Winter Berries 2016

"Winter Berries"

I am still very much wearing a nurse "hat" at the moment. While my husband is recovering from surgery I have had little free time to paint. It is amazing how well we work as a couple but at the moment everything in our home depends on me, so painting is a luxury I look forward to as and when free time allows.

Right now part of my husbands rehabiliation is walking and I am using this time to find new inspiration which has come in the form of winter berries hidden amongst the foliage on our country rambles. But I have painted holly and ivy berries so many times before and I was reluctant to paint them in the same way.

This afternoon I tried a new idea and it worked beautifully. You might be surprised at how I prepared the paper for this new approach to working in watercolour but as I am now heading into a new year, full of new workshops and a new literary project I'm going to keep my new technique a little secret , just for now because it is fabulous and so much fun. Naughty of me to mention it I know but if art was only about one way of creating, even I would get bored of painting!

You can see the beauty of flow in this section of the above winter berry painting, with gorgeous icy effects forming.

 Ice effects from preparing the paper surface prior to painting

 After creating the above composition I couldn't resist painting another simple berry scene. While I was in the mood. When there is so much going on in life and you can't concentrate on really serious detail or complicated pieces it is always best to paint something from your heart, something simple and usingc olours that make you feel relaxed and wonderful.

I loved painting these pieces today and now I have some great ideas for new work when I am next in my studio.

 

 "Winter Berries Too"

Artist tip for today?

Simple.

Go for a walk.

Look for treasure

Bring one simple thing home and paint it in a way that is different to how you usually paint

And most importantly?

Have fun!

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An Artists Journey: June 2012

An Artists Journey

"Atmospheric Watercolours"

Exhibition

 The Frame Gallery in Odiham,Hampshire.

June 1st - 24th, 2012

 The Frame Gallery in Odiham has selected me as Artist of the Month for June,2012.

A wonderful collection of new watercolours and paintings from my new book " Atmospheric Watercolours" will be on display until June 24th.

For full details on the Private preview and events regarding book signing please contact the gallery directly or visit their web site via this link.

http://www.theframe-gallery.co.uk/2012/04/30/beautifl-britannia-june-20122332861/

Primroses Galore!

It is incredible. At this time of year painting from life usually means trips to the florists to buy early Spring flowers but in my garden I have primroses already. In January!  I shouldn't be surprised as there were a few small flowers out in December also before the heavy snowfall. Determined to show their beauty they have wisely waited until the snow disappeared before attempting to show their faces again. Maybe they understood how desperately I wanted to paint them. And here they are

Primroses emerging after winter months.

It really is interesting how the colour of the season is affecting my palette. Usually I would paint primroses surRounded by soft light colours. But because these are out in winter the combination of shades I am selecting is completely different and to be honest I quite like it.

For now!

Many visitors to my studio or workshops  imagine my loose style means my work appears quickly. It can at times but great thought goes behind every single brushstroke especially with delicate flowers such as these.The soft hues are vital to creating a sense of the delicate petals.  The form for each flower has to be accurate or suggest that it is. This takes a lot of time and patience. There are no pencil lines to guide me so I ofren see new flowers appearing which I work on as the painting develops.

This is my style and my technique.

Each petal is carefully positioned and  brought to life with subtle colour combinations.  

Patience and a good understanding of the subject is necessary for good results.
Madame Blanch Odins work is influencing me yet again. Her influence is very apparent in this painting.

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 I am learning so much from nature. In the garden these  pretty flowers were planted deliberately in rows. They look beautiful but planned. This doesn't suit them or me! As a keen gardener I often combine spring flowers in beds so that the colours create a feeling of excitement and continual interest. So my previous painting of primroses with muscari is a good example of garden design affecting the artists eye and vice versa. I plant for my art, I plant for inspiration and  to allow me always to have colour in my life.

    Primroses and Muscari . a Spring Combination.

For me the most magical way to see primroses in in the wild. Along country lanes, footpaths and  nearby woodland when walks turn into exciting  treats for the eyes as the very first buds appear.They grow in random clumps,unplanned with no deliberate design. Just flowers growing wherever they wish splattering colour  all over the place brightening up the world in a way that only nature can.

