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Link to previous post on this Exhibition: ABBA Post

Link to first update for this Exhibition: First ABBA Update

The trials and tribulations of the weather sometimes have a huge impact on how a painting turns out – during the whole of the painting of this artwork the weather was dull: two things kept happening. Every time I sat down to paint the telephone rang; and the sun was nowhere to be seen. However, as needs must, I battled on under the greyness of clouds and the intermittent telephone conversations and completed the work. I have tried to show all the nuances of this beautiful little plant including ground habitat. Taken as one plant alone the bluebell is rather insignificant, but when seen en masse in a typical English bluebell wood, there is no other scene and scent that can stir the senses in such a remarkable way. It is such a shame this only happens once a year for a short time! Hopefully, my painting will at least remind folk of the wonderful seasonal event for the whole year.

I do hope you like it.

Below are the final run of photographs as the work came to fruition (some of which are rather dark due to the lack of natural sunlight), and I apologise for the various colours of the background paper which is Aquarelle Arches 140lb 100% cotton rag water colour paper. There are no captions because I hope the progress pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

And here is a little movie of the whole sequence of painting progress, just in case you do not have time to peruse the single pictures below:

 

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I have been a member of the Cambridge Natural History Society for some years – being a life member. Apart from having monthly talks, annually they organise an exhibition of things natural history called the “Conversazione”. This year it is the 98th Conversazione which takes place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June in the Department of Zoology. The organiser has asked if I can display or circulate the event poster to anyone who might be interested, and I thought there is no better way for me to help than to advertise it on my website in these diary pages.

As I am unable to exhibit this year (being on sabbatical and therefore having nothing to show), I thought I would support the event by informing all those lovely people who read my website diary articles – and thank you.

The Society is hoping to attract more visitors, more people to appreciate the effort that has gone into the displays, to talk with the exhibitors, and to enjoy the event. If you fancy setting up a display, it is not too late to book space for an exhibit. Displays from individuals are welcome, as well as from organisations, about their natural history interests, whether it is bees and wasps, black squirrels, ermine moths, exotic fungi or something else. There is a £100 prize for the best student exhibit.

More details and booking forms in the Conversazione section of the CNHS website: http://www.cnhs.org.uk/
There are also photos of recent Conversazione displays on the CNHS Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/CNHS1857

“In 2019 it will be the 100th Conversazione when they hope to have 100 exhibits and lots of visitors. Monica Frisch -Conversazione Organiser”

If you do manage to get along to the event, I do hope you enjoy it. It is always very interesting and you learn a lot about nature.

Back to latest post.

The Association of British Botanical Artists will be holding its inaugural exhibition in 2018; a worldwide event whereby lots of countries will be holding an exhibition at the same time, all showing their natural flora. I hope very much to participate in this event and have chosen two iconic British plants to portray: our native Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima).

As artwork needs to be submitted in November 2017, I am having to take time out from my sabbatical year to paint the pictures – starting last weekend because the Bluebells are already past their best! I have just noticed that the Stinking Iris in my little wild garden is also coming into bud, so once the bluebell picture is completed, I shall have to start on the second one straightaway.

Our native bluebells have a lovely scent (alien Spanish ones do not) with pale blue stamens and cream anthers (Spanish anthers are olive or yellow). The flower shape is distinctly tubular with just the tips of petals turning outwards and upwards (Spanish ones are a paler blue with wide bell-shape flowers). Native bluebells also have narrower leaves and the inflorescence (flower head) droops to one side at the tip; their Spanish counterparts have wide leaves and the flower head remains upright. All-in-all our native bluebell is a delicate, and now endangered, plant which is fast being ousted by its more vigorous Spanish neighbour, and unfortunately the two are cross-breeding into a hybrid – which is also more robust than the native.

Here are a few preliminary photographs and drawings, as well as the eventual design on cartridge paper, which I traced and then put onto my lovely Aquarelle Arches water colour paper. I mixed the colours for the bluebell flowers and its leaves and stalks as soon as I had picked them (with permission of the owner of Bourn Golf Course, to whom I am indebted – they have been sitting in the fridge since and are still fresh), so these colours are ready for me to start painting with – probably tomorrow, all being well. I have mixed quite a lot of the three main colours so that I do not run out – as trying then to replicate the colours, even though I made a note of which base colours I used, is not an easy task and often fails.

