fluttery things

I've had a rethink on my next project. The hippo has been shelved temporarily, not because I don't like it, more it's the wrong size. I've another exhibition the end of the month, and decided after my last two sells of paintings I wanted some smaller paintings. These two are going to be oil on canvas, the top one 12x6in, and the other 10x10in. They are both moths, but not the normal variety I'm familiar with, that are tatty brown and braining themselves against my lights. These beauties are from further afield. The top one

is the Atlas Moth from South East Asia, the tips of its wings are made to look like a snake head to scare away anything that fancies it as lunch. The other is a Madagascan Moon Moth. I didn't have to travel so far to see these guys, about a year back Kew gardens had the most fantastic collection of moths in the Princess of Wales glasshouse, flying free amongst the tropical display.
As the paintings are small I hope they will not take too long, I hope to get them in the sunshine, back of the canvas facing the sun to help dry them in time. Its important to dry the canvas from the back to prevent cracking.

Guincho beach gone to a good home!

Good news from the KAOS Exhibition, just got a text to say, my pastel of Guincho Beach has been sold, so pleased!
I've been calling this a gibbon, I stand corrected, its a monkey, as I now know gibbons don't have tails! I believe its probably a spider monkey, I painted from a series of photos taken a couple of years back. I'm not a zoologist just an artist who likes animals! If you know better please let me know, I like to be educated!

Back to painting after all the excitment

Got back to painting today, spurred on with the news that I've sold a painting at the KAOS exhibition. My peacock has gone to a new home! I met the guy who bought him, he was so pleased with his purchase. It gives me such satisfaction to meet the people who buy my work. I think that's why I enjoy taking commissions. Today I worked further into my gibbon piece played with ideas for the rope and branches. I also had a major redo of his head, I hope for the better! My latest project is a hippo, again in oils. A new sized canvas for me, but obviously suitable for the subject! I put a skin of oils paint on today, just to knock out the stark white of the canvas.

KAOS Launch Exhibition

Finally the day has arrived, Kaos has been launched! The exhibition was opened by the mayor, who also awarded the prizes to the kids who had entered our art competition. The exhibition looks fantastic, and I'm so proud to be part of it. The last photo shows my son making his mark on "marking it' A big public artwork, you choose the colour and where you want it. The lady in the green is the Mayor who had opened the event earlier.

A new project

Just started another canvas to work alongside the gibbon. In contrast to the gibbon, this painting will have a more restrained palette. This one is about textures and reflections. If you can't make it out, it's a semi -submerged hippo. I would like to have photographed and observed it in the wild, however a fantastic zoo in the Loire proved to be the next best thing!

Wish me luck!

This is our launch weekend for KAOS. The exhibition opening on Mayday 2nd May. I've my fingers crossed for some good weather, especially for our opening by the mayor. I did a final leaflet distribution today to promote what should be an exciting event. I managed to get another hour at this painting today, just trying to to get the form of the gibbon, also adding a little more colour into the background.

Getting back to it

After lots of putting off doing all day, I finally sat down for half an hour and roughly applied the background, I want the sky to echo the muscular power of the gibbon, so I'm interested in the direction of every brush stroke. I struggling to keep my focus, my Kaos exhibition starts on Monday so lots of bits for that. The Easter holidays finished this Monday, however the schools are closed again for 4 days, Friday for the Royal wedding, then Mayday on Monday so really finding it hard to knuckle down again, I gave up today and took myself off to Richmond Park, Pen Ponds and the Isabella Plantation to do duckling spotting, and I wasn't disappointed!