Its Exhibition time!

Having just got entries for the Hertford Open sorted and taken to the Exhibition, there were other deadlines to cover.
First the Threadneedle Prize at the Mall Galleries – I submitted two paintings on line and like my entries for Hertford got one of them into the primary selection and tried not to get my hopes to high. Just heard today (12 June) that it did not go any further!!! Still I feel that is quite an achievement and the fact that someone saw something in it at the beginning gives me hope for next time.
A few days ago I submitted 3 pictures (on line again) for the Cork Street Open. These are a bit more adventurous as I feel from seeing work in that Exhibition for the last few years that they tend to go for something a little original. Have look at the paintings at the end of the blog to see what you think.
I feel that I have turned a corner in my painting over the last few months and I need to develop this more ‘open’ structure to my work. I am using the base canvas colour which at the moment I am keeping white to place areas of colour, texture, and draw shapes to create the picture. I am using a much freer interpretation of that subject matter by mapping out the structure and elements in the painting with freely drawn lines done with charcoal sticks soaked in acrylic medium. These give a great variation of line weight and density without leaving much of the hard contrast I found if used dry. Also it helps to bond the line work to the ground, but still needs fixing with an acrylic sealer spray before painting. Bold brush strokes are still the name of the game for me, but I am finding it good to experiment with the different textures and thicknesses of paint helps to make the surface come alive.
My 17@Insight group are putting on our own gallery exhibition at the Tudor House Gallery in Sawbridgeworth 3rd to 14th July and I have done some small paintings plus some of my older stock to show there. I really must try and sell some these paintings as I am running out of home space for all of it!!
Here are 2 of the paintings I have submitted to Cork Street – see what you think and again please use the contact page or the link to tell me what you think – good or bad!!!