Oil paint, pastel and a chance meeting .
I paint in pastel most of the time, it's always been my preferred medium. Why? Well I think everyone settles on a medium that suites their personality. What do I mean by that? Well, I am a spontaneous person, I'm a hugger , I don't mind getting messy, I like the immediacy of having to hold a stick of pigment, rather than being at the end of a brush, but most of all, I simply love colour. So pastels suit me as you can;t get nearer to pigment than just holding a stick of it in your hand, the colours are fabulous and it is very spontaneous.
It is important to find a medium that suites you, as it was a revelation when found pastels over 35 years a go, while on Foundation Art at Wolverhampton Polytechnic, now the University. So why do I paint in oils at all? Well oils gives me everything that pastels can't give me , texture, working much bigger and a new challenge and for me change and mixing it up is an inspiration in itself.
So I am now in the glorious run up to Chelsea Flower show, it comes round far too fast . It's the only show I do that doesn't seem to get easier regardless of how many times I do it. Needless to say we have it easy compared to those that build gardens. I can't tell you how much sweat and tears go into it, not to mention huge budgets. If you would like tickets here is the link
Polly our daughter is revelling being at Edinburgh College of Art doing Fine Art. I envy her having three years to play but am soooo happy she is well and grabbing every opportunity with both hands. Mark and I had three days away in beautiful Cotswolds , during hurricane Doris, admittedly but we didn't care, it was just nice to be away , as when you work from home you have more need to get away from home, than most! Just before we left we went back into the hotel to go to the loo, I know you didn't really need to know that , but in a way you did , as while Mark was in there this guy passed me in the hall and I thought ' I know you?'. Then it dawned on me that it was Julian Lloyd Webber. He had reviewed one of Marks books over 25 years ago in one of the Sunday papers and given it a really good review. So when Mark returned ( from the loo) I told him that JLW was now in the bar, so he went to say hi and after all these years, to thank him for the review.
I had a nasty moment as he went off to see him, that I had in fact got it all wrong and just seen some one who looked like JLW and that this was about to get VERY embarrassing or alternatively, that Mark wouldn't get a very favourable response for disturbing him, while reading his paper. It all ended happily however, as he remembered and thankfully was pleased to meet Mark and be thanked, half a century late!
Well as I write this in my dressing gown (another 'you didn't need to know fact') note to self...it's one of the perks of self employment and having an iPad that you can write your blog in your bed, I must get on as some of you have seen , who follow me on Facebook, I need to finish a large Hydrangea painting I have been working on for Chelsea, which is turning into war and peace. I love working so big , the hydrangeas are nearly the size of my head, actually bigger than my head!! Onwards and upwards and I better get dressed as the postmans just been and looked at me in that " I've been up since 5am 'look'...and you're not even dressed " . The sun is shining and paintings need to! be painted.