Saturday, 25 June 2011




My goodness, its so long since I wrote this blog. Lots of paintings since in all sorts of media. I have a loft studio now in my son's house overlooking the Cadbury Factory in B'ham UK in addition to the one in France, so no excuses for not painting when over here.

My sister is becoming very successful selling her work. One or two family members have asked me why I don't follow her lead. My trouble is that most of my paintings are personal memories or have a meaning to me and I don't want to part with them. I tend to give them away if friends or family admire them, as at least they get wall space then instead of being stored away. Selling Art needs time, organisation, networking skills and outlay of money on exhibitions, frames etc. I have done a few exhibitions and maybe one day when people are fed up with storing my art I will have to do something!

No, my Art is self indulgence and pure enjoyment of creating illusion or fun with techniques. I have to be honest with myself about this or I will start painting popular subjects that sell then wonder why have I done that when I don't sell my work? Current paintings are of my family, myself and holiday memories.

Here is a painting of some cherries given to me by a neighbour in France, shown on the garden mosaic. The other painting is about Italy and is a whole host of memories. We appear in it a few times and so does our VW. It isn't quite finished yet and I am working on another about portugal. Also finishing a large figurework of my daughter on the beach.

Thursday, 2 October 2008

St Jean D'Angely prize giving

Here I am with the first 3 winners and holding my award. My painting is on the easel. It has sunlight streaming through clouds onto vineyards which was just how the weather was in France this year. Its a pastel on canvas which is my ratherunusual technique but it works. The painting is finished now and much less greeny overall.
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The finished Chagnon pastel painting

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Me painting at Chagnon, Charente Maritime, France


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Painting in the Streets

Hi,

Welcome to my first blog. Back in the UK now after a summer in France. I joined in with other artists painting in the local villages on a couple of days. Amazingly I both won prizes and enjoyed the experience. I used to be an Art Teacher and it was great to have people watching me paint that were not up to mischief behind my back. So here are some photos of me painting in Chagnon where I won the villagers prize in a secret ballot and then the next weekend I won the 4th prize in the St Jean D'Angely 2 day competition...