My annual review 2014 - October to December

City fish

Finally here I am with part four of my annual review so you might want to make yourself a cup of tea before you settle down to read it, it's a long one. Pleased to say I'm feeling well again, hurrah!

After 'A brush with the broads' I was quite soon back down to Norfolk to take part in Paint Out Norwich, a selected plein air event involving around 30 artists chosen from an open entry. Again this was another brand new UK plein air event so I was very excited to be taking part. I also had a role to play helping my injured artist friend Mo Teeuw to get around as she was unable to drive at the time and painting from a wheelchair! Luckily the event organisers were fantastic - helpful, enthusiastic and fun. 

I hadn't been to Norwich since I was a child and I didn't remember anything, so I was happy to go to any spot allocated to me. We had four three hour painting sessions in different parts of Norwich over two intensive days. In between times we framed the wet paintings and grabbed a bite to eat, and enjoyed jolly get-togethers in the evening.

Pulls ferry, Norwich

The painting 'City fish' was painted in Norwich market on a very cold morning, and I had lots of interest and chat with passers-by. As soon as I saw the old man with the flat cap I had to draw him in quickly (with the brush). I think he makes the painting really!

Pulls ferry is a much painted local landmark and when I was on my way there somebody told me 'there's a choice of only two views (to paint) there'. Really? There are millions of views everywhere in my opinion, so I set off determined to choose a personal viewpoint for the painting. In the end I settled on this reflection, as I loved the glowing brightness of the distant trees through the archway, and all the leaves littered all over the water and pathway like confetti.

Work to be done,  Elm Hill
First prize winner, Paint Out Norwich
Private collection

Another picturesque corner of Norwich is Elm Hill. I had seen a photo beforehand and was really looking forward to painting there. When I arrived I was surprised and initially disappointed to see the scaffolding covering the left hand side building and crossing the narrow street in front of me. At times the sun broke through the clouds and the plane tree cast wonderful shadows on the yellow building, which I liked very much. Then I decided to paint the scene scaffolding and all, as I do enjoy a chance to show the signs of modern life and plus, can't resist the red (road signs).

The lady in the cafe opposite loved it. She said she'd seen many pretty paintings of it, but that mine captured Elm Hill as it really is - her everyday view. So that was encouraging!

Apparently the judges (the artists Trevor Chamberlain ROI RSMA and Colin Self, and curator Amanda Geitner) loved it too, as my painting of Elm Hill won the £1000 first prize in the first ever Paint Out Norwich!

No I really couldn't believe I was winning another prize - absolutely amazing. 

And I was so happy for my friend Roy Connelly too - see picture below!

With prizewinners Roy Connelly and Chris Daynes ROI
Paint Out Norwich

I drove home in the middle of the night on a complete high and in a bit of a daze! I got home and crawled into bed at 3am. When I got up that morning I had to empty the car and unpack, and then pack for France and reload the car, as we were leaving for a week in France just a few hours later. There are sometimes drawbacks to fitting it all in the way I do!

Another fantastic trip was my time in Venice with artist friends Penny German, Felicity House and Wyllis Heaton. We also met with Ann Justin, Kelly Medford and Louisa Calder. So much fun to have company to paint with and spend the evening with. The extra good news is I don't have to wait too long for my next Venice trip, as I've decided to go again this year. 

The weather was absolutely ideal for painting, no fog or cold for me this time! We did have one day of rain, but there are plenty of places to shelter and continue painting in Venice.

Shadows in Campo S Giovanni e Paolo

The artist Felicity House

I love this one of Felicity working on the steps to a bridge. You can feel the heat in the sunshine, just look at that clear blue sky! People were most amused to see that I was painting the artist painting. I love the wonky shopping trolley too. This could translate well into a studio painting couldn't it?

Painting in Venice

Rising shadows at the Ospedale
Private collection

Some of my paintings from Venice are available to buy direct from my studio. If you'd like to take a look you can find them here.

