Happy New Year and here's to amazing things in 2011

I was just thinking today how funny life turns out.

Here I am, five months away from being 40, and finally with the man I want to be with for the rest of my life. And it started me thinking about how you think life will turn out when you are in your early twenties or younger. The hopes you have and the things you insist you will never do, especially in a relationship……then one day you look back and realise that things just didn’t work out as you had thought. And then you realise that you’re reaching that age where life begins and you are grateful that they didn’t work out that way….as you wouldn’t be here now.

Here’s to an exciting new year to us all :o)

A time for those we love

I hope you had a wonderful time this Christmas and spent it with the people you love. To me, that is the most important thing about this time of year....not the presents or the food, but being with those you love….and for that I am grateful.

I dedicate this post to a special lady called Kathleen, who sadly passed away on Christmas Eve. Too young to leave this world and such a special, loving person.

You will be greatly missed.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I wish you all health, happiness and love.....and an amazing 2011.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and here's to an exciting New Year!

Much love.

Helen x

Shall I shant I....?

I'm back! After feeling awful for a month I am now starting to feel more like myself. Tonsillitis, a cold and a cough that still wont go away has just made me feel absolutely awful. It will be good to be able to talk to someone without breaking out in a coughing fit or knowing that laughing at anything will just darn near kill me, but I can't complain really.

Aside from being ill, I have made some time to be creative and have hand made some Christmas and Birthday cards for friends, and I am also in the process of creating party invites with a Charlie and Lola theme for a 5 year old pyjama party! That will be a hard one but I am up for the challenge.

I am considering entering the Creative Every Day Challenge 2011, but I am not sure. I joined the Flickr 365 photo project and did really well until I became ill.....and the last thing on my mind as I stared down a toilet bowl was taking pictures....so after 10.5 months I have failed that challenge! (harsh words there!) Some people need a challenge to force them into making stuff, and I understand that. But what I found when I did the 365 photo project was that I started to lose the enjoyment of taking a picture and ended up using my iPhone more and more and captured what I could. And I don't want that to happen to my art. But I feel torn, as I do like to stretch myself! Decisions, decisions.

It's nice to be back and I hope you are all having a good week!

Helen

ps....the Robin at Kew picture was taken by my wonderful Jim on his first photography outing in a long while....all work and no play wasn't healthy for him, and as the robin looked well fed and happy, I just wanted to share him!

Colourful cottages

Last night I decided to play about with a drawing I did in my sketchbook a while ago and have a bit of fun.

I am loving trying out different techniques and materials and creating stuff which is not my normal type of painting. So here is a picture where I had a little play about with quirky shaped buildings and used inktense pencils.

There is something refreshing and invigorating not worrying about the end result and just thinking 'if it doesn't work out it's only a piece of paper'. I have heard those words many times in the past, but for some reason now, I truly get it.

It's great to be back being creative again.

A forced break

After my mad week, last week I was looking forward to spending time being creative and making a start creating all the paintings swimming around my head. However, my body said different and I came down with tonsilitis.

I've suffered with this since I was 18 and the docs just wont take my tonsils out....so when I over do things if I'm not careful, my throat suffers.

I haven't been able to create anything as I have just been too unwell.....so instead I have posted up a picture of one the the sketch challenge drawings I did a while ago as part of the challenge laid down by Kelly Berkey. It's not a great drawing, but I said I would post them all up, irrespective of whether I liked them or not. I am not happy with the proportions of her face, but I really do struggle with faces. Maybe I need to just concentrate on these for a while.

Off to the doctors again this week to see if they can sort me out as I am a bit fed up with it all to be honest.

Hope you've all had a good week!

Sail away....

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

- Mark Twain

Enjoy your day, wherever you are, wherever your ship is sailing to, whatever your dreams are x

Doodling, not drawing...

It’s been such a busy week I have had no time to draw or paint. I haven’t been able to finish any sketches or start any of the paintings that are lolloping around my head......and it’s so frustrating.

I knew this week was going to be like that....my day job has been keeping me at work late and I hate it when I know at the beginning of a week that I am not going to have too much time to be creative...it makes me sad. Being creative is at my core and to not be able to do anything for a few days isn’t great.

