Cards for special people

 

 

A card for two friends who have just moved into a pub and another for a dear friend who is just about to turn 27.



 

Adding the flags

 

Last night I started adding the flags to the commission I am currently working on.  I thought they would be the easiest bit, but as per usual when I think that, they are proving to be quite tricky.  It is essential that I get the perspective just right so that the painting has enough depth.  Also I used the wrong brush on the edges of the green flag, so the fraying now looks a bit too contrived.  Going to leave it for now and see how noticeable it is once the whole piece is finished.

Another forgotten building

I pass this on the way to my studio, every time I go up there.  I'm not entirely sure what it is - perhaps an old waterworks, or part of the old school - but it is totally redundant and forgotten.  Therfore I love it.  It looked especially beautiful this week with the contrast of the clear blue sky behind the orange brick.  I love the geometric shapes and the yellow bin is such a striking feature.  I must start making all these observations and photographs into a series of paintings.

More cards

Special cards for special people.  One for an engagement, one for a new home and one for a birthday.

An experiment with leftovers

This is an experiment I am working on at the moment and is arguably the most exciting thing in my studio right now.  I can't bare waste and so when there is paint left on my plate at the end of a session, I feel compelled to use it.  I started this plaque a while ago and Have just been building on it every week, every time I have left over paint.  It shows all the colours I like to work with and because it is an experiment I feel quite free with it and like I can't mess it up.  My friend said it looked like an LSD trip - I'm not sure about that, but it certainly makes me feel happy when I look at it.

Inspiration from a plate of paint

This was my palate at the end of a painting session and I couldn't help but admire it's beauty.  I'm a sucker for bright colours.  I thought perhaps it was more of a work of art than the painting I had been working on...

Landscape painting

This is the commission I am working on at the moment for a friend's sisters birthday gift. I was so hesitant about doing it at first, mostly because I don't really have much experience of doing landscapes, but I am actually really enjoying the process and the challenge of doing something which is out of my comfort zone.  It is also refreshing to do traditional painting and work on a piece which requires a lot of concentration and accuracy.  I am looking forward to adding in the Tibetan flags at the end, as I think they will really bring the painting to life.

Progress on birthday ceramics

 

 

The bowl I am making for my mum's birthday is going well and last week I carved in the message around the top - which was a lot more difficult to do than I had expected.  I am pleased with the result though.  Next time I will be glazing and firing it.