SPRING CLEANING ..... test blog

After my show at Ashley Wood I have tidied my studio and filled all the holes in the walls and painted it - all the paintings are away and I have 'turned over a new leaf' - or a new piece of melamine for a palette

SIX DAYS TO SEE PHYLLIS WOLFF EXHIBITION AT ASHLEY WOOD...

Ashley Wood Farm near Tisbury ( SP3 6PY) is a wonderful collection of barns on the Fonthill Estate and they provide a marvellous venue for showing paintings.  Here are some photographs from the 'Barn'.  The other connecting space is the milking parlour, I have hung 76 paintings in all, and some woodcuts.  34 of the pictures have been painted since Dorset Arts Week a year ago - I have to admit I am a bit surprised myself at the output - my framer (wwwpictuerframers.co.uk) said I should take up a hobby!  

On Saturday I have an impromptu talk during the Music Festival that was going on.   I will speak more of this later.

I will be at Ashley Wood every afternoon between 2.30 and 3.30 to meet people ...   Do Come!  

                                      

OAK FRAMES for APPLE PAINTING

Hope Elletson of Pictureframes.co.uk has made these beautiful oak frames for me and here he is, with me at Ashley Wood.   ...  I am busy hanging this exhibiton which features nearly 30 new paintings - all with beautiful handmade frames from Hope...

CATWALK......

Here are Muriel and Coco ....ready for the off ....  

  the ...  logic(sic!) behind me taking the cats is that I am hoping they will get to like this route and keep away from the roads...  I dont know why they follow me - our previous cats used to - its the breed - Burmese - wonderful ....

above  is the field  above our house ..... you can see Pen Hill in the background, and Solomon ... below you can see our house and the Blackmore Vale behind .... it is very beautiful 

round the corner   

 This is the top of an old air raid shelter I think ...  its a place where the girls like to stop and have a wash!  The field has been ploughed and there is corn just begining to appear.  In the background is Nip Mountain ( Melbury of course)

I know this post is rather mad - its back to painting tomorrow I promise ....!

ANIMAL CAPERS .... SHEEP WORRYING DOG

I have been working very hard getting ready for my exhibition  - for months and now all the preparations are more or less done - I have my beautiful book ready and we start to hang pictures tomorrow ....  so here is a little diversion ....! 

This is a picture of my dog Solomon - the attentions of this lamb are really worrying him!  He is a beauty, but a bit of a lady-boy - so my sons say - they say I have ruined, and its probably true!   

HEY ... CHECK THIS BOOK OUT....

This  is the cover of my new 80 page book ...  exquisitely designed by Johnny Bull -who incidently has a print in the RA summer exhibition - in the same room as our Tracey....  

Johnny Bull  Ideas •  Pictures |+44 (0)1722 718790 || plumpstate.com  | johnnybull.com |

I am so excited about the book - it is fab....  my work looks great and I am so greatful to Johnny ...    it is a real pleasure to work with someone and I have learnt a lot - about good design that I didnt know.  Simon Barber of Evolver said that there are two things an artist should not be allowed to do - take their own photos ( where he admitted I was the exception!) and design their own publicity... and to tell the truth - looking at the stuff I have happily done on my little mac before - I can see where it does not pass muster!  Oh well - more later!

I want to talk about 'mistakes'  ......

p.s.  here is the link to my book http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2236524?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget   

YOU ARE INVITED TO .....

EXHIBITION BANNER by JOHNNY BULL

This is to go outside the entrance to Ashley Wood Art Space where my solo show is going to be held....  I think it looks great!  If you would like an invitation to the Private View do get in touch.   You can contact me through my website.  www.phylliswolff.co.uk.    It is a wonderful space and there will be a lot of paintings, I am looking forward to it.  My book will also be available too.  

MIRABELLES, CHARENETE - by a Dorset Colourist...!

I have finally finished these paintings and am very pleased!  I have decided to put the fourth one on my invitation to the Private View of my Solo Show which I am busy preparing for.  

