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!