Watercolours With Life: Forsythia in Watercolour 2016

"Sunlight and Birdsong"

Work in Progress

Final detail to be added.

Right now my life is really busy with so much going on. I have so much to look forward to as it is the launch of my new book "Paint Yourself Calm" this month and to be very honest that is exactly what I have been doing this afternoon. Painting myself calm.

I started the day by gardening. I give myself a small planting challenge each day so one hour in the garden every morning is my physical workout. Today I planted foxgloves. Giant white, peach and pink blooms which will be sheer joy to paint when they flower later this year.

Next I tackled admin as I have workshop invitations to reply to, requests for places on my courses to respond to and on top of this I need to prepare for my demonstrations and marquee at Patchings Art Festival next month. And an exhibition to start framing for. So it is all go. But if I am not careful my time with administration will take over from my painting time and I cannot let that happen. In fact I refuse to!

So I set up my painting table and began working on capturing the glowing forsythia outside my studio, in watercolour. I know if we don't paint flowers when we can they easily go past their best and these flowers are such a joy to paint.

I have used Cadmium Yellow for the blooms and Perylene Maroon for the stems. Both colours by Daniel Smith.

The light I have caught today I feel is better than my previous work. My heart is light, I am listening to birdsong as I paint and feeling the sun on my shoulders. This is a heavenly way to spend time. Painting to feel calm, relaxed and stress free.

Capturing light and a feeling of calm in my work

The real forsythia has been flowering for weeks but is beginning to show signs of being beyond its best. So I need to paint it now before it withers !