… I DONT KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING …..

….  it is taking shape its own way ……?  I have had this  particular idea bubbling away in my head for about 8 or 9 years - ever since Robert and I bought Hawkcombe Cottage. 

               LARGE MAP - acrylic on paper 1.5 x 1.25  ?nearly finished state. 

 I have long wanted to describe the Journey from our old house in Frenchmill Lane to  what was a building site and is now our home.   

SQUARE MAP 50 X 60 mixed media/paper

All of us are on a journey of course and the external can be a symbol for  the internal. So in a literal and metaphorical sense this idea has long been with me!

The actual catalyst was the practical  need to be able to identify the field where a cow or sheep was needing attention came to a head and I began with doing a map for Compton Abbas and Twyford Villages with the field names - I am gathering  contributions from various people who know the local landscape well - I have already a sense that the names of the fields change over the years.   

I will be taking the maps to the Village Hall on the morning of  Saturday December 7 to show people and to gather more names.

A BUSY MONDAY ……PIANO & PAINTING ….

I have had a really satisfying day - the first volume of Hanon's exercises completed + my scales - no pieces today!  …. then the rest of the day in the studio- no emails ( many will be relieved !) or other office work - a lovely late afternoon walk and back into the studio to finish off - and stretch another canvas for tomorrow…..   when James Thrift, the Dorset MacMan visits to sort out the inevitable Mac problems ……  it aint a bad life!

RED MELBURY unfinished   65 x 90  with thanks to Bill Mills

I am really pleased and excited with this painting - it isn't there yet - 'but its getting there' ( Robert says that's Dylan and its It aint dark yet …….)  if only I can loosen up …….????

  Red Beeches oil/canvas  75 x 90 cm  This painting has been hanging around in the studio unresolved for a long time - I think today I finally managed to borrow something from the previous one and finish it …. yup - its done …..! Of course the solo show in Dorchester has been on my mind for months - now it is only 12 months away - a huge space and I don't want any 'fillers' I want all important paintings - is that unrealistic I wonder?

Beeches on the Downs II  60 x 70 cm a little painting - I just like it!

BRICK LANE GALLERY

This is the flyer for an exhibition where I am showing in London's Brick Lane.

I have also sent three new paintings to The Minster Gallery, Winchester, Hants

CALMAN - BUT ITS MY TURN TO LEAVE YOU....!

I hope I am not breaking copywrite - I think Calman was so clever witty compassionate perceptive - well, I just love these and want to share them - they come from the book mentioned above - which is out of print?  WHY?

I would have bought so many copies if I could, and my copy is held together with an elastic band ......  I would love to put them on Twitter, but am not sure how....  or pinterest, now I think I can do that!

More about my Rajasthan tour next post!

LAST FEW DAYS @ SHAFTESBURY ART CENTRE .....

The new Arts Centre Gallery in Shaftesbury is a really lovely space and I was very pleased to be asked to exhibit there.    As an artist it is not a taken that a gallery with a good 'pedigree' also has a fabulous space to support the work.  Kate Pickard ( and others ) have worked really hard, I mean really hard, as volunteers, to provide Shaftesbury with a first rate space.  I hope they are able to find work of a first rate order to show, and thus earn a reputation of real quality.    Democracy and Elitism .... where is the balance, and I vote for both! 

 Hawthorne on the Downs 80 x 80 cm

                                       Mirabelles VI 60 x 90 cm

COLOURSCAPES of RAJASTHAN.... with Phyllis Wolff

Do come with us this winter - when the skies are grey and heavy with rain.  When the harsh winds blow and its a long slog ahead til Spring! ( you get the idea?)

This is the poster for the painting trip to Rajasthan I have been busy organising with Yasin at Indus Travel.  I am very excited about it because we have managed to include nearly everything I wanted -  time spent in the fantastic National Museum "...an overview of the last 5000 years inc. artefacts from the Harrappan Civilisation, cental Asian antiquities, mesmerising collection of jewel-bright miniatures......" (tis lonely planet!) ... I will blog separately about other delights later!   I dont know how to post the pdf in a more readable way .... so am just going to put it up like this.     It just means you have to scroll to see the whole thing, but thats ok?

