Old Friend

Took a trip up to York today to drop the 2 eldest kids off at my mum's for a few days over half term.

It was great to see this painting that I had done for my Mum earlier in the year in situ in her living room.



Seeing it again has really encouraged me to keep painting and once I get my annual appraisal out of the way next week I will crack on with my current painting!

An Illuminating Experience!

Only managed a small amount of proper painting this weekend, as most of my time has been spent with the wrong type of paint as you may have seen from my facebook updates. Still, I did manage to spend a little while with the smaller brushes and added to the mountains and painted in one or two celestial bodies!



As mentioned in earlier posts a particular memory from childhood helped to form this image in my head...

I remember one day when I was 6 or 7 perhaps, my dad excitedly telling us that we were going on a trip the following evening to Blackpool to see the Illuminations. After a couple of hours driving to get there we joined the long queue of cars driving slowly along the seafront looking at all the brightly coloured lights, and I'm afraid at the time I found them a little boring.

Yes, I realise that they are a national treasure, and before Adrian attacks me with one of his chainsaws, let me explain that I do view this as a cherished memory rather than one I'd rather forget. After viewing the lights we spent another couple of hours exploring, including a visit to a particular joke shop where I spent some of my pocket money on a load of sneezing and itching powder!!!

Whenever I hear the phrase "Northern Lights" this memory returns to me every time ... weird how these things happen don't you think ?!?

Mountains out of Molehills

Last night I managed a bit more painting and decided to try and get some of the detail on the mountains done. Having not really painted many mountains for quite a while, I struggled with it at first before finally getting the style I was looking for right. Here it is at the moment...



...still a long way to go!

The Rule of 3's !

Why is it that things occur in groups of 3?

That's a question I've been pondering over the last few days. Yesterday I sufferred 3 successive computer hardware malfunctions and then today I had to examine 3 lots of genitals in a row during moring surgery! You've got your 3 little pigs, the 3 billy goats gruff and the 3 musketeers, before we even get to buses! There must be something in it?

Apart from all that I've been doing some more painting here and there and this is the state of my current piece.



As you can see it's still at an early stage with just the basics blocked in, but I'm really enjoying it. I feel quite liberated with it as it's a painting for myself and not someone else as the other recent one's were.

The inspiration for it came initially after watching a program ages ago with Joanna Lumley chasing the Northern Lights, and the photography in the documentary was quite breath-taking. There are other inspirations behind this painting which I'll fill in as the painting unfolds, but lets just say they involve both childhood memories and another passion of mine...

...Star Trek!!!

Once More Unto the Breach!

Today after an enforced absence form my studio, I walked back in and picked up a paint brush. Several things, including building work, a wedding reception held at our home and looking after the kids over the summer holidays, has kept me from this little hobby of mine. I set up my easel with a nice 30"x40" canvas and after a little thought gave it a quick coat of black gesso.



This is a painting that I have wanted to try for some time and starting with a black background and building up the colour is a new one for me. As I stood in front of the canvas a familiar shiver of excitement and fear went through me once again.

I wonder how it will turn out. Only time will tell!

Handbags and Gladrags!

Wow, the last month has just flown by!

I have been pretty busy though with several things, including preparing for our house extension which is now starting in a couple of weeks time.

I have finally finished my latest painting, so here it is.




It's a copy of Peter Smith's piece 'Oh My God, They Match' and as mentioned in previous posts, it's for my Mother-in-Law, Maureen, who has a heavy handbag addiction!!

I've had to pretend it's for another friend who is coming to stay with us tomorrow for a few days. Maureen has seen the painting in my studio and it has been impossible to hide from her completely! I will do the presentation to her tomorrow, and I hope she is surprised and more importantly likes it.

Painting time is getting harder and harder to come by, but I need to redouble my efforts in grabbing spare time to paint, as I have several ideas which have been floating around in my head for original paintings of my own to try.

Watch this space!!!

Happy Easter

Just a quick entry to wish everyone a Happy Easter and to show you how my current painting's coming along.



Progress is pretty slow but I'll hopefully get more done over the easter weekend although I am on-call :(

Have a great weeekend and don't eat too much chocolate!!