VIEW OF THE CITY OIL PAINTING

I had decided to create another 16" x 16" box canvas piece for the Kings Lynn Summer Show in oils, but it wasn't until I was on our way back from Yarmouth with Sandra that I came across the very subject. VIEW OF THE CITY OF NORWICH FROM MOUSEHOLD HEATH early evening.

View of the City complete

(actually there is a little more of the foreground pathway and sky as I cropped this image to use for postcards being printed by Vista)

It all came about because our return to the city coincided with the outpouring of the Norwich football club fans after the last match of the season which meant they had won the cup. The main road was blocked and everything came to a stand still, so we headed off across country to approach the city further round and Sandra took me on a detour past the prison to see the view that just about every artist worth his salt living or visiting Norwich has painted, from Seago to Cotman I am sure!!

Well, above is my finished version and below an early stage of blocking showing more sky and pathway foreground area.

I was trying to consider what tones I would use to create the early evening light and it was only later when I realised my other works for the show had figures that I decided to add the loving couple seated on the bench. Hurrah for google images for some references of people proportions to the size of the bench.

Early blocking in stages, not really knowing where it will eventually lead me!!

PASTEL WORKSHOP

two works in progress (plus the inevitable cups of tea)

Way back at the beginning of May I had a pastel workshop with my regular artists, but realised this morning that due to so much dashing about I had not posted info about our day together here in Coltishall village hall. It seems (thank goodness for my routine) I had put the photos I had taken onto my hard drive Coltishall workshop folder, so it was easy to find them.

I took many brightly coloured subjects and one of our kind ladies brought some new interesting figures and pots. So here are a some photos of the subjects they all chose from - I loved them so much I wanted to join in and in fact took photos for use in my studio when I get the time:

dancer, pansies and lace - blue plate, orange and vase of flowers

floral portion of our mixed subjects for a pastel workshop.

The morning began a little different than most of my workshops, as we plunged straight into a full subject learning as we went. Here are some works in progress (as well as the photo at the top):

... and here are some floral works :

I could not get all the variety of work into this post, but must mention our young lady's work on the Venetian mask Maggie kindly brought in for us. It would also seem we got so involved I did not photo the finished work at the end of the day and I know there was a delightful study of the ballerina with flowers as well as the one above with the lamp . Naughty tutor!!

PS: I have had real trouble with this post - with uploading the images and now with this massive space before the comments and other details - it won't let me delete blank lines all the way down!!!! I've given up trying so keep going if you want to add a comment please!!

I've been in to get rid of the blank lines this morning, hurrah it worked today!!

MELTON HOUSE GALLERY REEPHAM

I can't believe how the time has flown since I journeyed over to Sutton Bridge to take an acrylic workshop for a group of artists over there in Lincolnshire on the 21st April. I stayed on to visit friends and ever since I have been back have been delivering work for Norfolk and Suffolk shows, attending previews, stewarding and visiting Yarmouth one lovely day with Sandra to see the Seachange Exhibition and visit a new gallery opened by Michelle who runs the Beccles Upstairs gallery. Oh yes, then on 1st May had my local group at a pastel workshop, so no time to add a new post to my blog.

Then I came home early from delivering and invigilating at a West Norfolk Artist show at Ringstead Stables Gallery, as I had developed a very itchy rash and everyone was worried it was shingles. Fortunately, my doctor saw me on the afternoon of my return and diagnosed an allergy. So I am on cortison creams and anti histamine tablets and slowly improving.

Then last Wednesday (the day I returned) I had an SOS from a new gallery which opened this year in the lovely market town of Reepham in Norfolk. Having seen my book Ten Years in the Life of a Painter, Laura asked particularly for my flower pieces. It was a lovely opportunity at very short notice to find a selection of floral works available from my stock and I rose to the occasion taking down work for her to select and hang the very next morning. We had great fun together working out what went where with much juggling and changing of minds as the morning progressed. Eventually there were 13 pieces hung, including the Norfolk Poppyfield acrylic on an easel in the window -

Here is the hanging in progress

and the corner where we hung the four watercolours I had brought.

My larger acrylic pieces made a grand showing on the main wall opposite the entrance doorway. I'm going back tomorrow to meet their PR lady and photographer, so will photo that as Laura straightened and labelled all the works after I left on Thursday.