All that matters is that you get up ...

My painting, 'A Right Royal Street Party' has not been selected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London in April after all. 
After taking the painting down to the hand-in last weekend and being so excited at the possibility of exhibiting in London, I'm hugely disappointed. Still, as Ben Affleck pointed out as he collected his Best Picture Oscar this week; it doesn't matter how you get knocked down in life, that's going to happen. All that matters is that you get up.
I shall find another exhibition, one which has a better match to my own style, and enter that. In the meantime I have a commissioned artwork to finish. Up and at 'em :)

Journey to London's Mall Galleries

Heading for London's Mall Galleries exhibition hand-in

Yesterday Max and I drove down to London to hand in my Diamond Jubilee painting, 'A Right Royal Street Party' at the Mall Galleries. It's the first time I've ever thought to exhibit any of my paintings, taken up as I am with commissioned artworks.
Actually, it was quite an adventure, hiring a van and the two of us taking my carefully prepared and wrapped painting to the hand-in. And as it was a Saturday we were able to drive around the capital without the extra expense of the Congestion Charge. 
I've always loved London and took photos of the journey to give you a taste of our day :) Now I need to get back to my ongoing commission work whist anxiously waiting to hear if my painting is selected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Spring Exhibition. Fingers crossed!

And our pictorial journey ends with yet more art :)

 

Invitation to Exhibit in London!

'A Right Royal Street Party'

Such excitement! I've been invited to submit for consideration my Diamond Jubilee painting, 'A Right Royal Street Party' for the Spring Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours at London's Mall Galleries!
As I'm still completing my current commission, I'm juggling preparation for the exhibition with final stages of this most recent painting. 
Busy, busy, busy! (And enormously exciting!)

Happy New Year!

Welcome everyone and a very happy (if belated) New Year! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas :)
As I've just managed to complete the assembly stage of possibly my most challenging commission to date, my own New Year has definitely been one to celebrate. 

Commission assembly-stage sketch, Jan 2013

Can't tell you what it is that makes one commission straightforward and another problematic, only that sometimes I can't for the life of me figure out how to tackle something that should be no more complex than any other painting.
This most recent commission has been through more development than almost anything I've ever done; I simply couldn't make up my mind how best to approach it and sketched literally dozens of alternatives before I was satisfied. Thankfully the clients were angels and trusted me to sort it out!
Perhaps if I cared less, if I didn't put heart and soul into every commission I undertake, then maybe they'd take less time and cause less heartache. Thankfully, like this one, they generally come right in the end!
So here's a sample of the commission to date (those of you who know the area may recognise featured Leicester landmarks) and as soon as the entire painting is completed and I have the client's approval, I'll be pleased to tell you lots more about it and about the clients who commissioned it. 
Onwards and upwards into 2013.
Happy New Year one and all!

Sex in the City at London's Saatchi Gallery

Gosha Ostretsov's 2008 'Sex in the City' installation at London's Saatchi Gallery, December 2012

Between completing my most recent commission and preparing for the up-coming Festive Season I've been to take a look at the current Saatchi Gallery 'Gaiety is the most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union' exhibition. 
A stand-out piece was the above mixed media installation by Gosha Ostretsov, with its lipstick colours on monochrome and exciting comic-book graphics.
Hope your Christmas preparations are progressing better/faster/less flu-laden than mine!
Chin Chin!

Thanks again, Leicestershire Life!

Max and I have been rushed off our feet these past few weeks with all sorts of family events & crises. 
Happily, the lovely people at Leicestershire & Rutland Life have cheered me by once again featured my work, this time telling the story of the 'A Right Royal Street Party' Exhibition at Leicester's West End Gallery, in their most recent (October) issue.
To all concerned at L&RL, thank you for believing in me, and to everyone who continues to support my work, thank you again for attending the exhibition & for purchasing the magazine.
PS If you don't yet have a copy of the magazine & would like one, contact Leicestershire Life on Tel 0116 251 2512 or email info@leicestershirelife.co.uk

The Barcelona Album

Yesterday I came across the (real) album of photos Max and I put together using 'Blurb' following a visit to Spain a couple of years ago.
The Barcelona album contains some great architectural shots and is our take on one of the most creatively interesting and beautiful cities of the world. 
The album is also available to view online. To see the photos click on the pic above. To be taken to album purchase info on the 'Blurb' site, click here. 
Well, a girl has to ask :)
The album also includes some daft photos of Max and I enjoying ourselves on holiday and very possibly the worse for wear!
Don't say you haven't been warned!