Two new Kingfisher paintings which are nearly finished this week
Two new Kingfisher paintings which I am hoping to have finished by the end of the week. I love painting these super colourful, tiny birds!
A lovely day at Sharpes Pottery Museum for the Moon Hare Workshop
An Enjoyable, Stress-Free Painting Day
A lovely day at the Moon Hare painting workshop day. We had 5 beginners in the group, who went from never really having picked up a brush, to producing a beautiful piece of original artwork to take home. It is exhilarating to see all the paintings coming to life throughout the day!
Creative Art Workshops in Swadlincote
Come join us at our upcoming art workshops in Swadlincote and learn to paint with my help and attention. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned artist, all are welcome!
Kingfisher Oil Paintings
A new Kingfisher piece in situ
This small piece is newly available on my website. The jewel shades of green and blue lend a touch of relaxation and nature to a study space (above)
This painting is now sold however I love Kingfishers and often paint them, they’re such beautiful little birds. Take a look at my available paintings here
Trying The Brigardier-Water Buffalo Painting in situ
When a lovely local family purchased my large bear painting recently, I was delighted when they sent me some photographs of him hanging up in his rightful spot at the top of the stairs. I was inspired to try ‘The Brigardier’ in some bigger lobby and corridor settings, via the Artplacer App . This app also lets you try my paintings in your own space viw augmented-reality . Ill place a link on The Brigardiers page here so you can try him for size using your smartphone!
Another painting from Pit Prop Woods
This woodland is a stone’s throw from our house. It feels quite magical and has quite a history. Originally planted as part of the local mining industry, the trees were grown to provide pit props to use down the mines. There are humps and hillocks which is where spare earth was dumped. The woods received a community grant about 10 years ago which has been used to make the walkways safe, clear some pathways, and create a nice little children’s play area complete with a fairy ring of toadstools to sit on. There is a wetland area that is thriving with wildlife, a butterfly bank that is beginning to become established, and areas of fallen and cleared wood which has been left for the wildlife to make use of. I have spotted a fox creeping around here in the early morning, many, many squirrels and birds. There is a woodpecker who I usually hear but have yet to see. It’s a really lovely area to visit and is typical of the National Forest regeneration project. I am going to make a series of paintings from this little wood.
New studio -almost fully moved in!
And I have now loaded and unloaded my van with more big canvases than I care to remember! The old place had two rooms and a flight of slippy stairs to navigate also, so I dearly hope this is the last move for ages and ages. This is an extrmely comfortable place in which to work and I love it already.
Original UK Cow Artwork for Your Collection
Add some unique British style to your home or office with a beautiful piece of handpainted artwork featuring cows! With paintings crafted by me, in Ashby de la Zouch, United Kingdom, you'll get a one-of-a-kind piece that you won't be able to find anywhere else.
Choose a Unique Artwork to add Character to any Room
Adding a hand-painted piece of artwork featuring cows to your home or office is the perfect way to bring in some English countryside charm. Whether you’re looking for a subtle accent or an eye-catching statement piece, our collection of cow artwork has something for everyone. Pick something truly special and add some character to any room with one of my original UK cow artworks! See my currently available pieces here.
Multi-coloured Cow
close up of the painting
Argyle - new pictures showing off my multi-coloured cow and her gorgeous tropical colours! I can’t get over the way these colours shine from this beautiful cow! See more of my available original colourful cows here on my ‘Originals’ page.
Colourful details
Just give me bigger canvases
This is the story of how I came to paint such big pictures.
I came back to art later in life and I soon found that I was so excited about painting that I used to begin at 5 am, and paint for an hour or two before heading to work with my dogs.
About that same time I also began to have blurry vision, the first sign of the disorder that I live with now, although I didnt know it at the time. To cut a very long story short, I was referred to the eye hospital who quickly decided that I may have Sarcoidosis , a rare auto -immune condition, hard to diagnose. I have been having specialist treatment ever since.
As my eye symptoms became worse at work, I was forced to give up my role as a dog groomer. One good thing was that I had time to do more painting. I began to hope that one day I would become a professional artist.
One of my earlier paintings, a pet commission from a couple of years ago
As my skills improved I offered dog, cat and horse portraits . But there were set backs with my health andI remember that I would lie in bed with a pad of paper and pastels and just try to carry on painting. Art was something to dream about during these rather unhappy days.
As my condition began to stabilise I began to create larger pieces, less detailed , featuring wildlife alongside the pets. Small details might evade me but I found that I could learn to paint in an impressionist style, using elements from my imagination, instead of following photographic references closely.