A WOLFF in the LANDSCAPE....! by Robin Capon

This is an article from the DORSET Magazine.  Beautifully written by Robin Capon, who can really write!  Thank you Robin, I feel it expresses the truth.....I unable to put this up bigger at this point - please email me for PDF.

JOHNATHAN MILLER PORTRAIT .... by TONY BIRKS-HAY

This is a photograph of a portrait head made by my friend Tony Birks-Hay.  It is a wonderful example of where sculpture and painting meet, as I look at it I can see the planes that Tony would paint....  I think it is beautiful ....  This is 'in the clay' it is being cast in bronze at the moment.  www.tonybirks-hay.co.uk

COLOURSCAPES of RAJASTHAN.... come with us......

Yasin Zagar of Indus Experiences and I are just putting the final touches to our painting trip to Rajasthan ... and can't contain my excitement any longer so I am putting this up on the blog.....  

The painting above is actually of some women from Karnataka - and was made when Robert and I were on holiday in Goa .....

I dont have any pre conceived ideas about what and how I will paint and draw in India proper.   We shall go to the National Museum in Delhi as one of our first sorties - I love to draw in museums ( did some really interesting things in Cairo Museum for instance ) and it seems like a good place to start and acclimatise ones self ... and also I want to learn a little about this amazing county!   Museums are a good place to start! 

I will have to have a lesson in how to blog from my iPad .....  and mmmmmm. lots of other exciting things!  More very soon - and oh - I nearly forgot - well will have to talk about that in another post!

A NEW SLANT......a bit of fun.... a few knitted flowers....

I have been advised to keep my blog entirely professional ......  stick to painting and keep it impersonal ...but - after a long time I am getting bored with the restrictions .... so here is some sillyness ---- and my knitted flowers????

You like?

and I have more ...many more, in bright and also pale pink and roses too....

another time maybe.

SENSU BRUSH STYLUS for IPAD - FREE

I have a £40 Sensu portable artist brush and stylus for touchscreen devices here in Dorset, available free for you -

I was sent it by the editor of The Artist magazine in order that I write a review about it.   I have tried and cannot honestly say that I can really endorse it - its probably just me being difficult ( unusual you might say!)  anyway - Dr Sally Bulgin has asked me to try to find someone who can collect it and write a 700 word piece that is broadly positive + 3/4 drawings made on the iPad and you will also get paid…

The catch is - she really needs the copy by the end of July.

Please circulate this to as many people that you think might be interested ….. I have raided my addresses book but do not feel like sending to everyone!

Thanks v much and enjoy the sun!

SAATCHI GALLERY - a wonderful drawing

A friend sent me this drawing - taken with her clever little iphone !  of a fantastic experience she had at the Saatchi gallery ....   I dont know who the artist was and wish I did...  it almost makes me willing to leave peaceful beautiful Dorset to go and see it.  I am sure it will good for me!

More blogging soon - re paintings delivered to Winchester and also ....  more excitement ....

CREATIVE COVERAGE... Just to let everyone know that I am no longer represented by this organisation...

..... if there are any images of me or my work they are in breach of copywrite.   I hope by this time that Tim Saunders will have removed all of my images & information from his website.    

MOTHER-TO-BE..... and a first for me....

This is a painting of a young woman I know .... it is painted from a photograph,  ....

I have never done this before ... and it has taken a long time for me to finally give it a try.   The little girl who was 'on the inside' will be four years old this May!   And she has a little brother.  The young mum - who wanted a painting of herself - was too tired to sit for me when I arrived with my paints, so we agreed that I would take photos and see what happened....

The picture is still in the early stages ....  and I am unclear how much of a real protrait will be possible ....   we will see....  it may turn out just to be a pleasant painting...  which is done from a photograph and thus has no real ... life or validity...

