Textured Sunflowers

Textured Sunflowers

Well I finished the textured sunflowers and I guess it is back to the drawing board. I know some of you keep giving me a ticking off for putting down some of my work (well most of it to be exact) but I am just being a realist.

This one I cannot do anything more with because of the method I have used to produce it. I do not like it at all. MY friend who is usually the first person to see most of my works agreed with me saying, “Of all the ones you have done this is the first one I have totally disliked.”

Last night my son and daughter in law were round, her last Friday of the holidays. We had an ale and I had cooked Paella the way I learned while in Spain. My son saw the painting and said he liked it.

So it is not all lost at least one person likes it.

The big mistake I made was adding the texture to the canvas without first adding a base colour. Will not make that mistake again.

For what it is worth I have posted it here .

Have a good Saturday.



This blog is linked to my other.  Happy Saturday

Sunflowers 2

Sunflowers

Well I started to work on y textured sunflowers and exactly what I thought might happen I ended up not happy with it. I was going to paint them by using a number of glazes. So what do I do? I add the wrong colour first and this then means that all subsequent colours are wrong.

I managed to wash it off put in the process spoiled the texture. So I have reapplied the damaged areas. As yet I have not managed down to see if it has worked. It will not make too much difference today anyway, I have to be here a look after the boiler engineer. I doubt if I will manage to paint with him working on my boiler.

So was yesterday a total disaster? Not at all. Instead of completing the painting I went out for a run along the coastal path. I managed 10k and was feeling good when I returned home. Here is the really good bit though, I stood on the scales and I have reached another little target on the way to getting back to my desired weight. So only another ten ponds to go in my fight against the 28 I was needing to lose.

I also told the story on my other blog to somebody and he responded so well this morning today looks like it will be a good day.

I looked at a good number of your blogs yesterday; I do not always comment but always look. I saw loads of beautiful sunflowers. Sunflower paintings that will and do surpass any of mine, what a joy.

So I for today will post again my first ever sunflowers painting.

This blog is linked to my other. Dont Dump Your Rubbish Here

Buddleia

Buddleia

Two days in a row and I am posting flowers. Is this romantic? Or is it foolish? I am wondering. As I said yesterday I have a real love for flowers but know that my style of tackling art can never really accomplish good floral art. I really should leave that to those of you who are good at it.

Yesterday, in the midst of all the other things I had to do in my preparation for today’s ruby wedding gathering, I found myself looking again and again at the Buddleia in my garden. It grows all over the place around here. On disused railways and abandoned buildings. It is so easy to grow, break off a branch and stick it in the ground and it will root. I have two planted because the butterflies love the strong aroma and the flowers. I in turn love seeing the butterflies in my garden.

I thought I would have a further try at painting flowers. In my usual way, I did a quick sketch then started in with the pastels. Then I added another bloom here and another bloom there.

I have ended up with a pastel, but one that is a very awkward size to ever consider mounting or framing. I took a picture of it and I share it with you, that is probably the foolish part of me. The one saving grace is that this being a Sunday fewer people than normal seem to visit blogs.

Painted using hard pastel sticks.



This blog is linked to my other   It Is That Kind of Day

Cornflowers

Cornflowers

I chose to go back to this painting today for the reason I spoke of in my blog. I have a great love of flowers, how I wish I could paint them like so many of you whom I consider great blogging friends can. I just cannot bring myself to slow down enough to capture them like you all seem to do.

Whenever I get a paintbrush in my hand, life seems to speed up. So as much as I would like to I tend to stay away from painting flowers. That being said my home will no doubt be full of flowers this weekend as we celebrate 40 years of marriage. Seemed appropriate to put some flowers on here also. My apologies.

Another reason I have put them on here today is my wonderful memories of this week. The Impressionist exhibition I attended on gardens and flowers.

Maybe I will just have one more try at some flowers, but do not hold your breath.

So the point of this blog today.

Thanks to all of you whose blogs I read who paint marvellous floral art. I do not tell you often enough how much I enjoy them.

Apologies if on both my blogs today I sound a bit self indulgent but please make allowances for me.



This blog is linked to my other . It All Depend How You See It

The Happy Tulip

The Happy Tulip

As most of you will know I have a real love of flowers and nature. You will also know if you have read my other blog that I have been spending some time away in my new caravan this weekend. On Saturday evening I went for a short walk with my wife son and daughter in law. Hey had come to visit and see the new van.


