Another weekend done and dusted.  Wow they go so fast!  I had a creative day yesterday inspired by Flora Bowley and Sarah Ahearn (Def going to buy the book to the left).  Am loving the freedom of their painting style. 

Below are a few experiments on card.  I really enjoyed slapping on the paint and seeing what i came up with.  I'm liking muchly painting like that.  It alleviates all the stress in my head and my creations are an expression from within. 
So, it's monday!  The start of an incredibly boring week.  I wish i could paint and make every single day. 
  

acrylic, pencil, wax crayon

Acrylic, wax crayon, charcoal

Painting and sunny days

I feel very inspired by Flora Bowley at the moment.  I'm loving her bold use of colour, messy yet structured style of painting.  I would have loved to have attended her workshop this coming may, but sadly too expensive.

Above is a new creation that i painted last night.  I used my fingers, brushes whatever i could find.  I used the boldest of primary colours and mixed with my fingers.  I used golds and copper and finished with charcoal.  Thoroughly enjoyed myself :)  The painting is actually supposed to be the other way around, but i quite like it the way it is at the moment. 

It's a beautifully sunny spring day out there today.  I want to be painting.

Cleaning Hard Paintbrushes

Just needed to document and share this! I have so many hard brushes that i've given up on. I haven't the heart to throw them away as i've always thought they could be saved. If this works, then i'll be a very happy girl indeedy!

Cleaning Hard Paintbrushes

Pleased with myself

After work last night i did a very brave thing indeed.  Me and my paintings went a travelling to a trendy little restaurant in the hope that they would like my work and hang them for me. 

I cannot tell you how nervous i was!  Trying to sell your own work is not easy.  Because i have spent so many hours painting these canvases and then weeks/months/years of staring at them everytime i go into my studio, i start to dislike them and find fault in them, so the thought of someone else liking them is hard for me to understand.  BUT.....they wanted them.  Yay!  They are going to hang 5 pieces in the restaurant....how exciting. 

I have another couple of places that are interested.  I'll just keep cracking on and on and on..........

One for my little nan

Once this painting was semi completed i decided to dig out some lace for her colar.  Before my nan passed away i was given her sewing box and in my search for lace i also found an off cut of one of her dresses, also some buttons which must have belonged to her at some stage.  So, in memory of my little nan, i attached them to my painting.  Entitled 'May you forever be in my heart'



A little nervous about tonight as i'm due to take a few paintings to a Restaurant for them to hang/sell/exhibit for me!  What if they hate them???

New paintings and exhibiting :)

This past week hasn't been my best....possibly due to being off sick and struggling with letting work down.  Back tomorrow and am really nervous, have that horrid sunday night feeling where i don't want it to end.

I have painted a bit this week and below is one of my new ones.  I have contacted lots of restaurants/cafes to see if they would exhibit my work.  I have had a few possibles and a def.  I'm going to a restaurant on tuesday to take my work and see how they sit with the style of their restaurant!  How exciting, but also, how nervous am i?





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A painting re-worked 2011 style :)

I've been working from home again today due to me not being 100% and like a good conscientious girl i worked until 5pm then stopped.  I could actually get quite used to working alone!  I seem to get much more done.  My family have often told me that i spend too much time alone, but in all honesty, i wouldn't do it if i didn't like it.  I guess this is why i love the artist side of me.  It keeps me company when i'm alone.  So thats one of my long term goals/dreams, working on my own!

I've just ventured into my room and staring right at me was a painting that i'd started/completed 2 years ago.  I had never EVER liked it.  I now love it.  Just a little dab of oil paint, few strokes of oil pastel and a wax crayon here and there, finally, i have a painting i love again.  'Face up to it' is its new name.  Whilst titivating it the words face up spoke to me.....i don't know why, maybe it's a language i'm starting to learn.




Face up to fearsFace up to failureFace up to despairFace up to sadnessFace up to madness
You see, maybe i am learning after all :)

On what i've been up to

Another day off work!  Went in, was sent home! :(  Went to docs and have sinusitis and have been signed off until monday and sent away with antibiotics.  Joy!  The antibiotics are making me feel really sickly, the sinusitus is making me deaf and hurting my head and feel generally grotty!  BUT hey, who the devil wants to hear all that?  Yah...no one :)

So tonight, in my stir crazy crazed mood i retreated to my spare room and dug out some goodies to make.  Marti (from MartiCrafts) has posted a fab tute on making these cute little 'fortune cookie' stylie bags.  So cool....go have a look at Marti's blog to see how they're made.










I then rummaged some more and found some wired paper leaves that i'd bought a while back.  They've sat in their packaging with nowhere to go, until tonight i thought they would make cute little earrings!










And below a snap i took with the 'instagram' app on my iphone!  Such a fabulous app!  I can't recommend this app enough!  Also, proof that spring is a springing.  I feel thankful right now for living in the UK.  For all the moaning that us brits do, we really should appreciate what we have here.  Thoughts to all of those affected by Fridays horridness :(  Love life, what we have, here and now, family, friends, for who knows!  My mum arrives home from her 5 month trip to Australia in 3 weeks time....i've really missed her!




So, lemsip is finally kicking in and the pain is leaving my head for a bit so will take this opportunity to rest my weary head and get some shut eye.

She sits, she thinks, she IS rhonda and the show must go on!

I've had this horrible virus that has rendered me pretty useless for the past week.  I've slept, taken it easy, and i'm very slowly getting back to normal.  My laptop and me have been best friends during my illy days and i've found so much inspiration.  I have also contacted many local outlets with regard to exhibiting my work and guess what?  I've had more reply's that i ever expected.  This afternoon i took the opportunity to use some of my pent up illy energy to paint.  Blank canvas, oil pastels and a brush!  It turned into a quick sketch, but i really enjoyed it.  The whole time i was painting i was feeling Rhonda's story!  The story of the showgirl wanting to be something else.  The whole story, book, film and stage play was in my thoughts whilst painting.  Thats why i enjoyed it!  

'she sits, she thinks, she IS Rhonda and the show must go on!'

Last Saturday me and my BFF (Marti from MartiCrafts) took a trip to southampton to get pampered and photographed.  What a fab day we had :) and so great to catch up.

Taking things seriously with a pinch of salt!!

I'm not sure whether i have shared this painting that i painting during the Xmas break. 

Oil on Canvas - 2011

Painted in oils on a large canvas.  I loved the flow of this one....the colours, the brushes, the oils all seemed just perfect.  Its a dreamy image although the photograph does not do it justice (a lazy iphone snap).  This is for sale but will not be listed on any craft/art selling sites. 

I'm now going to up my game!  Its time for me to be brave and not sit back and wait for my paintings to sell themselves.  Up until now, its been ok.  Etsy, folksy, ebay and the like have provided me with a platform where i can just sit back and watch the views grow and hope they sell themselves.  In reality, this is not working.  If you are an established artist and recognised for your work, then yes.  Being an unknown and relying solely on talent and a creative eye alone, is hard.  So upping my game.  I have a plan/strategy and will take myself more seriously with a pinch of salt :)