One painting one day

It was inevitable really. I paint best under pressure. And now there are only 12 days left until I have to have completed my work ready for the 2007 Artweeks exhibition. I am showing around 10 paintings. Only one is finished at the moment.
My studio is crammed with canvases in various stages of completion and I need to knuckle down and disappear for a while. Here is the first one. I'll post pics of the others as they are finished...please nag me if a day goes by when I don't.

For those of you interested in visiting the exhibition in May, have a personal invitation from me! x

New material to share

Been cleaning out my studio closet today. I came across this.

When I get a commission, I produce little paintlets and this is one that never went any further. Its only about 20 cm long but I really like the colours.... but.... I'm unsure about the Rousseau style leopard in the background. Rousseau was ridiculed for much of his painting career and I'm not convinced the composition requires a furry cat. But I'd certainly appreciate any comments either way.

Thief of time

Procrastination is.

I have been computer-less all day and have been looking through stacks of old photos for inspiration for some upcoming exhibition work.

I got side-tracked as inevitably I would when I discovered a load of old photos from my past and I thought I would share these.

I can hardly recognise the little girl in the pictures but it was me, when I was about 4. I still have the same taste in retro dresses and ribbons. Some things never change.

My soul to keep.........

I have been spending a lot of time on just one very special canvas lately. Its my submission for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. This is about a much-loved little baby boy who died suddenly at a very young age. His cremated ashes were turned into a diamond for his family to cherish.

I wanted to recreate a focal point diamond with his face behind some of the facets.
First, I played around with background:



Then block filled in facets of a diamond. I really let loose with colour here. I wanted to get a vibrant feel.



Next was the tricky part. Painting some portaits of the little boy to be pasted onto the diamond. I don't normally paint portraits that often, but I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed painting these. It was one of those (rare) days when everything goes right first time.



And for the past 18 hours I have been painting to get the work finished in time for delivery in London tomorrow.

Here is the result.



I want to thank J.T. for her kindness in sending me photos of her beloved son, and also my other half for endless supplies of cups of tea over the past 24 hours.

Just have to wrap it up now and hope it fits in the overhead shelves on the Oxford Tube otherwise I am going to have to buy it its own seat (its 80 cm square). The RA Summer Exhibition is a bit of a lottery, but I guess you have to be in it to win it so fingers crossed, and good luck to everyone else out there having a go.

Where's Wally ???

Thank you everyone who sent pictures of the orange poppy poster to me for my underground project. I've been really touched by the response I've had and its going to take me a while to complete but I'll share as soon as I am able.

I must also thank ArtsHub for writing about it, and of course I'm also grateful to the folk at Art Below who organise this fantastic concept of reclaiming public space from ad-land. Its a great idea and I'm thrilled to take part.

Art Below are running a special feature in the next show called 'Where's Wally'. There will be a life size image of the famous character on a poster somewhere on the London Underground. The first person to discover his exact whereabouts will win a free poster space in this year's Summer Art Below Campaign.

You can fill your space with whatever image you want (within copyright reason of course) so it could be a message to a loved one, a birthday greeting or a piece of your own art.

Why not have a go?

So, if you spot Wally then email info@artbelow.com stating the exact platform and station where you discovered him.
Happy hunting.

Call for artists.

ART BELOW - TURNING AD SPACE INTO ART SPACE.
In an attempt to reclaim public space from the ever-reaching fingers of ad-land, ArtBelow has made it possible for artists to exhibit their works in space used normally for advertising.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist, art buyer, or passer by. ArtBelow is bringing art to the masses in London – and it’s underground.

And that is their motto.

I exhibited in Feb/March and Art Below are seeking more artists to submit their work for consideration for the April/May show.

Here's the details:

For two weeks in April/May the works of 25 specially selected artists will be on display in major underground stations across the capital.
'The underground is a place where many Londoners will spend part of their everyday life - we want to give the individual the opportunity to contribute to that environment' : Ben Moore

As well as giving artists access to advertising space in the underground, ArtBelow also runs an on line art gallery for all the artists who exhibit on the tube. At ArtBelow it is either possible to buy original art work or high quality poster prints of the work.

