Expectations, Revelations and Complications

Painting figures using oils, still all new to me. Somehow it gets under your skin, into your brain and sits there..challenging you, pushing you. I want to rush and rush and finish but it does not happen that way. You battle and struggle and try to get comfortable. I Love painting figures, I Hate painting figures...at least once a week I want to quit painting altogether, then it draws me back like a drug I cannot exist without. I need models, real people. I often see a person on the street and would love to ask them to sit for me, but I never do...I feel like some kinda art pervert freak. People think I am strange, not sure if I care about that.

When a painting is near completion I have to at least have visualised the next one, if I don't have a planned next move I feel anxious, disturbed. I would love to know if other artists suffer for their work as I sometimes do...frustration is me!

Expectation, Oil on Canvas 18"x 24"

Yesterday, Oil on Canvas

Yesterday, Oil on Canvas 24"x 18"

As usual a bit more to do, it is the final touches that take me so long to do. Not sure why that is. All I know for sure is that after the London Riots this week, I feel less like words and more like dissapearing into my head and seeking solace in my happy place, if I can find it.

My Newest Figure Study in Oil

Not quite done, a few tweaks here and there and that's it. Whew, I need a holiday.
The Paint is still very wet and a Title eludes me.

Oil on Canvas, 18"x 24"

With Love From the Sketchbook of Lucy

Lucy Helene Caine nee Firmin

Lucy Helene Firmin is my great grandmother. My hero and one brave lady! She comes from Greater London but lived in France and travelled back and forth from Southampton to the coast of South Africa. Along her travels she sketched and painted in true Victorian style and I am lucky enough to have in my possession one of her sketchbooks which dates from 1901 to 1935...perhaps there is an Artistic gene?

Painted in July 1886

Orchids, Oil on Canvas quick painting

Orchids, Oil on Canvas 24"x 18"

Quick painting, hrmph..like I really have a choice! Being a single parent and fitting in some artwork is difficult. But I manage, all it requires from me are some small sacrifices, like..social life, shopping, gardening, a life, sleep, personal hygiene and sanity, to name a few.
         I am predominantly working on figure paintings at the moment but thought I would do a quick painting of my orchid while waiting for layers on the new figure to dry..and with a bit of luck a wallop of inspiration to smack me in the noggin.

Painting Darker as my mood gets Lighter...

Untitled Oil on Canvas 18"x 24"

This latest painting at my current rate of mishaps will probably never see completion. I have been whinging about this since it happened so I may as well blog about it. A couple of weeks ago I dropped a table onto my foot, may sound strange but hey, I dont call myself the village idiot artist for nothing. Hairline fracture, why not! Nothing quite like pain to put you off your life.
I press on, rather, I hobble along. Juggling baby, Mikey, home, finances, work (yes, Art is work, dont believe that then just try it!)

                Today, My foot is healing, so off we go to the baby clinic followed by a bit of shopping in Tesco. Weather is great, perfect, I buy a crisp lettuce then to the deli counter. Do I have my new spectacles? No, of course not - village idiot remember.
Hmm Sweet something something-something cherry peppers, yes those will be good in my salad!

Having just eaten some of that salad I can tell you what I think the label should have said..Sweet BURNYAFACEOFF HAVETOTAKESOOTHINGCREAMTOTHEBOGSFORAMONTH Cherry Peppers. I think my face might be on fire, instead of drinking water I am throwing it directly at my face in the hopes that it will work quicker that way. My big idea of doing some painting while the baby is asleep are dashed because I have to go cry for awhile. Maybe later when my vision returns.



I also draw daft little cartoons of my daft life, sometimes, and why not, its my world. :)

There Once Was A Table.....

Sitting in Venice, Memories

Venice Canal 1, Acrylic on Canvas

             Artists for centuries have obsessed about painting Venice, those reflections, that ambiance, it is wonderful. Despite the crowds (which I loathe to be a part of) I couldn't help but be inspired by Venice.
The Venice series I painted was an enormous challenge for me. I drew, painstakingly with a pencil, measured, drew grid over grid, studied my photo's with a magnifying glass, prepared and procrastinated. The majority of the work went in before a lick of paint even touched the canvas. When I did start the painting process I felt like I was painting by numbers but it worked for me. I knew what was going to be painted next, every step of the way, never losing sight of what the end product would look like. I think I learned a lot and probably broke a million painting "rules"..bah to that. I think of myself in some ways as your A typical person, first attempt the repair of the thing that's gone tits up, only afterwards read the repair manual.

Possibly there are one or two more Venice paintings lurking around in my brain, every now and again slowly turning themselves around like a giant beast stirring from an often uncomfortable, irritable slumber, needing to be freed.

One of the more memorable moments.

Its a hot day. Mom and I see a lot of people swallowing down frozen slushies and Mom thinks they look like a tasty, refreshing delight sent from heaven. We make our way to the window box of a shop and select two big ones, Neither of us speak enough Italian to know exactly what flavour they were. We didn't care, it was hot, they were cold and wet.

We find a shady spot to stand and consume our frozen slushies. I am glancing at the tourists when I hear a faint gasp followed by an even fainter voice saying "I think I'm Dying". I turn to see Mom crumpling against the wall, her face contorted in agony and she is slipping down toward the ground. I grasp her shoulders and support her. Her hand is pressed against the side of her face "It hurts" she wimpers. I think I see a tear but its hard to tell as her eyes are so tightly shut. "Mom you are not dying" I say. "Yes, I think I am" she replies looking at me through slits. "No Mom, it will pass, you had too much slushy at once, what this is, is called Brain Freeze, it will..." I couldn't say more, I was consumed with fits of laughter. I am so sorry for laughing at you Mom but when I think back on our time in Venice that moment always comes back!

Oil Figure Paintings in the works

I am working on a series of Figure Paintings for exhibition in London. Figure painting is new to me so very much a learning curve. These, to date, are not fully completed. To see them finished you will just have to come and see them at Exhibition in Enfield, where and when to be announced!

Tommorow's Light, Oil on Canvas 24"x18"

Abandoned, Oil on Canvas 20"x16"

Figure in Oil

Tempted, Oil on Canvas 30" x 20"

"The butterfly flapped her wings and on the other side of the world, lives were devastated"

My Process

When I paint, after each session I take a digital picture. Perhaps its strange to study a photo of the work when the actual work is sitting right in front of me but, I still use the good old tricks like turning the work upside down to find errors in proportions or things that jump out that shouldn't. I find that the same applies to digital photo's with the added bonus of being able to go back and see from start to finish how I progressed. I also still use my colour wheel and charts. In fact, every time I buy a new tube of paint I paint it into my chart with a note next to it telling me if its hot or cold, transparent or opaque.....Someday I hope to be able to switch my brain off and paint on instinct and actually know what I'm doing!...Someday!

 

This painting I did this week for a dear friend and I hope she loves it as much as I loved painting it for her. It is oil on canvas 18" by 24", Untitled for now.