                                        Third stage 

The second stage .....  

 This was the first stage .... but the figure was not placed correctly .... too big for the canvas so I had to rub it out and begin again...

Beech Wood with Bluebells... 80 x 80 cm

This is another 'not quite finished' painting - also a photograph taken in electirc light so it isnt brilliant.....   why am I so impatient?  

    Beech trees and bluebells - unfinished - 80 x 80 cm

  .....   Dunno!  don't care!  Off to play the piano in a mo - just time to say I had a lovely chat with Wendy Barber last night - and we both talked about having to accept that 'outward bound' painting is a thing of the past ... If I use my energy in girding my loins and going out - I dont have the energy to paint! 

So working in the studio becomes the norm....  and we both agreed that the years of going out mean that the landscape and our response to it is deep inside us, and painting inside allows something else to happen..... a very interesting discussion that deserves much more time and thought than I am giving it here....  more later,Wendy please note...  I really valued out discussion and look forward to speaking when you return from Texas!   

Check out Wendy Barber's blog .... I am sure if you google that you will find her - .... more anon I promise!

the LITTLE GATE & BEECHES...

This painting is not quite finished .....   but very nearly so I thought I would put it on the blog ....  more later.... its been another busy day!   Lots of painting, playing the piano and boring office work......

ESSENTIAL-PHOTOSHOP-ELEMENTS.COM/LESSON 2

http://media.essential-photoshop-elements.com/Lesson2_TheMenuBar.mov

this is a link to the very useful link that Rob Frost who did my website has directed me to .... so I now know how to re size the pixels in images of my paintings ....   does that make sense?   Rob can be contacted -   www.orionit.ltd.uk
www.robfrost.co.uk   

I guess the web will offer information on almost anything - we have used it for skinning and gutting a rabbit ( the dog caught) and the meaning of biometric - a discussion this pm on identity cards and big brother ....    what an amazing world we  live in ....   unless you live in Syria or Mali or ........

I give thanks that I was born when and where I was!  

A picture of my knitting to go with this I think!

People are often surprised to learn that I knit .....   I dont know why ....   I dont follow patterns as such - just make it up as a I along ...  and am learning all the time of course.   Sitting with my feet up, cats and knitting and a story or play on the wonderful beeb....    or iplayer ....
Who else loves the radio?

Renowned British colourist to showcase her art to the world....

This is a cutting from the Saudi Gazette .... it was put in on my behalf by Tim Saunders, of Creative Coverage....     it coincides with a picture of the Poppies IV that has appeared in Box Magazine - an online 'lifestyle' magazine - the article is by Emma Moir....  just so's you know!

DO YOU KNOW YOUR ART?

http://www.theboxmagazine.co.uk/magazine/.....     this is an online lifestyle magazine and this was written by Emma Moir of Box Galleries.

CATS POSING in the CORKSCREW WILLOW.....

I cant believe that I am posting this - its bad enough that I - Robert and I are besotted with these ridiculous animals - and here they are intruding on my professional world....    But there you are - I adore them, and they are very good at posing!

TROUBLE with PHOTOSHOP .....

Maybe the reason I have been so dilatory (?sp) in blogging in recent months is sometimes dosnt technology get you down?   Trying to do this logo f'rinstance...  and the one above - I have tried to put some text beneath it - first using Pages - but I couldnt find how to crop the page - so half of the 'image' would be white, and then in photoshop .... and the uploader cant recognise a psd ...  so I am on the look out for someone to give me a few lessons please... also about re sizing in photoshop so I can upload images to my website, using Contribute..

any ideas?

End of a successful show in Wimbledon...

and on to the next ...   Studio 106 Gallery,  Dawes Road from this Sunday, 27 January....  more information very soon.

COLLYER'S BROOK Springhead.....

This is one of a series of recent paintings - I have it hanging on our kitchen wall!  More paintings - maybe of snow- to follow!

                      Colllyer's Brook, Springhead 75 x 60