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

Decking the Halls

Good Morning Everybody

It is Christmas Eve and I would like to welcome you to my second Christmas posting. Yesterday, I showed you some of the smaller projects that R and I started with. Now we step up the pace.

Above is R's wreath. We used a shop bought wreath as the base and then R added a whole host of different stars made from different materials.

Whilst R wrestled with the wreath, I was busy making this year's cards. 

Our inspiration this year is the Northern lights. Using a squeegee, I created the colours I wanted then added in the detail once this was dry.

I found the best colours to use were Cyan, Magenta and a Bright Yellow (all the usual primary colours of Blue, Red and Yellow came out too dark) with a splash of white thrown in.

Once the cards were done it was time to 'dec the hall'. Above, is the landing window complete with our advent calendar and candles.

The whole house has been decorated this year. R has been the busiest making the banner, and paper trees among other things. She has used many different materials and techniques and the end results are really joyful.

Even the downstairs loo has not escaped being decorated!

But of course the epitome of and celebration in the house is the tree. Ours is full, with lots of our home-made decorations (including the bird house).

The snowman was created the same way as the Christmas Decoration Swap elf ball, and the star was shop bought to which we added chalkboard paint.

And, thank you Miriam for our bird. We love it!

I hope that you have a brilliant Christmas Eve and memorable Christmas Morning, and Santa remembers you all. Tomorrow, the post will be all about presents.

Merry, merry Christmas to you all.

Andy

Festive Swap Show and Tell

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to do a quick blog post and say a big thank you to Miriam for the Festive Swap Show and Tell. I have really enjoyed joining in with this project. Today, I received my swap decoration from Marsha in Canada. I am so thrilled to receive two gorgeous folded origami fabric stars and can't wait to hang them on my tree.

Here they are...

I hope Wanda from Tidbits & Treasures receives my elf decoration (shown here) in the post soon.

In other news, I have finally finished the sunflower painting that I started earlier this year. I am very pleased with how it turned out. It's quite a large canvas and we have it positioned at the top of our stairs. Everyone comments that looking at it really brightens their day!

Hope you all are well and looking forward to getting out your Christmas decorations soon. Can't believe tomorrow is the first of December. How quickly it has all come about!

Andy

Christmas Decoration Swap

Hi Everyone

I am so sorry that I have not posted since Halloween. I have only just got over my illness. It has driven me crazy not being able to get out into the man cave and paint large canvasses, but it has not stopped me painting something small.

I decided to paint a Decoration for Miriam's Christmas Decoration swap. As I write this, my bauble is now on it's way to the the States and I hope that the recipient will like it. 

The actual bauble is ceramic and I have used a selection of acrylics and pens to create my little elves.

I am off to check Miriam's blog to see what other people have created and I am thinking of painting some more baubles for Christmas. I think it will be rather a crafty Christmas this Year!

Have a good week.

Andy

The Great Big Stitched Postcard Swap

Hi everyone, 

After over two weeks of marking madness and late evenings at work, I managed to meet the Postcard swap deadline for Celebration at Do What You Love. My stitched postcard is currently winging its way to New York, a place that holds wonderful memories for me of past vacations. When I registered for the swap, I had a reasonably manageable timetable at school. However, just a few weeks into the new term, it is as manic as ever! Creating this piece of artwork after school assisted me to shrug off that busy schedule and was a most enjoyable process. It was fun bringing out my partner's sewing machine. Stitching is a relatively new thing for me but I feel I achieved a first, with a little guidance. This is the first time I have been involved in an online swap; another personal goal achieved. 

Apart from the postcard, I have only been able to paint at the weekends since starting Flora's True Bloom e-course. I hope to catch up this week and post what I am up to by the weekend (fingers crossed!).

So, without further ado, here is a run down of how my postcard was put together.

First thing I did was to break out my new arty squeegee. I created a burst of colour on A4 card paper using just golden fluid acrylic primary colours. Would you like a demonstration on video?? Do let me know by leaving a comment. Along with this, I had some off cuts of fabric; it is like a burlap but a lot stiffer material. To add a background texture, I used a stamper that has an Islamic design on it. 

While the paint on the burlap was drying, I hand cut out circles of different sizes. Then I tore the fabric into strips. Time for some creative fun! I had it all spread out on the kitchen floor and moved it around for an hour of so before I felt it was right. Once I had decided on the placement, I glued it all together using PVA. 

                             

Once that had dried, it was time to add some details. I used a series of different nibs on my Sharpie pens and a Tippex. The inspiration for my celebration themed postcard were images of fireworks, being a reference to new beginnings and friendship. The formed images looked like seed pods.

I then separated it into several pieces. It was at this point, I remembered the one rule of the swap to follow... it had to have sewing on it. Now I do not proclaim myself an excellent sewer and I decided to have a lesson on the sewing machine. I am fortunate that my wife is fantastic at textiles and she showed me how to use the machine and then I stitched into each section. Thank you wife for having the patience!

Next, l brought the pieces together and added the last details. Here is the front and back of the postcard before I stitched it together.

This is the back:

This is the front:

I have to admit to being very happy with the result. Attempting something new without letting my style of work slip was very satisfying, and I hope the recipient in New York enjoys receiving it.

As promised, I will post again soon with the beginnings of the Bloom True canvases. I am relishing the journey.

Hope everyone is having a great week. 

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