I can only post a couple of doodles I have done......but I guess that is something.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow night as by then work should have calmed down a bit and my lovely Jim is back from his photo shoot abroad.....I love the fact that he is out there doing what he is passionate about, but I hate it when he’s gone.....

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

NB: the photos were taken on my iPhone using the crossprocess app just to try and make them look a bit more interesting!

Happy Friday!

It's almost the weekend - yay! Which means I get to spend more time with the people I love. So all is good.

It's been a week of creativity for me, although I haven't been able to post up many of the things I have been working on. More inspirational ideas from Tams art class, creating a collage and then deciding what else I can do with it. Baking fairy cakes and just hanging out with Jim.

Hope you all have a great weekend! xx

Let the ideas flow....

Since taking Tam's Art Heart and Healing class, my mind has been full of creativity. I find that I am doodling constantly, making little drawings, putting down ideas and storing them up for another day.

It's like I have finally found my groove in being creative. Her second week was interesting and although I have yet to finish watching the video's, they are making me want to try all sorts of things.

I have paintings still to finish, sketches to complete and ideas to capture, but I am really enjoying this journey.

Have a great Tuesday!

My Escher painting continues....

I have done some more to this painting which I can’t believe I started in July! After I had painted the initial picture I wasn’t sure what else to do to it, so I left it a while. Anyway, I came back to it and decided that I would ‘do an Escher’ on an Escher picture, (he used mirrors in the making of his art) and I traced the painting so that I could mirror the image. Now that I have done this I am trying to work out how to link the bridges together. My thought is to mirror the bridges so that they form a loop. I have traced those from my original drawing and I am now trying out various placements. At least I can do this with tracing paper until I like the effect

This painting is taking ages, but I seem to want to really think this through which is very unlike me. I have also had creative input from the amazingly talented Mac in my art group (he seriously is brilliant) and from lovely Jim.

So it's coming along......it may be a few more months until I have anything else done to it at this rate, what with Tam's art class and Kelly Berkey's sketch challenge....talking of which I need to post up my latest attempt soon.

Have a great weekend!

Follow your dreams....

I had another bash at my art, heart and healing painting and this is it.

I really enjoyed trying something so completely different from what I normally do. It’s strange for me to add collage and especially for that collage to have a meaning. Usually when I paint or draw, the subject has a different meaning as maybe I have visited the place or I’ve created the still life. But in this instance this picture just came from within. No person to copy, no real idea of what will happen....I just let it unfold.

I didn’t like my initial background so I re-did it, but all in all I think it came out well. By the way, this last sentence is a huge shift for me.....I normally put my art down, or say it’s not good enough, but you know what, this came from me.... it is just so.


I am going through a change in my life right now and the words in the painting ‘do not be afraid to follow your dreams’ is to remind me that I mustn’t give up. The word courage is what I feel I need. And as for the bird and hearts.....I need to let my heart lead me and be free.

Thank you Tam for helping me, and what appears to be over a thousand others, take this journey.

Finding my way.....

My rough draft of the person in my painting

I started on my painting from Tam's Art Heart and Healing Course last night and I must say I had a lot of fun.

I've not been feeling great of late, so it did me good to try something completely different to what I normally do. I quite liked the results of part of the painting and other bits I didn't. I realised that I can learn a lot through Tam's videos but at the end of the day it boils down to my style.....what I like to paint, how I like to apply the paint and the materials I use. Tam's video's are great and are very inspirational, but I have been to too many art classes where the students are frustrated their work doesn't replicate the tutors....it never will as it is their work. And I admit I fell into a bit of that trap last night.

I will work on the painting again tonight so I thought I would post up a rough draft of the face until I can show the whole painting.

However, it was lovely forgetting the world and my troubles and just painting. Absorbing myself in my creative journey......as at the moment that is definitely what I am on. Jim was busy editing his photo's from his last event, so I let him be and went off into my haven and painted. He kept popping in to see how I was doing and I thanked him for being so wonderful, understanding my desire to paint and for being so encouraging. I thank my Higher Power every day for bringing him into my life....

Days like this.....

