Demonstration days

Trying to fit in art and parenthood is always a challenge for me. I dearly love being a mum, but I do hanker for art filled days of bliss too! I am fortunate that Annabel, my daughter, goes to various places to play for 2 and a half days a week, which makes perfect time for me to endulge and develop my artwork.
I have now added another string to my bow. I signed up with Art Profile, who books artists to demonstrate at various Art Societies. So far I have booking up until 2012!
These last couple of months I have been busy demonstrating at Art Societies. One a week to be exact. I am lucky to have these booked in the evenings, which lets me leave husband holding the baby! Most of the demonstrations I do request my Fractured style of painting. It fascinates people before I show up with that title, as they've never heard of it before! Luckily, all of the demo's so far have gone incredibly well, and the members are all very welcoming and enthusiastic. I take along my hand made cards as well, which always adds a bit of revenue. The last one was last night, in Midhurst, near Petworth. They have invited me back to hold a workshop, which involves working as a class, helping members to create their own piece of Fractured artwork.
The first ever demonstration I did, I was really thrown in at the deep end, as they videoed me! Nerve wrecking? Yes, a touch. But this time I was demoing my floral collage style, something I have been doing for quite a few years, so felt quite confident. They all walked away inspired! Brilliant!
I have also been photographed for a local newspaper, the article will hopefully be published fairly soon.
Here is the photo they took of me in the swing of demoing my Fractured style using Derwent chalk pastels!

Trying to talk and paint at the same time is a bit of a challenge, however, add a bit of humour and it certainly makes things more fun!

Here is the finished piece! And have hopefully enlightened the crowd to my Fractured technique!

Ceramic tiles and demonstrations

This month is a busy one. I have recently joined Art Profile, which is a demonstration agency which organises and books artists for demonstrations to art clubs and societies.
Being an artist can be a solitary career, so being able to do demo's to other like minded people is wonderful, a little nervewracking, but good fun! I did my 3rd one on Tuesday at Oxshott Art and Craft Society and showed them how to create a Fractured drawing. I explained how I developed my technique, the inspiration and then completed a piece in 2 hours! The last 10 minutes was a rush (cue Benny Hill music) but got it completed. Thankfully the members all thoroughly enjoyed it and went away inspired.

The drawing was completed on black Colourfix paper using Derwent chalk pastels.

I also work closely with Fiesta Collectables, which I have previously mentioned. These last few months I have been painting a set of 4 herb tiles. They have proved to be best sellers!

 

 

I have added a link to where you can purchase these tiles.
There are a few others, including Poppies, Sunflowers, a Camper Van and a Cockerel!

Sydney Opera House, Battle and Mall Galleries!

Having just got back from a well earned holiday to Bradford on Avon with my family, I am now cracking on with new work, exhibitions and entries.
I submitted 6 paintings to this years Battle Contemporary Fine Art Fair, where they have a jury of distinguished judges, including  CAV.OMRI Romeo Di Girolamo PPRBA Hon.RBSA Hon.BAS Hon.BAF, the outgoing President of the Royal Society of British Artists.  to choose which paintings get in. 
'Showcasing the very best artists from London & the South East'
I am happy to say that I have been chosen to exhibit in the fair, which I am extremely proud. There will be an awards ceremony on the 17th of September and the show begins the day after until the 26th. One of the paintings chosen was the Chantilly Clematis, which I did a work in progress on this blog. Others include a Sunflower, Proteus, Fractured Tulips, Village Harbour and Under the Sea.

I am also exhibiting in The Art Bay Galleries show- 
21st Century Sisters

 Saturday 11th – Saturday 25th September 2010

 Open Wednesday - Sunday 10am - 5pm

 Monday and Tuesday strictly by appointment only.

 An ecletic mix of original paintings, fine art prints, ceramics and glassware showcasing the varied talents of female artists from North Staffordshire and beyond!

http://www.creativestoke.co.uk

I have Fractured paintings in the show as well as coloured pencil drawings. It is being held at The Art Bay in Stoke on Trent

I am also intending to submit into the ING Discerning Eye Exhibition http://www.discerningeye.org/ which shows at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London. I am taking my Fractured Cherries and Pears drawings in on Friday for judging. Wish me luck!!

Keeping busy for sure!

I have just completed this new drawing of Sydney Opera House. It was done in Derwent Artist Pencils on mountboard. 19cm x 14cm

And on one last note- I have been introduced by a fellow artist to a website called Paint My Photo, where photographers and artists meet. The photographers allow artists legally to use their photos for artwork. The standard and choice of images is truly staggering, and I have a list of photos which have inpsired me to use! Today I am beginning a rose floral painting done in acrylics and collage. Take a look at the site!

http://paintmyphoto.ning.com/

Be back soon! Thanks for looking and please feel free to comment....

New 'Fractured' work and also something a bit different!

I have been 'drawn' (pardon the pun) back to my coloured pencils of late, mainly due to the ease of taking up and putting down-ness! I wanted to return to realism and copying...not usually my cup of tea, but felt like I needed to practice my drawing skills again.
After my visit to Wisley, I decided I'd like to do some botanical drawings. Tulips this time. My reference was from my own photos of the flower head and gardening books for the bulb, I did these drawings in Derwent Artists Pencils and are A4.

I thoroughly enjoyed drawing in this style, making sure I was really concentrating on the detail.

My next foray into coloured pencil again was drawing some new Fractured pieces. These are intending to enter the ING Discerning Art Competition at the Mall Galleries. I hope to make it up to London to deliver them! They are both 5 x 7 drawings, framed in 10 x 8 black frames. I wish these competitions would be on line though, it would make life alot easier. 

They are drawn in Derwent Coloursoft Pencils.

Chantilly Clematis work in progress

I have completed a new floral painting after a visit to RHS Wisley in Surrey. The light was just right after a morning of gentle rain and managed to get quite a few good photos of flowers. One that really caught my eye was the Chantilly Clematis. Absolutley beautiful.
Here is my painting as it progressed.

The final painting. 'Chantilly Clematis' Acrylic on chunky canvas. 76cm x 51cm

By Tiffany Budd.

Open Studio Success

The two weeks are now over. And what a couple of weeks! The first couple of days, the weather wasn't on our side...but that didn't deter us! We greeted our visitors with complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits and a seat in the sun (when it was out!).
We had, in the end, a high footfall of visitors. And despite bad finiancial times, buyers were, well, buying! I sold quite a few of my Fractured pieces and also a floral commission, which I have managed to complete on the second week. Greeting cards sold very well too as well as a new addition to my portfolio, lino prints.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and am completely exhausted!

Surrey Open Studios

On the 10th of June for 2 weeks I will be taking part in the 10th Anniversary of Surrey Open Studios. This gives the general public a chance to view artists at work in their own studios and purchase art direct from them.
I am sharing the studio with 4 other artists, Verity Darby, Hannah Gibson, Laura Bond and Peter Darby.
The address is 5 Torland Drive, Oxshott, Surrey KT22 0SA.  There will be refreshments and a good variety of work being shown and created. Glassware, pyrography, sculpture, greeting cards, lino prints and paintings. Alot to see and a great day out!

Open dates and times are as follows:- Thursday 10th June 11am- 5pm and evening 6-8.30pm. Friday 11th to Sunday 13th 11am- 5pm, and the same times again from 17th-20th June.
I hope you can make it!