Wild Play and woodlands.

Yesterday.  morni. ng I took my two dogs and headed to a nearby wooded area, I felt I needed to do some connecting with the earth. I'd run my first after school club in the woods last week and it has become quite a seminal moment for me.

Being in the woods with children and seeing them interact with their environment, getting on with the serious art of playing and growing is wonderful. I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing with my life.

So, back to my walk yesterday. I needed to spend time, give thanks and say goodbye to any self doubt. I did a connecting with the earth exercise, (this did involve me laying down, the puppy thought this was a great new game) and then I wandered off looking for things that appealed to me. I gathered a few leaves, some bark and some red clover.

I picked an oak leaf - strength, birch bark - renewal & beginning, holly - assertion & objectivity, red clover - good luck and a sycamore.  The sycamore has no mythology from the UK possibly as it wasn't introduced until the middle ages. 

Thank You

Forest School Trainee!

I'm really inspired at the moment, I get to be creative and play in the woods. 

My not for profit organisation, Corridor Arts, that I run with artist Andrew Martyn Sugars, successfully applied for funding so I could train as a forest school leader, we want to explore creativity outdoors and the impact it can have on children's development. 

I recently spent a week in a wood just outside Mansfield, where, if I'm honest, I experienced a life changing event. 

It was a gradual process, starting with me feeling nervous about meeting a new group of people and barking on a new path. As the week went on, we made friends, became supportive of each other, chatted, shared stories and even though I hate to use such a cliche, bonded as a group. 

By the end of the week, I was happily closing my eyes and being led around the wood and singing loudly at the trees. 

I did things I never thought I would dare, as I am basically a bit of a wimp... 

But back in my day job on Monday and a trip to Whitepost Farm, I heard myself agreeing to hold a python and a bearded dragon (ok, I was excited about holding a real dragon but rather terrified of the python!). I'm in my 40's (gulp) but if such an experience can have an impact on my slightly cynical grey matter, can you imagine the impression it would have on the developing, fresh and excited brain of a 10 year old?

I felt braver, I felt I could do anything and face any fears. After all, just two days earlier I had sung and danced in a wood with my new forest family. I have a deep sense of contentment. 

Now then, where's my knife, I have a spoon finish carving! 

Creativity & Transition Belper

I was sat on my sofa, reading the transition network website guidelines for the stages of transition and involving families, when I realised the most obvious thing I hadn't done... Tell people about my growing involvement with the transition network. (Duh!)

For the last few months I've been working on a project for Transition Belper and what started out as a fun project that I could use my artistic skills with local children is turning out to be a bit of a life changer. I've always tried (and regularly failed) to live ethically and environmentally friendly so joining in with the transition network is an obvious step. 

Transition movements look at ways to address the two subjects of climate change and peak oil and how we can continue to live with a dwindling resource and how we contribute to climate change. 

The project is to create artwork for the railings at the Belper Train Station and to create a mosaic that will be built at Belper Goes Green Festival. I'm still hoping we have the funds for the mosaic and we are winging it a bit, but I still have a belief that it will happen. 

This has had an effect on my lifestyle recently as I've given up my car (my biggest oil user as I rarely do things like fly) and an awakening to using local and alternative sources. I'm currently enjoying the bus ride to my part time job which means I get to walk through my local park most days, whether I'll still like it in winter remains to be seen! 

I also recently agreed/volunteered to be the Creativity & Wellbing coordinator and our first meeting is on the 3rd May. My aspirations for this group are that we ultimately make artwork that reflect the issues around transition, have some skill sharing sessions and hopefully some up skilling. I know that I would love to learn how to crochet, something very simple but is a total mystery to me! 

As well as this I also start training as a forest school leader in May which I'm really excited about. Outdoors, kids, playing & learning, creating, mud. What's not to love! 

One of the drawings from Herbert Strutt Primary School for Transition Belper. 

Outdoor Easter Crafts hanging in the living willow dome. 

