Feeling the Pressure

I have been in the throws of making my own frames! Out of the 10 I put together only 2 fell apart! I must have scrimped with the glue on those ones! I've been doing my still life oils, trying to stretch myself, adding more crockery, flowers etc and wonder if perhaps I'm trying to run before I can walk! It has been difficult! On Sunday I set about painting an 8" square canvas. I am happy with the finished article, a little cream jug with cherries.  Our Art and Craft Trail takes place the first weekend in August. We have a fundraising event during that time - artists are given a canvas square and asked to paint whatever they choose, they return the canvases, which are put on sale for £10 each. We can't sign them, we just put our name on the back. They sold like hotcakes last year, no wonder - at that price!

I am opening my studio again this year for the Trail and am trying to get the garden in order, as well as painting and making frames. I have been relatively calm up till this point but can feel the pressure closing in on me! It's not conducive to good painting! I will have to CHILL!!!

Sketching at last

It is over a month since my break in the Cotswolds and I finally found the courage to go out sketching locally -I am very self conscious or have been up till now! Our little cocker spaniel came along on the last lovely day we had the other week. I left the house at 8.30am with my flask of coffee and packed lunch, meaning business! We headed for Balcary near Auchencairn. I decided to take the inland route, just incase the dog went too near the cliffs. Then I read a sign saying "cows and feeding calves, can be aggressive," so we took another direction! Millie bounded through the fields, having a whale of a time. I stopped to sketch some lovely foxgloves. Many years ago I used to wear the flowerheads on the ends of my fingers and pretend they were my pink painted nails! I had been told by my Mother not to touch them, as they were poisonous. Obviously I didn't listen, I was only 6 or 7 yrs old.

I had just completed my little sketch when a couple appeared behind me, they told me where to carry on with the walk and went on their way. Unfortunately they had disturbed a large herd of bulls, cows and calves! They managed to get over the hill and out of sight, Millie and I weren't so lucky! We were stuck in our field with the choice of either stay where we were or go back down to the car! I settled down to do another sketch while Millie snuffled about looking for mice and suchlike. It felt so liberating and I couldn't believe that I was, without thinking about it, only putting down a tiny bit of the vista before me! Previously I had the big problem of feeling there was so much "landscape", where would I begin! 

On Monday at Rockcliffe I attended a charity workshop to raise money for the Macmillan Nurses. Frances and David's garden was utterly gorgeous! I sneaked away to a little corner and managed to put down another little sketch in my book.

I am hooked! Now when I want to go out sketching, the rain won't stop!!!!! Sod's law!!