Painting while away

I’ve just spent a wonderfully peaceful weekend house and dog sitting for my daughter in her country cottage. I was there, virtually in the middle of no where, on my own, from Friday afternoon until yesterday evening. I did wonder how I would feel being out there all on my own but it was great, I loved it, the mornings were warm and sunny and the afternoons were wild and wet with evening rainbows.
Every morning I would get up, put the dogs in the yard and set out my painting things on the patio table overlooking the fields. This was to be my ‘painting’ weekend and I’m quite pleased with the result. I finished two paintings and have almost finished another.
Once this last one is finished these  are destined for the second coffee shop to offer to hang and sell my work. 

Ever had one of those days when it all falls into place??

It was meant to be

Ever had one of those days when it all falls into place??
Today was one of those days for me. Today was the day of the baby shower as organized by my very good friend, (that’s me and her),

for out mutual friend, that’s her.

The very pregnant lady and her husband own and run a center for alternative therapies, which was the venue for the baby shower. As well as treatment rooms for massage, aromatherapy etc; it has a coffee shop, a gift shop that sells hand made jewellery, cards and candles and a gallery that sells art work by local artists.
I’ve been painting a portrait of the pregnant lady and intended to give it to her today. I ran out of time and it still isn’t finished, but I had a couple of photos of it on my camera to show her and her husband.

I also had a photograph of another portrait I’m working on of two old ladies. This one is from a magazine photo and I copied it because it made me think of ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’.  Again it’s not finished.

As I’m showing these photos of my work to different people, the manager of the place, who was also attending the baby shower, and I started chatting. I said how much I like the idea of coffee shop art. I’ve been round all the galleries with my other artist friend and although the gallery market is what she’s aiming for, it’s never appealed to me. To show and sell in galleries the work must be professionally framed, which is very expensive, the gallery take any thing up to 40% or even 50% and the prices charged are out of reach of most people. To me, gallery art seems elitist, its stuff painted by artists for other artists who all know each other and exist in a little bubble of ‘arty people’. Now maybe that’s a bit harsh, and I do enjoy galleries and exhibitions; but for me the coffee shop customer is the preferred audience. I like to think of ordinary people, mums with kids, old men reading the newspaper and grannies with their shopping looking at art and being able to afford it.  This manager and I hit it off and … she wants me to take what ever work I can get finished to her and she will hang it in their little gallery. Not only that, she also wants me to take the hand made bags I make and any other bits of craft work I have. We have agreed a rough price range, much cheaper than gallery prices, I don’t need to pay out for expensive framing and her commission is minimal compared to the galley commission.

The baby shower was a huge success, the friends were all happy and I’ve found somewhere that I really like to show case my work………wow what a great day. It all just fell into place. If you want to see what the place is like its here

http://www.facebook.com/TheSerenitySanctuary

Art Sunday; Sketches from France

I arrived back in my house at about 6 this evening.
I know its a bit late for Art Sunday, and I didn't prepare any thing for this week before I left, but what I have done, is practise my drawing while I've been away.
And here they are. 
I've posted them in the order I drew them. I believe I see an improvement in my drawing as the week progressed.
I've had a wonderful time,
taken loads and loads of photos,
all of  which will all be posted eventually,
but for now
...............my drawings.

A few paintings of mine

Just a couple of paintings I've done over the last year or so. I do hope to do a bit more painting this summer.

Work in Progress.....part two, complete !!

Somehow found time today inbetween packing, babysitting and popping in and out here to finish my Flower Seller painting. Here she is.

Work in Progress

This is my latest work in progress..............I thought it would be nice to actually chart the making of it rather than just show the finished painting. So.... here is the start of my 'Flower Seller', now I'm off o do some more.

Being Creative Again................

thought I would find more time to be here in the school holidays but...............I'm distracted. I've began painting again and when the mood takes you...........you just have to go with it.

My latest effort.........hot off the easel, a portrait in progress. A little fine tuning, and ..... the finished work

A Seascape and a Still Life

A seasape and a still life.

I didn't manage to get any painting done today ( I had a kinda eventful day) but.... over the last couple of weeks I managed to finish these two. 

The Seascape is acrylic on board, the Still Life is acrylic on woven paper.