During the first big lockdown of the pandemic, lots of things happened that enabled me to make the decision to became a full time professional artist. At the same time I lost central vision in my left eye, and as a result I made the decision to create large scale canvases exclusively! I got the opportunity to move to a big studio with plenty of room and light. I found a great art courier and packaging company to assist me in the logistics side of transporting big pieces.
The thought that I might have limited time, with useful sight drives me on to make the most of the time that I have. I dont want to leave any painting left unfinished! To misquote one of my heroes, Robert Plant ‘Just give me bigger canvases!’
Surrounded by animals in my studio
Rainbow Clouds of Comfort
I have always been crazy about seeing rainbow colours all together, ever since discovering the glass prisms at school age 7. Later in a succession of new schools, I’d spend way too much time staring through my clear plastic ruler to watch the rainbows appear. Dont we find strange things to take comfort from?
I have managed to include much of the rainbow in this new cow portrait and I love it.
All that remains is to find her a name.
Join the Poppy Trail this Month!
The Ashby Poppy Trail is on this month! 100 original paintings by local artists are on display in the shop windows throughout the town. You can visit and follow the trail (download and print the leaflet from this blog post , or pick one up in the shops) and see all of the lovely pieces of artwork, until 2oth November.
You can also bid on your favourite paintings as there is a blind auction ( you fill in the back of the leaflet with your favourite piece and the amount of your bid -minimun £5 so you could really get a bargain . All funds are going to the Royal British Legion for Remembrance Sunday.
This is the piece I painted for the Poppy Trail, in the window at Mutleys of Ashby
New sheep paintings.
Im working on 8 sheep paintings. I think its 8, they won’t keep still for me to count them - makes a change from flock wallpaper, doesn’t it?
I love sheep, and they make a beautiful subject for my oil paintings. Im hoping to work on some pieces with rare breed sheep in the future, I just have to find some of these lovely animals on my travels!
If you are interested in commissioning an original painting of sheep, whether a specialist rare breed or otherwise, do get in touch. Here is my page all about ordering a bespoke painting from me. These custom paintings make a really special gift for a big birthday or special occasion.
My first Swadlincote art workshop - Snowy Stags!
My first Swadlincote art course, how did the artists enjoy it?
I held my first Swadlincote art course on the 17th October , at Sharpes Pottery Museum. There were 5 people booked on the day and everyone turned up on time :) We began by grabbing coffee and settled in for a fun morning’s painting. I took them through all the stages that I do when Im painting a stag. Of course this was a speeded -up version of my real life practice. We had the added advantage of using acrylics so that we could progress quickly through all of the stages and finish the paintings in one day.
Georgina creating a stag full of character, in her favourite colours, orange features highly in this piece
After lunch we added the element of snow with glazing and different size and shape brushmarks.
The day went super quickly. It was alot of information to take in and Im sure the attendees all had an early night after the concentration of the day.
Fortified with cake and cups of tea, everyone succeeded in creating amazing original pieces of art and I was so pleased with them! I’ve had marvellous feedback from everybody - to find out how you can participate check this out
How to clean your original oil painting .
Oil paintings should last for hundreds of years, careful handling and attention will give your newly purchased painting the best chance of a great long life!
Handling: An oil painting needs careful handling and needs to be protected from sharp objects that can tear the surface. This also applies to anything that could put pressure on the surface and stretch it out of shape. The canvas can become 'bruised' or dent with surprisingly little force, so be super careful if leaning the painting against anything that is not a flat wall. (I have almost had a mishap when leaning a canvas against an innocuous-looking storage bag, luckily I noticed in time that it was bending the surface of the painting slightly.)
Be careful when you handle the painting, that nothing you are wearing (buckles, rings etc) could scratch the surface. Lift the piece from the two sides, so you don’t accidentally tip the painting and knock it against anything. Avoid door handles like the plague, they can catch and tear your canvas. (Ask me how I know)
If you ever do have an accident, don’t panic. Oil paintings can be restored by a professional, to the point where you would never know there was a problem. But it’s best to save yourself the stress and expense of that!
Lighting: Although all of the premium quality oil paints that I use are certified lightfast and therefore my paintings will not fade, it is nevertheless always good practice not to display your painting in bright direct sunlight. The best lights to use for illuminating a painting are designed for the purpose, otherwise, diffuse lighting is a good choice.
