What A Journey

With my beloved Taffy, a Bearded Collie,whilst living in Belgium

I was painting outside and he stole my bottle of painting water!

My original thoughts for my blog this morning have been completely taken over by wonderful memories. I just realised that I am in no less than seven exhibitions over the next few months with two being major solo shows. How this came about really was unintentional on my part.

Horse Racing Cockerels?

Last year I had such a successful solo exhibition at the Wey Gallery in Godalming. It was superb and I instantly agreed to a second solo this year when invited by the fantastic owners. Paintings and images were delivered gradually to the gallery and press releases organised well in advance. Often by the time invitations are sent all the work  for a show has been carried out behind the scenes but it is the titling and pricing for the catalogue that needs the last  and final decisions. This gallery has room to showcase my much larger paintings which take up so much wall space. They are also a firm base for my favourite horse racing collections which sell so well and have become highly collectible over the years. I know my new cockerels are also looked forward to and there are four fabulous vibrant pieces in this new collection that I will be very sad to lose as they adorned my home before I took them in for the show. Part of me is  tempted to race to bring them back as they added a feeling of energy to my cottage!

That Teddy Bear ?

I was also invited by The Frame Gallery which is  local to where I live to be Artist of the Month in June 2012 to also celebrate the launch of my new book. Jan the owner sells many of my paintings and artists from my workshops can often  visit the gallery following my art sessions. I agreed knowing the subjects that sell well here. My collection in this show will consist of a variety including the teddy bear " Thread Bare" that adorns the front pages of my new book "Atmospheric Watercolours". This painting means so much to me as it almost tells my art story. My mother gave me a teddy bear when I was little and it was on the last day that I ever saw her.  Strangely enough that gift has brought me so much love over the years so to include it in a book that was created out of a passion for watercolour seemed the right thing to do.

So with two shows under way and organised how did I manage to be included in others also?

Almost Hare!

I always support the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year Exhibition and so, even though I was frantically busy at the beginning of this year I painted a hare and I am thrilled that it will be included in this year 2012 exhibition!

The Society Shows

I am a member of the SWA,Society of Women Artists so a horse racing scene will be included in this show. At the time of submissions I was working heavily on my solo shows but I have painted a scene for this exhibition also. I will be demonstrating at the SWA  in the Mall Galleries in London so please check my diary on my web site which will be updated soon! This is always one of my favourite locations to demonstrate and meet visitors to the exhibition so please don't miss out on a terrific day!

I have recently become a member of the SFP Society for Floral Painters and have floral work in my first show with them later this year. I adore painting flowers so to be in a show with only floral work is a heavenly opporunity !

More To Come?

I have fabulous new work to be on show in July in the New Forest and I have just been invited to be included in another gallerys summer exhibition.

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When I left Belgium after living in Hong Kong and Dubai I had little idea that I would be enjoying my painting in watercolour as much as I  am now. I may have known I would be enjoying painting but I would never have foreseen where I was heading in my art career. I painted to capture scenes and faces from my travels.

From that passion people asked me to teach. I did and all over the world in many venues.

From teaching I was invited to show in galleries as my students had taken work in to be framed in fabulous locations. I exhibited in galleries that I never imagined showing in.

I was asked to write. I did for magazines which led to my being contacted by a publisher. I am about to launch my second book.

I was invited to film a DVD by a company whose artists I have admired for years. I did and my second film is now becoming as popular as my first.

I hold international workshops with artists coming from all over the world to them and I have been invited to teach abroad with my first tour taking place  in USA in Autumn.

Not once have I seen this art career coming.

I have been told I am famous but I don't see myself that way.  My name may be out there more than it was but I really would like to share  just one thing this morning. At heart, I am still the same girl seen in this photograph playing with her dog. Nothing has changed in my personality. My art journey is exciting but my two feet are firmly on the ground.  I am not special or in any way better than any other artist. I just love working in watercolour and I hope that shows.

So if you decide to attend any of my art events or exhibitions, please say "Hi" to  this watercolour addict. I would love to meet you!

An Artist Thoughts

Over My Shoulder

I have received so many emails recently asking my advise on how to turn professional as an artist and how to get into galleries. I am also hearing from many artists who are finding they are not selling at all to the point they feel they want to give up painting.

I am replying personally but I realised maybe some of my views might be worth sharing here on my blog.

Firstly I always ask if the artist truly enjoys painting. I am passionate about working in watercolour. So much so that much of my time is experimental for my own sheer pleasure. From this fabulous creative experience I gain ideas for my new paintings and only these are shown in my watercolour collections. I must be really frustrating as an artist because I do not set out to paint any subject merely because it is selling well. In fact I do exactly the opposite.

I paint from my heart and I am never dictated to by what has sold in the past. My main concern is that every painting I create is my best and far better than the last . But I love this feeling and always yearn for something new.