Washing day, Venice

In usual style I arrived home from Venice in the early hours of the morning for a few hours of sleep before attending my own exhibition preview!
While I'd been away the brilliant folk at Patchings Art Centre had hung the exhibition and it all looked beautiful. I liked to see the title of my exhibition here at the bottom of the stairs, doesn't that look nice?

Opening day of my exhibition

A breath of fresh air exhibition
Patchings art centre

During the exhibition I went in to the gallery for some painting days, a couple of which were portraits from life. Here I am painting my mum for one of the demos. She has her feet raised on a box because she's only little, like me!

Painting my mum in the middle of my exhibition at Patchings

Portrait of my mum

In December I had several trips to London to see the Royal Institute of Oil painters exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. I was exhibiting this painting there, which was painted en plein air in August on the island of Bréhat. 

Evening at the beach, Bréhat
Private collection

Another event in December was the ROI painting event evening at the gallery. My friend the artist Adebanji Alade was one of the sitters. I had a couple of hours on this and am very pleased with it. It was a really fun evening too.

Portrait of the artist
Adebanji Alade

Lastly in December I got really excited about a local subject, the Christmas market in Lincoln. I painted only one piece while there, but I've been working on a series of paintings in the studio. I'm really enjoying making painterly marks and as always, striving to say more with less.

Mulled wine, hot chocolate

Christmas market, mulled wine stall
Private collection

Christmas market at dusk

Christmas market, snow

I hope you've enjoyed the recap of my year. And now it's almost February, amazing! I have got an absolutely packed year happening, and so much to tell you about! Did you have any new year's resolutions? And how's that going? Mine was to draw every day and so far so good! I've kept that up for the whole of January and am feeling very good about it. I can already see how that regular sketch work is impacting on my painting and providing painting inspiration. I'm focussing on figure and portrait drawing because I want to include more people in my paintings, and possibly also because it's a challenge and a good practice, and endlessly fascinating. I will show you some more on the blog soon, but if you're on Twitter or Instagram check out my account as you can see nearly all the January sketches there. All the best ones anyway, there are a few I won't be sharing! ;-)

My 2014 review July to September

Inham Nook allotments
12" x 16" £795

Welcome to the third instalment of my busy year - the weather continued to be pretty fantastic the whole summer long. It's lovely to see these sunny paintings at this time of year and remember that we have all that sunshine and those long light evenings to look forward to again soon.

The painting above was a demo piece at a plein air workshop in Nottingham which we based at a fantastic allotments. That was a great day, and I could find a subject at an allotments any time of the year. Definitely one of my recurring subjects these last twenty years.

In July I took part in Pintar Rapido, a two day plein air painting event in London. If I remember rightly there were around 300 artists taking part, painting on the streets of Kensington and Chelsea all day Saturday, and then framing the painting before the one day exhibition which took place on Sunday. Manic really, but good fun, especially as I knew so many of the other artists there. Always fun chatting to passers-by too when painting a busy street scene like this. 

Duke of York square, Chelsea
Private collection

This painting of the market in Chelsea is another example of where I've been stretching and challenging myself this year. At 22" x 24" it was the largest plein air piece I had tackled until then, all in one day. I was happy that it found a buyer at the exhibition the next day.

The long stretch of summer
Private collection

For this one my inspiration was beautiful St Mawes again in Cornwall. I painted it in early summer and then entered it into the annual RSMA (Royal Society of Marine Artists) exhibition and happily it was accepted, together with one of my Staithes paintings from June.

A summer stroll £850

In August we were extremely fortunate to be able to spend three weeks on the island of Bréhat in France. It was three glorious relaxing weeks of sunshine and sketching and painting. I only wished I had a friend to paint with me, as I'd loved spending time painting with Lori Putnam the previous summer. I missed her, but of course I had the family to spend time with when I wasn't painting.

Tout ce qui flotte
8" x 16" £695

Mogador boys bathing
36" x 38" £2500

I would say this was my most ambitious studio painting of the year, an enormous (to me) 36" x 38" canvas that I stretched myself. The framed size of this piece is 43" x 45", and it made a nice big statement in my autumn exhibition at Patchings. It is of course based on reference from my trip to Essaouira in March, where I watched and painted the local boys diving into the harbour.