The last few days have been a bit weird for me. I've not felt right at all. Admittedly I have a few things on my plate right now but generally I am feeling less like me. Maybe it's the rat race I belong to, the lack of time for me, the lack of time for me and Jim, the feeling that I am not fulfilling my dreams....all of which I have the power to change, I know.

Just feel like I have had the wind knocked out of my sails.....

Have a great Monday!

I've found where I belong.....

Here......

www.shinberglevinas.com

I was browsing on the internet the other day and came across this picture of a studio. Just look at that light!!! Wow!

I can see myself one end with my paints and Jim the other with his photographic studio (in my head this space is big enough for the both of us).

I don't know who lives here, but my, I am in love....

Off to dream now so have a great day!

My sketch challenge

I have started the sketch challenge set up by Kelly Berkey and I chose the picture I liked the most – the one of her back. For me these poses are heaven as I love drawing the back....don’t know why, I just love the contours and shapes. When I attended my life drawing classes I always tried to move my easel so that I had this view...mainly because I struggle with faces. So here’s my first one in the challenge: I really enjoyed this and used a pencil I bought years ago called black beauty. It’s a thicker pencil and is made of bonded lead, which gives a thicker and darker line without having to press too hard.

I was going to draw this picture (and any others) on big pastel paper as when I draw a person, this is how I like to work, preferably using pastels, oils or charcoal. But this time I thought I would use my A4 sketchbook as not only will it keep all the drawings in one place and I can see my progress, but also it means that I can sit on the sofa and draw or take it to work.

I haven’t drawn in ages (I usually paint) so this is really good to do especially as art teachers have told me that as an artist, you should draw every day. Anyway, here’s what I learnt when starting this challenge:

~ If you are due to go out, then don’t pick up the sketch and carry on as it will make you late! :o)
~ This has already sharpened my observation skills
~ When I started this I wanted it to be perfect especially as I will be posting it online, but I then started worrying about it....so I took a deep breath and relaxed and worried less about the end result and enjoyed the process more
~ It’s all about the journey

I really enjoyed this and I had forgotten how much I enjoy drawing as well as painting.

Have a great day!

A sketching challenge...

Through this wonderful blogosphere I have come across the amazing work of Kelly Berkey. Her jewellery is so lovely and unique – I love it! She is also part of a community of other female artists and Kelly decided to set up a weekly sketching challenge. So she asked her partner to photograph her and she posts up one picture a week for people to draw or paint. A few people have joined in, and I have decided to dip my toe in the water and have a go.

As quite a few paintings have already been done, I decided to pick a few of the previous challenges and give it a bash. I am really hopeless at drawing faces....I never put them in my paintings if I can help it. When I did a life drawing class a few years ago, I always drew anything BUT the face....so some of these will be a real challenge for me. But I am looking forward to it and will post my offerings whether I like them or not.

On another painting note, Willowing's art class started yesterday and I am looking forward to getting stuck in :o)

Hope you are having a good day!

Helen

Time to learn and have some fun....

The friendly and inspiring Tam from Willowing.ning has created a free paint class called ‘The Heart of Art’ which I have just joined. Normally she charges for her workshops, but she has offered this free to anyone, and at the last count, 865 people have signed up – that is amazing!

It’s not the usual type of art I do, but at the moment I am trying out all different methods and mediums to see if I can find my style. So I am looking forward to being crafty, arty, sewing again and trying something new.

The class starts on Monday 18th (oooh tomorrow!!) and runs for 4 weeks.

I will post up my attempts here, and thank you Tam for being so generous. It is true what they say, by giving to others you receive back tenfold, so you will absolutely flourish!

Have a great Sunday everyone....I'm off to take up another creative challenge - post to follow soon! x

A haven of tranquility

I am fortunate enough to have a place where I can be creative...an area I can store my paints and paper and set to when the mood presents. After not having such a space for years, I fully appreciate it. But my, wouldn’t it be lovely to have one of these......

Above - centralhi.com

Below - from Housemartin blog

Above - www.channel4.com

A mature garden, a room with lots of light and a beautiful environment to let your creativity flow.......

Sounds perfect!

Have a great weekend!

Helen

The fourth one...

