What is your name or the name you go by for your art? My name is Stephanie Thompson, and I trade as Stephanie Thompson Art. Where do you live? I’m based in Surrey, UK, but have lived in several places, both north and south in the UK. We have a fantastic landscape which influences my…
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Just keeping going Some of you will know that I recently moved home and although we have moved to a beautiful house on a large site, we have actually downsized. This means that we are trying to go through all our ‘stuff’, get rid of what we really don’t need, which is probably most of…
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Blog post #148 Sticks and stones. Having recovered from the exhibition I ran at Denbies Wine Estate recently, I thought you might like to hear my feedback on how it went. First, though I have to tell you about the three people whose comments should have been kept to themselves but in the end said…
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These days artists use all manner of different tools to produce their artwork but traditionally many, if not most, use brushes. Keeping brushes clean and in good order will mean that their working lives will be extended, and they will in turn produce the reliable quality you need for your work. Different media require different…
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143rd blog Shortages of art supplies I think we have all read about the shortage of supplies in our shops. Most of us have seen empty shelves in our supermarkets and all manner of excuses have been put forward as to why this is happening. Brexit is the most common, along with Covid-19, too and…
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Watercolour paper and what you need to know. Last weekend I attended a watercolour painting class in support of a friend who was tutoring. I enjoy using watercolour and don’t use it a lot but there is always something you can learn by taking a class. The thing which really struck me at this class…
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What is your name or the name you go by for your art? My name is Anne Armes. Where do you live? I live in Newport, Shropshire, a rural market town, with my husband and my black Labrador, Tilly. What’s your background? I’ve worked as a pharmacist all my life to support the family as…
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My love affair with colour As many of you know, I love colour. Every piece of artwork I make starts with me thinking about the colours I want to use and the overall effects those colours will have on each other. Am I looking for a particular feeling? Is that feeling bright, joyful, sombre, cheerful,…
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Blog post #132 – After the exhibition I have just taken part in my first in person exhibition since March 2020 and wanted to share what I learned from the event. I hope this will in turn help you for any events you have coming up. The first and most surprising thing for me was…
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Exhibitions – hanging facilities and art stands. At the end of this month, I will be taking part in my first exhibition this year inside a marquee in Painshill Park, Cobham, Surrey. I haven’t taken part in an exhibition there before and have no idea what the setup will be like, so trying to plan…
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This week’s blog is a reworking of one I wrote a couple of years ago. As we prepare to go back out into the world and show our artwork in public, having that work “exhibition ready” and by that, I mean presenting it in the best possible way, is essential. Ask yourself this: would you…
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Mono-printing with gel plates Printmaking is probably my favourite artform, although there are a couple of very close seconds. As I embark on a 12 month-long printmaking course, I plan to share some information on the techniques I enjoy using, how you can make use of these yourself and, hopefully, some guidance on how to…
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Your name? Elaine Almond What’s your background? I was born in London and now live in West Kent. I am an abstract artist, painting mainly in oils and acrylics, and a part-time lay minister. For many years my canvas was the garden, moving around and designing one everywhere we lived! I sketched on holiday and…
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Thinking about 2021 and dreaming big. What do you want? Because of Covid, life as we know it is unlikely to ever feel the same again, or certainly not for a long time. But please don’t fret about it; you can’t change it, so it is far easier for your own wellbeing to simply accept…
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Your name? Miriam Brady Where do you live? I currently live in Kent, England, but I am originally from Dublin in Ireland. What is your background? With a background in the scientific arena and a PhD in immunology, I have worked in academia and in the commercial environment as a project and product manager and…
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Christmas is coming I have really battled this week to come up with a topic to write about which a) you will find interesting to read and b) could be beneficial too.Then I hit on it.I have been struggling like mad trying to figure out what to buy Mr. S for Christmas but realised that…
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Let’s be honest, this Covid-19 crisis has had a huge effect on all of us. Trying to stay positive is difficult but believe me when I say that being negative will make things even worse. Like attracts like, though I don’t understand quite why I find myself having to deal with so many people who…
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Sadly, there still exists in the UK, a huge amount of snobbery around being an artist versus crafter or craftsperson. It is a snobbery I have never understood and, having lived in the mid-west of the United States, I can say it is a snobbery which doesn’t exist over there. It is also a snobbery…
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What I have learned making my first few videos of my art demos and classes Whilst Covid-19 has caused huge problems and great sadness there are always good things which come out of bad. And personally, I do love to find the silver lining to bad situations. In the art world, and certainly among the…
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Selling your work through galleries – the pros and cons I am regularly asked why I do not approach galleries to show my artwork and I have many artist friends who love nothing better but before I give you my answer, let me break down the pros and cons for you. Having your artwork shown…
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Or trying to understand the anti-art education movement This week, I am sounding off on a topic I feel very strongly about: the anti-art education movement. What do I mean by that? Well, those people you meet who love nothing better than to complain about art education in schools and who think we should cut…
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A new online exhibition group born out of Covid 19
70th blog should an artist listen to the “get yourself a proper job” advice. Chatting to an old friend last weekend about how she is coping with the lock down and what she did to celebrate her birthday, she told me that she had decided to try out the watercolour paints I bought for her…
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This months featured artist is Anna Clarke. I have known Anna for a few years now and we have exhibited at the same locations on numerous occasions. I hope you enjoy readying this lovely ladies story. Your name: Anna Clarke Where do you live? Bookham, Surrey What is your background? Whether I’m trying to capture…
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How to cope with artists block. I know that many of you during this Covid crisis are suffering from the inability to create any artwork at all. If you are, please know that you are not alone. I haven’t produced any work myself for weeks now. So, I too need to put aside all the…
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Collage adventures. Someone sent me this photo and I just had to share it with you all. It is beginning to get tough now but this is the most crucial time and so we must all find a way to get through this. Not going out means that, for many of us, there is nothing…
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I am re-posting this months featured artists blog with a huge apology to Sue Roberts as I had used the wrong photos. Please take a look at her fabulous artwork and big apologies for messing up. Your name? Sue Roberts Where do you live? Goostrey, Cheshire What is your background? I come from a…
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Mono-printing at home during the covid 19 lock down. If you have never tried printmaking before this is a great project to do yourself and this is a really easy fun project to do with your children or your grandchildren. And what’s more, you don’t need any specialist equipment at all. Mono-printing is a form…
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looking for art projects for yourself, your children or grandchildren?