Why the Make Me An Offer Sale...

Why am I having a sale where people can get my artwork at rock bottom prices?

Several reasons....

I don't like selling my work.
I have a lot of artwork.
I have limited space.
People tell me they have no money but love my work.
My dislike for capitalism.


So basically, if anyone likes a piece of work, they can have it for a donation.  I will not be offended if I only get offered a £1.  This isn't about the money.

I feel that lately things have got too focussed on money and this is my kick back to it.

I want to keep making because I enjoy it not because I want to make money from it. 


So if you really truly enjoy a piece of my artwork and woudl like it, then offer me something. It doesn't have to be money, it could be a piece of your work, your time or something else you can do... just put it out there and see what comes back...

To view the artwork on offer follow the link to my Facebook page.

Red Handed in a Field

I was planning on doing some mosaicing this weekend... but when I tidied my studio yesterday, I found some raw silk hankies and my dyes. Needless to say, my hands are now a deep reddish colour...

I started my morning with a walk down to the Farmers Market to buy mushrooms for breakfast, I was there so early, they were still setting up.  But sunny early mornings are my favourite time and too soon it will be dark and dingy. I love the feeling of being the only person awake, so Maybe and I headed back home to cook our mushrooms and check on the mordanting fibres.

Threads and Raw Silk in the Mordant Bath

The Acid Dyes are applied...

Then Steamed...

And put on the drying rack...

TAH DAH! - Beautiful Colours to play with.

I now have a whole stack of beautfully dyed silks, threads and wool to play with in some textile/collage/mixed media way. Jung often went out and played to access his sub conscious and recognised the value in being creative, so as I work through my Mindfulness & Coaching course, I need to remember that playing is an essential part of my own needs. That and getting pretty colours.


After lunch of vegetarian scotch eggs bought from the Farmers Market I headed out with fellow artist and friend, helping him to chose locations to film in.  He's making another K-Film and needed countryside for the shots.

So a very creative day today, which after 6 weeks of having children home from school, was much needed!

Summer 2012

Kampa Museum, Prague.

Its all been quiet on the blogging front this summer, mainly because I have been having a FANTASTIC holidays.  In the last couple of months I have run the Race for Life, raising money for cancer research uk, taken my kids climbing and horse riding, started yoga classes, been to Prague with my five very clever and talented sisters, been to Wales to visit my parents and spent lots of time on the beach.  I have also set a five year plan of moving back to North Wales to be nearer the sea.

I have also been researching where I want to go next with my life, I have become disillusioned with the art world and got fed up of trying to promote myself and 'make it' within the art scene.  Not anyone's fault, I just don't like having to promote myself.

So after a summer of soul searching and reading and walking, I realised that I love creativity more than I love fine art.  I enjoy the actual making, but really not that concerned with the piece after that.  I don't know how to value my work in monetary terms, because money isn't a priority in my life, even though I do need it for bills, food etc....

This led to me deciding to enrol on a Mindfulness and Life Coaching course, I want to combine this knowledge with creativity and work with other people exploring how creativity can be used for positive purposes.  So from being fairly disillusioned, I am now boinging with energy and excitement over the future and what it will bring.  I'm not giving up my own artwork, but will be making purely for the pleasure of making without having the pressure of selling and promoting myself.

Kutna Hora

Kutna Hora

Draycott Arts & Gardens Festival, Day 1

I had a really lovely day yesterday at the Draycott Festival.

It's a very relaxed atmosphere at Draycott, its the second time I've taken part and have enjoyed the experience each time.  It feels very friendly and open with no pretensions.  In the garden Stevie Davis has hung some beautiul glasswork on the blossoming tree, looking as though these forms have almost mutated out of the branches.