Seeds carried by the wind just like pigment carried by water settle at will.

So why as artists do we set out to plan our paintings?

Why do we spend  too much time deliberately working out which colour goes where for the best results? When nature seems to do everything naturally having gorgeous happy accidents of colour combinations that are often unexpected.

Watercolour is a medium with magical qualities so working in a spontaneous  technique allows it to shine in its full glory.

Maybe I have answered the question to why I adore watercolour so much. I am a free spirit. I adore surprises and  working with watercolour minus the use of that word "control". I throw rules out of the window and enjoy the sheer pleasure in witnessing subjects come to life in my paintings as if my magic.

Exploring  new wonderful colour combinations daily often leaves me almost breathless with excitement.

Beautiful primroses growing wild and free forming a wonderful flow of colour.

This last primrose painting sings to me. I have  caught the flowers in their natural habitat surrounded by the debris of Autumn leaves with a hint of the future spring skies to come in the bright blue background.

I am happy, my mood is light and this is flowing into my work.

This painting holds so much in the way of hope for a wonderful year ahead, a year full of amazing paintings and hope for all around me to feel  great happniess.

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House Of Lords and Africa?

What an amazing life I lead. I had started a blog with the intention of adding on a regular basis but my life is so busy I find it impossible to share online in any form lately. But here is an update of all that is happening with me at the moment and a tiny clue as to why I am "quiet" as a blogger!

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Last week I was invited to the House of Lords. I met so many fascinating people and my heart was touched by the charity organizing the event in such an incredible venue. International Childcare Trust.......helping children in need from all over the world. You can find out more about the charity via this link.
http://www.ict-uk.org/


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SWA Society of Women Artists and FAS Farnham Arts Society.

My week was full as I had two committee meetings. The SWA Society of Women Artists and the Farnham Arts Society. This meant I was in London on Remembrance day,observing the two minute silence after witnessing the scenes of the day which were very emotional.

http://www.society-women-artists.org.uk/Society_News.html

http://www.farnhamart.org/Exhibitions.htm

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SAA Society for All Artists Paint Magazine.


This week is full yet again with the last in the series of "How To Paint Dogs in a Loose Style" for the SAA needing completing and I have work to complete for my book which is to be published next year. I am looking at members paintings that have been sent in following my series and I feel so in awe of art from working minus a pencil and just working with colour directly. I am thrilled by the response and in love with many of the paintings.

My painting of "Mans Best Friend" inspired by the series is now in my studio, framed and almost ready to leave home but I am enjoying him so much. He reminds me of our own rescue dog from China so much it is hard to part with. Maybe as artists we all have a piece that tugs at our heart strings just that wee bit more. "Mans Best Friend" original watercolour by Jean Haines

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David Shepherd WildLife Fund


Talking of heart strings this week I also have a meeting for the David Shepherd Wildlife Fund which I am really looking forward to. My recent "Africa" Watercolour Workshop helped adopt a moon bear and a baby elephant. However next year sees the 2010 Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition. Please if you are an artist reading my blog get involved and submit a painting. Through your brushstrokes you can do so much so please help. For more inspiration and details please see the following link.....

http://www.wildlifeartistoftheyear.org/

A colourful wash from an "Africa" workshop session.......this painting will also be donated to charity.






Watercolours With Life Workshops


Every Monday sees me start the week with Administration and requests for my Watercolours With Life Workshops are really taking over my inbox along with requests for demonstrations. Life is so wonderful and I know I am blessed to not only see and live as an artist but also have the opportunity to help charities I feel passionate about with my work.

Once upon a time it was enough to paint an image,feel the result was successful and frame the piece. Then it was exciting to sell. to know someone loved your work so much they wanted to own it. Now that isn't enough. Now there is more of a challenge to see how much I can achieve to help others with my art. Life is to me about giving........and if what we give is genuinely from our hearts our lives really are worth living.

I wish everyone reading this a wonderful week ahead with many fabulous paintings in it or special memories created.