As a result when I do have work that I am ready to exhibit there is an element of excitement about it. My new cockerels are worth waiting for as are my racing scenes. And then there will be the many other subjects that have also appeared from my creative process. When these go into a gallery they are looked forward to. And I have a good reputation of delivering work on time and presented professionally for my shows.

I arrived at this point in my career from experience over the years and learning. I know an excellent relationship with a gallery who represents me is vital.

I am continually surprised at people who are new to painting, in a matter of weeks or months who waltz into a gallery expecting to immediately sell their paintings and become famous overnight. It doesn't happen. Well maybe in rare cases!

I am disappointed when I hear of talented artists giving up because their work isn't selling when quite often they are just pushing themselves far too hard to be successful at a time in their art careers when they simply aren't ready.

My advise is to consider why you are painting. If you are enjoying the creative process then continue and grow as an artist. If you are only painting to sell and your work isn't selling consider why this is the case. Is it your style, your lack of experience or possibly too many paintings already out there similar in subject matter and technique.

If you are new as an artist and want to make a successful career out of painting, take your time. Grow, learn and only ever show your best. Don't race to get to your destination as a well known or famous artist. Make the journey to where you want to be really exciting and fascinating.

That way when you reach your dreams the whole process will have been magical!

Remember always, that all over the world there are millions of people who paint and many of them will be far better than you or I. But if you are an artist simply because you adore painting, every single day of your creative life will be terrific and that's the difference.

Enjoy!

"Expressions" Solo Exhibition 2012 Wey Gallery

The Wey Gallery

Expressions

Solo Exhibition

May 27th- June 11th, 2012

Yesterday I delivered the last of my paintings for my solo exhibition at the Wey Gallery in Godalming. I love this gallery as it is always so fantastic to visit. The owners are selective in the art they display and tend to show unique, contemporary art that is highly collectible. I visit many exhibitions so to walk into a gallery and see work that is completely fresh and new is a feast for an artists eyes. So I am delighted to be showing again in my second solo here.

I have been delivering subjects for my show over the last few weeks in groups so to finally see them all together for pricing  and catalogue details was really exciting. I have worked on this watercolour collection bringing a body of work together that is vibrant in colour,varied in subject matter and each painting is a firm favourite of mine which I would wish to keep as the artist. I also have paintings from my new book included in the show.

I have colourful new cockerels which have been created using my latest techniques. They outshine any cockerel paintings I have created to date; and they are intended to as I have grown in my art journey. My palette is  far more alive as my adventurous spirit will never settle for anything less than the best when it comes to dramatic colour combinations.

I have a fabulous selection of sheep watercolours,some of which were included in the June 2012 issue of "The Artist" magazine.

Owls with huge magnificent eyes can also be seen.  Two are from my new book "Atmospheric Watercolours".

Carnations as seen in my new DVD "Watercolour Passion" are in the fabulous collection of work.

There are a few surprises too like the elephant in an unusual frame.

Standing out will be my new collection of horse racing paintings. To see a gallery owners reaction when you take new work in is always a sign as to how well the show will be received. And they were thrilled with my latest pieces as am I. There is a strong sense of movement evident in this new collection that brings drama and the excitement of winning very much into play.

This body of work I am really proud of and looking forward to seeing in my second solo exhibition at the Wey Gallery. Last year in my first solo at the gallery various paintings sold immediately at the Private Preview and were taken that day due to visitors to the gallery having travelled so far to see my watercolours. For this reason I truly recommend an early visit if you would like to see the full collection.

I will be at the Private Preview on May 27th, 2012  and signing copies of my new book "Atmospheric Watercolours".  Everyone is welcome and I would love to meet you personally if you can make it to celebrate my new book, DVD and new collection of watercolours.

For full details please see the gallery web site on

http://www.theweygallery.com/

Wax On,Wax Off: Artist Daily Feature

Here is a link to my latest feature with Artist Daily.  It is about my time studying brushwork in China.

http://www.artistdaily.com/blogs/theartistslife/archive/2012/05/29/wax-on-wax-off.aspx

Winning Streak: Exhibitions 2012

"Winning Streak"

A watercolour from my new collections.

I am quietly working in my studio on a new collection of horse racing paintings. Each seems to have more movement than the last and I find my heart racing each time I add colour or brushmarks to  every new composition.

I have favourites,the one above is one of them and I won't want to part with it which is a very good feeling. 

Please get to my exhibitions early if you would like to see the full collection.

My first exhibition opens at the Wey Gallery on 27th May in Godalming. Last year paintings at my first solo there disappeared at the Private Preview.

For full details please see my web site.

N.B :New paintings from the collections will be added to my online gallery for viewing only once the shows are open.

Is the Boat In yet?

One of my sailing scenes from a collection

I can remember the  worst watercolour demonstration I have ever seen in my life.  In fact it was a great lesson in how not to teach or share an evening at an art society.

