Open Studios 2015

My Open Studio 2014

Every year at the first weekend of May (2nd, 3rd and 4th this year), there is a huge Open Studio event in this area.  I tend to take part every other year to give me a chance to rebuild my inventory of paintings and catch up with commissions.

An additional benefit to taking time off is a chance to visit the other artists and see their work, because there is absolutely no time at all while you are hosting your own event!

I have enjoyed looking through the brochure to choose who to visit and have decided on:

Helen Glassford, who paints beautiful atmospheric landscapes - she has a lovely studio overlooking the River Tay and her work is displayed to great effect there.

Morag Muir paints gorgeous, rich, lively acrylic still life, she too has a lovely view of the River Tay as she lives just a couple of streets away from Helen.  Her work is very vibrant and reminds me of Indian textile work.

Jonathan Dowling's work is mostly drawings on paper, but he also has some pastel work and some fabulous drawings on wood that he cuts from a local woodland.  They are unusual and very beautiful.

Dominique Robertson is a weaver and she has an exhibition of the process of her work as well as some demonstrations, where possible.

Siv MacArthur lives locally to me and I have never visited her studio before. Her work is a vibrant mixture of many mediums and subjects, so it will be an interesting visit, I am sure.

I am intrigued by Katy McKidd Stevenson's work, so I will try and pay her studio a visit.  She works in portraiture and creates imaginative scenarios and I would like to see them in the flesh.

I shall visit Nichola Martin, who was at university with me, it will be interesting to see how her work has evolved since then. She used to work mainly in charcoal, but she is introducing colour and using paints now.

and as many more as I can fit in around my Open Studio Shed duties.

The shed is a collaborative work by the OS participants and it is sited at the Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse (outside Cupar, near Ceres and Chance Inn).  The shed has decorated chairs, tiles on the floor, stained glass windows, handmade bunting, painting, a house on the roof and much more. 

I can hardly wait!

Landscape Progress

Just a quick update and an apology to everyone for my slackness in replying and commenting on blogs - it has been very busy here these past few days and I am just beginning to catch up now.

I managed a little amount of time on my landscape and here is where I am at currently:

I still have the foreground fields to work on, a bit of reworking in the sky and some other highlights to be added.

It is nearing completion!

Thank you very much for stopping by my blog and for taking the time to comment, it really means a lot to me to have your encouragement.

A Bit More Progress

I managed a bit more on the landscape, I worked a fair bit on the sky but it still needs some attention, plus I blocked in some of the fields and trees.  It is now beginning to look a little less purple!

Tomorrow, I may post the beginnings of another similar format painting that I have begun to draw out.  I need something else to work on while the layers dry.

Panorama Landscape WIP2

Thankyou very much all of you who have left such positive feedback on my newest landscape.

Here is a bit more work on it, I completely changed the sky as I thought the clouds were a bit too pointy and unrealistic.

This is it just blocked in and I will add the lighter parts of the clouds in a day or two.  I am having great time working at this size and format - and on canvas, for a change!

New Painting on the Easel

I have begun the next painting and got the underpainting all blocked in.  Once it is dry I can begin to get working on it straight away.

It is on canvas for a change and is 30cm x 100cm (1foot x 3feet).  I am using purple as the under colour so it shows through in the shadows (I hope).