Been a while....

since I've posted on here.

But I now have a few painting projects on the go again, and so I've got something to share rather than random wittering.

Its the Eynsham Art Groups 40th Anniversary this year and there is an exhibition to coincide with it, so I have reworked a nude I started some time ago and I'm in the process of changing it beyond recognition. I have a week to finish it - so a few late nights coming up I think.

The painting itself is quite big (60 x 90) and I've used acrylics (quicker drying time than oil) and have just started putting on some gold leaf highlights. When the size has set, I'll overpaint parts of the gold and see what it looks like.

Threadneedle 2010: I am a number

On Saturday, I ventured into London (via car of all things on a day when the Blackwall Tunnel was closed), to take my submission for this year's Threadneedle Art competition.

This is an oil of the first wedding shoes of the landlord of the Queens Head, Eynsham. He kindly provided me with some 'blurb' to accompany the shoes...fingers crossed they appeal to the judges. Each entry gets a number and the numbers of the paintings accepted for the competition which are to be exhibited at the Mall Galleries, are published this Friday. I am 549.

Change your shoes, Change your life VIII: "These shoes winked at me in Coventry, circa 1974,
whilst looking for wedding attire. They cost me a week's (apprentice) wages...in fact twice the price of the wedding dress! Elton John and Slade were Top of the Pops and I enjoyed my elevated view of life."

Aging rockers...

More shoes for Artweeks....

A work (still) in progress.

Word doodling....

From all the words on this blog.....try for yourself at www.wordle.net

....they are art forms in themselves I think....and a great way of saving some treasured words....

More shoes

Framing always takes ages. I get the painting in the right place after numerous attempts, scrape chunks of skin from my fingertips trying to get the back on, and then turn the frame over to view huge bits of dust or crumbs ....where do THEY come from? I check my surfaces are clean before I start. But it gets me every time....actually about six times...before I give up and go make a cup of tea and regard the whole mess on the work table with something akin to malevolence.

Red shoes

My mother always used to say 'red hat no knickers'....but I have always aspired to owning red shoes. And what better red shoes to aspire to than a pair of Louboutins?

This isn't finished yet. But you get the idea....

Ever lasting

I started a new shoe painting this afternoon. In oils.

It is not finished and I have to wait for it to dry off a bit before I can do anymore. Patience was never one of my painting virtues!!

Do I...don't I??

Hmmm. Do I or don't I enter the RA Summer Exhibition this year. So far it is RA 3 Sue Cook nil, although I was deferred last year....

The only day I can get down to London is the 26th March - in which case I have to submit a glazed work - but this is the same day as the Arts Group AGM which I have to go to. Gah. Nothing on for months on end and then deadlines all backing up at once. Will ponder and sulk a while longer.

The deadline for buying an entry form is March 10. Next week. I have till then to decide I guess.

Flowers talk

I did some more on this yesterday....but I have to confess to having one of those afternoons where I don't really know where I am going. I wanted to get more depth into it and as is often the case with acrylic, the whites looked faded once dried. So after fiddling with the petal colours I put in some rough highlights. My aim is to get the sense that the central flower is set back from the rest which are crowding in front of it round its edges in some confusion. A work in progress....sigh.

Flowers

I have made a start on a new work. This one has been inspired by Graham's 'Girl who read flowers'. I wanted to create the sense of burying your face in a mass of petals and fragrance and then opening your eyes.

I painted the background in gold paint first then free painted the flowers on top. Its by no means finished, I just wanted to get the petals in to begin with so I have been deliberately sloppy (more more than is usual for me lol) with the paint. Its quite big (45 x 60 cm). Now if only someone could invent floral fragranced paint eh?