As you will see reading this blog, it hasn’t been very active for a long time. Now with this upgrade of the entire website, I think that it deserves an upgrade too! So here is a short review of events so far this year.
A brief catch up for 2020.
That was the year of multiple lockdowns, and for me, apart from the frustration of not being able to meet people or go anywhere, the house had to be the refuge for both my wife and me.
We did have the bonus of perfect weather throughout the first lockdown. The garden was a godsend, so I used it exclusively for subject matter in my paintings. Here is a selection of 4 of seven paintings I worked on during those months.
Finally, the most frustrating event late in the year was having a painting accepted by the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in the Mall galleries but only having it shown as a virtual exhibition and not attending the show.
An uncertain start to 2021
Let me start with a shot of my 76th birthday in May this year – Yes, 76!! Time certainly seems to fly at this stage of life. Still, happily, I am in good health and as enthusiastic in life and painting to keep looking ahead of new achievements.
Most galleries and exhibitions had come to a standstill during the early parts of the year. Despite this, I was glad to hear that I was invited back to the Childwickbury Art Fair to demonstrate and to show a good number of paintings. The show was a little later than usual and was, in all respects, a very good event.
And 2 of my admiring granddaughters!
The next showing was at the Ayot St Lawrence Summer art show. Again a lovely event in a charming old Palidan style church set in glorious countryside.
I love joining other painters in an organised event with another recognised painter, benefiting from their experience in their practice. It gives me a different perspective of how other artists work and often gives me an excellent opportunity to produce some good work in a location the I would not have experienced.
Here is our artist Julian la Bas from Sussex, who is working up a view of the lovely river valley at our site near Lewes.
The year’s last event was scheduled for October, and I was happy to arrange my Open Studio with some of my recent work on the walls for anyone who wanted to pop in to view and chat. It was good to see a small number of visitors this year – not as much as most years, but three pictures went to new homes, which was very satisfying.
Now we are in the last few months of the year, and the studio is back to normal; I am finding it hard to re-ignite the enthusiasm to start more work. Perhaps a little time off to consider how my painting has continued this year, where it could go, and in what direction for the coming months and next year?
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