Temperature: Try not to hang the painting in a place where temperatures are likely to fluctuate. Lots of changes in temperature could potentially warp the wooden stretcher bars that support the canvas. The ideal highest temperatures are 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping the range of temperature that your canvas is exposed to within a 20-degree limit is ideal.
Humidity: (Don’t hang it in the bathroom) High humidity in the atmosphere can cause the canvas to stretch and become less taut on the frame, and is best avoided. If your canvas does begin to 'sag' then it can be re-tightened on the frame, you would just need to visit a framer. It is a good idea to keep paintings away from humidifiers and heaters if possible, to be on the safe side.
Cleaning: If you want to clean the surface of your oil painting, it is possible to clean any dust from the painting by using a very soft brush or white soft cloth. Go gently, and avoid knocking any texture areas off of the surface of the painting. Dont be tempted to use any cleaning sprays or solvents at all as these can damage the painting. If the painting requires more cleaning, then you can use a little warm water and olive oil soap and very gently clean the surface. Only use a slightly damp, not soaking wet, cloth. Do not rub, and dont use paper towels or anything abrasive.
If the painting needs more cleaning than this, I would consult a professional art restorer for advice.
I really hope you find this article helpful.I will also put together a guide to storing and transporting original oil paintings on canvas, and post it here.
My new Tawny Owl painting
Tawny Owl
This Tawny Owl painting is the latest addition to my collection, and I must say, owls are one of my favourite subjects to paint. Their unique features and mysterious aura make for a captivating piece of art. Take a closer look and see for yourself! I have used deep teal and sage green for the background of this painting. I still need to add a couple of details and blend areas. I will hang the painting up on the wall at home for a while until he is dry enough to add the final tweaks.
Update* This owl painting is now sold, I have some newly released bird pieces on the website here.
If you are looking for an owl print on canvas, I have a selection here Owl Prints
Buying Original Artwork - Provenance
A customer asked me a really good question recently. She was wondering if the pieces that I offer for sale on my website are original paintings, and not prints on canvas. I’m happy to verify that I only have originals for sale on my site. Provenance is so important when buying a piece of art, so I send a certificate of authenticity with each, painting which displays the image and details about the individual piece along with a declaration signed by me.
I am a licensed artist with two companies that do sell prints of my work. These are Icanvas, and Wraptious, and the prints can be purchased on papaer and canvas, framed or unframed on their websites.
A finished colourful bird painting!
Here is my ‘Springtim Chickadees’, featuring Blackcaps. Ive enjoyed painting these uplifting little birds so much!
Painting colourful birds in oil!
Here are some bird paintings in various stages of progress over the past month. This is a lovely project for a publishing company and its making me feel like Spring is finally here too!Once finished all of the original small oil paintings will be for sal
A new hare painting and a dog with a wonky tail!
One of our girls suddenly had a problem with her tail on Thursday night, and I sat up with her as she was panting and worrying about her tail and we didn’t know what was wrong. She wouldn’t let us examine her tail. She finally fell asleep but then was still having problems in the morning. We rang the vet but they were having an emergency and couldn’t get her in until the evening. So we spent the day babying her a bit and trying not to look worried. (Dogs pick up on a worried face immediately and seem to get worse). She performed at the vets as she is a bit scared around unfamiliar humans, so she was leaping around all over the place and scraping at my clothes, ripping them down! Anyway, the verdict was ‘Swimmers Tail’ a muscular problem caused by playing hard with her sister. She has a strip of anti-inflammatory tablets and is to take one twice daily for 5 days.
This morning (Sunday) she is back to her old, naughty, thieving self :)
During all this ‘excitement’ I have been painting this new hare in a magical garden. He has helped me stay sane! One more short session will see him finished and then I will post him on to my Art for Sale page. The canvas is 60cm x 76 cm and will be presented ready to hang, with gallery-wrapped sides.
A new original Highland Cow painting is finished!
This piece is very unusual, a chestnut coloured Highland Cow surrounded by Blue Himalayan Poppies, creamy-white Morning Glories, and tiny wild flowers. I have called this painting ‘Dawyck’ for the blue poppies that grow in the botanical gardens there. I have a family connection to the Dawyck estate, as my great grandfather worked on the estate for the Balfour family and my Nana used to tell me stories of growing up there and playing in the gardens as a little girl.
This gentle cow has a slightly guilty look on her face, almost as if she has a secret. The canvas is 100cm x 80 cm and is gallery wrapped with painted sides, ready to hang. This piece is sold, view my Originals page for new paintings as they come available.
