New month - new art journal

Hi everyone,

It has been quiet on the blog front but I have been busy. As Spring is starting to bloom and the evenings are becoming lighter, I have started a new art journal and painted several new canvases this month.

R and I also decided to start an Instagram account called #andyandrachael where we try to post daily photographs of projects and things that inspire us. Please feel free to check it out if you are interested. We would love to see you there...

Here are a few photographs of the journal so far:

As you all know, nature is a big source of inspiration of mine and this has crept inside the journal

I was really inspired when I revisited the paintings I created on Flora Bowley's ecourse Bloom True last year and this double page spread reflects that inspiration.

                       

This source of inspiration continued further last weekend when I added to some new canvases  It felt brilliant to be working on canvas again and to watch how they are developing (as well as getting messy!). Lucky for me, my wife is very supportive when I am in the painting zone!!! 

Hope that Spring is inspiring you too.

Andy

Painting gifts

Hi everyone

Hope you are having a good week? It has been a while since I last posted, for which I can only apologise. Lots to do and no time in which to get everything done. You know the syndrome I am sure! Because of my time constraints connected to work, my wife R has set up an instagram account for us so we can both post what we are up to if I cannot get to the blog. I am now trying to make a conscious effort to be a regular blogger.  

As a start, here at last, are the paintings that were given to the family at Christmastime. I hope that you enjoy seeing them.

This cute Bunny I painted for one of my young nieces. She is only 1, and loves bunnies. The more astute of you will recognise the canvas that I created for the Lilla Rogers course. It needed modifying and a good home.

The pirate ship and squid painting was created for my eldest nephew, who has just turned 5. (I will show you the 'surprises' we made for his birthday next post.) I was really happy with the 'split' level effect.

Our eldest niece, who is 7, got this little beauty. She is fairy mad and a massive fan of yellow, so the logical thing to paint was a yellow fairy castle! I wanted to create something different from the classic 'Disney castle' look so I opted for a more woodland feel. 

This seascape was given to my mother-in-law. She wanted a tranquil image that looked like a seascape but still remained abstract. This was a totally different way of working for me. I had never done anything like this before. The other paintings were developed from the layering techniques that I acquired from Flora Bowley's course, but this was a new way of painting for me. I am happy to report that she loves it!

Another post is on the way. Hope that you can join me then.

Andy

At the dawn of Blooming True... Again!

Hi everyone,

After a fantastic summer holiday taking part in Rinda's Scavenger Hunt and working on a few canvases, I thought I would post their progress. The 'Man Cave' is a flurry of colour and I am trying to get them finished before I get stuck into the new Bloom True course, that starts today. I am so excited to be given this once again as an early birthday pressie. Thank you to you know who. I feel I am ready to take a further leap into painting larger and being more expressive and developing my take on a love of nature. 

There are a few large canvases to complete and they are coming on nicely. I have a few ideas on what will happen on their next layers. 

I have started some small ones too which I have covered with several coloured washes that need completing.

There's a Purple one...

A spotty one...

And a splattered one...

The most exciting thing is the development of some larger images. I have used loads of new colours that I would not normally use. It was with some trepidation I tried them out, but I love them now. The first canvas incorporates the 'leaf' shapes that I had used in the small sketchbook I found in a storage box. I posted some of the pages here and in 2012, here.

There are still some details to be added but they are all taking on their own character and journey. I am definitely feeling the saying of Flora Bowley when she says "Be brave and be bold".  

The second has developed into a sunflower... very jolly! If you would like to see how it started please click here. This and the octopus have turned out better than I ever imagined when I began them this time last year.

And lastly, I thought I would include a picture of the 'Man Cave'. It is great to have my own space but winter is drawing in and there is no heating in there. I will see how long I last - I have been promised a fan heater! 

                           

Hope you have enjoyed this colourful post? I feel one step closer to achieving an exhibition of my work and maybe selling one would be a dream come true! 

Hope you are all having a good week. 

Andy