Fuschia Glasswwork by Stevie Davis

Venue 2, Draycott Arts & Gardens Festival

I was sharing the space with a couple of jewellery makers of very fine and very delicate silverware, I have to admire such patience when making such a delicate item.  Karen Victoria, a mixture of self confessed 50's housewife accompanied by a fear of facepaint.  We were treated to a session by the Guerilla Drummers who set up for a set in the garden and just as we were starting to wind Sophie Snell turned up and told us a beautiful welsh story about ancestry, love and fish. 

I also said goodbye to a painting yesterday and happily sent it off to its new home, where I hope it will be very happy.  My new range of cards are also being well recieved too, having decided I should put my doodling to a good use and produced some cards which I'm pleased with.

So as I sit and listen to yesterday's Desert Island Discs and wait for my coffee to brew, I'm anticipating another lovely relaxed day, with good conversations with visitors and today I shall have to visit the lady at the end of the road who sells CAKE!

Festival Preparations

I've spent most of the day mounting & cello wrapping some postcard size paintings, just little abstract pieces done from memory, of a lanscape, an area glimpsed from the car window or a mountain range.  I'm really pleased with how they look and they are now ready to take over to Draycott Arts & Gardens Festival on Sunday.  The festival opens on Sunday at noon and runs through til 5pm Monday.  I'll be showing my paintings this year.  I feel that I am finally finding my way of expressing myself creatively, by using paint.  I have tried sewing, sculpture, textiles, mosaic but keep coming back to painting, so for now, that's what I'm sticking with.

One Drawing a Day

I treated myself to a couple of new books this week.  One of them is One Drawing a Day by the members of Studio 1482.  The first day's drawing was a simple line drawing, which I really enjoyed doing. These drawings took about 5 minutes each.  The idea is to move the pen and the process of drawing, not the outcome.  I particularly liked the first drawing.

A lot of the exercises are not new to me, I did a lot of them while doing my art foundation course, but its a good reminder of them.  I planning to run some drawing workshops when I have taken myself through a few more exercises.  Its just a case of being more disciplined! I think drawing is a good practice to keep up, the ability to capture something you observe with a few lines is a skill well learnt.

The Power of Social Media

I've recently been included in a press release and we are to have a group interview and photo taken for the Derby Evening Telegraph next week.  It's very exciting and I have been boingy and buzzing since yesterday afternoon, I returned from taking Maybe for a walk to see my inbox flooded with emails arranging it all.   So today my mission is to go and get my haircut!


Four Belper Artists Brought Together by Social Media Have A Chance Of Selection to Exhibit in London Gallery

Back in summer 2011 Belper artist Ruth Gray read her twitter feed and the words ‘We are looking for Desperate Artwives!’ Jumped out at her. The call on the website read:

‘We are a group of women and artists who have been putting our "artistic needs" on hold to attend to our family and work duties, but who have also never forgotten who we really are at heart. We are now ready to reclaim our artist status and are looking for others who feel they belong to this category to join our group. Desperate Artwives aims to be a starting point and a common platform to gather artists and artwork that will make our project unique. We are looking for work that is entirely created at home, in between chores, family and paying bills. All artwork will be showcased on our website, while a smaller selection will join the Desperate Artwives group in our upcoming exhibition in London. Artworks in all media are welcomed, Inc. visual, film, sculpture, performance, textile art, poetry and writers. Submissions from international artists are also very welcomed!’

Ruth immediately submitted four pieces of work that she had been painting in the evening when her children were in bed and was accepted with her work show cased on the Desperate Artwives website. Since then the project has grown from strength to strength with over forty women artists from all over the world contributing. Amy Digham the project founder has announced that Desperate Artwives is now officially supported by the Women's Art Library, Goldsmiths University of London and the Desperate Artwives Exhibition will take place from the 19/05 to the 29/05 (PV friday 18th) at the Vibe Gallery, London. SE16 4DG. Student Jerwood Prize winner 2011 Nicki Rolls, will be taking part as special guest.

