Vistaprint, my web host, has lost my blog images!!

But, "don't worry," they say, "on our new platform this won't happen." 

So, before too long, my blog will  be resurrected, complete with images relating to this exciting text. Watch this space!

Marcia

This year I am taking part in Harrow Open Studios for the first time. 

I've visited other artists' homes and studios as part of this annual event, and thoroughly enjoyed seeing a huge variety of art and meeting other artists but have always either been too busy to take part or the time has clashed with our holiday arrangements. Now, I've bitten the bullet!

HOS takes place over the first two weekends in June and local artists open their studios/homes to the general public so people can see the wonderful creativity that abounds on their doorsteps.

It's a One-Woman-Show for me, something I've always wanted to do. So as not to have any last minute panics, I've already begun preparations: painting (as always), hanging - and preparing invitations for my neighbours to accompany the 300 printed brochures given to each participating artist to distribute. 

As drinks and nibbles will be served in the garden, I'm also trying to get that in good order. 

Most work will be available for sale - but it's really an opportunity simply to welcome my neighbours and art lovers to my home to see, and hopefully, enjoy my work.

If you're in Stanmore, London during the first two weekends in June, drop in!

Don't all artists? We exhibit our work - putting it up for the public to view. Our family and friends (hopefully) like our work but I certainly get a bit of a thrill every time I sell a piece. It means someone out there loves it enough to lay out good money to own it.

These paintings sold at the recent 2016 exhibitions of the Harrow Art Society and The Pinner Sketch Club. Seems people like rainy scenes!

The first exhibition this year from Harrow Art Society, London, has just finished at Stanmore Library. There was a wide range of work on display, including three of my recent paintings and some of my ceramic jewellery. I also lugged along my Eagle has Landed sculpture which although not for sale, I felt deserved a public showing. There's no doubt that my most popular artwork was Gold Mosque and Minarets. Many people asked how I achieved the particular textured effect. The quick answer is "with a lot of effort!" Details of how I actually did it, can be seen on the Featured Art section of this site. The mount was hand painted to match the image.

Immediately following the Harrow Art Society's show, is the exhibition of my Stanmore Art Group. I helped hang this exhibition, and have six works on display. Seen here are three of my seascapes in mixed media, and my Gold Mosque and Minarets, also mixed media as above. The Private View is tomorrow (Tuesday 28 April) night, 8 p.m. Stanmore Library. 

My old art school training was in oils (all those years ago) but I discovered the advantages of acrylics when they were introduced in the 1970s: easier cleaning of brushes and mixing with water, no smell, quicker drying.  

But. . . now, after all this time, I'm rediscovering the delights of oil painting again: the greater richness and depth of colours that don't change in the light, crisper, cleaner highlights, the buttery paint texture that I enjoy mixing and moving on the canvas. Also, if desired, one can work in acrylic as an 'under foundation' to establish tones, and put oils on top (never the other way round though) - so . . goodbye acrylic, hello oils. And in a big way, too - my Swans in Calm Waters is really big (nearly bigger than me): 4' high x 3' wide.