After some recent disappointments, hearing that my submissions to the Cork Street Open and the Sunday Times watercolour completion were rejected, I started to wonder if my latest work was going in the wrong direction, but having got over the dismay I feel it is right to proceed with this more adventurous expression of painting and not to put too much faith in the recognition from a few competition judges.
My reasoning for the above has at last been vindicated as I submitted 3 pictures to the local St Albans Art Society Summer Exhibition; which were I admit not the latest manifestation of my changing style of work, but none the less a fair indication of established work, only to hear that the judges on this occasion awarded a prize of ‘Best in Show’ which cheered me up enormously!! It rather proves the point that it is all down to the selectors and judges preferences in these shows of skill and talent.
I can’t believe it is August already and my early enthusiasm for participating in Open Studios is becoming a reality in a few weeks’ time. My wife being the great PR person that she is, has suggested that to get more publicity for the event, that I should do a painting of a local scene and hold a blind auction for the picture so that – 1 : I get a lot of publicity for my venue through the contacts that she has from her charity, and – 2: I get the chance to donate a large portion of the winning bid price to her charity, Home Start – St Albans. That all seems very fair to me so then no pressure to produce a local masterpiece that hoards of well-wishing art lovers will want to bid for!
The painting would of course be pride of place when guests visit my open studio. As this can’t be my only exhibit I must try and collect some good past work as well as produce something interesting that represents where I am at presently. Those submissions to the 2 open exhibitions will come in handy. I will publish a picture of the auction painting after the event in my next blog text.
Another painting course in Newlyn – Cornwall is next on the agenda for the first week in September and I am so looking forward to meeting up and working again with Mark Spray who will be running the course with better weather that my last visit in April ( 5 centigrade and blowing a stormy gale). Hopefully this time I will be able to spend some time sketching around the little fishing port as well as some more of those invigorating landscapes around the coastline.
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