Regatta at Falmouth
Private collection

We got back from France just in time to travel down to Cornwall to see the tall ships in dock at Falmouth before setting sail for London.
It was a terrific experience to paint there and I got a lot of work done in three days. However, it was probably the busiest place I have ever attempted to paint! (the Queen's pageant was of course a sea of people, but we were separated from the throng being up on the bridge) This brings it's own set of problems, especially finding a viewpoint.

It was also a wildly busy and exciting subject!

Painting at Falmouth in August

Tall ships at falmouth
Private collection

Tall ships
12" x 16" £850

September issue The Artist magazine

In August I was thrilled to see my painting on the cover of The Artist magazine. It certainly has had it's fair share of exposure, that painting! 

Now another big project that I'd been working on throughout the summer months was my two competition entries for the Buxton Spa prize. This was a brand new UK plein air competition that I'd heard about on twitter back in April. I was in France at the time and I remember reading the information on the website and thinking 'oh I'm really busy and I'll be away all of August but I've got to do this. I'll make sure I fit the necessary days into my diary, I'll make it happen'. That's the way my mind works actually 'I'd love to do this - is it really possible to do this? - I don't know how or when I can do this - never mind that, I'll find out as I go along - I'm going to do this'!

The key to actually doing it of course is being organised and putting all the necessary dates in the diary to ensure that I'd had time to prepare equipment and stretch my canvasses, register and have my canvasses stamped, paint on site for three separate days, finish the two painting entries in the studio for however long necessary, produce an entire book of sketches which I also entered into the competition, arrange to have the frames made, paint and wax the frames in my studio, fit the paintings and fill in the entry forms, and make sure I'd done all of the above before leaving for France in early August!

Walking through buttercups
Winner of the Buxton Spa prize
Private collection

Back home in September it was time for the preview evening of the Buxton Spa prize exhibition, an event which I was really looking forward to. Buxton is several hours drive away and I didn't fancy driving back late at night so I'd booked a lovely room for myself above the tearooms at No 6 The Square, which was quite a treat I was excited about!

I never could have imagined that I was about to win the £5000 first prize for my painting 'Walking through buttercups, Harpur Hill'!

Prizegiving and exhibition preview evening
with Keith Wilkinson and Rob Wilson

Painting 'Walking through buttercups'

Wow, that was a really special night! After the prize giving the winning artists and judges (including the artists Ken Howard RA and Harold Riley) and organisers all went for a fantastic meal. One of the judges had bought my painting too. I was on cloud nine as you might imagine! Yes, a very special time indeed.

Buxton Opera House
24" x 30" £1800

My other painting for the competition was of the majestic opera house. Again, pretty enormous for plein air at 24" x 30". I painted this two separate days on location and then another couple of days in the studio. I was really happy with the resulting painting, I think it's very fresh and painterly and it's so easy to become tight when painting subjects where the drawing really matters like architecture and figures. Another painting which I think was breaking new ground for me.

A few weeks later I was painting on the Norfolk broads for a couple of days, as part of another new plein air event 'A brush with the broads'. The weather was gorgeous again, I was so lucky for the whole summer. I always thought I wouldn't paint a windmill (bit chocolate boxy) but fell in love with the solidity of this strong brick red structure, and it's reflection in the water. Passers by told me it was a shame (for my painting) that they'd removed the sails for essential repairs, but I disagree. I loved it exactly as it was.

Horsey Mill
Private collection

I couldn't stay for the whole event as I was flying off to Venice but I framed and left two paintings for the exhibition. I was delighted to learn that the painting of Horsey Mill had sold and that the painting of the boat house had won me a prize!

It was a gorgeous £200 brush bouquet from Rosemary brushes, how exciting was that?! 

I was certain that after such an amazingly successful year that would be the last prize I would win in 2014 for sure... I could hardly keep up with myself, goodness knows how you felt reading about the whirlwind events!