What Ruth didn’t bargain for was the project bringing together Jenny Oldknow, Christine Gray and Mandy –Jayne Ahlfors all Belper artists who all share similar stories of raising families and working yet still finding time to create artwork in between, this has been an added bonus and now the artists have had opportunities through social networks such as twitter and facebook to meet up and collaborate on other projects such as the Belper Art Trail and #twitterartexhibit (taking place in Moss Norway.) All have seen their profile raised since Desperate Artwives began and are now very positive that the time spent painting in between chores is paying off!


　

The Belper Artists

Ruth Gray

Ruth Gray is a fine artist who is both a British and Australian citizen specialising in semi abstract artworks that explore the emotion of natural environments through the use of colour and form.

Working predominantly in acrylics, using collage to add texture. With a long background in representational art Ruth also has a love of traditional watercolours and pencil work. Because fine art was not considered to be a stable career choice, she studied Textiles Technology at University and became a clothes designer for twelve years. But continuing her art education at night school and sketching at home. After immigrating to Australia in 2003 with her husband, she found herself living hours away from any major town or city and unable to continue her fashion career, so she reinvented herself as a fine artist. Successfully selling artwork in regional and national exhibitions, solo, joint and group shows. Media attention from newspapers, local radio and regional TV followed. Eventually writing ‘how to’ articles for national arts magazines. All the while discovering new skills in fine art at the local college.

Returning to the UK in 2009 and settling in Belper on the edge of The Peak District Ruth completed a degree in International Business and has continued with her art practice. Currently represented by local galleries in Derbyshire.

Bondi Rip by Ruth Gray

Mandy –Jayne Ahlfors
Before embarking on opening a working artist studio and gallery Mandy began exhibiting her art in the year 2007 it was a big step and was encouraged by her family to take the leap into the otherside of the art world. So her first exhibition was at a lovely little gallerynestled in Lea nr Holloway, followed by an exhibition at View from The Top gallery in Nottingham. The following year Mandy was made redundant from her job as drawing office administrator this meant looking for work,after six months of looking Mandy was approached by a friend who suggested sharing studio space. This was the beginning of something new and challenging. Mandy moved her studio and gallery to her home town and opened in July 2011 in Heage Derbyshire.

Mandy Jane Ahlfors in her Studio

Jenny Oldknow
‘I paint expressive and vibrant watercolour’s of ALL kinds of lovely animals - pets, wildlife, insects, horses, farm animals, you name it! I also paint pure abstract work.I have exhibited my work widely and my paintings have been sold throughout the UK and abroad.
Commissions are very welcome - pet portraits are a specialty! But I am happy to paint ANY animal, or an abstract piece, for your special commission!
I am an artist member of the 'Association of Animal Artists'.

Red Flight by Jenny Oldknow

Christine Gray

Christine is a mixed media artist who explores the use of colour and texture. Using a combination of collage, handmade silk papers, dyes and paint she creates abstract studies often combined with an illustrative technique.

Her work often reflects the landscape around her, including areas of Belper, Matlock, The Peak District and from visits to her parents on Anglesey. Christine also uses creative writing in her work. She is currently exploring Art and Running, painting abstract landscapes of the world in motion.

She moved to Derbyshire in 1991 and has made Belper her permanent home.

‘I studied Fine Art at the University of Derby and graduated in 2009 alongside bringing up a young family, I then continued onto a Postgraduate Certificate in Community & Participatory Arts at Staffordshire University . In 2010, I was selected for the ‘Start Up & Go’ business programme with University of Derby and since then have been working as an artist, making and selling work through various outlets and attending local festivals.
I am also working in collaboration with Andrew Martyn Sugars in our not for profit arts organisation called Corridor Arts, we put on art events in Amber Valley such as The Belper Art Trail with the Belper Food Festival Committee, that promotes collaboration between artists and works to keep our artistic community thriving.’

Belper by Christine Gray

Desperate Artwives Project Founder

Amy Dignam.

