The Creatives- Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey

To get myself properly, 'back in the saddle' I have organised a week's exhibition at Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking. I have exhibited there twice before as a solo show, but this time invited other fantastic artists and craftspeople to show their work too.
It began on Monday, and I will be there until Sunday.

We have artists showing glass design, lino prints, landscape paintings and wood. It's all fabulous, and I really think there is something for everyone.

I will be there Thursday 16th, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th, when we take everything down.

Here's a little peek at what it looks like!

I hope to see some of you there!

Leaving you in the lurch!

In my last post, I left you all on tenterhooks as to whether I won the Caran D'ache competition. (Sorry about that! Turns out looking after two very active children, left me little time to dedicate to my artwork). Well I'm pleased to say that I came 2nd! It was an extremely fun evening and met a lot of interesting people including the CEO of Caran D'Ache Jean Paul Saussure. I put a few names to faces too.

Here's me receiving my prize and flowers with the CEO. 

And me by my painting!

Caran D'Ache Success

I found out yesterday that my painting 'The Colour Fields' was one of 15 paintings accepted into the competition. There were around 200 entries, as seen on the YouTube Link.

There are some wonderful entries, and I do feel very chuffed that one of mine was chosen. It has now been delivered to the Mall Galleries in London, waiting to be judged next week. They will now choose 3 paintings as 1st 2nd and 3rd prizes. I'm happy enough to have got this far, but I'll keep my fingers crossed in any case!

I put up my exhibition 'To the Point-Art of the Coloured Pencil last week', and have got some lovely feedback and a couple of potential sales in the offing.
Here are some photos from the show, which is on until 18th October.

The address of the exhibition is- The Atrium Gallery, Thames Ditton Library, Mercer Close, Thames Ditton, Surrey.

A couple of weeks ago I also held an abstract workshop in Reigate. A few of my past pupils came along, which was great. We developed the Fractured technique into an even more abstract look. They really enjoyed themselves a here are a few photos from the day.

This was the traditional original pastel
drawing

This was after I had taken the Fracture to it!

This was what my students created- to be completed at home.

I think the day was a success and people came up to me to say it was intriguing to find out how to abstract something! They understood it a little better. Phew!

A mum again and another art show!

I'm back!
After a fairly troublesome pregnancy, I'm pleased to say I gave birth to William in June. He was fine and dandy at a healthy 6lb 7oz, but I was a little bit poorly and had to have a blood transfusion after the c-section. It's taken me a while to get back to normal, but I'm pleased to say I'm almost there!
My artwork has been a therapy for me, and I snatch half an hour here and there in between nappy changes and organising a 5 year old's social life, which is more exciting than mine ever was...or is!
The first big thing I'm doing is a workshop in Reigate, Surrey on the 14th September- called 'Exciting Abstracts'. I'll be teaching how to do my Fractured paintings in a more abstract way.
http://www.art-events.co.uk/programme.php
This is the link to it if you fancy coming along.

My next project is a month long exhibition showing numerous works in Coloured Pencil. Which is a quite underrated medium. It is so brilliantly versatile and you can get real control of your marks. This lends itself to doing really detailed work both abstract and realistic.

I have been entering competitions also while grabbing my moments! Caran D'Ache are hosting a competition using just 6 of their gorgeous Aquarelle waterbased coloured pencils. I have entered two pieces in my Fractured style. These are they!

A Tuscan Sunset

The Colour Fields

Even if I'm not successful, I thoroughly enjoyed using them. Water based pencils are not normally my first choice of pencils, so I was pleasantly surprised!

Another venture I am having is having 6 Fractured paintings on display at Atishoo Gallery in Cornwall. Liz, the owner is an old University friend, so it's great to join forces with her and show my work there!

That's all for now! I'll be back!

Blooming Marvellous!

Well, we are now well and truly settled into the New Year, and I don't know about you but I'm desperate for Spring to burst into bloom and fell some warmth in that sun of ours!
When finally we get to February (which seems to take AGES!), I do feel the plants and bulbs itching to pop out of the ground, and now, the other thing which is bursting into bloom, is me! I am 19 weeks pregnant, and very, very excited!