Boat house at Hickling Staithe

I love the boat house painting and subject, and I'm determined I will continue this theme with a studio painting. Sometimes when you're painting plein air you just know 'yes, this has got all the ingredients I need, and a dash of magic'. This was one of those days.

Now as if all of the above didn't make for enough activity for one summer, I was also busy preparing and framing around sixty paintings for my next solo exhibition. This was my newest, a gorgeous subject with a thrilling light effect. I painted this large oil on canvas in the studio, from a watercolour sketch in my sketchbook and some photos I'd taken earlier in the summer when I'd gone into Lincoln for a radio interview and was driving past this scene. Always be on the lookout because you never know where your next painting subject may be!

Gathered in the shade
Private collection 

If you are thinking that you'd like to take part in any of the events I've mentioned this year, take a look at my website. I've put links to all these events on the links page, and also I've listed all my forthcoming workshops and demos, and exhibitions that I've got coming up in 2015 so there may be something there of interest to you :-)

BIG news!!

Walking through buttercups, Harpur hill
Oils 26" x 28"
Buxton Spa Prize Winner
SOLD

With our certificates!
Rob Wilson (3rd prize), me and then Keith Wilkinson (2nd prize)
Thanks to Bertolutti Dora for photo

I am absolutely delighted to announce that I am the first prize winner of the Buxton Spa prize 2014, the inaugural plein air painting competition held in this beautiful and vibrant Derbyshire town. The prizes were announced at the exhibition preview and prizegiving evening on Thursday and I haven't had a chance to blog until now or for it to sink in really!

The judging panel consisted of the eminent artists Harold Riley and Ken Howard OBE RA, Viscountess Cobham the Chairman of VisitEngland and the Art Fund Prize, Ros Westwood the Derbyshire Museums Manager, Anne-Lise Fraser the Programme Cordinator at Leek School of Art and Louise Potter local businesswoman and Manager of the Literary Festival a long standing supporter of cultural initiatives in Buxton and Trevor Osborne who is leading the project to restore Buxton Crescent and an active supporter of the arts.

I painted this large work en plein air on Harpur Hill in Buxton, which was my allocated spot for the competition. I don't often get a chance to paint a wide ranging vista and of course the light changed fantastically throughout the day but I really enjoyed the whole process and was pleased with the freshness of the result. I also felt that it was a landmark work for me and fortunately I've had a few of those lately. It's hard to explain but it's sort of a feeling that something in the painting is showing me the way forward for my work, ahead of it's time almost or a turning point.

Of course I didn't know that the judges would love it as much as I did! The eminent artist Harold Riley spoke about painting being about love and honesty, and then said that my work showed emotion and captured the spirit of the Derbyshire peak district. 

I am still a little stunned by the events of the evening! My prize is £5000 and my painting has also sold. After the prize giving some photographs were taken and then we the prize winners were given a sumptuous dinner at the Old Hall hotel with the judges and organisers. It was the most exciting night, thank goodness I had booked a room for myself in the beautiful place next door, No 6 The Square, as I was in no fit state to drive two hours home afterwards. Too shaky! 

The exhibition of all the works created for the competition in the summer of 2014 can now be seen at  the Green Man gallery situated at Hardwick Hall in Buxton, and will remain on show until October 12th. I am going back to see the exhibition soon as there are so many gorgeous paintings and I didn't get a chance to view them with all the people there and all the activity going on during the preview.

With my painting and red dot!

Now before anyone mentions, no I didn't realise I was co-ordinating my dress with the painting and of course I didn't know I would be having my photo taken at all! A lot of the Facebook comments are loving the dress and saying that I look like a buttercup myself :-)

With judge artist Harold Riley on the stage
Thanks to Bertolutti Dora for photo

The painting in progress on Harpur Hill in July

Detail from painting

OH MY GOODNESS

With my prize winning painting!

Everything got more and more amazing today... my red sail painting really wanted to go out with a bang!