Louise has just volunteered to help in the Scouts working with the younger children. As we walked she began to ask me about the various trees we were passing. How you could remember the different types and the names. She has to be able to show the youngsters, trees, flowers and birds.

I was in my element, and she also seemed to be enthusiastic. As we walked I told her of my father and how he had instilled in me a passion for wildlife .I told her how I knew every tree bird and flower by name, as he shared his passion with me.

He also made up stories of the characters of the trees and the flowers. I believed every word he said, as you do. Soon different trees and plants took on a character of their own.

He grew flowers and showed them at floral shows. He always spoke of tulips as happy smiling flowers. So as I wrote today of the happy Chinaman my thoughts did go back to him and his happy tulips.

So here is one of my very very early attempts at painting a happy tulip. I painted it in acrylic. It was never shown to anybody and to this day it is in a cupboard out of sight. I will not paint over it because it was a first and it does have happy connections.



I return home today so hope to catch up on your blogs I have so missed reading them.






This blog is linked to my other where I tell the story of the happy Buddha:- The Happy Chinaman

Cape Lilly

Cape Lilly

Is it not amazing the wonder of a flower? I used to tell all wedding groups to please take care to look deeply at the flowers that played such an important part in any marriage. They are the silent witnesses to the events of the day. They silently contribute to the beauty of the event.


The wonder of nature in all its glory.

It is no surprise then when I started painting that my first steps into art were my attempts at painting flowers. Strangely, I was never really attracted to botanical art where the artist strives for the perfection of the flower. I did attend a workshop where a wonderful botanical artist led us through her process. In three hours we did about four petals.

Meditation plays a very important role in my life and how often the beauty of a flower can hold my mind in thoughtless wonder for a wondrous time of peace.

So the flowers I paint are not the flowers of perfection but the flowers that stir my inner being. Some of you whose blogs I follow have fed me with the wonders of your flowers so often and I thank you all.

So today I give you one of mine.

One of the first ones I painted when I first got my hands on acrylic paint. I painted it on canvas 16” x 20”.

I was so surprised when somebody offered to purchase it. I had sat contemplating it for a good number of days. I occasionally put it on my computer screen and still do so.


I am not sure if I will manage to post my blog this weekend but will make every effort to do so.



This blog is linked to my other where the art is used:- The Sound of One Hand

Autumnal Hedgerow

Autumnal Hedgerow.

This is the second version of my hedgerow. This time I tried to aim for even more of the autumnal colours, not sure I managed it. This painting has not sold and needs moving from where I have it hanging. I am not easily insulted and seldom if ever take umbrage but this painting brought me some pain. I liked it and so I splashed out and made an expensive heavy gold style antique frame. When I hung it I got an email from somebody who works in the inn where it is hanging offering me a lot less than the price I had asked and in fact less than it had cost for the frame. My first reaction was to let her have it but she did not really know me and had only worked in the place a very short time. I said no and since then have felt really bad. I am reluctant to go over and change it but I must do so.


I would be interested in your thoughts about these two together as a compare and contrast. See once a teacher always a teacher, compare and contrast indeed.

Again painted in acrylic using knives.

I have been reading all the blogs I follow this morning and have had to come back to my own and make comment about how wonderful I am feeling after the experience. So many of you lifting my inner being with your words and your art. The other day Kim gave away a painting today Kay says she is going to do the same and then Katherine says she is setting herself a similar challenge. This is marvellous, maybe we should all decide to give one painting a year  and we can record it. It need not be anything large or expensive, my little Autumn Watercolour was small.  I love the joy people get when they get even just a little painting.



This blog is linked to my other where this is used:- The Way of the Wolves

Along the Hedgerow

Along the Hedgerow.

I am sure that I used this painting on my other blog some time ago when I was writing it for myself and one or two others. To those who have seen this before I apologise. I used it on the other blog because I was talking about The Doc who was at the autumn of his life when I met him, as was Harry the other character I met. Harry played an important part in helping me get where I wanted to be as some of you may know if not that is another day.


This painting was also used today because I would like to tell you about this paintings short history. I, when not suffering from throwing myself off caravan roofs, go running to try and keep myself mobile and fit. I love running forest trails and mountains. It was last autumn that I saw these interesting plants along the edge of a hedgerow. They had some very interesting seed heads and the leaves were turning to autumn colours. I just could not resist painting them and did two versions of it.

