Art Society preview

I went to the Bridlington Art Society annual exhibition preview last night.  I haven't been for a couple of years, mainly because I just tend to forget.  Diane offered me a lift, so I had to remember.

The exhibition was very nice, some very good work.  I was very pleased to get the Still Life category,  I think this is the third year running that I have won one of the categories, in fact last year I won the Acrylic prize and the overall best picture of the exhibition as well which amazed me because the painting was put in as an after thought.  Perhaps I need to paint more of these casual, off-the-cuff paintings.

This is the painting that won the Bridlington Art Society Still Life painting category of 2015.  I do like it, although I think a few more edgy lines would improve it.

And this is the painting that won the Acrylic and the best painting in the show last year.  This really was last minute as it was one I literally dashed off at Neil Helyard's class, using up paint on the palette.

I think this is the painting that won a category in 2013, but I can't remember which category, or even if this was the painting which won in 2013!

I am trying to see if a) there is any common factors of composition in these paintings, and b) am I improving?  I don't know - perhaps I need to print out the photo's and pin them on the wall for a while.

more on mini canvasses

The mount I painted yesterday with the acrylic inks has worked out quite well.  I think the colours are a little on the strong side, and I would do them much paler next time.  I finished framing it and took it up to the Old Town Gallery where I was stewarding this afternoon.  The one below isn't it.

I had made another one with a spare mount which also had a mark on it (they seem so prone to it) I don't think it quite works with this double canvas as the colour as pooled and run down the inside edge, making it look grubby.  I can take off the back mount and just leave the front.

I do feel that since I said I would be part of the Old Town Gallery my paintings have been more 'touristy' and also smaller.  I don't think this is a good idea, painting for a venue.  I feel I have lost my way since I got back from holiday, I'm confused and just don't know what my style is anymore.

I do like to do quirky paintings, I love colourful work, and I do like collage.  I also like muted, softer work and probably don't do as much of that as it just isn't saleable around here.

Back to the drawing board - why do I paint?  I paint because I have to do something creative.  I need to try to improve my work all the time - I can't just do the same things.  I critique my work all the time, probably too much.  Should I just paint for myself, or to sell?  If just for myself, how will I evaluate my skills? 

How hard it is being an artist.

Mini Canvasses

I have worked a little on the mini canvasses today, but mostly on other things.  I took three pieces of work down to the Spa for the annual Bridlington Art Society exhibition this morning and unfortunately one of them fell out of the boot of the car - the glass broke and the frame did too!  I had to come home and re-frame the piece, by which time it was lunchtime.  

I had various housework and other boring jobs to do after lunch, and by the time I actually got into the studio it was nearly four o'clock and I was just too tired to do much.  I did float mount one of the mini canvasses into a frame, and it looks nice.  I've also experimented with painting a mount using acrylic inks to go with another mini canvas.  The mount had a slight mark on it so I couldn't use it, so nothing is lost if it doesn't work.

I coated the finished canvasses with acrylic varnish today and noticed something which I probably wouldn't have otherwise noticed.

Wish a little pre-planning, the mini canvasses could be made as diptychs or triptychs.  I think they would look very nice in pairs or a row of three, and it was only because the two canvasses above were side by side and I saw the way the houses seem to be in the same scene.

East Riding Artists preview

I went to the ERA preview of the summer exhibition at Wolds Village  Gallery, Bainton last night with Diane, her mum Dorothy and Ivy.  There weren't as many people there as I remember last year, and few people I actually knew.  The exhibition was quite good, but I need to go again when it's quiet as you can't really see the work at a preview.

We stayed for the ERA social supper afterwards, but I didn't enjoy the meal, I just wasn't feeling hungry as it was after 7.30pm when we actually got our food which is too late for me to enjoy it.  I think I will give it a miss next year and just go the week after the preview.  It was nice to have a good chat with Diane and catch up with her news.

More on the Lesley Birch workshop

The Dutch House Gallery, cafe, and garden is lovely, well worth a visit.  The food is great, all freshly prepared.  Lunch was included in the workshop price and we ate outside as it was a sunny day.

In the morning we experimented with tints and shades, using a couple of different colours, and then mixed colours and made more tints and shades.

We then each had a large piece of paper that we tore into smaller pieces, all the pieces stuck down to a large board with masking tape.  We then added different acrylic mediums; Black Lava, Fine Grain, Molding paste and gesso.  We tried to make different marks and textures into these, and then left them to dry whilst we had lunch.

After lunch we added acrylic paint, again trying to make interesting marks and textures.  I thought this a great exercise, but I need at least three boards as I had finished within half-an-hour whilst most of the other people on the course were hardly started.  I should have just left it and gone for a walk or something, but I just continued working and completely ruined them.

These pieces are around 4-5 inch wide.  We were also given pencils and charcoal to help with the mark making.  I love charcoal, so of course I went over the top - again and again unfortunately.

Lesley told us that she uses this method to get abstracted thumbnails of the landscape, which she can then work up into larger pieces back in her studio.  There is a picture of her doing just that on her blog here Lesley Birch

This is something I will definitely try again, but I will prep up at least three boards before I start.  I will also be more careful tearing the paper and  applying the masking tape - I didn't at Crayke!

Lesley Birch workshop

I attended a workshop with Lesley Birch at the Dutch House Gallery yesterday.  It was very good and I really did enjoy it.  Unfortunately as usual, I overworked mine.  I'll write more later as I don't have much time now.

This piece was worked on a small 8 x 10 inch canvas as part of a series experimenting with various acrylic mediums.

Mini Canvasses

I managed to get two of the mini canvasses finished today.  I am quite pleased with them, although they are far from fine art.

mini canvas 1

mini canvas 2

I like the second one because the underpainting worked out so well.  In the first one the houses are a little dark.  I think they need to have a coat of acrylic varnish as I'm not sure how I am going to display them yet.  I may frame them with a mount, or float frame them, or, in the case of the stretched canvasses, I may just leave them as they are and display them on mini easels.