New paintings and regular art updates.
Today at the Brampton open exhibition. I found my barn owl painting in a good position, not tucked away out of site. Earlier I’d been to Art and Minds in Middleport and was asked to paint an extra painting for a quiet area in the gallery. Both gave me a little bit of joy in a sad time. Perhaps I will start planning the painting tomorrow.
On Saturday 24th September 2022, Art and Minds, a new gallery at unit 3 Harper Street, Middleport, will be opening to the public. It is also going to offer support to service men and women.
I was pleased to be offered some wall space there and have five small paintings that will be on display there including paintings of poppies (for remembrance) and two relating to industrial archaeology.
The gallery is in amongst a group of shop units and the Harper Street entrance is directly opposite the entrance of the Middleport pottery in Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. If you are visiting there why not pop across the road and come and look at the new shops there. X
I was asked if I had any more poppy paintings for the shop unit today so I resurrected an old painting.
This was from 2019, it was a Poppy that lacked definition, it was a bit dark and flat. I was never very happy with the leaves so I over painted them too. Acrylic on canvas.
Argh! I started putting eyelets on the back of my paintings and the paint started to flake off! I don’t know why, but I think because it’s a different type of canvas. So I repainted the patches where it came off. Then I had the ‘brilliant’ idea to varnish it.
First get the top off the varnish bottle. It’s one of those push down and twist types. That took half an hour. Then paint it on. But one of my hairs fell on it! I tried to lift off the hair and the paint flaked again. So, a few more dabs of paint mixed in with the varnish. It was due in today. It might not get there! And I’m left with gummy hands.
Red and green spins in front of my eyes. Trying to capture that motion. Almost three thirty am. I’m tired but happy. Signed and dated.
Two fifteen am, almost done, need a rest and to let the paint dry a bit. It’s acrylic so it won’t take long. Some of this is wrong, but if you don’t see the original photo you won’t know! It will probably be finished by Three o’clock.
Forth painting in progress. Trying to capture the movement of a fly wheel and govenor as it spins. I’m working from a photo I took of the Princess Steam engine, which was running at Etruria Industrial Museum last weekend. Acrylic on canvas.
Finished at 23.05 today! I’ve done two others and I have one more to do. I’m getting tired. I decided to make the flower quite tight but the wheat and background much more impressionistic. I hope it’s subtle and not weak looking. X
Three of four paintings I need to finish by tomorrow! Eek. Two paintings with poppies, plus a bottle kiln and sky. I’m also half way through the painting of a steam engine. I could have done this yesterday but I got involved in something else. Pressure? What pressure! ❤️
I’ve started the poppy and wheat painting. Just primary colours to start. Then I will build it up. I might use some gold paint for the wheat seed heads. I’ve got to add green but the paint is still wet. Not much to see here yet. Lots of work to do on it.
Mallaband-Brown