Patchings festival 2015

My stand, ready for visitors!

I finally have a few moments to share my experience of Patchings festival with you! It was my fourth year as an exhibitor at the festival and as always I loved every minute of it. It is an intense week, as it takes me a couple of days getting things ready at my end, then a whole day setting up the stand. I was very lucky to have my husband helping again with this! The festival then runs for four days and I travel to and from home each day, so I leave the house at 8.00 am and by the time I get back at about 7.00 pm I'm pretty shattered. As you can see from the photos things get really busy!

As always bunting and fairy lights!

Things got BUSY!

We had fantastic weather for the whole event, apart from some pretty extreme wind on the Saturday. Thursday was baking hot in the marquee which was unpleasant at times, but at least the sunshine brought all the visitors out.
 As always I was chatting to people all day long but I managed to get some painting done, starting off with a large canvas of Polperro harbour. Yes it was hard to concentrate on the painting because I break off to answer somebody's question and then before I know it two hours have passed!

A small crowd watching me paint

Just starting

Thursday morning, me and Sue ready for action!

We sold lots of cards and 2016 calendars and four original paintings, and gathered lots of email addresses for the newsletter. I'll be pulling a name out of the box any day now to win the painting of clementines. Good luck if you entered!

As always an original painting in the prize draw (above the flowers)

Choosing a frame for one of the paintings sold during the festival

More than anything we had lots of fun chatting to old and new friends, and as always it was great to catch up with twitter and Facebook and Instagram friends - meeting some of these for the first time! I also had friends who were stallholders for the first time this year and it was great to see them doing so well and having a happy experience. It is such a friendly festival and I'm looking forward to next year already.

With Robin Mason, fellow Harbour Gallery artist

With Luigi from Venice, who was a gondolier for 45 years!

With twitter friend artist Alice Hall from Cornwall

A relaxed demo and the end of a great festival!

Relaxed at my demo!
Thanks to Bob Owen for the pic!

I loved everything about Patchings festival, and had a really nice last day to end on. I thoroughly enjoyed my demo in the Festival marquee in the morning, although I would have liked another half an hour (it was only one hour). It was so nice afterwards back on my stand as I continued with the still life painting and chatted to people who'd watched the demo. I must especially say hello to the lovely group of friends from Leeds!

This is how my set up looked up on the stage. My trusty cockerel looked rather lovely with the black of the marquee behind. Funny thing is I almost didn't paint him - thanks for reminding me Clare! :-)

And here's me relaxing in the afternoon with a well deserved glass of Pimms, and with me here is the fabulously talented Michele del Campo. 

Today I've been trying to unpack from the festival and catch up with emails and give my little dog some overdue attention and walks!

Patchings festival taster

Montage of paintings to be shown at
Patchings Festival

It's coming up fast, the big fun event that is Patchings Festival. Always taking place at the beginning of June, this will be my third year as an exhibitor at the festival. This four day event takes place near Nottingham in the UK, and has so much going on with live demos by top artists, workshops and taster sessions, live music and all manner of arts and crafts. This year a photography element has been added to the festival for the first time. 

I thought I'd give you a sneak preview of some of my new paintings which will be on show at the festival and tell you a little about what's on offer there.

 

You won't want to miss the art materials marquee where there is always a bargain or two to be indulged in! The Barn gallery hosts The Artist magazine's annual competition exhibition which includes my painting 'Sails up in harbour'. The Pavilion gallery will show the Leisure Painter magazine's exhibition. Both exhibitions open on the first day of the festival, and both will be a really good show. The festival is a great day out but there's so much to do here you might want to come for two days or even three! Top UK painters Ken Howard RA and David Curtis ROI RSMA will be there, as well as many other of your favourite artists.

This year I will be doing a demo in the festival marquee on Sunday 8th June in the morning. Now this marquee is huge with hundreds of seats (really, hundreds) and big screens showing the brushstroke action up close so please try to come and watch me there! I will be very happy to chat for hours afterwards (you know me) ;-)

Plein air painting demo 2013

I will be giving plein air painting demos throughout the festival, weather permitting. It's not that I mind painting in the rain it's just there won't be anyone wanting to watch me if it's pouring down! Look at the gorgeous weather we had last year... more of the same please ...

My stand in the painters marquee last year

When I'm not doing my outside demos and Sunday morning demo I'll be here on my stand in the painters marquee which is just before you shop til you drop in the art materials marquee next door which includes Rosemary brushes, Pro Arte, Hahnemuhle, Terry Harrison and lots more.

You'll spot me easily enough, just head for the bunting and fairy lights!

One of my plein air demos at Patchings festival 2013

This is my other plein air demo from last year which shows the pretty farm buildings at the heart of Patchings art centre. This is where you'll find the Barn gallery, lovely Patchings cafe, individual studios and shops, art materials and picture framing. It's just down the hill from the marquees, but you'll be given a detailed plan and map on arrival so you needn't miss a thing :-)

The dates for your diary are Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th June. Find out more here

Old Bank Studios

Giving a demo

Almost two weeks have gone since we last spoke! I haven't painted much since then, we travelled back to England from France and had a four day working week due to a bank holiday Monday. One of those days I drove into the centre of London to deliver some works for the Society of Women Artists exhibition. The other three days were taken up with admin, bookings, photography, printing, framing, shopping, haircut and preparing for my workshop at Old Bank Studios. Oh and an interview for a forthcoming feature in the Lincolnshire Journal magazine. No wonder that week went quickly.

The seascapes workshop on Saturday was a really great day in a fantastic venue with lovely people. Here are some photos of the day. I was bowled over by the quality of the work produced, some of which is shown here. Thanks to Nigel and Bev for the photos and for everything.

Student work

Student work

Student work

Student work

Student work

I know, amazing job all round! I'm looking forward to returning next year :-)

A lesson!

Gave an art lesson this morning!

Quick demo for Aurelly