Shropshire Open exhibition

Fiona has had two paintings accepted for the Shopshire Open exhibition in Gallery3 at the Gateway in Shrewsbury, showing 13th October to 17th November.

Earlier this year we decided to take a risk and go public with our work by entering local and national competitions. It's been a hit-and-miss experience. Some but not all submissions have been accepted.

We've found that working to the deadlines sharpens the thinking.
Pushing through with a piece of work until it's finished is more satisfying than flitting from one project to another.
Seeing the work selected and hung alongside work from other artists is a validating experience. Meeting other artists and their work is interesting.
It's also a reminder of how art is vibrant and alive in our local communities.

All for the price of small hanging fee.

Exhibition in Shropshire

Fiona has had a painting accepted for the Whittingham Riddell National Fine Art Open exhibition at Weston Park in Shropshire, showing from 6th August until 27th August.

The painting started as always in a sketchbook; one of a series of quick colour studies of the sky at sunset, looking west over the Irish sea from Aberaeron during the longest days of the year in June. It was then developed from the sketchbook studies, in acrylics and oils on canvas.

 

'rock melt west'; acrylics, oils on canvas

floating frame

on display at the exhibition

one of the sketchbook studies

Exhibition in Wales; 'Myself'

Jane's submission for the Tabernacle Open art competition at MOMA has been accepted. It has been awarded Highly Commended. Very exciting and well-deserved.

The theme given was 'Myself'. Jane worked in charcoal, linseed oil and acrylic on board to produce a very contemplative and moving self-portrait.

The exhibition runs from 12 July to 30 August 2014 at MOMA in Machynlleth, Wales (link above)

summer sketchbooks 3

Sue came back from St. Ives with sketches on watercolour paper, sketches on postcards, a moleskine watercolour sketchbook (almost full!) and also a number of life-drawings from an evening at the St.Ives School of Painting. Truly spectacular output, not just in quantity but also in the quality of the paintings, each one a watercolour gem, demonstrating her usual lightness of touch and sensitivity in choice of subject and composition

Here are a few of her colour studies, again all worked on location en plein air:

summer sketchbooks

Some extracts from summer sketchbooks, with more to follow over the next few weeks...

An ever-stretching wild river meadow of dandelions with fields of yellow oil-seed rape beyond, sweltering in the golden light of mid-summer, the river deep and fast behind me.
This was worked up from an in-situ sketch as preparatory work for a painting on canvas. I've started to work in a bigger format (A3 sketchbook) in an attempt to ease the transition from living in my sketchbook to stand-alone work.

Severn valley, Shropshire; 82cm x 30cm; inks, watercolour & enamels on gesso (Fiona)

This sunflower sketch was an experiment in using Ecoline watercolour inks. I bought a set a few years ago and have never really got to grips with them, mainly because I'm used to making a limited palette work hard, and tend to avoid brilliant colours.  However, the vibrancy of these inks really comes into its own using pen and wash. The subsequent Indian ink washes and cool conte crayon  work as a counter-balance.

sunflower; 30cm x 41cm; inks & conte crayon (Fiona)

bleached treetrunk, Himley Hall; 30cm x 41cm; inks, aquarelle & conte crayon (Fiona)

I sketched this old dead tree trunk in the teeth of a very brisk north wind, so worked quickly with a broad bamboo pen and various inks, flinging it all around in order to complete the entire sketch in about 15 minutes. That way I could get back quickly into the warm sunshine... but also a great way to free up a drawing and work expressively.

bluetits on snow

Here are two paintings of bluetits on snow by Jane.

Set perfectly against the recent snow and winter plants, the birds inhabit their colourful feathers against the landscape. In one painting the bird almost looks directly at the painter, but something has caught her eye; in the other, she is busy about her business, moving in for a closer look. Beautiful, charming,  perfectly true to life in their spontaneity.

Jane's life drawing

This week, Jane has developed a life drawing into an impressive painting full of character, light and haunting shadows. She has used expansive and confident gestural marks, complimentary colour and a vibrant composition to perfectly capture facial expression and the relaxed pose. She has also achieved a remarkable likeness.

sketching in Wales

Porthdinllaen in north-west Wales in March this year. A secluded beach, a comfortable cottage right on the shore; clear skies, balmy weather, the sea a smooth sheet of glass reflecting blues from turquoise through azure to ultramarine; daffodils, pale sand and views of distant mountains. Gorgeous.

We travelled on Wednesday and came back on Friday, taking enough paints and paper to last each of us at least a year. Two cars were required to carry it all. The driver who knew the way got lost on the way but quickly recovered. The other driver didn't know the way but followed all the correct roads instinctively.

We sketched and painted all day, fish supper for tea, walked along the beach afterwards by starlight, enjoyed ourselves so much that the next day our sides were hurting from laughing. A wonderful two days.

Sue

Jane

Tina

 
Click here to see more sketches.