If you would like to know more about how to see your art work, words and images on a 1 metre x 1.5 metre poster in a major tube station then visit the artbelow website and fill in the on line application form.

The next campaign is due to begin in late April / early May.

London calling - help wanted

Big day for me today. (UPDATED with latest project details)

Its the day a huge poster made from one of my works will be going up in the London Undergound as part of an ongoing art initiative from Art Below.

This poster is 1 metre x 1.5 metres and various sizes are available to buy from the Art Below website as well.

I am hoping to get down to London to see it next week, as I want to collect as many photos as I can of the poster in situ. Why?
Well, I have this idea for a national project in mind - I don't want to give away too many details just yet - but I need as many photos as people are willing to send of themselves in front of the poster. You can email me them (suecook@picturedreams.co.uk) or message them to me by mobile (email to ask for my number)...I don't mind which.

Promise to reveal more later but it would be really cool to get as many different people young or old in front of this poster. And everyone who sends me a photo will get credit in the piece when its completed.

Please help me if you can....

You'll find my poster at Vauxhall Tube station Platform 2 Southbound.

EDITED TO ADD: The poster is up until March 12th so please send me your snapshots as soon as you can!

Thanks. x

Last friday of the month

The last Friday of every month the Eynsham Arts Group meet up in the Bartholomew Rooms in the village square. We swap ideas, encourage one another's work, hold exhibitions and have guest speakers. Please take a look at the website if you'd like to know more.

Anyway, last night we were given a impressive demonstration by Ron Freeborn, who is an extremely gifted painter and an excellent teacher.

The demonstration was about life drawing....something I know little about and it was fascinating to learn tips and techniques to make portraits come to life. During the second part of the evening I had volunteered to be a model.....I hadn't realised he was going to paint me in oils from scratch, no drawing first!! And all in under 30 minutes.

Not only that, he generously let me keep it afterwards and very kindly signed it. What a brilliant evening, rounded off with some Timothy Taylors finest in good company at the Queens Head.

Hurrah...I'm back.

Technology is only a wonderful thing when it works. For the past nearly 3 weeks I have had a laptop that has only worked when it felt like it, emails going to places I never knew existed, and a well known photo program which either crashed every time I tried to save an image, or saved it at such low resolution (unbeknown to me) that I have been inadvertently horrifying my clients when I've been sending them pictures for their approval. Not good.

So I have resorted to threatening the wretched lump of plastic and wire with being chucked out the window and lo and behold it is behaving this morning so while it's in a cooperative mood I can catch up with some news.

First off...I want to say a big big thank you to Em at www.10000beads.blogspot.com
Em is a fellow SOSF member and she kindly sent me these which arrived just in time for my birthday.







The theme was chocolate and I was lucky enough to get my very own little tin of chocs plus some lovely notepaper and some chocolate bath bombs which smell divine. So divine in fact I had to confiscate one from my 3 -year old who I noticed was foaming at the mouth shortly after disappearing with the parcel while I was putting away my camera. O joys of motherhood.

Its such a lift to a glum February day when an unexpected parcel arrives at your door and the SOSF is all about the spirit of friendship rather than the simple exchange of gifts. Makes you realise what are the more important things in life, and brown paper packages tied up with string are far far better than getting a daily dose of spam messages anyday.

Completely changing the subject, I have just had some rather exciting news and an idea for a project that anyone interested can join in with. I'll post more info soon. If my laptop lets me that is.

Roses are red.....

Valentine's day approaches and I'd been asked by Flowers Talk (who sell my work) to paint some rose canvases.

Here is the result.

I am rather pleased with them (I painted 6 variations on this theme) and I'm going to add this dark rose to my website.





Meanwhile, I have been exceptionally organised this week and tidied my studio for the first time in months. I am in the habit of letting the mess and empty paint tubs and spent brushes accumulate around me until there is no room for the canvases. I was contemplating buying another set of drawers on wheels (you know the sort -plastic with three box-like compartments) since my bits and pieces were taking over my painting table.

Well one very satisfying cleaning morning later I find I have ample space in the storage I have.
I have some big projects to undertake in the next few weeks and I find it very therapeutic to have a big clean and sort out - it declutters my mind at the same time. Then comes the moment when you unwrap that canvas you've been planning and place it on the easel. Loads of white space but instead of stressing I feel calm and focussed.

