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A Very British Summer
How are you enjoying the British Summer? It certainly feels as though we skipped a season here in the North East and jumped from Spring straight into autumn. That said, given the heatwave that has consumed most of Europe over the past month we should probably be thankful for the grey skies and rain. …
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Music and Art: The Perfect Companions
I often paint whilst listening to music and am very aware that it can influence my painting. This is especially true when painting larger pieces (60cm+). The physical gestures become about your whole body rather than hands and wrists. The rhythm of the music starts to show through in the mark making. And the mood…
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Sunshine and the Sea
Having recently returned from a two week vacation it feels like the month of May has passed in the blink of an eye! We had two fantastic weeks on the beautiful island of Mauritius. You can definitely see why it’s a honeymooners destination. Sunshine, clear blue sea, stunning sun rises or sun sets (depending on…
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Days Out
Over the past few weeks I have been out and about and had a few really interesting days….. Unison Colour A few weeks ago I spotted a sales offer on Unison pastels at Jackson’s Art. I use pastels a lot in my art but tend to favour Sennelier oil pastels. I use these as I’m…
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March Abstract Life
Well we’re almost at the end March and days are feeling lighter and longer. A fact I’m pleased about as we start week 4 of the Creative Visionary Program (CVP) the homework commitment is ramping up so I need plenty of energy to keep on top of things. What I have Been Working On Over…
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The Power of Play
The Power of Play The 1970s was the era of Flower Power, I think 2020s motto should Be the Power Of Play! Play Time Play isn’t something that comes naturally to us once we hit that period of adolescence and descend into adulthood. It come even less naturally after decades of building your career and…
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Creative Boost for 2023
Back in 2021 I completed CVP (Creative Visionary Program). It was one of those courses I’d looked at for a while but never taken the plunge. In part, my reluctance was that for an online course it has a higher price tag than most. But the main reason was because of the time commitment. CVP…
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Hello 2023
First blog post of 2023. A year full of hope and new possibilities. I hope you all had a restful break. I had a whole week off work. Which meant time to see and catch up with family, and more time to paint. Double bonus! The tree was down and decorations packed away before New…
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Art on the Go
Now that I’m back to bi-monthly commuting for work, my studio time has taken a bit of a hit. Especially when you combine that with the shorter days in the winter. Winter always makes early morning and evening sessions a bit of a challenge. So, I have been playing around with ways that I can…
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It’sssss Christmas! Well Almost
I love this time of year as we’re gearing up for Christmas. I know many people get irritated when you start to hear Christmas tracks on the radio or in stores weeks ahead of the actual event but I love it! If I could I’d put the tree up at the end of November to…