The Neverending Painting

Is it finished? Is it? You tell me!

The final canvas from Flora Bowley's workshop at the Do What You Love Retreat. It bears little resemblance to what I brought home. Those on the workshop might remember the memaid who then got painted over! The face reappeared in a different spot on the canvas, but clearly she was determined to be seen! What do you think? Is it too 'busy' now? Does the composition work?


Last time I joined the Paint Party Friday crew she was moving in this direction. Did I got too far?

What do you think? Is it too 'busy' now? Does the composition work?

Slave to the keyboard

No paint has touched these fingers since the weekend... Alas I am but a shadow of my former self (well, actually I think I've put on a pound or two, but we'll gloss over that...).

I am a slave to the keyboard these days, but the writing is paying off as some award submissions I've written for one of my clients have made the finals - that's two this week, plus the one we actually won last week. Not that I'm bragging or anything, but if anyone reading needs an award submission penned, then I'm your gal! (A bit of self-promotion is a rarity on this site, so I'm going to go for it).

Last weekend did however see much paint underneath fingernails and accidentally rubbed into the carpet. I finished my peacock - who turned out to be one angry-looking bird - and had a little play with one of my Flora paintings (from the workshop I took). This one had a mermaid face in an earlier layer but she got washed away. Faces seem determined to reappear. Still very much work in progress.

The face obviously needs more work. I'm contemplating adding another flower, or just making this one bigger. What do you think? Or, maybe, the flower should become a balloon.... Decisions decisions.

I've joined Pinterest this week too. Compiling a board of inspirational artists I love. Take a peek. Will no doubt be adding more after my browse around Paint Party Friday this week.

Pots of gold

I've flung every colour of the rainbow into this as I'm sure you can tell. As I was gazing into its depths trying to decide what to do next, what theme to pick, colour to lead with I pondered on the metaphor that links with my life. Yes, I'm about to get all deep and meaningful here... you may wish to jump a couple of paragraphs to where I start talking about the painting again and fairies and stuff...

Right now I feel like I'm experimenting with every opportunity on the creative spectrum. I can't resist trying something new, sampling this, dabbling in that. I'm not sure where my business should go either. The core is the writing and that's how it will stay. I love it and it pays the bills. Why ask for more?

But then there's this art thing... You see I adore painting. It does something deep inside me and awakens this little magic spark. I'm like this piece you see here - a bit here, a bit there, staring to focus on one thing but finding something interesting elsewhere to take my attention. Somewhere at the end of this is my pot of gold but right now I'm not sure where it is or what's in it!

I've taken some advice though and hoping to hone in how I can juggle both writing and art and make enough money to do all things I want to do (and buy more paint!). I just need to focus.

For now, back to the painting:

Using lessons learnt from Flora Bowley's classes at the Do What You Love retreat, I've layered up colour and texture. I've let colour flow and the painting come to me. Listening to your painting is quite something - I highly recommend it. I'm seeing the rich florals of a summer garden bursting into life in the heat of the sun. Or fairy lanterns perhaps dancing in the twilight. There's also the beginnings of the outline of a dancing woman. Where will it go?

Right now the focal points appear to be the areas of strong orange. Are they enough? Does the eye travel around the piece as it should? Was does it need to lift it to life?

While I leave you to ponder, I'll return to my 5 year plan. I'm determined to go places dear readers...

Appropriately, the theme at Inspiration Avenue this week is 'over the rainbow'.

PS: Thank you for all the get well wishes. They must have worked because I am feeling a whole lot better today. Big smiles and hugs all round.

Blooming

I painted this in Flora Bowley's class at the Do What You Love Retreat. I love it! However, you have no idea how many paintings are underneath! There's angst among the long gone butterfly wings and rainbowed hillside, but it's topped with unadulterated pleasure in smearing on paint with fingers; in being brave enough to cover up what had gone before and just paint; and - for doing what you love!

Having lived with it for a week or so, I still think it needs a little tweak here and there - a touch more yellow perhaps and I don't really like those bottom-left-dots.

I also have my third canvas from the retreat to share - the one where I spent hours painting a face only to paint over her in a daring leap of adventure.

I have some earlier versions of this painting to share with you too, but the images are not on this computer, so they might for another Paint Party Friday another day!