I am also getting a book together ... and the issue of a title has come up - A Dorset Colourist is the favourite so far ...  

Mirabelles II 40 x 60cm oil on canvas   

 Mirabelles III 30 x 30 cm oil on canvas 

Mirabelles II 40 x 60cm oil on canvas   Mirabelles III 30 x 30 cm oil on canvas Mirabelles IV  60 x 90 oil on canvas

QUIDDITY ART FAIR at THE ARCHANGEL, FROME. May 18 - 25

I will be showing these paintings at the Somerset Art Fair this week.  It is organised by Quiddity who have been successfully presenting Art Fairs in Hampshire Wiltshire and Kent for seven years.   This is at a fabulous venue ....    the Archanlgel in Frome (BA11 1BH).   Open from 11.00 - 8.00 daily until Sunday.  

       Turkish Mimosa 7" X 7" oil on Board

Frenchmill Sky I 20 x 24"

Semley Spring I 16 x 18" oil/canvas  

Small Tulips 7 x 7" oil/board

PAINTING IS A STRANGE BUSINESS- TWO PAINTINGS FROM DONHEAD

I can explain what I mean by talking about a painting I did several years ago - my husband and I were painting over a few days in Donhead, it was the second day I think, and I felt so stuck and unable to 'get it'  I was really struggling.  This chap - a farm worker came up and looked and it seemed to me he didnt think much of it because he said " you should go and ask your teacher for help!"  I think amateur art groups paint around there. This felt like the final straw - but Robert came up a little while later and said - " really like that, dont do too much more!"  and now it is one of my favourite paintings and I wouldnt sell it!  Strange ?  I feel it a painting I still need to follow up - it could help me with my painting of Melbury Hill ....   and more of that later on!

I did another later in the year  which I am also very pleased with.

Donhead I 28 x 42"  oil on canvas

Donhead II 27 x 36"  oil on canvas

PAINTING IS A MAD BUSINESS ......

at least it seems to me that I never know if or why or how a picture will work, or not.  This one - of the vineyards in France, is taken from a combination of drawings and watercolours I did on the spot, and photographs but eventually without reference to anything  - just painting instinctively ...   

Charente Vineyard   80 x 80 cm    oil/canvas unfinished state

I surprised myself by 'getting in the groove' and although it isnt quite finished and today I am less pleased with it than I was last night - I had a wonderful time!   Listening to Paul Simon,  Bryan Ferry,  Van Morrison and Joanie Mitchell.    Painting actually makes me sane I think!    It is a place where I can meet myself.  I am very fortunate. 

POND AND BLOSSOM .... but I have to tell you about

These are two stages of the painting I have been doing over the past two days - interrupted by domestic ( feline) issues.  More about that on facebook!  maybe...

Pond and Blossom - this is the apple tree pond of other paintings and the blossom is of my lovely fragrant crab apple tree.  This spring is happening too quickly and it is too hot ....   but I heard the cuckoo .... and  the blackbird is 

       Pond and Blossom   oil/canvas 76 x 56 cm 

the painting is not quite finished yet ..  I thought the water had maybe become too dark but it is a dark purpley browny blue ...   fabulous colours to explore.   Colours only work in relationship to one another ....   not in isolation - one has to keep working over the whole canvas all the time....

heavenly ... listening to all the sounds  - the bees make such full on sound - which seems precious and  reassuring.   This painting is from one of my favourite spots in our  tranquil natural  and unsophisticated spot .....  we love to watch the garden and especially the pond evolve ... .

EARLY STAGES OF A POND PAINTING....

   Just a photo I came across ...  It shows the beginnings of one of my many pond paintings...  I  really like the energy and ...  focus of it.  It went on to be a painting that sold in a solo show I had in Bath a couple of years ago!  

I LOVE MY STUDIO.....

