Hello hellebores and followers!
Apologies that I haven't written a blog in a while. A few of you have requested that I keep doing this so I will try to make it part of my regular routine! Welcome back and welcome to our first hellebores in the garden...Spring is near!
What has 2023 made you think about and reconsider? I don't like to do the 'resolutions' thing and prefer to start the New Year in a gentle, hygge sort of way. My word of wisdom for this year ahead is FOCUS. My goal is to protect and commit to my creative time. Also, I would like to focus on meaningful connections. Part of that is to connect, create and grow within my art community. I've enjoyed meeting with the Surrey Hills En Plein Air Painters to paint outdoors with my pochade box which can be found here at Jacksons Art Supplies.
Here I am at Denbies Wine Estate painting en plein air. It was cold but invigorating and the flask of hot tea helped as did meeting new artist friends Margaret and Janet!
I'm fairly new to en plein air in that I have always drawn and painted outdoors but now feel that I am doing this 'properly' with all the right kit rather than sitting cross legged and drawing in my sketchbook which is also fine!
The other challenge I have set myself is to learn how to throw pottery! I have always been drawn to pots and vessels. As they feature heavily in my still life work I felt it was important to learn to throw so that I may better understand the properties of clay. I have always made coil pots and hand made work but to throw is another skill entirely. I have been learning for almost a year now with the fabulous Jack at Loam. There have been some keepers and some tossers. Here are some of my favourites:
And the bottom one has featured in a recent still life-a new painting which will be in one of two upcoming exhibtions which I will be discussing in an upcoming newlsetter:
Thank you for reading readers! Go gently and I'll try to write weekly.
With love,
Olga xx