Don't you just love all these layers? It makes me want to lick it!!

Three more sleeps...

That's right. Just three more sleeps until I hoof it 'up North' for the 'Do what you Love for Life' retreat in Yorkshire - including three days of workshops with Flora Bowley.

Ah...if you could see me now, you'd find a contended woman fringed with an excited glow. I've been packing up my mojo and art supplies (plus couldn't resist a last-minute forage in Hobbycraft... you know how it is...), making some jewellery and sorting out paintings to sell at our gallery evening and generally getting in the mood. Even the Muse is getting excited and wants to me help her dye her hair tomorrow...

Now I've gone and lost my 'to do' and 'to pack' lists - I knew tidying up was a mistake. When they were on the table I knew where they were (we had nowhere to eat dinner, but you can't have everything!)

I had a great idea to illustrate this post with a quick sketch inspired by Flora's work. The sketch part was fine, but when it was when I attempted to add a splash of drippy colour that the problems occurred. I ended up with more paint over myself, the garden table and patio than myself and a soggy piece of grubby-looking paper that took flight round the garden. Wind and painting clearly aren't a good match... I never learn!

Undaunted, I snipped the piece into interesting shapes and stuck them down on another sheet of paper with a bit of torn music sheet - just because... It looked like it needed something - but clearly not pink paint brayered all over it. It faced the scissors again and then just fell in the scanner in strips. By now I'm seriously worried about losing my Muse just days before the art retreat.... but it turns out she was just testing me - forcing me to look deeper.

The resulting scan was cropped into even smaller pieces and the most interesting bits displayed here.

Do they count as a sketch I wonder? Well, it started out intending to be just that - with a little splash of colour. Ah, whatever, I'll post in Sunday Sketches!

I'm retreating

One must work and dare if one really wants to live.

Vincent van Gogh

Do you have some money saved for the preverbial rainy day? Or do you plan on spending on something special. You just aren't quite sure what that 'special' is. Some would say it's new carpet or furnishings, a newer car or topping up your pension. Yeah that's your head talking, it's pretty loud and often helped out by that microphone called well-meaning family..

At some point we have to realise that we are not anybody else. We aren't the person who needs the comfort of lined curtains. Instead we are the one who wants to spend a bit of money on doing the thing the heart craves.

Four days hanging out with other artists, painting and getting creative in the beautiful Yorkshire dales. Working with artists I already admire and making the acquaintance of others. Delving deep into what I want for my creative enterprise and nurturing my soul. Did my heart want it? Oh yes!

I'm going!!  Here...

Do What You Love art and creative enterprise retreat (Yorkshire, England – May 2011)

"Imagine a magical place in an area of outstanding natural beauty, deep in the ancient English countryside. A place where you can escape from everyday life, reconnect with the real you, and nurture your creative spirit.

Imagine a time when you are free to indulge your creativity. When you can step out of your creative comfort zone and take risks, supported by a warm community of like-minded souls. And all this under the guidance of an outstanding teacher.

Imagine a space where you can explore the ideas you have been quietly sheltering for so long. Where they will be motivated by inspiring entrepreneurs and where, nurtured by your new community, your self-belief will soar. Where you can grow your creative business ideas, or simply plant the seed of belief that you really can find a way to do what you love, for life.

All this exists.

You can find it at the Do What You Love retreat (May 11-15, 2011).

It will be an intimate gathering of creative souls, sharing a special journey of change.

Everything will be taken care of. You just have to take care of yourself."

Well, I read that and leapt off my chair screaming "Yes!!!" It's the first one like it I've seen advertised in the UK. I got ready to apply... I nearly hit the button... Then the head kicked in with its spreadsheets and financial planning and I 'thought about it' for a few weeks, but everywhere I went links to this promise of magic and self-fulfillment kept pushing me back. I dithered. I contacted the organisers to check a place was still available on Flora Bowley's workshop. I dithered some more. And then.... I booked!

When I make a big decision, instinct usually kicks in as the no return moment passses and tells me if I was right or wrong (yeah, I know a bit late!). This one feels really good!

Who else is going? Anyone I know? I, for one, can't wait!

Pic is some digital play with a photo of the Dales. Lots of layers - just like me!