I have been working in my studio today - and when I was doing the ritual dance of sorting out my outdoor palette, indoor palette and generally rearrange things, music on the bose ( Joan Baez, David Bowie Van Morrisson and Leonard Cohen are the ones I remember ) and thought 'How happy I am'  ... I love being in my studio and ....  I am so lucky.  Here are some pictures  that I took in the 

winter - you can see the bubble wrap insulation on the windows...

Here is my palette ..... I use old kitchen worktops - white melamine is something I found out about from an artist boyfriend!  it makes sense to use white if you are painting on a white surface after all ....

Here is my 'desk' with images of William Mills - a painter I very much admire, my paint store, CD's and bose, glasses ( several pairs) a painting I like of mine - Crab apples and Cosmos - of our garden 18 months ago ... a sculpture of mine awaiting repair .....   canvas pliers ( which I also use to squeeze out the last bit of paint )  etc etc....

Here is a painting of Melbury I did from Mayo Farm ....maybe 30 years ago... I wish I could paint like that now!   I am still trying to find out how to express what I feel about the hill.....  

   
Tomorrow I will put up photos of the painting I have nearly finished - if all goes well that is!   I feel very fortunate to have a place to go that I look forward to ... even at those times when painting is difficult I feel happy here, it is a good place to be!   Like this magic corner of Dorset - I count my blessings...  

DRAWING FROM THE PAST

   One of my step-daughters, Rebecca, sunbathing in the cottage in Sutherland about  15 years ago.....   

   Gideon and Raphael, ready for bed reading a story .... they are now 33 and 31 (two of my three sons).

                Self portrait with roll-up, from the days when I was still fagging it!

             Robert in India - about 10 years ago!

    Melissa - a little girl I think I drew by the hotel pool in Turkey.....

  Sujata, a woman I was great friends with whilst we did an 'Art of Loving' ( Eric Fromm)  course at Monkton Wyld  - sadly we lost touch, but I will try and contact her now I found this drawing from ...  20 years ago.   

I so love drawing and finding these - and there are many others ready to be scanned and posted - just reminds me.  How much is captured in a drawing that a photograph just cannot do .....  it is the action of the hand across the paper, the eye and hand.   I always think that is where humans are at our best.  Eye hand and brain, together, whether it is drawing or making pastry, gardening or sewing.... it is what makes us healthy.  Well that is what I think!

DANCING WITH THE FAIRIES and IMPS of SPRING.......

.....  or painting with impish kittens .....  this is Muriel and she was determined to sit on my lap - or my palette.   She was rather put out when I stood up to work!

I think I said before that I always work best standing up - something to do with the energy!     

 SPRING IN THE ORCHARD   60 x 60 cm  oil/canvas  


This is the first time this year I have got my things outside - except for France of course!   It seems to take a while to remember how to organise myself - longer each spring!   I remember going out painting in the winter - painting the River Mole near Leatherhead and my boy friend of  the time anchoring my easel with rope to a brick to stop the wind blowing it away....  the canvas like a sail and turps spilling all over the palette!   My days of outward bound painting are over!   


But there is nothing like painting in the landscape and yesterday was a real gift -there were Chiffchaffs in the tree I was painting .....  and the swallows and woodpeckers .....  wonderful.   And then a good friend called round and we went for an evening walk.  What bliss!

PAINTINGS FROM THE PAST

I had a telephone call from someone who had seen my paintings on my  website and wanted to buy a present for her boyfriend. She liked these pictures from a holiday we had in Goa and India some years ago.....  It is long enough ago for me to feel I really like the pictures and the way I painted them.   I think I may put them in the  Solo Show I am planning for the summer

Women from Karnataka 34 x 36"  oil/canvas

                Tirquoise Doorway  60 x 48cm   oil/canvas

    Flag Day Ooty  22 x 28"  oil/canvas

   Street Scene Ooty 14 x 24" oil/canvas

   Family fishing  24 x 36"  oil/canvas

    Street Musicians  II  12 x 15" oil/canvas