Amy graduated from Central St Martin in 2005. Dictated by the need to support herself financially and by the fact that job prospects for conceptual artists are not exactly flourishing, Amy ended up having to take up a job that is not even remotely near her artistic ambitions. A few years on and Amy is now married, has two gorgeous girls and is still in the same job. She is a housewife, mother and part-time employee, but at heart she is also an artist who is looking for an opportunity to keep her passion going.

Meditating on her situation, Amy realised that there are plenty of women in exactly the same situation – women that continue to produce incredible work behind closed doors while they feed their babies, support their husbands and chase a job that pays the bills but doesn’t satisfy their creative needs. These women need a voice and an outlet.

What if we created a movement to celebrate these talented women? What if we could find a way to collect the work of these women and then look for an opportunity to exhibit their work? In answering these questions, Amy created ‘Desperate Artwives‘, a movement, a website and a collection of work that will eventually be sifted and shortlisted for a London exhibition.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Links:

http://www.desperateartwives.com/desperateartwives.com/Welcome.html

http://www.gold.ac.uk/make/

http://www.jerwoodvisualarts.org/

http://www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk/2011/11/27/new-project-desperate-artwives/

http://www.jennyoldknow.com/

http://www.purpleshedstudio.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/Ruthggray

http://www.ruthgraHYPERLINK "http://www.ruthgrayimages.co.uk/"yHYPERLINK "http://www.ruthgrayimages.co.uk/"images.co.uk

http://www.artbymandy.com/http___artbymandy.com/About.html

http://davidsandumart.posterous.com/call-for-artists-2nd-twitter-art-exhibit-in-m

http://www.corridor-arts.org.uk/

Peripatetic Art of Running

For this weeks AlphabeThursday post for the letter P, (click on the badge below for more posts) I would like to introduce my new blog - The Peripatetic Art of Running. 

I have taken on a new mission to get fit and healthy lately and have been running since January.  It's been a slow process, the wrong trainers for the way I run left me with rather bad shin pain, so I had to just go very very slow and easy, but keep going I did.

As usual, I find it impossible to embark on something without emerging myself totally in it, so have decided that the best way to deal with this aspect of my personality is to make art about it.

I've started exploring the colours and shapes I see when I'm out running, taking photographs on the move, and then abstracting them onto paper. I'm quite pleased with yesterdays endeavours.

Running Routes 1

Running Routes 2

Mam Tor, Derbyshire

Last week I drove out to Castleton and took in some of the breath taking views.  I decided to visit some of the '7 Wonders' of the Peak District, so named by Thomas Hobbes, which I am currently painting for my next exhibition. 

Mam Tor, Derbyshire

Its known as the shivering mountain and is constantly on the move, the road beneath it was closed in the 1970's because of repeated landslides which means that the only access from the north end of the Hope Valley is via Winnats Pass, which means 'Windgates'. 

This is some of the most stunning scenery in Derbyshire and it was incredibly cold when we visited.

Winnats Pass also has its own Murder Mystery Story about two lovers who were murdered for their fine clothes and £200 while eloping to the Peak Forest.  It all adds to the moody feel of driving down the sunless pass before emerging to the sublime views of the Hope Valley.

A very cold Winnats Pass.

 When I was 6 years old, I visited Derbyshire, travelling from Anglesey during one of the hottest summers, Ladybower reservoir had dried up and we visited all the sites, Monsal Head, Chatsworth and the Hope Valley.  On our arrival in Derbyshire, the heavens opened on our canvas tent and in true Enid Blyton style, we set about singing 'The sun has got his hat on... hip hip hooray!' and it worked, the sun came out and we were spent the next 2 weeks sweltering. (Thanks Mum, for remembering this!)

Alphabe Thursday - A day late... J - An a bit of creative writing to go with it.

Julia sat and took another bite out of her limp lunch, the token piece of healthy rocket hanging over the edge of the crust, and balanced the book alongside her plate. The book was easy to read, easy to follow and made it all sound so easy. It had sat for a couple of weeks on the bookshelf, sandwiched between Susan Jeffers and Julia Cameron, hidden where she knew no one would bother to look at it.

