Thanks from Buckingham Palace!

Leicester watercolourist, Peter Welton, who knows his way around the artistic world like no-one else I know, suggested during my recent exhibition of paintings that I should send a limited edition print of 'A Right Royal Street Party' to the subject of the portrait in her Diamond Jubilee year, Her Majesty the Queen.

To my surprise and delight a few weeks on and I've received the sweetest of notes from Buckingham Palace, calling my artwork 'splendid' - not, unexpectedly, from HRH herself, but from the Palace nevertheless. Here it is, and here am I, and well chuffed about it I am too :)

Liz Hewitt and her letter of thanks from Buckingham Palace

Mum's the word!

Have begun working on a TOP SECRET portrait! Keeping mum about details for now but it's exciting & could be my crowning glory if all comes together! Been working on it all week & will spill the beans as soon as possible & that's a promise. Watch this space!!

Kapow!

Kapow by Innermost.

Proving that inspiration comes from many sources, this genius lampshade is Kapow by Innermost. 
Made of lightweight netted tubing the hoops & swirls fall to various lengths making the dimensions around 30cm x 30cm. 

Arriving in a hanger-suspended container shaped a little like a box of Panettone, I so like the texture, the shape & the unusual construction that I wouldn't be surprised if a feature based on this piece of lighting art appears in one of my portraits very soon!

Appreciation!

With TV broadcaster, Anne Davies, Wally the dog & her family portrait.

Anne Davies saw her family portrait for the first time, in Leicester, just before Christmas. Now the picture's framed and at her home and I'm delighted to say she's thrilled with it!
As you can see, in Anne's life Wally the dog takes centre stage, in paint and in real life!

Feeling lazy

Lots of work to do but feeling righteous having finished the last portrait, and lazy. Lots of friends to see and things to do before everyone heads back to their offices. 

My New Year resolution is to work smarter - I'm sure there are ways I can speed up some of the processes involved in the larger portraits especially. For a start I'm going to look into the possibility of double-sided tracing paper.

Finished!

Finally completed the family portrait for TV presenter, Anne Davies. Think she's going to be pleased. Max reckons it's the best thing I've done, but then he says that every time!
(This is the pic at tracing stage)