Found

"I found these feathers in the garden and I’m always amazed at the intricacy of nature’s patterns so it’s a challenge to try and draw them. This is pencil and Derwent lightfast oil pencils, blended with Zest-it pencil blend on medium texture cartridge paper, A4 size." - Sue Murphy

'Found' by Sues Murphy

Sea Symphony

Sarah Amery has shared another three paintings she has done recently, all in acrylic on canvas.

"The first", she says, "is an attempt to paint myself (I usually avoid painting people!) playing viola, which I get a lot of pleasure from. This viola is a very special instrument as my father made it for me! I really wanted the viola to be the main subject, I chose a lot of greens to help the viola stand out and it’s a peaceful calm colour, playing makes me relax!"

"The other two are pretty much made up from lots of photos of the sea, just miss it so much and hoping to go to Cornwall in a few weeks."

Do what ever you want

A recent email to members mentioned difficulty deciding what to do and also a lack motivation. They were asked to share some tips for overcoming creative blocks. 

The "lack of motivation" and how to overcome the creative block resonated with Helen Welch. She says:  

    I've always been indecisive and with so many exciting things to try I usually end up doing none of them, exhausted by the thought of it all! One thing that I hope is helping me is to have a "Something" book on the go - I don't know what to call it as it's hardly a sketchbook, or a journal, but I have heard them described as a Creative Sketchbook. Basically you do whatever you want, putting colour - or anything - on paper. If there happens to be a bit of leftover paint around you could sponge or roller it on to get started. Anything goes - you can tear/cut off corners of pages if you want. It's your book and you never need show it to anyone! It's very freeing and great fun. I stencil, spray (sometimes using a fern from the garden as resist) stamp, do a rubbing, anything I can think of.

On one of the pages I have stuck a bit of Acrylic Skin on and another has a quote from the Dalai Lama - "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

Polperro harbour in watercolour

“I must admit to having rather neglected the paints recently, no real excuse but there always seems to be something more pressing. Anyway the latest Artist magazine provided some inspiration as there was an article by Peter Nance, in which he writes about painting Cornish harbours, one of which being Polperro. Well it just so happens that last year I took a photo from exactly the same place as the view that he’d painted in oils. So I thought I’d have a go at it in my favourite medium. Below is the result.” - Ian Fountaine.

Herefordshire Countryside

"Painting a landscape is an unusual one for me", writes Diana Woods-Humphery, " but one of the people I follow on Instagram posts lovely photos of Herefordshire and I was inspired by this which depicts a part of the countryside in the Fownhope area. I obtained permission from the photographer before painting this in water-soluble oils. I now have several other projects on the go!"

Wake-up call

Brian Griffiths didn't give me a title for this watercolour painting (6" x 4") but it brings back childhood memories of a neighbour's cockerel that competed with passing steam trains to wake me.

St Michael's Hospice, Hereford

Daph Willett is a great supporter of St Michael's Hospice, Hereford. Here are two of her images. The first if for the hospice lottery and the second is a Post Card for Life.

Early morning on watch

Sunrise on the Malverns

After Sorolla

Sue Murphy has produced several oil paintings which take inspiration from more famous artists and this time it's Sorolla. Her painting is of his garden in Madrid.

Garden in Madrid - after Sorolla

To find out more go to The National Gallery: What you need to know about Sorolla

Elephants

Sarah Amery has painted these baby elephants on a textured canvas using acrylics