Spring Is Here

Bluebell Stroll, oil on canvas, 30 x 30cm

Well, OK, Spring's not quite here yet, but it is in my studio; at heart, I'm an optimist.

It may still be winter, but all I can see is the Spring that's just about to come round the corner.

My walls are painted white, but pinned to them at the moment are photos of magnolias and cherry blossoms, while I am painting swathes of snowdrops and  bluebells as far as the eye can see.

I woke up this morning feeling so positive about the end of winter and how everything is  just beginning to think about going into bud.  Spring's coming, you know, and I love the thought that it's going to wake up any minute.  I thought I would share that with you!

Sold

A while ago I posted an article on Experimentation.  I was really pleased with how it was going, and how mixing all my favourite materials was not only good fun, but seemed to work well.

As you have probably guessed from the above title, I sold the painting today that featured in the Experimentation post; but it appears that a number of people were interested in it.  However, it took someone new to the gallery to come in and purchase it from under their noses.  I'm thrilled.  Knowing that my work was not only liked but popular gives me a frisson of delight that I have to remember as I get annoyed with a painting that isn't going well.

I'm going to continue with mixed media for now.  I feel I am just at the beginning of something exciting, and I'm really looking forward to where it might take me.

Snowdrops

Work in progress - Snowdrop Woodland, mixed media

I thought I would let you see a painting I am working on at the moment, a wood carpeted with snowdrops.

I started off with painting purple acrylic onto board then added a crackle glaze to give the board an unpredictable texture. What you see has been painted with a mixture of guache and chalk pastel using Korean brushes, sponges and my fingers.

The background still needs a lot of work and the sunlight filtering through the bare trees has to be attended to as well as the detail on the snowdrops of the foreground.  A good beginning, though...

...I think.

First Craft Fair

I took the decision to start attending craft fairs in order to supplement my income.  My first one is in a month's time, and although I've visited a few to get the lay of the land, I'm a bit nervous about it because I don't really know what to expect.

I'm also concerned that I have too many items. I have all my different paintings represented in different formats - greetings cards, framed prints, limited edition prints, fridge magnet, key rings and mounted prints.  I don't know if I'll be able to fit them all onto my table.

Just writing this is making me aware of how much I still need to do - including price labelling and finding white cloths or sheets to cover the table.

I'll get there, and I might even make a profit. I have to think positively.

Image: Black Cuillin, oil on canvas

So Much Going On

I love being an artist, deciding what I should be doing day to day uninfluenced by anyone else is a good feeling.

However, sometimes I over do it a bit, and end up with so much going on that I can't decide what should be tackled first.  I don't feel pressurised, I'm just excited about it all.

• I want to start a series of spring paintings with snowdrops and bluebells as the subject using mixed media, something I haven't done before - I already have the boards prepared.
• I need to do a stock take so I am ready for a craft fair I'm doing in March.
• I want to apply to more craft fair organisers so I can sell my merchandised work more widely.
• I have been asked to write two articles (not one after all, as I mentioned in my The Artist and Major Self Doubt article ) for The Artist, and although they don't need them until the Autumn, I would like to at least get them started.
• I haven't mentioned it yet, but I am illustrating a children's book and want to carry on drawing pandas and other animals.
• I have been having a good long look at my website and shop and have decided they need a complete overhaul.  I have been talking to website and ecommerce companies and have to sit and work out all that I want to get out of my site before I decide who to go with.
• I had a brainwave and want to look into a new product line.  I need to do a load of research and phone calling to see if it would work financially, but I am quite excited by it - I'll fill you in on that one another time.
• The photos I take of my paintings are not of a high enough quality, stopping me using some of them for print, so I either have to buy a new camera or get a professional to record my work.  I spoke to a photographer yesterday, so I'll see how that goes.

Thank you for letting my brain dump all that, just writing it all down has made me feel a lot better.  I'll let you know how I get on over the next wee while.

Image: Spring's Bluebells, Limited Edition of 500, 59 x 42cm (23 x 16.5")

Happiness is a Red Dot

I was at a private view on Sunday. It was for a group show at Smithy Gallery, and I have a couple of paintings exhibiting.

Just about anybody can go to a private view, you don't need an invite, really, as they are all about selling the artists' work; and they are what they seem to be on television, lots of people milling about talking about art and to artists, drinking champagne. A group of passing backpackers turned up and were welcomed with a glass and a catalogue list - I think they bought cards and prints.