It's now received three prizes in as many days... I know! You're thinking 'how'?! Well today Ken Howard RA came to Patchings to help choose ten exhibitors in The Artist exhibition for the 'exhibitors award' which means they will have a group exhibition at Patchings at some point next year... and I'm one of them!

Then Ken has to choose his favourite piece in the exhibition for The Artist purchase award and... yes!! Indeed I was as surprised as you are believe me! This means that The Artist magazine will purchase my painting and it will hang in their gallery with all the previous winners of this award. For ever. :-)

So yes, I have been a bit giddy and excited today!

Festival day one, a portrait and a prize!

What a grand day! Wow, I don't have much energy left to talk but here's a quick run down... saw about 300 people on my stand (no I wasn't counting but it sure seemed like a lot of people) and I think I have demos booked for the next 22 years!

A lovely artist and Facebook friend Dana Mallon offered to pose for me this afternoon and we had a great time with lots of stopping to chat to people. Somehow I managed to get something done, and Dana is really pleased with it! 

And... I found out I won a prize! My painting 'Sails up in harbour' which you all know well right back from the original sketches in France last summer has won the Pro Arte award in The Artist/Patchings competition exhibition which opened today in the Barn gallery. Very happy!

See all the prizewinners here...

Remember to go and visit the exhibition if you come to the festival! 

Painting Dana

Dana Mallon

Sails up in harbour wins a prize!

View from the restroom

What a great day, I won a prize today!
This morning it was the QuickDraw event at Cape San Blas, and I won an honourable mention prize - how fantastic is that?!

Let me explain the title of my painting, 'View from the restroom'. The QuickDraw was taking place between 10am and 12pm. By ten minutes to ten the heavy rain started, and it didn't stop until about 12.30! Perfect timing!
It was more a case of choosing your shelter than choosing your subject, if you know what I mean! I was painting from the shelter of the porch on the restrooms (or toilet block as we would say in England) as was Lori Putnam, Tracey Frugoli and Nancie King Mertz, all of us looking in different directions.
Hence, view from the restroom!

The organisers really look after us artists here, and we had music to keep us entertained, doughnuts and coffee.
I was really honoured to win a prize.

After everything was over here we went for a big shrimp lunch and then painted on the beach for the whole afternoon where, I am pleased to report, it didn't rain at all and in fact it was very warm and sunny on and off. It was bliss!

I can only attach one photo to my blog each day while I am here, but if you would like to see more of what's going on look for my Haidee-Jo Summers Artist page on Facebook where I'll be sharing more pics of the paintings I'm doing :-)

Lucky girl again!

My Winsor & Newton ROI prize :-)

Look what lovely treats arrived for me today! Prompted by my forthcoming trip I finally settled down with the Winsor and Newton catalogue to choose my prize goodies from winning the ROI event evening in December. 

I chose the compact artist's watercolour set because I really wanted to be able to keep part of my prize as a souvenir of the evening. I do actually love watercolours you might be surprised to hear, I just forget to use them! Anyway I thought this one would be great for 'on the go' with it's fourteen half pans of colour and mini sable brush. I now need to get in the habit of taking it around with me to add a little colour to my line drawings.

Yes I did order brushes too, even though I got my large Pro Arte prize haul only a few months ago. There are 'Monarch' and 'Galeria' brushes that I would hate to be without... and although I hardly ever ever throw a brush away I always seem to need new ones! In fact they just retire to a different jam jar...

Brand new brushes for Morocco! 

The other indulgence that you see here are a couple of tubes of paint I wouldn't usually buy as they're series 7 and retail at £27.50 a tube. I also thought they may come in handy in Morocco... cobalt blue deep and cobalt turquoise. Plus they are just heart-breakingly beautiful. 

Of course I run the risk that I might permanently add them to my palette and I'll be paying for them next time!  

Tomorrow I'm going over to the 'Spotted Dog' art group near Nottingham, to tutor a workshop in 'finding your style'. Hopefully everyone will take home lots of ideas to help them progress with their work.