Mother and Child. (part of a triptych)

I was demonstrating my Fractured technique at Virginia Water Art Society last night, and we were discussing pregnancy and art. Do the hormones which are racing around my system alter my creativity? Does the choice of subject change, or the colour scheme? It got me thinking.....and I thought, I wonder how interesting it would be to do a sketch, drawing/painting, every day from now, until the birth day?
My lovely husband bought me, for our Anniversary, a beautiful leather bound sketchbook. Seeing as I have this, gorgeous red book, it would seem rude not to use it!

My leather sketchbook, waiting to be filled!

I will post my drawings one a week, as every day might be a bit ambitious (and along with a full time job, a 5 year old and preparing the nursery time will be of the essence!)
It will be intriguing to see what I do!

The Three Swimmers- Virginia Water demo piece

Other things that are happening are submissions for exhibitions and competitions. I love this time of year as you really can do 'what you want', unless of course there is a theme!

I am yet again attempting to get work accepted into the very difficult Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. There are so many entrants, and a very strict/unpredictable judging panel. This is what I have decided to enter, it is relatively small and a watercolour, but quite contemporary.

A town like Valparaiso

I will be back soon! The Pregnancy and Art project will now begin! 

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New year.
I don't know about you, but after all the festivities, I really enjoy getting back to 'normality', whatever that is!

My creative juices have been flowing since the holidays ended and the sketchbook has been getting filled with ideas!
I was sitting down drawing with my 5 year old daughter last week and ended up doodling a sketch of a tree. It really came together in my head.

This is the sketch, and typically it was done on lined paper!
After a week of pondering and deciding what surface to do it on, I settled for my favourite, pastels on Colourfix paper.

'Tree of Life'. by Tiffany Budd. 45cm x 45cm. £200

I had a wonderful start to the New Year. I received an e mail from an exhibition organiser, who is also an interior designer, requesting my floral paintings urgently! I call her up and it turns out she is wanting to buy 8-10 originals for the Viking River Cruises boats. She came to my studio and ended up taking 12. Just brilliant! So, if you are lucky enough to go on one of these cruises, in Holland, you may see my florals in your room!

Now onto my next project. The Derwent Art Prize!

As far as you can get!

As is with every year, there are particular months in which deadlines and results of art competitions come in. The last few weeks have been the results! I submitted work for various competitions and Open Art exhibitions, of which I have had some (but not all) success.
Of the ones which were successful, they are as follows:-
UKCPS (UK Coloured Pencil Society) Annual Exhibition at Nuneaton in October with 'Cressbrook Dale'.

AppArt Open Exhibition at Milford, Guildford in October with  my contemporary floral's 'Nymphae Ishwata' and 'Solo White'.

The one I am particularly excited about is the International Cricket Art Prize. 'The organisers invite artists to submit a painting or composition that depicts life in and around the game and sport of cricket, in settings of backyard, park, beach, street, village green or social-cricket.' 
I absolutely love watching and, when I can, playing cricket, so this was a great subject for me to have a go at. I actually submitted last year, but was not successful. But this year I managed to get into the shortlist. It is now winging it's way to Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia, hopefully in time for the exhibition at the beginning of October. There is a substantial cash prize for the winner, so keep everything crossed for me!
The title is :- 'Going for a Catch' and is done in my Fractured style. I tried to evoke a feeling of movement and speed. The judges obviously got it too!

I have also just finished being part of the organisation committee for a new Arts Festival, which happened on Saturday. I was the main exhibitor as the Rector initially invited me to exhibit, and it sort of grew from that! We had a potter, glass designer, watercolourist, oil painter and a jewellery maker. It was a great success and raised £900 for the church! Here are a few photos from the day and the displays.

My next project is to begin a collection of miniature paintings. Whilst on my holiday in Dorset I popped into a beautiful gallery, and after purchasing some items, I ended up having a great chat with the owner and suggested I try some miniatures, which she may, or may not take for the gallery. In any event, I'm doing a little collection. Watch this space!