It felt like a she was about to embark on climbing Everest without an oxygen mask. And in trainers. She would frequently daydream back to the days, when cycling 8 miles home from the office had been a downhill free pedal, or further back when the stand on your pedals, thigh muscle torture of hills had made her burn with pleasure or running several kilometres had been a meditation on repetition. Or the pleasure of feeling every muscle in her body ache from 50 lengths of the pool had made her collapse into bed with physical exhaustion.

But now.

Childbirth, alcohol, prozac, closely followed by divorce and a life on benefits were displayed on her hips for all to see and judge her by. Unable to reach those peaks of physical activity, Julia sought solace where she could find it. Between the pages of a vast library of subjects, art, philosophy, identity, personal development, cookery, paganism, christianity and exercise. Bloody exercise that over the years had become her nemesis. From her sofa she could read about all the subjects and interests she loved. However, this did not transform into actually doing and the longer she digested these tomes on life, the less she actually lived it.

She had however, lived the life of the dieter, from slimming clubs to amphetamines to bulimia and regrettably none of these winning the competition for her sylph like form and her head remained crownless, leaving her stand on the nhs spotlight of 'obese, increased likelihood of heart disease'.

She didn't want the narrative of her life to read like a Hattie Jacques biography, with descriptions of voluptuousness and larger the lifeness. She wanted a Trinity or Lisbeth Salander description and the realisation that reading these descriptions was not going to metamorphosise these lean muscular figures off the page and into her reality.

Reading and consuming would not make her reality that different. She had to take her trainers firmly by the laces and assert some authority over them. She had to live.

The book (still reading between the lines) insisted she went for an actual walk. Encouraging words of inspiration assured her it was the place to start, the dog raised its eyes in hopeful agreement.

'I suppose,' Julia mused at the depressed dog, 'a good place to start would be with getting dressed...'

Next Exhibition

DE MIRABILIBUS PECCI

An Exhibition of Mixed Media Paintings by Christine Gray at The Crompton Tavern, Derby

In 1626, Enlightenment Philosopher Thomas Hobbes, toured the Peak District in the company of the Second Earl of Devonshire. He described the places he visited as 'Wonders' and was inspired to write the poem, De Mirabilibus Pecci, which was translated to English in 1678. This poem inspired early tourists to visit one of Britain's most popular destinations.

I have followed in Hobbes footsteps and explored the areas that Hobbes enjoyed, using a mixture of collage, paint and drawing, I have painted his favourite places in the Peak District. Hobbes's 'Wonders' included Chatsworth House, Peak Cavern, Tideswell and Buxton.

I have also included some of my favourite places in the Peak District and the UK, ranging from Belper where I now live, through Matlock to the White Peak, to some favourite places from my native Anglesey.

find me on Facebook here:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ChristineGrayArtist

PREVIEW NIGHT

Saturday 25^th February, 7.00 – 9.00pm at The Crompton Tavern, 46 Crompton Street, Derby DE1 1NX. Opening times: 14.00 – 23.00 (weekdays) 12.00 – 23.00 (weekends). www.cromptontavern.co.uk  They also have their own blog here:  http://www.cromptontavern.co.uk/Exhibitions/forthcoming-exhibitions

Red Ruff will be singing their 3 part harmonies. Red Ruff is Jen Aitken, Sue Devine and Nansy Ferrett.

They got together early 2011 just because they all love singing... also because they love big boots and red hair!

Red Ruff do a mix of their own material and covers: folk, jazz, blues and rock. And make people smile! Go to their website to hear them sing:

http://www.redruff.co.uk/

Haiku

A DREAM ABOUT MY ROMANTIC LIFE

Gentle Wind Licks
Glorious Window Opens My
Biting Tiger Heart.

Alphabet Thursday - H is for Haikubes

I've started a new word game via this wonderful blog, by Jenny Matlock, and it has given me the opportunity to play with my new Haikubes. I bought these for workshops with children and need to get used to using them and its a fun way of playing with words before I try to enthuse kids with them. 