This months featured artist is the wonderfully talented Carol Gillan. Your name?Carol Gillan Where do you live? Ashtead, Surrey What is your background? When I was growing up my parents travelled widely to countries in the middle and far east. I used to appreciate so much when I came back ‘home’ the greenness of this…
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As I’m sure you are all aware, here in the UK we are now on hard lock-down. Don’t let this frighten you. This is the perfect time to try something new, improve existing skills and remind yourself that you have skills you haven’t employed for some time. I am talking specifically about drawing. Regardless…
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How to make to most of the time Coronavirus Covid-19 will give us. I know; you are being inundated with emails from a plethora of companies telling you how they are going to support you through this crisis. Broadcasters will be supporting children at home by providing special TV programmes for them and many suppliers…
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This months featured artist is a wonderful lady who I have only recently had the pleasure of meeting. Her story is really interesting as is her work. Your name? Gwynne Penny Where do you live? Shepperton, Surrey, UK What is your background? I studied Art and Ceramics…
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I know I have written about putting on an exhibition before, but bear with me, this is different. In the past I have exhibited with large organisations where you pay for your space, hang your work and hope that people come and buy from you. I have also had played a major part in the…
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As many of you already know, I set up a group last year called the Exhibition Collective. This group consists of over 60 artists throughout the UK who are either working as professional artists or working towards being professional artists. The idea behind the group is that we find suitable venues in which to hold…
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Being part of an art community will help you achieve more than trying out on your own.
This week’s blog is about Keith Coomber, who I met through the Dorking Group of Artists. Keith is a lovely man, generous of spirit and always happy to help others, which is probably why he was such a great police officer. Keith is also a member of the small support group I run and as…
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Celebrating your wins both in art and life. Why is it we tend to let the negative overrule or dominate over the positive? Generally, we are quick to take on negative comments and dwell on them whilst almost ignoring the compliments we receive. I have been very guilty of that at the end of this…
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54th blog How to start making artwork after a break . Last week I wrote about the importance of stepping away from your work to produce better results. This is just as true in real life as it is in painting. A break in concentration allows you to re-evaluate what you are doing and produce…
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By stepping away from the painting. This week I wanted to talk about the need to remove oneself in order to see things in a different light. When I lived in the USA, I had a horrible but brilliant oil painting teacher. She never liked me and, frankly, I wasn’t impressed with her, but I…
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This months featured artist is my wonderful friend Denise Slattery. Through her amazing knowledge I have learnt so much about colour. She has shared her scenic artist knowledge with me enabling me to better decorate the fibre glass shapes I have been doing for charity over the pass five years. I am truely grateful for…
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Record keeping A number of my artist friends are due to file their tax returns to HMRC by the end of this month. I am sitting here with a big smug smile on my face because I did mine and filed them back in July. However, this post isn’t about me feeling smug-,…
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Investing in your art education. For those of you who follow my blog, it should be clear that I am aiming these posts at people who are trying to get their art and maybe their art business to the next level. I know a number of really talented artists, some formally trained and others self-…
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10 Ways to Cope with Artist’s Block It happens to all creatives at some point in time. We just hit a brick wall, we don’t know what to do next. Don’t make the even bigger mistake of letting it get to you. Just take a look at the following suggestions to get yourself out of…
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Following on from last weeks blog post about change. This week I am looking at loss and letting go of your unsold artwork. Just moments after I had posted last week’s blog into the scheduling system, I heard that a former neighbour had died and I was invited to attend the funeral. Our neighbour was…
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Change – how to cope with it and embrace it. It is that time of year when it is all change. Here in England, the children are going back to school, my wonderful flower boxes are beginning to look disheveled and the leaves on the trees are just beginning to turn. Summer is coming to…
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This months featured artist is Louise Collins. Louise is another of the artists I know based in Surrey, England and shares her art journey and her beautiful artwork. Please tell me a little about yourself. I have lived in and around Banstead, Surrey all of my life. My earliest and most inspirational teacher was Mrs Smale…
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I don’t teach in a school and I don’t teach regular classes either, but I do teach groups of people, young and old to use mono-printmaking as a fun and easy way to produce art work. This week I have been running a mono-printmaking class as part of the St. Catherine’s Hospice, elevating their…
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Last week I visited the Dulwich Picture Gallery in South London to see the ‘Modernist British Printmaking’ Exhibition, which showcases pioneers of British lino-cut printmaking in a fine display of prints, drawings and posters created in the 1930’s. By Claude Flight First, let me tell you about the venue. Dulwich Picture Gallery…
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Design. Why design is so important in your artwork? I have had the luxury of being on an amazing painting course which started in May and which deals predominantly with design in our artwork. The course has reinforced all the things I have ever been taught about producing good art but is delivered in such…
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