Sunday 23 December 2012

December update

This is going to be a bit of a catch up post as its been a wile since I updated my blog.    One of the things I had on my list back in January of what I wanted to do in 2013 was to keep this blog updated at least once a month.   Well that got forgotten about till April but since then I've managed to keep posting at least once a month so I'll do the same next year.

Here's what I've been up to since the end of the summer when it all got very hectic when the Rochford Art trail started and I had a lots more new art courses to teach starting. 




The half moon - pencil A4

This is one of the last pieces  I did on location and I compleated it over a couple of  lunchtime 15 minute sessions towards the end of the summer in Rayleigh.   There's been a couple of quick sketches since but illness and wet weather has put pay to my Rayleigh drunches (drawing lunches) lately.




 
"Postcards of the masters."
Pavement drawing workshop 1.5 x 2 meters pastel on paper.   
 
This started out as a paper on pavement drawing workshop for the Rochford art trail intended to be created with the help of the local childrens.   A very cold and rainy day put pay to it being created outdoors though as the pastel soon turned into watercolour and the paper started to disintigrate. I had to seek refuge in the Women's institute hall for a bit of shelter and where I got a bit of help from the locals!  


Sunflowers
 
Oil on canvas 16" x 16"
 
This was one that was started in one of my classes as a demo piece from a photo of sunflowers I'd taken a couple of years ago.   I was pleased to get it finished in time for the Rochford art trail. 



 

Back to life!
Pastel on paper

After the summers break our monthly friday evening life drawing sessions once again started at the Leigh community center thanks to Susan.  These three sketches were produced in pastel in October.





I was really pleased to have been shortlisted for the Artist and Illustrator Magazines artist of the year competition and a picture of my painting got into the magazine with the article about the competition.    This is the first time I've had any of my work reproduced in the art press.




Two more life studies from our Friday evening life drawing sessions.  This time I got back into using my oils during the sessions which I've been using during life drawing sessions for well over a year now.     I very rarely get the paintings finished as the 30 minute poses are a bit too quick for that but I love just working quickly from life all the same.





Shoebury mudflats
Oil on board
 
On 24th November I did a painting demonstration for Southend Art Club.   I've done several of these over the years for various local art groups but this was the biggest I've done to date with a packed lecture theatre at Southend Library  approx 70 members of the club were present.   I was reasonably pleased with my efforts and the way in which the demo went.   I painted this in about and hour and  3/4's.   I used a couple of photos I'd taken and pasted together for the reference materials.   I then produced a charcoal sketch beforehand so that I could visualise for my self the whole thing coming together as the tones in the different photos were a bit varied.  
 


Life study
Oil on board 12" x 16"

This was the painting that I donated to the Leigh Art Trail Auction to help us all raise funds for next years publicity for the Art trail.  It's one from earlier in the year completed from life and memory.  I believe it sold on the night.
 




 

 
Thames River Pageant
100cm x 30cm Oil on canvas.

And finally for December here's the second version of my pageant painting.   I  completed this just over a week ago and it's now with its new owner in a shiny new gold frame.   It's based on the  original painting I did on the day and the photo's I took from millennium bridge.     I was fortunate to be one of 20 artists chosen by the BBC to paint during there live broadcasts of the pageant back in June.   I wasn't featured on any of the coverage but it was a fantastic experience all the same.

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