Friday 29 July 2011

My New Fan

Last night I went down to Ely Cathedral to make some studies for my next project
'Another Year'. I wanted to capture the light on the Cathedral as the sun was setting. I set up my folding seat and art equipment in a good position and started to paint, light colours on dark paper. Very soon I was aware that a rather beautiful foreign girl was watching me in at a distance in a respectful way . She asked if she could take a photo, as I bashfully explained that it was only a sketch. She then came and sat on the grass right next to me, and there she remained for the next hour! Somehow, the Cathedral (my drawing not the real thing) managed to end up crooked but it proved to be an interesting evening nontheless.

Thursday 28 July 2011

On Your Trolley

Last weekend I did my 'Anniversaries' tour for the two groups who came to see
Ted Coney's Family Portraits. This necessitated me using my special viewing trolley so that I could navigated our wedding painting, ' Lavendar and Dead Bilberries' across the courtyard and into the house. I don't do this very often as it means I have to 'see-saw' the whole thing on a plank of wood across the door frame to get it in, but it was good to know that I still had the strength to do it! Mind you, four days later it is still sitting there, so I really must take it back today, otherwise it will become a permanent fixture.

Saturday 23 July 2011

Not The Businessman of the Year

Although I am always keen to report my successes on this blog, occasionally, to give a balanced picture, I must report my failures (these probably make more interesting reading, anyway). For the second year running I put Ted Coney's Family Portraits forward for a local business award. I went in for the Innovation catergory because I felt my concept was very unusual. However, having heard nothing back, I must assume I have failed yet again. I felt extremely confident about the whole thing until I had to fill in the space on the form which was headed 'Annual Turnover'. Maybe £200 and odd pounds didn't look very cutting edge?!

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Lights and Shadows

We have just been to Cornwall and Dorset for a holiday. When the weather was reasonable I got down to some sketching from the landscape. I decided to do some experiments with light falling on objects because it will link well with my next family painting. I did two sunset pictures as the sun went down over Crackington Haven (not very good, but you have to start somewhere!). I also made some studies of our long shadows cast across the rocks, again as the light was fading.
My idea for the final painting, entitled 'Another Year' will somehow contrast the deaths of my mother and sister-in-law last year, with the arrival of my granddaughter, Poppy and my great neice, Diana (who arrived last week!) almost to the month, a year later. At the moment, I want to represent them as glowing lights (or fading lights) or maybe shadows. It is all a bit vague at the moment but I hope to work with the iconic shape of Ely Cathedral at different times of day, now I am back, and see what happens.

Sunday 3 July 2011

80 Not Out

The sun shone and lots of people came to Aquafest. I raised £80 for Teenage Cancer Trust by visitors trying to guess the female name of my 80 year old Morris Minor. I can reveal that the name the family have used over all these years to describe the car, is Henrietta! In the morning I also took the Mayor and his consort in the Morris to Lavenders Green to officially open the event. All went well except at one stage, the lady with the red flag, who was leading me, tried to go one way and I went the other. Lets hope all these things have helped to raise the profile of
Ted Coney's Family Portraits with the general public. I certainly gave out alot of flyers, as people came over to look at the car. I think it's called a 'lost leader' in business.