Sweet Pea Painting

I feel I have been neglecting my blog of late - so much going on, classes, painting and life drawing as well as my other jobs!

This is my latest new small painting, I loved the entire process, creating this  little oil - Tina one of my students brought along the last of her sweet peas. I plonked them in the little vase just as they were, no arranging. The vase was a charity shop find - 30pence! 
I am taking part in the Xmas Vintage Fair in Castle Douglas on the 3rd November. I will have a stand of my small paintings. Sweet Peas, will be for sale at £85, including a wide solid wood frame, painted in one of Farrow and Ball's gorgeous muted shades. 
I hope to find a 1950s outfit I can wear on the day - so anyone out there got a vintage 1950s dress or skirt? Size 12 - though the sizes will be all different, I'm sure!

Garden Sketches

Our Custom House Art Group are gathering sketches together to hopefully produce some pleasing work of the gardens in the High Street. I think working as a group takes away all fear of working in a public space! We spent a lovely afternoon painting and sketching in Broughton House garden (EA Hornel's former home) last month. The garden was full of tourists, who I happily talked to and even showed my sketchbook! Who'd have thought it? Remember my first blog in May, when I sketched "out" for the first time in the Cotswolds?


This little watercolour and ink sketch shows the window of Hornel's studio and the blue agapanthus blowing in the breeze.

This potting shed sketch was done in another part of the High St. Pauline and I headed out one damp morning. We had great fun even though we were pretty damp ourselves by the lunchtime!!

Life Drawing Time Again

 My life drawing is a bit rusty but I enjoyed it so much this week! My 2 paintings were accepted into the Dumfries Fine Art Exhibition and.... my Pink Lace Cap Hydrangea painting, I showed in a previous post, SOLD on the preview evening!!! It's lovely to sell but to go during the preview feels great! 
I have been hard at work today completing another flower themed oil painting and trying to set up the studio for my second class this week. My husband came down with a cup of coffee and to keep me company - he fell asleep, this painting milarky must be soooo boring!!!!!!

Teacher's Apple

I took my first class today! I stressed - a lot - beforehand but it went swimmingly, after I stopped dropping the still life items! I have 4 students, more than enough in my little studio, they are lovely.
Life drawing started back this week too. Wednesday evening was so good, relaxing almost. Kat her usual wonderful self, such a good model. Thursday evening had it's moments,I will say no more - Jif, you were great!
This trio of apples and the checkered cloth was a trial - painting wet in wet isn't easy, light blue meeting dark blue, criss cross - what shade of blue is it now? I loved painting the apples, the cloth, less so!
Dumfries Fine Art Society Exhibition preview evening tonight, looking forward to it - tomorrow morning - let me sleep till 8pm, please!!!!

Pink Lace Cap Hydrangea oil painting on board

This little 8" square oil on board is my second Hydrangea painting. I enjoyed every aspect of the "doing" of this work and I LOVE the challenge of painting glass to look like glass!
I have a huge lace cap bush in my garden, it is taking over!The stems are in a tinted glass tumbler I bought from a local charity shop. I have been on the lookout for more coloured glass items but nothing so far.
I have sent this piece to the Dumfries Fine Art Summer Exhibition, hoping it will please the jurors enough to get in.
I also sent along a large figurative piece, which I love, unframed. It was rejected as unframed canvases can only be considered if they are BOX canvases! I feel so stupid for not reading the rules and regs!! Lesson learnt!!

My painting "Purple Hydrangea" sold the other day!!! Every piece I show on my posts, is for sale, unless stated otherwise.