A Marvellous Moment! Saturday 5th October 2019

Very happy to see my oil painting 'New York Empire State' sold at The Marvellous Art Gallery.  Hoping it will give lots of pleasure to it's new owner Steve, pictured here with Marvellous Art Gallery owner, Marvin Daika (centre).

Progress in oils - Vicky Park in yellow!

About time I brought you up to date with my efforts in oils.
My first picture eventually suffered from over working; the sheer versatility of the medium seduced me so that I kept on changing things until, frankly, all the freshness and originality that had been in the painting at the beginning had been painted out. 
The efforts which followed went in the same direction, but more slowly. Bearing in mind that I'd never worked in oils before this and you'll understand that I had more than a little to learn!
All the same, lessons with artist and friend, Louise Ellerington, were beginning to get me somewhere, although until lately I didn't know exactly where!
My most recent painting has something interesting in it. I think. It isn't perfect but I'm not ashamed to share it with you! But see what you think for yourself.

Victoria Park in yellow & mauve, by Liz Hewitt, 2017

Sue Graham chats at Leicester's Cank Street Gallery

Sue Graham with her paintings at Leicester's Cank Street Gallery, 22 September 2016

Artist talks are useful and occasionally highly informative events so I was particularly glad to be invited along to a presentation by acclaimed LSA (Leicester Society of Artists) featured artist, Sue Graham.

At Leicester's Cank Street Gallery on 22 September, I discovered that Sue aims to capture light, time and place in her pictures, using Britain's coastline from Norfolk to Cornwall, and in all weather conditions.

Thornham in the Mist by Sue Graham,
oil on paper

Sue paints in oils, an ideal medium to convey mood and demonstrate changes in light. I particularly appreciated her use of the texturing palette knife, and some of her more dramatically dark and moody pictures, which work well, even on a small scale.

To obtain the atmosphere she seeks, Sue sets off very early in the morning to complete at least one picture in a day. Often she uses board instead of canvas, which she says is good for quick work. Sometimes she soaks up the atmosphere before heading to a beach to set up. Once a painting takes off she will stay long into the evening to take advantage of the light and her creative mood.

It was a real pleasure to meet Sue. Check out her recent artworks at sue-graham.co.uk

Having fun in oils!

Warning! New artwork experience! 

I've been doing some painting in a new medium. Oils! 

Strange as it may seem, I never, ever, worked in oils before, even during my fine arts degree course in Derby. I was probably always too keen on watercolour & acrylic... it was a long time ago & I can't remember for sure.

Anyway, with the help of some friends I decided to have a go and the image under is the result! It's based on Leicester's Victoria Park.

The painting has already been through a number of transitions so I doubt it'll look this way for long! Depending on how pleased I am with the end result, when it's completely finished I may post an up to date version of the work. 

Having lots of fun so far!!

Leicester's Vicky Park. By Lizzy Hewitt. Oils. Sept 2016.