Thanking my lucky stars!

Painting away at the ROI painting evening

Well I said I would have a lot to tell you after my second visit to the Royal Institute of Oil painters exhibition, but I didn't expect to be telling you this!

These photos are all from the annual ROI painting evening. I had such a great time! Three models were placed around the gallery for artists to set up around and paint from. In order to get a good view you really had to set up before the models arrived, so we had no idea who we would be painting.

You can see I had my Open Box M and tripod with me, I brought all my kit along in the wheelie suitcase that I used all over Venice. 

Everyone was very friendly, but it was especially nice to have friends David Pilgrim, Adebanji Alade, Tim King and Graham Webber there.

I was delighted to meet online friends Tim Benson (I'm a big fan of his work) and Katherine Tyrell (if you are a fellow art blogger you will surely know of her Making a mark blog). 

Katherine sat on the stairs near the entrance and did a fantastic sketch throughout the evening of the painters painting! In fact I take quite a starring role in the drawing, and I look very relaxed painting with my left hand in my apron pocket! You can see the drawing on Katherine's sketchbook blog :-)

Many painters painting! That's Adebanji Alade sitting in front

We painted for a couple of hours but also had rest breaks for the models. It was such a great atmosphere. I haven't mentioned the onlookers to you yet have I? People buy tickets to watch and have a glass of wine and a mince pie while chatting to their friends or to the artists. I love it when people interrupt me for a little chat, I think it's a really useful break to take your eyes away from the painting for a couple of minutes and then go back to it a bit fresher!

The finished painting

Our lovely model

I used my tripod and Open Box M, and a linen canvas

There is a prize awarded to the best work of the evening by a non ROI member, voted for by a small panel of members, and you'll never believe who won!

Adebanji took this photo of me seconds after they announced my name! I think you can see how surprised and delighted I was (and am!).

Adebanji took this photo as soon as they announced my name! You can see
how surprised I was!

My prize is £200 worth of Winsor and Newton art materials, what an amazing Christmas present and what an amazing night... and what an amazing year this has turned out to be!!!