Blog

After a lovely Christmas I'm looking forward to getting back to some serious painting when the children go back to school tomorrow.  I did manage to get one painting done over the holiday and which has now been submitted for the RBA pre-selection (so fingers crossed).  It's of evening light over Exmoor coast:

Have been thinking I might do a lot more still life subjects because I can work from life and control the lighting much more.  Especially as a lot of my painting is done in the evening after the children have gone to bed.  Had a go a setting up a shadow box last night and found a vase and apple to have a go at.

Went into West Bridgford this morning to get the children's haircut and found loads of really cheap items which would make great subjects for paintings.  Managed to pick up a bag of items for less than £5!  Although on the look out for a copper pot.

Had a brilliant time last weekend with the SEA.  Got up at 4am on Sat to get down to Newmarket for 6.30am to photograph and sketch the horses on the gallops.  The weather was perfect and there were hundreds of horses out.

Then we went to 'Heath House', Mark Prescott's stables where he showed us around and spoke about the horses he'd trained and his training methods.  The stables really were something to behold and every little detail had been thought of. 

In the afternoon we went onto a Suffolk Punch stud to do some painting (I won't upload a picture of my painting because it was a bit dire!).

 On Sunday we went to 'Castle House', Dedham which was Sir Alfred Munnings old home and has been turned into a Museum of his work.  It was beautiful and his paintings were stunning.  We managed to get 15 mins in the vaults where a lot of his sketches are kept. 

One of the sketches in his Studio

In the afternoon we had some horses brought in to paint.  Think I've a long way to go!

There is a new book just published showing how to sketch horses from life.  Well worth getting if you want to have a go.

Sketching Horses from Life

Supposed to be going down to Newmarket at the weekend so hoping the weather improves!

H x

Had a workshop yesterday painting horses.  Was so hot and managed to burn myself despite putting on some suncream! 

Morning Painting

Afternoon Painting

Had a brilliant morning painting a lovely mare.  Many thanks to Katy who held her for two hours!

Working hard for the next couple of weeks to get these four paintings completed for the SEA exhibition later in the year.  Have to get them done before the summer holidays come!  I find it useful to upload them to the computer because it often makes mistakes more apparent.

Having to take each day as it comes for the next few weeks with the end of term.  It was Thomas' sports day yesterday and was great to see all the boys having a good time.

Dreading tomorrow because the Olympic Torch is coming to Nottingham and is going to cause mayhem!  Trent bridge will be closed during rush hour and will make it almost impossible for me to get across town to pick up Thomas.  Have to be honest - Will be glad when the thing has moved on!

Well I think I'm finally happy with the placement of the ponies.

They needed to break the line of the hill otherwise it was looking too disjointed.  Now just have to finish the painting!

Continuing to work on this one.  Will hopefully get it 90% completed this week so that I can go back to the painting of Porlock Weir (which I took a hack-saw to again this weekend!).

I'm trying to build up the form of the pony and the colours in the water whilst subdueing the background to stop it competing for attention.

The Porlock Weir painting just wasn't working so with that one I need to try and integrate the ponies with the hill in the background.  I've lobbed off another inch from the bottom of the board and have been experimenting with places for the ponies.  I want them to break the line of the hill so that the painting reads better as a whole rather than two separate paintings.  So planning on re-painting the whole of the bottom section.

Very excited to have heard that I've won the Sennelier Award at the Artist magazine open exhibition at Patchings art centre for my painting of the PS Tattershall Castle.

The exhibition can be viewed here.

Thomas also had an exciting day yesterday waving the Queen, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge off from his school playing fields.  Although he seemed more interested in the Helicopter than anything else (apparently it has a blue carpet!).