display stands. Lots of work to do in the next week and a half, but think I am under control!

Now the pressure of painting is off, I can watch a little Wimbledon, which is great. Mind you - still got rehearsals for the Verdi Requiem concert coming up. No rest for the foreseeable future!