Neither of them sold and they have been hanging for some time now. Normally I would move paintings frequently from one of my venues to the other and then if I still had them keep them for a bit before deciding what to do. Unfortunately because of my fall I have been unable to do this until this week. This was the first of the two to be moved. I changed it to the local inn and already they have had interest shown in it being purchased and they are sure it will be sold by the end of the weekend. We shall see but it just shows that what does not look well in one place does in another.

This and the other one were painted using acrylic and painted using knives. The paint is heavy and so gives a textured effect.

Can I thank you all for your comments about my watercolour. In the light of those comments I will have another try. Today though I am heading off to my allotment I need to spend some time finishing the planting of my vegetables and hoe some of the weeds than have been left to their own during my recent incapacity. Fresh air and the banter of fellow gardeners will be good.

 
This blog is linked to my other blog where I used this painting:-  The Doc and Homecoming

Flowers

Flowers

This painting should never have been included here but I just could not in the light of what I was saying on the other blog today. This was one of my very early paintings one of my try and see how it goes paintings. I did it and let a couple of people see it and then stuck it in a corner and forgot about it.


I had been painting for a few months and had as yet made no sales. Then I had made no real effort to make any sales at that stage. I did not think anybody would ever want to buy any of them. I have told you before about the inn not far from where I stay that sells a real selection of hand pulled real ales. I started to visit this place when I moved back to this part of the world; I used to sing in the upstairs room on there folk nights when I was in my early 20s. Being me and a person who talks to anybody and everybody I soon got to know folks in the place. They were to be organising a draw of some sorts for a charity and were looking for prizes. The manager asked if I would donate a painting which I was more than happy to do. It was agreed that the painting would be of the winners choosing. It was also at this time he suggested I start hanging a few for sale in the inn.

When the winner of the painting approached me I invited her down to see what I had offering if there was nothing she liked to do one for her. She looked around and to my surprise saw this one lying in the corner and asked if she could have this one. I asked if she was sure because it was not among the ones I was showing her. She said she was and left happy to have it.

Not a sale but somebody, a stranger to me who had expressed a wish to own one of my paintings. What a nice feeling and the charity also gained in the process.

The painting was done in acrylic on a canvas. Please do not ask me what flowers are in it some I will name some only exist in my head I think. But as I said on the other blog does it matter if the thinking is right.



This blog is linked to my other blog where this artwork is used:- Flowers and Flowers

Flowers in the Wind

Flowers in the Wind

I used this painting on today’s blog because I remember how Nettie used to love to feel the breeze on her face, especially on the early walks when she said she suffered sweats caused by the internal fear. This painting is called, “Flowers in the Wind.” I painted them in a different way than I had any of my floral paintings in the past. I started with the shape of the petals using a heavy texture paste directly onto the canvas. I let that dry and painted a coat of white over most of the canvas. I then covered this with a coat of acrylic gel. I then, using my fingers painted in all the browns and ochre. Before this dried I removed the paint from the textured flowers with a moist clean rag.


I was not at all sure about this painting but just a few days before I went climbing on caravan roofs and fell and caused three weeks of pain, I hung it in one of my local inns where I hang paintings. I also hung the last painting I did before my fall one of two yachts racing up the River Forth. I got a call yesterday telling me that both are sold and to be collected today. So I have to stop all the excuses, I have to produce at least one painting more to replace them on Monday.

Seems somebody likes this one. I was a bit happier about the two yachts but all I can hope is that both paintings bring joy to the purchasers.

This blog is linked to my other where I tell the last of the stories of Nettie:- A Big day

Floral Abstract

Floral Abstract

This painting was used with today’s blog because it is a painting off a single bloom that made my heart leap when I saw its head stick above the others in a clump of flowers. It was so striking in its beauty. I painted it on a box canvas leaving out everything except for the core of the flower head. It stood there inviting the bees to visit it holding its head high.


The young man in my blog held his head high in the midst of adversity. Nobody was allowed to see his struggle only his little victories.

I do not remember who now has this painting. I remember having it and another similar one and sitting talking to friends. In the company was an old lady who said that she really liked the painting. She asked if she could buy it. I said no she could not. Before I left I get a carrier bag from the owner of the establishment and wrapped the painting up and left it with her as I left to go home.

I have never seen her again but I hope she has had some pleasure from it.

This blog is linked to my other blog at:-An Inspiring Young Man