Years ago I would attend every art society talk,workshop or demonstration given by my favourite artists which I suppose was my training period for the fact that I now give demonstrations to art societies worldwide. At that time I saw many artists whose work I adored. Sadly some lost me half way through their demonstrations and I would want to leave but always politely stayed to the very end of the event. Not so much bored by the fact that these artists couldn't paint. They could but they didn't have a clue on how to share their works in progress.

When a member of Banstead Art Society gave an enthusiastically, complimentary closing speech after my demonstration letting me know how refreshingly exciting I was at the Banstead Arts Festival last Friday I was thrilled. 

But I was also reminded of my own experiences from poor demonstrators who get it wrong. There is nothing worse than having to watch someones back for two hours while an artist continually works on their demonstration painting, doing nothing much, mumbling to their easels about what they are working on. And this happens so frequently. At a recent  demonstration for another society I was told by the organisers that I was a huge breath of fresh air as the previous two guest artists had been appallingly boring.

I face the audience and share how I work in stages in a way that I hope creates great interest . The feedback I am recieving is so wonderful that I am constantly now turning down bookings rather than accepting because I have so many. Having said that I am taking a few more bookings for 2013 at the moment.

I shared how I learned not to demonstrate with the audience at Banstead. I can see the funny side of the situation really. I had turned up to watch a very famous artist give a demonstration to my then local arts society years ago. There were only two seats available at the very back of the hall and with no microphone available at that time,  in this section of the hall no one could hear a thing. An elderly gentleman sat to my left and promptly fell asleep as soon as soon as the session started. I felt more than a little embarrassed when his snoring became the most audible sound in the room!

The demonstrating artist continually mumbled into his easel but stepped aside every  now and then so that you could see his sky progressing. His sky took over an hour to develop and by now I felt like falling asleep too. There is , after all, only so long anyone can watch cobalt blue being applied in oil to half of a canvas.  By the mid way break nothing really exciting had happened.  Furthermore I think most of the audience by now were losing the will to live. I imagined a howl chorus of snoring during the second half of the evening when the sea would be painted but held out  hoping this would be far more interesting.

It wasn't!

So the demonstration continued and the gentleman on my left quickly fell back into his second slumber of the evening. The demonstrating artist continued to show us his back and share  frequent mumblings about what he was doing which wasn't much. He had a monotone voice that hypnotically almost lulled everyone into a sense of slumber. In fact he sounded so bored at his own work I marveled at how he managed to create at all!

We got to the last fifteeen minutes of the demonstration and the gentleman to my left woke with a start , nudging me and asking " Has he put the boat in yet?"

The highlight of the whole evening was a sailing boat being placed in the sea .This feat took ten minutes out of a two hour demonstration.

When asked if anyone had any questions I half expected someone to say " Can we go home now?"

It was a boring demonstration, most of the audience couldn't see or hear anything. The demonstrating artist was so famous they gave the impression we were all lucky to be in the same room and breath the same air as them. 

But the positive out of the negative is that I did learn a lot.

I learned you should never expect anyone to watch you for over two hours and then not give a demonstration that they can enjoy!

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Banstead Arts Festival 2012

Owl from a gentle first wash

Last Friday I packed my car and drove to Banstead,Surrey as I had been booked as guest artist for the Banstead Arts Festival 2012. It took me only an hour to reach my destination where I was given a warm welcome by the organisers. Whilst setting up guests started to arrive and fill the venue to the point that when it was time for me to start the doors had to be locked as the hall was completely full.

I worked through the first part of my demonstration explaining my techniques almost as an invitation into my studio and it as wonderful to see so much interest from the sea of faces in front of me. During the break I mixed with and met some fabulous artists. I continued with my demonstration leading the evening to a close with a painting of a pheasant. There must have been sparks flying off my brushes as sheep, flowers, an owl and several exciting washes all formed part of my discussion on how I work in my favourite medium. I also shared landscape and portraits as I aimed to cover every subject during my talk.

All too soon the evening came to a close and I was overwhelmed by the round of applause from the audience and really touched by the closing speech given my a member of Banstead Arts Society who explained that I had given the best demonstration the society had ever seen. Nodding heads  from the audience added to my sense of happiness.  I always put so much into my demonstrations to share my passion for watercolour and its magical qualities so it was such a great feeling to know how well I had come across.

In the last two weeks I have been repeatedly told I am a breath of fresh air on the art scene in that I give so much, am enthusiastic and lead to everyone racing to pick up their brushes after having seen me in action which is exactly what I love to hear.

My warm thanks go to everyone in the audience ,to Heather for making the initial booking and my very special thanks go to Richard of Epsom Arts Society for organising the large screen and microphone adding to the events success.

My next demonstration will be at the Surrey Literary Festival at Camberley Theatre this weekend

I can't wait!