Four Exhibitions

'Stormy Day, Brighton,' acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 cm

I was surprised to find that it is over a month since I last wrote anything in this blog. Time has once again been an issue and I wrote a long post recently on Facebook about this because I believe that it is a problem for most artists: juggling life commitments with earning money and family obligations, and trying to fit painting in between! I have found a way to paint 3 to 4 days a week but this calls for much planning and rigorous adherence to my schedule in order to get paintings finished and canvases stretched. It's also a case of developing a rhythm that works for you, and for me that means working between 4 or 5 canvases and also making works on paper or rice paper. A dialogue emerges between different images and mediums which I believe extends my ideas further.

Also, there is a chunk of time gobbled up by submitting to Open Calls - and I had work in three exhibitions last month and the two paintings posted are going to the Llewellyn Alexander gallery in a few weeks for their annual 'Not The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.' I received a phone call to inform me that these two Brighton inspired paintings had been selected. They are different to my usual style and approach but figuration has been creeping back into my work and I do not have fixed ideas of how my work 'should' look; I just follow its call!

'Bringing in the Canoes, Brighton,' acrylic on canvas, 25 x 20 cm

I have work in a painting and photography exhibition at the Crowborough Community Centre (Sussex) until May 17th, and also I had a painting in the annual Haywards Heath Art Trail last month, and currently I have two paintings in an Abstract exhibition at the Baker Tilly offices in Crawley (Sussex)

Beach inspirations

 

Though I am going to China soon and I am thinking how I will respond to the landscape there, I am also thinking how inspiring the sea at Brighton is and I may make a few more paintings to explore this theme. Especially I like the sea in stormy weather and I am posting a few photos of the sea on different days. 

I may explore this theme further on my return from China. I think the things that interest me the most are the wide spaces animated in places by boats and people and also the variety of colours in the water and the way the colours change according to the sky and winds.

Already Into March

The Dome, Brighton

The Big Heart auction exhibition at the Dome, Brighton

'Rising Light,' oil and acrylic on board, 30 x 40cm

Normally I hate these winter months but the first part of this year has been so busy that I have not really had time to notice anything! The Big Heart auction at the Dome in Brighton took place on March 3rd. It was a really good exhibition of 200 donated artworks and I was pleased to have a painting in the show. Later I heard that everything sold and the charity raised around £30,000.

Brighton Pavilion

'An Unveiling,' oil and acrylic on board, 20 x 30cm

Since then, I have made quite a few new paintings, going in some new directions. I've also sent out more applications for exhibitions and now I'm playing the waiting game! But as Spring leaves its trails across the landscape, I always feel my energies rising, and I find this one of my most creative times of the year.

Exhibitions and Connections

Me with one of my large watercolours at the exhibition

The New Year began with a speed I haven't experienced before! The exhibition BRUNCH took place at Apothiki studios, in Paphos, Cyprus from January 25th to January 30th. The three of us - Valerie Brennan, Bridget Fahy and myself - first met about 4 years ago on Facebook. We all have a connection with Cyprus: they live there, I used to live there and return frequently. We set up our show on January 24th, on a lovely sunny warm day, and whittled a large number of paintings down to around 7 by each of us. We hung them on the stone walls of the old Apothiki (storehouse) which is now their studio and part-time gallery. There were a large number of visitors at the Opening and everyone found that the work showed our connections both artistically and through our Cyprus connection.

'Evocation,' oil and acrylic on canvas, 35 x 25cm

We all showed works on paper and canvas. There were several articles in Cyprus newspapers and also online. I found it extremely positive as it affirmed our connections and also our ongoing ideas about painting, which we have exchanged over many years on Facebook.

Since my return, I have been doing a lot of painting on small boards, in preparation for larger works. I have also had a painting accepted for the Big Heart auction at the Brighton Dome Pavilion, from March 3rd to March 7th. The auction is also available to see online:

Big Heart auction