A while ago I blogged about producing 4 paintings in a month....I did achieve this (yay!) but the time after has been so busy that I haven't been able to blog about it. So here it is...

I decided to continue using the same scene and this time drew a rough outline of the buildings in pastel, in a colour similar to the colour of the pastel paper.

I then started blocking in the various colours to build up the picture.
I then started to add more details, correcting the lines, adding windows and some shadows.
This painting didn't take long, I would say an hour tops, but it was fun to do.

Looking at it now, there are things I would change, but that is what painting is all about - by doing you learn more than any video or book can teach.....

Have a great day!

Helen

Three out of four aint bad....

In my last blog entry I mentioned that I wanted to do one painting a week, for four weeks. Am I on track. Well kind of. One isn’t quite a painting, but more of a sketch, but illness, and having a bit of a social life got in the way.

So far I have completed three out of the four pictures and just have one more to do, which I don’t think is that bad going.

I started off painting a version of a St Ives scene, although my artistic licence meant that I opted not to put in a few buildings. I then decided that all of my pictures would be of the same scene. I find it quite interesting to paint the same scene using different materials and mediums as it not only helps me familiarise with it, but I like to see how using different mediums changes my style.

The first painting was on canvas and painted using acrylics. I primed over an old painting I didn’t like – this is well worth doing, as canvas’s can be expensive. Then I sketched out in yellow ochre the outlines of the buildings.

I selected my palette of muted colours and set to work. Here’s the result.






My second painting was created on arches watercolour paper and collage, acrylic inks and acrylic paint was used.

I tore up some handmade paper and stuck this on to the watercolour paper using Golden Gel Medium. I then started to drip inks over the canvas, using a misting spray to help the paint merge on the paper. This gets quite messy so it’s best to put down some plastic sheeting or newspaper if you don’t want your worktop to get stained.

I then dipped card into paint to create the outline of the buildings and started to build up the picture. For the beach I used a texture medium and once dry I painted over it and dripped inks and sprayed water.

I will say out of all three paintings I had the most fun with this.

The final picture was drawn using a fountain pen and Quink on cartridge paper. I then used water to give it some tone. This is great fun to do and because I didn’t draw the picture first, it really makes you concentrate on the lines. I made some mistakes but as far as I am concerned, it all adds to the picture.

My final painting in the series may well be done with pastels....I’m not sure yet!

Painting challenge

There seems to be a theme of late for people posting a picture a day on a blog or website, whether it’s a photograph or a painting. At the moment I am a member of a group in Flickr where I post a photograph a day. I am almost 7 months in and it really has been quite a challenge. Some days I find it easy as a subject will just leap out at me or other times it’s late in the day and I haven’t taken a shot! However, it’s good fun and it is really improving my photography skills, even if lately my camera has been my iPhone.

As my creative focus leans towards art I would love to be able to create a painting a day, like these brilliant artists:

Marianne Bland
Karen Werner
Lisa Daria

However, I think that it may be too much of a challenge to take on, especially as I am already taking a photograph a day. So I have decided that I will do a painting a week for the next 4 weeks, starting from now (set’s stopwatch!!!)

So watch this space.......

Ooh an update....

Painted a bit more to it, but will leave it for a while until I can work out the next stage.

A creative day...

I had a super creative day yesterday. In the afternoon I spent some time doing a sketch of a lock on a cemetery gate. It was from a photo I took when Jim and I went to Cornwall. I really want to do more sketching as it improves drawing skills so much, so this is just the start of filling my little sketchbook.

Then in the evening I wanted to carry on with a mixed media collage painting I had started quite a while ago, but I couldn’t find it.....I did however find a painting of a flower that I had started some time ago which I wasn’t pleased with. So I decided to give that a bash and see how it came out. Still not totally pleased with it.

Before: After:

I then carried on working on my latest project. I have been looking at the work of Escher and am creating a series of paintings based on his work. I recently finished my version of Goriano Sicoli, Abruzzi and I am currently working on Town in Southern Italy.

My version of Goriano Sicoli, Abruzzi:

Here are the first stages of the second painting in the series (Town in Southern Italy). Not sure where I am going with this as I have left a lot out of the original picture but I wanted to get some colour on it before I made a decision.

Have a creative week!!!