Monday 23 August 2010

WEEKEND WITH ANITA

On Thursday last I had a phone call from Anita asking if I was busy at the weekend. Within minutes we had arranged for me to travel across Friday lunch time to her home (70 miles from me), join Anita on her trip to Five Mile Inn near Ely on the Saturday to meet fellow blogger Sue (http://artofanomad.blogspot.com/) and pay a visit to the Haddenham Gallery on the way so I could see her work including a series of National Trust property sketches. Even in these austere times she has already sold four works.

Friday evening we put on Power of Art (Simon Schama BBC art series) to sketch Italian architecture in preparation for our trip next May. Technology is so great nowadays that we stopped a shot of The Dome of the St Maria Cathedral in Florence, then St Peters in Rome and did a few sketches. I'll post these later in the week. It was great practice but need plenty more before contemplating doing it plein air.
On meeting Sue at the Pub/restaurant Saturday morning, we went inside for teas and coffees to chat and get to know each other. Then before we knew it, it was lunch time. My first sketch was done viewing through the window as lunchers came and went on the riverside terrace. His companions disappeared before I got round to them spilling over onto the left hand page to make a double spread.

After lunch, we went down by the river and the sun came out although it was still windy. Here is my riverside effort using graphitint pencils and waterbrush - plus leaning over and 'pinching' a few watercolours from Sue's box when I needed more colour blocks. Don't laugh at my cows!! Certainly shows my love of plants judging from the only decent thing in it being the tree trunk!!
Finally, after a cooked supper at Anita's home I decided to paint her glorious pink roses. Here's my double spread.

Its great being part of Anita's family weekend and after a quiet Sunday with a trip to nearby Benwick riverside, I returned home in the evening before the rain set in - but it was dark most of the way. Thanks Anita.

4 comments:

Anita Davies said...

Ooooh that rose spread came out soooo good Joannie!
Wonderful weekend....can't wait for our next!

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

Me too.

Christiane Kingsley said...

Very nice sketches during what seems to have been a delightful weekend.

Unknown said...

I think your whole "cow" sketch is successful and captures the atmosphere well.

The roses are lovely.

It was a pleasure to meet you.