A Painted Tribute to Mother's Day
Celebrating my mother in words and watercolour! Watch a mini timelapse of my painted tribute to Mother’s Day, accompanied by a little poem.
Mum, digital watercolour painting
A little poem and painting in tribute to a special lady!
Mother, sometimes sister, daughter,
Constant friend & councillor,
Wise beyond measure, loyal to a fault,
Strong in will, yet vulnerable
Bearer of heavy burdens, yet the first to give, despite her cares.
Ever kind, a child to joy, unconditional in her loving
Half the source of my life and the roots from which I grow.
This digital watercolour is a portrait of my mother in a sunshine moment, sitting on a bench by the river near Putney bridge.
A quick snapshot taken on one of our lovely lockdown walks, refreshed by river breezes, warmed by golden sun and each other’s company.
Painted loosely, I wanted to explore the wonderful contrast of light and shadow that were at play across her face, bringing to life all the amazing contours of her expression and the years of stories they tell.
Shining Eyes, A Work in Progress
A glimpse at what is on the digital easel this week, showing my progress on my portrait of Treacle, in particular focusing in how I paint his eyes.
A commission in progress…sharing a little glimpse of Treacle's portrait.
Showing his eyes gradually taking shape; shining globes of wisdom and experience set within a beautifully chaotic frame of bushy eyebrows and fur - loving the journey they are taking me on!
Eyes do a lot of talking, communicating so much without words and are definitely one of my favourite features to paint.
Further updates to follow!
Would you like me to capture the unique sparkle in your dog's eyes?
I have one more commission slot available in April up for grabs which might interest you!
Feel free to get in touch or click the button below to explore more info on my commission service.
A New Project in the Making
Joining forces with fellow artist Stella Tooth in a new collaboration, watch a little overview sharing a few more details!
I'm teaming up with artist Stella Tooth on a new project which we have been brainstorming this week at her studio in Ealing.
To mark the moment we snapped this impromptu video (see below), blunders and all, giving a little glimpse of what we are up to!
Both Stella and I are traditionally trained artists with a love of story telling, curious to explore how our paintings can bring stories to life in ways unique to this medium.
We are very much inspired by similar subjects and certainly were, quite happily, digressing down various avenues of mutual interest in our meet up this week!
But more on this later.....for now, as we said…
Watch this space!
An Artist's thoughts on Social Media - Exploring Reels & TikTok for the First Time
Talking about my journey into social media and sharing my latest thoughts and revelations about Instagram and TikTok.
Part of being an artist these days is engaging with the world of technology. I have been on my own journey with this since October 2020 and have found it interesting looking back and assessing how my attitude has evolved and developed whilst talking with friends and family about their feelings on the subject.
Prior to 2020 I had been very erratic with social media, posting here and there with no real rhythm or logic. I understood its potential, but didn’t really understand how to connect with it in a way that felt organic and natural to me. The same could be said for my newsletters and blog posts. I would usually put something out when I had an exhibition coming up but never really wrote about my life as an artist, the works in progress, the challenges I faced.
I was an artist very much behind closed doors, that popped my head out every so often when I felt I had something worth sharing - and my estimation of what that was, always constituted a finished, resolved thing; never the process, the experiments, the trials and errors.
To an extent I think it is inevitable that we present, in greater and lesser ways, edited versions of ourselves, sometimes for brevity, sometimes for other purposes.
It takes time to feel comfortable talking more casually and openly to a wider audience. I am certainly on a journey as far as this is concerned, gradually finding my voice. The first few steps were extraordinarily uncomfortable but it was in the ‘doing of it’ that gradually a momentum has evolved, along with feeling more at ease with sharing my thoughts and how I work.
For me there is an aspect of journaling about it. By recording and talking about the process and development of my art business, a breadcrumb trail of understanding is immerging of myself which has helped me clarify my goals and the things that are important to me. It has also strengthened my resolve in what I do, how I can use my skills as a force for good and what I hope to achieve in the future.
There is a very worthy argument that social media is a platform that ‘takes’ as much as it ‘gives’ and I am not blind to the dangers of this and try to remain vigilant about the boundaries between utility and being controlled. However, at its best, it has been a platform for expression, for reaching out and connecting with wonderful people and helping myself, as well as many small businesses, be seen and heard in a much broader sense without the need for expensive agents and advertising.
It is with this in mind that this week I took another step down the rabbit hole of social media tech and posted a short 1 minute Reel for the first time, I also used this as my first ever TikTok post, kicking off a new line of exploration on a new platform.
I decided to use it as an opportunity to reintroduce myself and what I do. The challenge being to do so in a concise and visual way. It was a good little experiment and one I hope I can build on the future.
So without further ado, have a look at my video below - marking another little mile stone in my social media journey.
I am also very interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject and welcome you to leave a comment below.
Raising a Rose to International Women's Day
A special international Women’s Day Tribute in celebration of the women in my life and their amazing support and encouragement!
Raising a rose to all women today!🌹
Saying thank you to all the amazing ladies in my life, your support, kindness and inspiration are more precious than words can express!
Because of you I have dared to dream and in dreaming see the possibilities beyond today!😊
Painting Info:
Dreams of Tomorrow and Yesterday
Oil on canvas
100 x 162 cm (40 x 64 inches)
For further details click the button below
Exploring Watercolour
Going on a journey with digital watercolour, showing a mini timelapse of my experiments in this medium whilst working on a new commission.
Been diving into digital watercolour this week, working on a new commission, exploring the world of illustration.
I naturally gravitate towards oil paints, with their solid buttery textures and flexibility, I know where I am with them, they are a familiar friend. Watercolours have always been a little outside my comfort zone, being more unpredictable in nature.
I have however two commissions I am working on, which require a more delicate approach, and watercolour is the perfect medium.
Rebelle 4, the painting software I use, is pretty astounding in how it replicates the way watercolours behave and move, spreading, dripping, diffusing across the page.
Not certain where it would lead me, I began this week with an open mind, keeping my approach light and playful - swipe to watch a little time-lapse!
Gradually a rhythm emerged and, dare I say it, a friendship!
Goes to show how much we can learn when we delve into new territory and what treasures we can find!
To find out more about my commission service click the button below.