Ups and Downs

I'm used to delivering work personally to a gallery so it was a new experience on Tuesday to be packing 8 canvases for a show in Bristol. Though the canvases were small, (40cms by 30cms) it took at least an hour to bubblewrap them, and make sure they were sufficiently protected for the long journey. My work was selected for a 'Small Artworks' exhibition at the Nails Gallery, which is on for 3 weeks in June. For peace of mind, I insured my large package, which to my relief actually arrived intact.

Yesterday I delivered 2 paintings to the Llewellyn Alexander gallery, in London, for the NOT THE ROYAL ACADEMY exhibition. My work was selected from photos, though the gallery also takes works rejected by the selection committee for the Royal Academy Summer Show. I had entered a work for the Royal Academy Summer Show, and to my disappointment was turned down, but as it's known to be a lottery (with preference given to names, Academicians, established artists), I consoled myself with the acceptance to the other shows, and the very positive feedback I'm getting on Facebook for my paintings from internationally established artists. It's a hard route, strewn with rejections and criticism, and at moments like this your artist friends keep your spirits up. And of course, the sirens endlessly calling you to your personal artistic journey.......

(Blue painting: 'Paths.' 30cms by 40cms, Oil on canvas. Pink painting, 'Homage to Spring.' 40cms by 30cms, Oil on canvas.)

Fiona has her own website!

It's taken me 2 weeks to set up, but finally my website is up and running! It can be seen on the right hand side of this post, under 'Fiona's Paintings website.' It still needs a little updating, but showcases all the themes I like to paint.

Currently I'm painting outdoors. I'm totally obsessed with the colours of Spring. As I travel in the taxi every morning accompanying my niece to school, the vibrant passages of fiery greens, pinks, ochres and infinite variations of lemon-greens, and lilacs, have been an immense inspiration for painting. Though the new oils started out in a fairly literal way, I now find I want to spread shapes of colour across the canvases in an abstract way, just letting the colour dictate how the paintings should proceed.

Other than that, I'm about to get some paintings scanned digitally for a company that wants to put them onto prints for 4 and 5 star hotels and restaurants around the world. Considering that a year ago, my London gallery politely dumped me, I feel that things are looking up! (Read post from 12th May 2009, called 'Striped Coffee Cups.')

Last Exhibition of 2009

This was one of the most exciting shows I've taken part in. The gallery was the 3, Bedfordbury Gallery in Covent Garden, and was one of the most perfect galleries I've seen, from the perspective of lighting, space, and location. My 3 paintings were at the top of the stairs, on the first floor, a great way for your work to be encountered, and the lighting came from both ceiling lights and a window, and was very favourable to my colours. I liked the layout of the gallery, which was over 3 floors, and when I arrived in the evening for the Private View (10th December), the spire of nearby St. Martins' church was magically illuminated by the street lamps. The narrow streets around the gallery were overflowing with small shops and Pubs, and the atmosphere was quintessential London. Being near to Covent Garden, the streets were a stream of shoppers, and the exhibition was well received.

I showed 2 landscapes and a 'Women in the Turkish Baths' canvas.