25 May 2015

Art in the Forest - the end

Well, the series of 10 workshops have come to an end. This Sunday witnessed a long lay-in, followed by a major tidy-up of my make-shift studio which had become a dumping ground of materials and masterpieces from Art in the Forest. On our last day we revisited lino-printing and created some lettering for some posters which we are making to decorate the cabin. 

I’ve really enjoyed my series of workshops – they’ve provided good company and a shared spell of regular “me time”. I took part where ever  I could, but it was only really the oil painting that got my creative juices really flowing again……so my pochade is at the ready, kitted out with a new colour palette and I shall be out this afternoon for a daub in the bank holiday sunshine………………… (!)

...it's not really the end, we'll be back for more

The beast of the forest - seen assisting Henry to light the cabin log burner
 every Sunday morning
and sliding on the shiney cabin floor when everyone had gone home

3 May 2015

Art in the Forest 6,7 & 8

I’ve just finished a run of 3 consecutive workshops and enjoyed a little lie in this morning. The focus for these last few has been sketching with oils using a pochade box. The weather was mainly kind, although it saved it’s warmest sun for the days either side of our Sunday workshops. Last week we all showed willing, and slowly marched out in convoy to the forest track, with our creative paraphernalia, until someone said “I think it’s going to rain”, and then I heard “it is raining” followed by “no it’s not, it’s snowing!”. So we all turned round and briskly marched back to the warmth of the log cabin. But we still had some fun, mixing oil colours and learning how to “see” objects as shapes not “things”.


a little bit of sketching (in the sun)


a little demo from me (inside when it snowed)
another little demo - outside (when it was sunny)
enjoying the sunshine & the sound of the river
                     
christening some brand new pochade boxes

Blue sky
snow!
                       

mixing colours by the warmth of the log fire
                                             

and here are some of the fabulous results