However, from my point of view, private views can be something very different. I am a nervous wreck before I even arrive, and when I walk in, the first thing I do is look around trying to find where my paintings are hanging; then I check out if there are any red dots (meaning they have sold). I try to avoid looking at anyone while they look at my paintings (will they buy, won't they buy), then there are the people who just glance at my work and walk on (obviously no taste). I don't know why I put myself through them. It's much more fun doing something else and receiving the good news by phone from the gallery.

My Dad coined the family motto, "Happiness is a Red Dot". So true, but I like to think of it with additional small print - "...but only when you are not present".

Image: Blossom Avenue, mixed media on board 42 x 26cm (16.5 x 10")

The Artist Magazine and Major Self Doubt

I have just had the most surprising email.

At the beginning of the week, I was spitting nails because a competition I wanted to enter only wants to see original paintings before they choose who to accept. This meant that I would have to spend around £60 per painting I want to enter which is asking too much on an uncertainty. So I wrote an email to the letters page of The Artist Magazine, complaining (oh, god, that sounds so awful) about Open Art Competitions and Exhibitions and how the cost of simply putting a painting forward (whether selected or not) is becoming prohibitive. I felt much better having written it - I needed to let off a bit of steam.

Unexpectedly, I got a reply sympathising, which was rather nice. However, the editor then went on to ask, having looked at my website, "...if you might be interested in contributing a practical article to The Artist magazine in the future, on a subject/theme that would be helpful and inspirational to other artists."

And now I'm a bit flustered, nervous, flattered and panicky. I think I am going to do it, and I'll just have to hope that they don't find out I'm the one still learning. But if this goes ahead, I am going to be a bundle of nerves for quite some time.

The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice

On the 21st January the auction of paintings for The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice went ahead. I had completely forgotten about it - you donate a painting (as mentioned in So Much To Do...), but don't go to the event; it wasn't going to be a social night out for me, so I didn't need to make an effort to remember.

I got a call from a gallery yesterday. The caller was excited because one of the organisers of the auction had been in and told her that my donated painting had sold, which is amazing. I've never tried to sell at any type of auction before, and someone actually decided to bid on one of my paintings. However, I have to admit, that the real thrill was in the number of paintings that actually sold at all. Just 25 out of 80.

I am sorry more didn't sell, but I am delighted that mine was one of the few. It gives me a wee boost and a spot of encouragement. This week has started well.

Image: Bluebells, oil on canvas 30 x 30cm (12 x 12"), sold at auction

A Closet Nerd, That's Me

I used to design and build websites (it was my own business), but moving to S Korea for 4 years made it impossible to continue. And I have to admit that, while I was there, I didn't actually miss it as much as I could or should have.

Now a days, from time to time, I only put sites together for close family or friends as a favour. I'm not getting paid which is probably taking the pressure off and I'm really enjoying it as a result.

Web design for me, is a different kind of creativity. I love (don't laugh now) getting down and dirty with coding and fiddling about with technical stuff. I can spend a whole day splashing colour, pattern and images about, and I don't get all messy. If I make a mistake, I don't have to chuck paper or canvas out either, I can just click the mouse a few times to go back a few steps and do it again.

Don't get me wrong, I love painting, but doing something completely different on the odd occasion is utterly refreshing.

Then again, I used to be really sneaky and combine drawing with my site designing, creating entirely hand drawn sites, just to keep my painting hand in.

Come to think of it, after reading through the above gush of enthusiasm, maybe I do miss it. Just a little, tiny, tiny, wee bit...

Image: One of my sites, Tramp2Vamp, now known as NHJ Style Consultancy.

Source Material

I love sketching outside; I take all sorts of materials out with me, pencils, watercolours, chalk pastels, water based felt pens and inks. I find myself sitting somewhere for hours on end drawing one thing after another in detail, quickly scribbling a couple of lines or using my camera, depending on how much time I have. But sometimes the sketches or photos I've taken just don't inspire me and I need to turn elsewhere.

At the moment I'm in the mood for moody skies but I haven't had the chance to get out into the country lately nor have I seen the skies that thrill me enough to want to paint them.

However, a very kind friend and superb photographer, Callum McLellan (http://callummaclellan.zenfolio.com/) has come to the rescue and has given me permission to use his rather wonderful photographs as source material. He's very talented you know.

So thank you Callum for coming to the rescue. Let's hope I can do your work some justice.

Image: One of my own photos that makes me think, meh, I need something a lot better.