No, I'm not dead yet, or so the doctor assures me! I have to apologise for no posts for about two years, but my 'job' as a grandad of five bundles of energy has kept me away from the paints and brushes for so long - I forgot I was a painter!
Nevertheless, I still want to get back to painting, but it can be so hard to balance the practicalities of earning a living with family life can't it. During this time I haven't completely stopped working, my (very outdated) website has made sales, and attracted a few very interesting commissions. I managed to squeeze in a short trip to Wales, a commission to paint a family farm, 'Cefn Gwyn', within its beautiful mountainous setting.
Also, a large 24 x 30 inch commission for a family in the US, who wanted a 'traditional English lane' oil painting for their formal dinning room. With no gallery representation at the moment, all my enquiries and sales come via the website or previous collectors getting back in touch.
I had a couple of days free this week, Friday and Saturday, so I paid my first ever visit to the Patchings Art Festival near Nottingham. It was a great inspiration to see such good artists at work, also their artwork on display. Two artists whose work I particularly liked we're Peter Barker, Peter and I have met before, once having the same art dealer), and Haidee-Jo Summers, both well known for their fantastic oil paintings! I'm afraid I must have made a nuisance of myself, a strange little chap haunting their stands watching them at work. But as true professionals they put up with my inane questions and off putting stares, both completing wonderful paintings while I hovered between them (luckily their stands were next to each other). They were both very busy, with lots of interest in them and their work, and deservedly so.
After chatting with them I have a renewed inspiration to get painting out on location, for which I thank them both, Peter and Haidee really are two very friendly people, and wonderfully inspiring painters! Peter is opening his own gallery soon and kindly invited me to show there, I really will have to do something very special though, I know his high standards and the calibre of the other invited artists. If I think my new work is not up to scratch I would not dare embarrass either of us by sending work.
When I have a few paintings under my belt, hopefully ones painted on location, I will have to get back to entering exhibitions again, something So important I should not have left it so long! I have managed to put by a couple of small oils to send off to an exhibition in Australia which I have entered before, the Darcy Doyle Art Awards. I'll write about that shortly and let you know how it goes. Here are the 2 paintings below, sorry colouring not accurate, plus a horrible fuzzy look from my cheap camera!
Also, a large 24 x 30 inch commission for a family in the US, who wanted a 'traditional English lane' oil painting for their formal dinning room. With no gallery representation at the moment, all my enquiries and sales come via the website or previous collectors getting back in touch.
I had a couple of days free this week, Friday and Saturday, so I paid my first ever visit to the Patchings Art Festival near Nottingham. It was a great inspiration to see such good artists at work, also their artwork on display. Two artists whose work I particularly liked we're Peter Barker, Peter and I have met before, once having the same art dealer), and Haidee-Jo Summers, both well known for their fantastic oil paintings! I'm afraid I must have made a nuisance of myself, a strange little chap haunting their stands watching them at work. But as true professionals they put up with my inane questions and off putting stares, both completing wonderful paintings while I hovered between them (luckily their stands were next to each other). They were both very busy, with lots of interest in them and their work, and deservedly so.
After chatting with them I have a renewed inspiration to get painting out on location, for which I thank them both, Peter and Haidee really are two very friendly people, and wonderfully inspiring painters! Peter is opening his own gallery soon and kindly invited me to show there, I really will have to do something very special though, I know his high standards and the calibre of the other invited artists. If I think my new work is not up to scratch I would not dare embarrass either of us by sending work.
When I have a few paintings under my belt, hopefully ones painted on location, I will have to get back to entering exhibitions again, something So important I should not have left it so long! I have managed to put by a couple of small oils to send off to an exhibition in Australia which I have entered before, the Darcy Doyle Art Awards. I'll write about that shortly and let you know how it goes. Here are the 2 paintings below, sorry colouring not accurate, plus a horrible fuzzy look from my cheap camera!
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| Holywell Bay from the Dunes. 8 x 12 inches |
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| Cornish Cliffs, Early Evening. 8 x 10 inches. Sold |
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