looking back to go forward

back in portugal at obras

one of my favourite places in all the world

the photo (thanks ludger) is from an artist's talk i gave last week and shows some work i completed on a previous residency here ... it may have been 2007 or maybe 2008...the paintings were done on card and then cut up and reassembled

that's how i'm feeling right now as if i'm reassembling

the work is changing 

i am changing

everything that has been changing over the last couple of years is rearranging itself...

and i'm liking the new arrangement

and having the time to reflect on the past, consider the future

and enjoy the present

photo by anne mcmahon

light red over black

life has been hectic, frantic even
mostly fun
and some not so fun

through it all my mind drifts back to this




seen at the whitechaple gallery

it enchanted me and i return to the memory of it
it brings calm

its interesting to see the photographs of people looking at the paintings during mark rothko's first solo show in the uk in 1961

there's a photo of a woman looking at the work ....i'm sure she was feeling what i felt


more about this painting here
and about the exhibition here
i enjoyed the film

hay on wye

this weekend saw the opening of my show

at the lion street gallery in hay on wye

brent blair, the owner did a great job of hanging the paintings


even the late arrivals


it really is a lovely gallery



no pics of me trying on the fabulous jewellery they have...
but here i am before the opening starts


lion street is fun... these are the neighbours




i had a perfect time

especially coming home over hay bluff...magical, mysterious and as wonderful as ever

sky gardens

maybe its the solstice,
the clear starry skies of portugal
or the spectacular lunar eclipse we saw

or maybe its this cosmic rose link


but i have been painting sky gardens

combining painting and old textiles bought at estremoz market

a new direction for my work...combining recurring themes in a new way

its going be interesting to see the reaction to them

i wonder what do you think?

summerland

my dear friends lindsey and liz came with me to the opening of my summerland show

lindsey made a great video at the start of the show
love the birdsong, sunshine, the sound of her shoes...
and hearing her refusing a glass of champagne!

thanks lindsey!




and here are a few photos of the show before the people arrived






***warning it all gets a bit girly from here...
but do come along if you like shoes and dresses


we matched the flowers perfectly


and here is a view of my coat from the back...i do love it!


and here's the photographer

and here is her own very new art and ceramics website
...and to be fair here is liz's too... we have some painting e-courses in mind...watch this space

forget me not

and here it is the new video
i love it

i really hope you enjoy it

teaching and learning

a few days ago i held a painting workshop in my studio

we had fun
we worked hard

we used a lot of paint!

but lots of paint....colours mixed by the workshop painters was left

colours that i don't usually use...new colours

i didn't want to waste the paint....the colours were so vibrant and spring like

i had run out of my favourite colour of green (ara acrylics in green gold)
so instead i painted a series of meadows using the left over paint

a spring series

using more blues and lilacs and purples than i usually use...colours mixed to paint hyacinths

and different greens
here are some details from one painting

and here's the finished painting

Spring 100cmsx100cms

painting it reminded me of portugal...
where the lupins will be blooming soon
and spring comes early

these paintings will soon be on their way to the corte real gallery in portugal

the next workshop is painting roses on 11th may
i'm looking forward to it...teaching and learning !

fading but still bright

i bought a metal box...with beautiful colours

fading in and out

bright and cloudy

it influenced and informed a painting that will be part of my new solo show

here are some painting details




the box and a memory of foxgloves in a misty distance
lead to this finished painting



i'm thinking of another bright but fading memory
of a beautiful time in a beautiful place
new zealand
where i was planning to be this month

my thoughts and prayers are there

little flowers newly blooming

all the snow has gone...and the family too
so yesterday was a day to paint again....
i thought i would paint the vintage silk flowers i often wear in my hair...paint them against the melting snow....



and that is what i started to do ....but it turned out like this a winter solstice sunset

winter solstice 100cms x 100cms

probably inspired by this...a recent walk and the video from the last post




as well as painting i have been working on some little flowers newly blooming


a new website just for my painting workshops

the summerland studio



happy new year to all and may all your flowers bloom

samhain

i so loved painting the autumn roses in the previous post that i have continued the themes

in addition i was thinking about the celtic year...
the turning of the wheel
about the letting go of the past and welcoming the new

samhain 100x120cms

more about the celtic year in my other shared blog

autumn inspiration

the sun has been shining and the forest is amazing
really the best autumn i have ever seen..and i will post some photos

i have been inspired by a wonderful gift i received from india
much much better photos of her eco dyed textiles on her own lovely website




also inspired by some roses i painted when fresh but much prefer now



not that have got around to much textile work yet...but am certainly thinking about it...

and this is what happened






autumn roses
30x30 inches

autumn soul in a northern forest

memories of youth and happy nights in the amazing wigan casino


a glimpse of the autumn forest of dean


more love ...that's what we need!

painting workshop

recently i sent out an email to people on my list about a painting workshop i'm holding at my studio in the forest of dean

it had a wonderful response...and is now full....thank you

i am going to do a second one on tuesday 16th november

if you are interested please click here for more details
it would be lovely to see you

sally x

ps here is a video of me painting so you know what to expect