Artweeks

I am so excited. I'm going to take part in the 2007 Oxfordshire Visual Arts Festival (aka Artweeks).

In May / June 2007, Oxfordshire artists from all disciplines will be opening up their homes and studios to the public. This is Oxfordshire's biggest visual arts festival and I've found a venue to show my work as my studio is on the small side.

I should say the venue found me. I guess you could call it serendipity. Nadin makes and sells very original jewellery. A chance meeting and an exchange of emails later, we are going to share a venue and show my paintings in colours that compliment her vibrant peices.

To give you a taster (I haven't finished my paintings yet so you'll have to wait to see my contributions) have a look at these (one of my favourites is the cuff, but click on the images to take a closer look).



If you're interested in any of the works she has for sale you can reach her at jewelleryandbeyond@hotmail.co.uk

Meantime I've been stepping up a gear in the studio and I'll soon have some new work to share with you.

Something new I learned this week

I have this habit....not sure whether its healthy or not....of collecting stones from beaches I've visited. Or fir cones from forests and leaf skeletons from parks. These little memorabilia are gradually filling up 'my' (as opposed to the rest of the household's) drawer in the hallway and beginning to spill out onto the top of fireplaces and ledges and my studio.

My favourites are beach stones. I have collected several big heavy intricately embedded with quartz stones from South Wales which serve as great doorstops. And some smaller ones. Much smaller as I had to carry them back in my already overloaded suitcase from France. These are from Cannes. For some reason I feel compelled to keep piling them up like little shrines. It set me thinking.

The other day I decided to use a well known search engine to find out what piles of stones can mean.

I came across this....(by Robert Glenn)

An obos is a Japanese term for a pile of rocks, one on top of another. The obos merely says, "I was here." Being an unusual configuration, it is obviously from the hand of man. Further, if it is knocked down or desecrated, it is easily rebuilt. There can be one at the bottom of the garden or in a private corner of a public park.

Obos is a destination, a sanctuary, a shrine and a focal point that reminds us that we work with our hands. We are builders and what we build is sacred. Obos may appear inconsequential and be unnoticed by casual passersby. It's a private tribute to something higher, something we might be striving for but find difficult to attain. Approach obos with a relaxed, curious mind. It can help with answers to questions not consciously asked. Obos gives pause, a contemplative thought or a new direction, a respite from clutter, a rededication to our struggle and an affirmation of the value of our personal effort. Obos is the carrier of a golden secret. Obos is like art itself. Obos is a joy to build.

I want to get out there and build more obos!!!

Done in 60 seconds...

Here is the red poppy. It's 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide.

This canvas is a recently completed commission and I took photos throughout all the stages of painting. There are about 60 in all.

I have stitched them all together to make a short animated film of the poppy coming together.

This is an ongoing learning process...I think I need to take more photos during the stages, and I need to work on keeping the same angles and lighting. Trouble is, you get carried away with the painting and I kept forgetting about taking pictures and not moving the easel. That said, the animation has worked quite well. I'll be animating another canvas very soon......

Happy New 2007, a teapot and a tray.....

Well thats it then. December over with.

The whirlwind of nativity plays, carol concerts, mince pies, mulled wine and packed out stressed out supermarket shopping has come to an end. I quite enjoy the hustle and bustle of christmas but I'm always glad of relative quiet (literally and figuratively) in January when it comes around. And I'm looking forward to getting back into my studio now the children have gone back to school and life is normal again.

I got some ceramics paints for christmas (amongst other things) and spent a busy fun afternoon decorating mugs and teapots with the kids. These paints are great. They go on really easily and all you do is let the paint dry for 24 hours then bake your painted item in the oven for half an hour. Here is my first attempt. Its totally different to painting on canvas and I have to admit a lot of fun! Hmm...thought I might have a go with a plain white dinner service next and use my poppy designs...

And while we're on the subject of kitchenalia (is that a word?) I was given this lovely old wooden tray to keep my brushes in. I suspect this wasn't its original purpose, but I'm stumped as to what it might have been originally used for.....???

Any suggestions welcomed but meanwhile its just perfect for keeping my brushes in order and it has that lovely old patina and solid feel to it. Thank you G.....


