Bees in the orchard

Bees in the orchard
Oils 10" x 14"

We've had some fantastic weather this week in Lincolnshire, so I had to get out painting and where better than the gorgeous gardens at Gunby Hall? I headed for my favourite spot but the pond was brown and left me uninspired. This turned out to be a good thing as I wandered into this gorgeous orchard, and I've always hankered after painting bee hives! How exciting! The setting could not have been more lovely, and I'm very glad I came.

Can you see the bees? ;-)

Not a cloud in the sky

Sketches from PAC

Sometimes in the convention I was multi-tasking, sketching and listening and drinking coffee! Apart from the sketches, which help me to remember events, I've got pages and pages of notes to read through - I haven't had time to look at them yet! Maybe I should take my notebook up to bed with me tonight. 

Here are some of my favourite quotes from the event...

Carolyn Anderson "Once you take fruit from the kitchen and into the studio, it ceases to be fruit"

C.W Mundy "The power of the suggestive is much greater than the statement of reality"

C.W Mundy "I just want to see what I can get away with"

Quang Ho "When I do a painting there's an assignment, there's something I want to learn, there's something I go after"

Quang Ho "At the heart of painting is abstract design"

C.W Mundy "I'm willing to go out on a limb"

California flowers

California flowers
Oils 14" x 10"

I've come back from the convention full of inspiration, refreshed and raring to go - which is exactly what I was hoping for! It was terrific to spend time with my friends and meet lots of new friends and put a face to existing Facebook friends! Especially Cory who's been following my blog since just about the time when I started it in 2011 :-)

 The coastline in this part of California is incredible and I know I will have to come back here to paint. The light seems crystal clear and of course for me the sunshine makes a subject of just about anything. Take the backlighting on these flowers for example.

It was a wrench every day - be out painting or be in the conference centre watching all the wonderful demos and talks. Did I tell you they laid on free coffee all day too? Yes that pleases me ;-)

Look - freebies!

Look at all the gifts! I love gifts - and stickers! There are stickers for my easels ;-)

Inspiration in California

Pacific Grove
12" x 16"

The plein air convention has been such a whirlwind, I didn't have time to blog until now! This is my last day here and I'm doing some painting and some eating and some relaxing, I may even have a nap!
I've been inspired in so many ways at the conference and I've had a little time out in the stunning landscape. The light here is nothing short of incredible!
This one is Pacific Grove, I was really trying to capture the misty softness and the reflected light in the shadows of the rocks.

How finished is finished?

Morning sunlight on the campo

Ah, the eternal question! When do you know a painting is finished... if indeed, a painting ever is finished? And does 'finished' mean 'finished off' as in, well... I think you know what I mean!

Here's an interesting case in point. I was working on this studio painting a couple of weeks back and then I had to put it on standby and get on with other work. In my head this painting was labelled 'needs further attention, needs a lot more work, must go back to it, it's quite a way off being finished (the dreaded word)'.

Now today it's caught my eye again and what's happened? Have the studio elves been working while I've been in France? It caught my eye and my mind said this 'that's an interesting piece, it evokes a mood, what more is there to say? By golly I think it's .... (insert dreaded word here)'

What do you think? How much information is enough? For me this is the eternal question. Firstly you should know what you are trying to say in your painting. Then, it's easier for you to recognise when you've said it. That's about all the help I can give today but I know it's a topic I'll come back to ;-)

And now I'm a teensy little bit excited because the suitcase is zipped shut, my passport is in my hand and I'm heading to Heathrow ready to fly tomorrow. See you in California!

On the road

I've been away with the family in France for Easter and tomorrow we'll be travelling all day to get back home. It's a shame really as the weather's just turned gorgeous in the last couple of days after a disappointing and chilly start.
Before I went I was busy framing up three pieces from winter that have been pre-selected for the New English Art Club exhibition. I need to get them to the courier on Wednesday so they can travel to London for final selection. It would be marvellous if any make it on to the walls but I won't get my hopes up too high! I've always felt the NEAC was a bit avant-garde to be very interested in my work, feeling much more at home with the ROI and RSMA. Still, it's good to try these things from time to time!
When back in England I have a hectic three days which will involve a lot of unpacking and packing again before flying to San Francisco for the plein air convention. How exciting!