Just to say a great big ‘Thank You!’ to all those great people who visited the Suffolk Horse Society Spectacular at Elvedon Estate yesterday (13th September). If you have never seen a Suffolk Punch horse up close [and personal] before, this is the event to see them at their very best. They are extremely beautiful equines and I would urge you to experience their gentle, but tough nature first hand. Lots of lovely folk visited my stand to view my artwork and wares and it was a successful day. The highlight was that prior to the event I very hurriedly drew a couple of heavy-horse sketches on to tracing paper (for later paintings) and printed these two sketches onto cards and a couple of box canvas prints. All the cards, except one went and the two box canvas prints were the first thing I sold! These are the two preliminary sketches and card and canvas printouts – printed in sepia colour rather than grey – and I shall provide updates when I get around to the actual paintings. (And a very special thank you to Mr Rex Webb for the loan of his great, green gazebo for this event.)

And I am making progress with a Singing Cockerel water colour painting to be entitled: ‘An Old Cock, in a tree, at Woodbridge’ (Suffolk). My husband and I, with a group of fellow caravanners from a rally a few years ago, organized a walk through Woodbridge (what a pretty town) and part of the walk went through a coppice of trees by a busy main road. We were all startled by this sudden loud crowing, and behold, on a branch in a tree was this lovely old cockerel singing his heart out. I was fortunate to have had my camera at the ready and got a brilliant shot. My painting is based on this shot – busy traffic blurry behind, dappled sunlight through the winter branches and this old cock (I think he is old because of his thick, stumpy, knobbly legs!) warning any interlopers to steer clear of his ‘wild’ hen harem down below. It was a really awesome, but strange experience.

 

Last day of the exhibition at Hinchingbrooke Country Park. It has been a wonderful experience and thank you to all the lovely people who visited and admired my artwork (and that of the other five artists in the exhibition).

Have received a commission to paint a barn owl – long overdue in my own work-list. I spent 4 hours in an aviary with two lovely sister owls earlier in the year and took many photographs. The commission is for a classic pose and this is the photograph I have decided to use, but have not yet decided on the backdrop. (I also have two deceased barn owls in my ‘critters freezer’, so will be able to observe very close-hand the features which make up this beautiful bird.

Attended a workshop to learn about dormice. It was an excellent one-day course and I learned a great deal about the lovely little rodents. I have already drawn a composition but really wanted to meet one in the flesh, but not to be as in the field trip they proved elusive. But I now know that they have five digits on their ‘hands’ and four digits on their feet, and that the inner ‘thumb’ of each hand does not have a claw. They really are beautiful little animals and I think the only rodent where handlers do not need to wear gloves. But I also learned that if you pull their tails the skin (and fur) is shed which is how they may protect themselves and steal away from a predator who grabs it. So great care is needed when holding them (if I ever get the chance!). But I feel I now know this little creature well enough to portray him in a good light. This is the preliminary drawing, which may now have to change because dormice do not eat bryony berries as they are poisonous to them, so a little re-think is required:

Checking nest box for resident dormice, and empty nest:

At last, I have completed my illuminated ‘Nature Garden’ in the Ottonian lettering style. And it is already sold! Limited edition prints are available. See below for the completed work. I took the freshly painted picture to a ‘Meet the Artist’ day at Hinchingbrooke Country Park where I was exhibiting where I placed it unframed, unmounted on my table, along with another newly completed work, for people to look at. Two wonderful individuals came along and purchased the paintings – these are the quickest sales I have ever had!

13th August 2015. At last I have completed my Little Explorers at the Mini Mart water colour Painting. And it is already sold! But limited edition prints are available. This is the completed work. I do hope you like it. I took the freshly painted picture to a ‘Meet the Artist’ day at Hinchingbrooke Country Park where I was exhibiting where I placed it unframed, unmounted on my table, along with another newly completed work, for people to look at. Two wonderful individuals came along and purchased the paintings – these are the quickest sales I have ever had!

Thank you again to all those lovely people who have been to see me and my artwork over the last three weekends. This coming weekend, 25th and 26th July is the final weekend of my Cambridge Open Studios Exhibition. If you can come along to see my work that would be wonderful. My next exhibition is: 12th to 16th August 2015. Exhibition collaboration between Creative Coverage and Hinchingbrooke Country Park. Brampton Road, Huntingdon, Cambs PE29 6DB. The opening hours of the exhibition are: Wednesday 12th – Saturday 15th August 10:00am-5:00pm; and Sunday 16th August 10:00am – 4:30pm. During my final weekend of COS I am having a little sale of some artworks and goods, so you may pick up a bargain! My 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles have sold well and I have run out of the Jade Vine puzzle, but there are still six designs left and, for you jigsaw puzzle buffs, I am assured by a ‘puzzle-person’ who was my guinea-pig that they are ‘really b***** hard’. So if you fancy giving a unique Christmas present to your favourite puzzle person, these are for you. At only £13 each they are a real bargain. This is the range of pictures available:

My Second Cambridge Open Studios Weekend is coming up (11-12 July). Here are a few views of the exhibition. There are over 50 hanging pictures to peruse. My calendar theme this year is ‘The Eclecticism of Art (even by one artist!)’, and there certainly is an array of subjects on display. I have been loaned 14 commissioned paintings which are on display in the Chinese Dining Room, but there are also other original paintings and prints for sale. ‘Goodies’ designed around my artwork such as calendars, cards, jigsaw puzzles, coasters and hardback coffee table books are also for sale. Please pop along between 11.00am and 6.00pm Saturday or Sunday – it will be wonderful to see you. I shall be demonstrating the varnishing of two oil paintings around mid-day. (COSFlyer2015Web)

Well, just two days to go to my Cambridge Open Studio, and I have not even hung a painting yet, although I have had ten pictures framed, added mugs and more jigsaw puzzles to my saleable items, so have been busy labelling and boxing etc. I have received 14 commissioned paintings on loan for July and these will be nicely presented in my Chinese Dining Room for visitors to enjoy. As well as the usual cards, notelets, wrapping paper and prints, my new website with full gallery and shop – www.tinasfineart.uk – should be up and running in the next week or so. So please do not be surprised if you visit my website and it suddenly all changes, with lots of goodies and pictures to view! I hope you will find it easy to navigate, and any feedback (negative or positive) would be much appreciated. But for now the old website is in situ. This is what my dining room looks like at the moment – and that is only half the stuff!! I am open from 11.00am to 6.00pm. I look forward to greeting you.