You roll the dice and create a haiku on the subject using the words that lie face up.  I did struggle to figure some of the syllable count and I'm still not sure about the word riches, but decided to just go with the flow.

So my first attempt is:-

A DESIRE FOR OUR WORLD

I marvel Fertile

Riches, Tangle Inside Shelter

Finally Dreaming of You.

And I enjoyed it! 

Very Exciting New Year

I feel very excited at the moment.  I'm preparing for an exhibition at The Crompton Tavern(more information to follow) and got my cheque in on time for the Derbyshire Arts Trail in June.  I'm joining a group at Banks's Mill in Derby and showing my work there.

I've been reading some historical context of Derbyshire and some of the travel writing.  Daniel Defoe (ca. 1659–1661 to 24 April 1731) was less than complimentary, calling the Peak District a 'Wonderless Wonder' while Celia Fiennes (c.1662-1741) was very scathing of the beer in Buxton. 

'... the beer they allow at meals is so bad that very little can be drunk..'

My favourite writing has been by Thomas Hobbes(c.1588-1679), the philosopher who is credited with being the founder of English moral and political philosophy.  His most famous work is Leviathon, where he presents his thoughts on metaphysics, psychology and political philosophy.  He wrote De Mirabilibus Pecci after touring the Peak District and dedicated it the Second Earl of Devonshire and describes there being 7 Wonders of the Peak.  My aim is to visit and paint all these wonders over the next couple of weeks ready to show at the Crompton.

Revived and Rested

I'm feeling very revived and rested after this xmas break.  I even managed to finish a painting and start a new one.

View of the Mountains from Beaumaris

I was fairly exhausted in the run up to this xmas and very relieved that I now feel recovered.  I also feel very hopeful for the New Year.  I have a instinctual feeling that something good is going to happen and lately I have been trying to practise trusting my instinct.  If my gut feeling says its wrong, then I'm going with it.
Learning to recognise the feeling of instinct or nervousness is tricky though and I have got these muddled in the past.
So I decided to put myself outside of my comfort zone and start applying for competitions. The first one I've applied for is Channel 4's, Show Me the Monet.  They attraction of having my work critiqued and a possible selling show in London was strong so I followed my instinct, ignored the horrible nervous feeling of 'What if I actually get somewhere with this and end up on telly!' and pressed the submit button.
I have also got a list of other competitions to enter and a feeling of great positivity.  I plan on making the Law of Attraction work for me this year!

Mountain View

View from Beaumaris to the Mainland.

My latest painting, again, not sure whether I like it. But I have learnt to do hide it away for a couple of months before I look at it again.  I used my new paints for this, which are very vibrant and colourful, exactly the sort I love to work with.

I've struggled with this painting, at one point, I whited it out and had to return some of the vibrancy.

I also used a board and not paper, which is out of my comfort zone, I feel very precious about using boards to paint on and it was a challenge to let go of having to produce a perfect piece of work.  When working on paper I am happy to make a mess and remain playful, to make mistakes and not feel that I have ruined whatever I am working on.  I'm still trying to find this freedom when working on a different background.

My two wooden frames have been returned to me today, so the challenge will be to cover them in canvas and make two large paintings in the new year.  

View over Belper

This is the same view over Belper as the blue based painting done earlier, but I thought I would challenge myself by using a different pallete. I usually stick to purples and blues so changing the colours I work with was challenging and fun.  I enjoyed doing this painting, elements of it really work for me.

It feels more traditional in style and colour so is a new departure for me, I'm not sure its a route I want to take, I enjoy the abstract element of painting so this is a bit too representative.  I am still enjoying this experimental process of finding my own style and voice using paint.  It feels good to be returning to it and I still feel inspired by the John Piper exhibition I saw during the summer, a quick dip into the book I bought and the inspiration and thrill of looking at his work returns.