What's happening...
Looking ahead
Workshops
I am running the following oil painting workshop in the spring:
Painting in oils: seeing the light!
Wednesday 30th March 2022 10am - 4pm
at Micklems Farm
The effect of light on a landscape is often what catches our imagination when we are looking for good subjects to paint. Light creates drama, form and interest; this is equally true if the subject is a still-life or if we are painting figures or a portrait. A walk through any good art gallery will reveal ways artists have found to depict light in their paintings, and yet often these techniques prove elusive when we try to achieve them ourselves!
Working in oils, students will look at some of the ways the effects of light can be brought into a landscape painting, and then use them to create a finished work.
Level: intermediate
Forthcoming exhibitions
What to bring:
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An apron or coverall
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Newspaper (to lay your wet painting on for transport home)
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Oil paints (traditional or water-soluble; or acrylic paints if you prefer)
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Palette knife
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Tear-off disposable palette (acrylic painters will ideally need a stay-wet palette)
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Cotton or canvas covered board, or oil or acrylic painting paper - approx. 10 x 12” (25 x 30m)
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Selection of brush sizes, flats or filberts, within the range 2 - 12
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Rags, paper towels or biodegradable baby wipes
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Oil painters must bring low odour thinners please (not turps), like Zest-it or Sansodor
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Fine water spray for acrylics
Suggested colours (guideline only):
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Titanium white
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Lemon yellow
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Cadmium yellow
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Cadmium red
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Alizarin crimson
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Ultramarine Blue
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Cerulean blue
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Burnt sienna
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Raw sienna
If you are buying oil paints for the first time, Daler Rowney’s Georgian range do a good value starter set of 10 colours. If needed, the tutor will have some extra colours you can use. There will also be canvas covered boards available to buy if needed.
Bring a packed lunch; tea, coffee, biscuits provided.
£80
Sense of Space
by Reading Guild of Artists
Exhibition at South Hill Park
Atrium and Balcony Galleries
Sat 9 Apr – Sun 22 May 2022
Open 10-5 daily or if using the cafe or restaurant facilities please visit South Hill Park Arts Centre for their opening times.
Preview, Thu 7 Apr, 6–8pm
Meet the Artists, Sat 30 Apr, 11am – 1pm
South Hill Park invites members of the Reading Guild of Artists to present new work in response to the concept 'a sense of space'; from paintings, prints and textiles to ceramics, sculptures and installations, the artwork is brought together by this common theme.
Artists have always drawn inspiration from the world about them, the spaces in which they find themselves or from where they work, live and have their being. They are also used to working in isolation, but recent times may have presented more time in which to appreciate and respond to their surroundings in a new way.
'Sense of Space' encourages the viewer to look, to see, to connect in a deeper way with their own memories, experiences and feelings inspired by the world about them.
Detail of Kennet Oxide by Michael Garaway
Looking back....
Last year I was lucky enough to be selected to take part in one of my favourite TV shows, Sky Landscape Artist of the Year. It was a last minute application - I've always thought it would be fun if you were chosen to be one of the 'wild card' artists, who look as though they are having such a good time (even though it does always seem to be raining).
When the phone call came, it took a while before I realised that the good news the Sky producer was sharing was that I had been selected to be one of the artists in a 'pod' - quite a lot more stressful and I did have to think about it, but not for long! I've always been a great believer in taking opportunities when they are offered.
It was quite an experience and although I had a bad case of imposter syndrome, I really enjoyed the whole process; the production team were so friendly and bent over backwards to make the contestants' experience as positive as they could.
It was amazing to reach the final three!
Many, many congratulations to Ophelia Redpath, 2021 LAOTY winner!
At the semi-finals in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - it poured with rain!
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