I have an exciting painting year ahead of me, I've treated myself to a new filbert from Shillbrooks of Witney, and have downloaded the application form for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

All in all a busy day and I daresay plenty more where that came from.

Christmas is coming...and the SOSF have dropped by

I can hardly believe its nearly christmas. I have been spending so much time in the studio that I've neglected to put up any christmas decorations. Until today that is. A real tree for a change, carted home with the help of my six-year-old son.

And what could be better than the smell of fresh needles gently shedding from your nordic pine?

The smell of homemade gingerbread biscuit stars to hang on the tree.


Thank you so much my SOSF Christmas Fairy Emma. They are so beautifully made and absolutely delicious (of course I had to test one) and I am having a job keeping them on the tree and out of little hands. I wonder how many will be left by christmas day?

Please let me have the recipe.....I may be in need of more very soon. Yum.

Been burning midnight studio oil..

At last. Thanks to Arianna at IHelm Enterprises I am now the proud owner of a very smart looking site. We've organised the paintings into galleries and made it easier to navigate. I hope you like it.

There is a special offer to celebrate the new site too. Order any painting and get a second canvas at half price. I have had a few takers for this, especially for childrens' commissions so book now and reserve your studio time before the offer ends.

And remember the poppy I was progressing earlier? Its finished. Here it is.

I have also been painting a very large red poppy and rather than show you photos, I am in the process of stitching together dozens and dozens of jpegs to make a movie of the painting as it appears on the canvas before your eyes. Hmm maybe I could set it to music, put it on a plasma screen and maybe hang 'that' on the wall.....somehow I get the feeling it may have been done already. Neat idea though.

Something new to share

I've started accepting commissions for paintings especially for childrens' rooms.....inspired by nursery rhymes, favourite toys, beloved teddy bears and even patchwork quilts.

This is a sketch I did for a painting inspired by a nursery quilt.




And here is how it developed............



The new website is now complete and I can add some more work to the galleries very soon. This being one of them. There is something extra special in producing work inspired by something that is treasured and the whole experience never fails to put a spring in my brush.

Paintings Progress

I can only read on in amazement at fellow bloggers who post a painting a day....clearly they have more studio time and no three year old to contend with...but I'm not complaining. It DID set me thinking though, and I have decided to blog the progess of a painting from start to finish.

When I get a brief for some work, the initial stage is to discuss the concept and come up with some ideas. The better ideas get made into miniature paintings on canvas paper which I send for approval. These 'paintlets' as I like to call them are matched to fabric swatches and other samples I've borrowed, and help set the stage for the actual work....here is one ......its going to be a big canvas....30 x 40 inches....I adore painting on big canvases.

The next stage is to sketch out on canvas. When its this big, I divide the paintlet image into grids and draw into corresponding grids on the canvas...this ensures that I keep the composition in proportion. Its painstaking work but I put some music on and the hours just fly by.

I drew this one out listening to Citizen Cope Clarence Greenwood Recordings. .....twice over.

This canvas is now ready for painting.
I always start off by covering the entire canvas in paint...roughly matched in colour and tone..and that way I can build structure into these poppies. First is the background.....pale pink to start with. I used process magenta, great brushfuls of titanium white and mixed them on the canvas.
I am going to be making big sweeping brush strokes on the petals so I need to preserve centre of the flower as this is the bit which will be painted last and will have all the detail. Keeping it simple, I paint it in with phthalo green and crimson, with some cerulean blue. This way, I shouldn't lose it while I'm filling in the petals.
Time to turn to the petals (and change the CD....now listening to an old Santana album)....and get bold with the brush. I loaded some magenta, permanent rose, crimson and ultramarine onto my palette, draped the fabric sample over the side and turned the music up. Two Santana albums later, voila.
Next stage will be to start focusing on each petal one by one.......(and also remember to take photos!!)

Some pictures and some news

I took some pictures of my work thats for sale in Flowers Talk at the Eynsham Emporium. I persuaded my son to come along so I didn't feel quite so self concious taking photos in a busy shop on a Saturday afternoon.

There are seven pieces in total, two of which are triptychs.





Other news...my new website is very nearly ready to go live and there will be some limited but very special opening offers available so watch this space ........