I hope you enjoy the little story below of events so far:

 

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Dear All who read this post:I have been asked if I would like to apply for Landscape Artist of the Year 2017 by the producer of Storyvault Films Limited. Those of you who follow my work will know that landscape is not really my thing (unless under commission). But rather than just ignore the email I thought I would share it with you all, just in case there is some budding/old hand landscape artist out there who might be interested to apply to go on the tele…. The deadline is this Friday 28th April 2017.

These are the details, and good luck to anyone who does enter:

Please forgive this email out of the blue. Storyvault Films are the TV company which produces ‘Landscape Artist of the Year’ for Sky Arts. We are currently looking for artists to take part in the new series, and I’m hoping this might be of interest to you.

The competition is open to both professional and amateur artists and all mediums are welcome (apart from digital, photography, video or sculpture). Here is a link to our website with access to the online application form.

If this isn’t for you, but you can think of any other artists who you know might be interested, please do forward this email with the website details included or follow/like/share the social media posts we have about the competition being open (links below).

We are a small team and really want to reach out to as many people as possible in the arts community who might not see our usual press.

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

The deadline for applications is this Friday 28th April at midday.

I’ve also attached a PDF flyer with all the details.

Many thanks, and please do let me know if you have any questions about the competition.

Marina Fonseca
Producer
Landscape Artist of The Year 2017
Storyvault Films Limited, Bridge Studios
107a Hammersmith Bridge Road | London |W6 9DA
Tel: 020 8741 3929
www.skyartistoftheyear.tv
www.storyvault.tv

I have not lifted a paintbrush since November 2016, but in the last two weeks managed to find time to complete a commission. His name is Monty (Artist Code 1603), and this is the second time I have portrayed him (the first was a graphite drawing, Artist Code 0905). Sadly Monty passed away a couple of weeks ago, but his memory lives on in those beautiful “I love you” eyes.

A year on and I can reveal a secret:

My lily painting is being used in the decorative packaging for a new product from Grace Cole:

Rose & Lily – http://www.gracecole.co.uk/luxury-floral-duo.html

And this is a link to the picture history:

http://tinasfineart.uk/picture-profile-0005-white-lilies/

Had a bit of time this morning to add some detail to the Paws for Thought painting. Unfortunately it is such a long time since I picked up a paint brush I find I am struggling to remember how to paint! Most frustrating. I can feel by the way this one is going that it will probably not be good enough to sell, so it may become one of my few failures. It is so important to paint often; but my present circumstances have prevented me from fulfilling the inner urge. Never mind, as it is a sabbatical year I suppose I must be patient with life and take the few snippets of free time for painting as they come along- but that is difficult to accept when it goes all wrong on a day I can paint!

I have just spent three wonderful days at Cambridge Botanic Gardens being tutored by my favourite artist: Georita Harriot. I  used the course as a refresher for gilding and illumination techniques, and it was invaluable. It was also great fun. There were 12 [mature] students of all levels of ability, but each one of us produced a great piece of artwork (although I had to finish mine off at home today because as usual I was way behind everyone else!). The first day we visited the Fitzwilliam Museum’s current exhibition on illumination – it was fantastic and set the scene for much inspiration for the class. Days 2 and 3 consisted of demonstrations on applying gold leaf and how to paint with body paint – none of your wishy-washy water colours – just brave, lay-it-on-thick paint, each vibrant colour had a touch of white added to it to make it rich and creamy. On my piece I also added some filigree patterns with shell gold.

This is the finished piece, and I have digitally added extra letters to form the words Happy Christmas and a little poem. This is a mock-up of a Christmas card which I might use in future. I would highly recommend the art courses at the Botanic Gardens. There are many different tutors doing lots of splendid types of artwork to suit everyone. The class room is spacious, the lunches at a reduced price are excellent, and the whole experience is uplifting and relaxing all at the same time.

And just received this lovely photograph taken by Santa Rex without my knowledge. But it shows Helena, William, George and the elbow of husband/father Richard – I am obviously happy about something!!

It was a wonderful day at Gransden Show on 24th September 2016. I had a great spot in the Art and Craft Marquee and there were many visitors. I think everyone enjoyed rummaging through my goodies basket which had only five items left in it (from 120 or so). Thank you very much to all those lovely people who viewed my work and who made purchases, for which I am most grateful. The Gransden Show seems to get better every year. It is such a good family day out. Here are a few photographs to show what a great day it was (I did not photograph the great big baguette my husband and I each had for lunch, which was full of pulled pork and stuffing – absolutely delicious!)