Acorns, Sat Navs and a cart load of monkeys

On Wednesday I travelled to Worthing to give a demonstration to the Acorn Painting Group.
I never know what to expect when I go to a new group, and mostly they've no idea what they're letting themselves in for! Thanks to a SatNav and the online wonder of Google Maps Street View I found the venue with no problems, arrived in plenty of time to set up, take a breather and have a welcome strong cup of tea.

The group were very welcoming and helpful which makes SUCH a difference when you have travelled a way. I've no idea how many were in the audience, somewhere between 20 and 30 I guess, and they were very appreciative and vocal, talking informally to me all the time. I was animated and managed to keep talking, moving all the time, showing different techniques on different pictures, constantly referring back to samples I brought with me, books and other bits and pieces that influence and inspire me.

I felt relaxed and produced a half finished painting of Koi that I'm very pleased with and will continue to work on. Many of them came up to me at the end of the session to say how much they enjoyed watching something so different from their usual watercolour demonstrations, and they want me back next year which is great.

On leaving, I was recommended to go back along the seafront rather than the way the Sat Nav would send me, but as soon as I hit the front the fuel light came on and I realised I had no idea where the nearest garage was. SatNav to the rescue - up popped a Texaco logo! I clicked the screen and I was directed to the garage just around the corner.  Magic.


So, the next Arty bit of my life was the Arlington Art Group on Thursday night which is gradually expanding. We rarely have less than 12 people painting which is a good number. This week the theme was Mathematics so I tried out my new Black Gesso on a canvas sheet (lovely matt solid finish) then used an angle finder I found in the hall cupboard to make some random-ish marks, joined the dots, painted the resulting negative shapes with graduated tints of orange and white.. and it's taking interesting shape.

And so to the Hailsham High Street Windows.
Scaffolding has gone up along the front of 3 of the available windows which was going to make it difficult for an artist with a lot of work to park and load up on the agreed Saturday morning, so an arrangement was made for 2 of us to remove our work on Friday evening when the High Street would be quieter so there should be parking space opposite. Not so. The High Street was blocked by Fire Engines and what looked like hundreds of people for, what I assume was a Children In Need event. Consequently one artist did some unconventional manouvering on the one way road to get close. I chickened out and went for the walk-a-long-way-and-do-several-trips option to get my work to the car.

Come Saturday morning and I arrived at Gallery North at 9.30 to meet up with the artists who were either removing work or putting new work in the windows. I had tried to co-ordinate with all involved via email (and has posted detailed information online) to make sure everyone had access to a suitable space at a suitable time and that the keys would be available but on Friday we heard that the key for one of the shops that currently has work in wasn't going to be available til Monday. Hence I had to re-jig and re-allocate space.

By the time I left them to it this morning over 2 hours later, having walked about a mile hopping between all the different venues, one of the expected artists still hadn't arrived, one artist had arrived without any work so was going to have to arrange another day to get access, Jenny and I had to take down the work of 2 artists who didn't arrive to remove it, 2 windows remained unchanged as the artists didn't arrive, and one artist was waiting for a locksmith because the key was stuck in the lock. Talk about a cart load of monkeys!
But 3 shops looked great and another was shaping up to be spectacular - I am sure the others will look good some time soon...
Think I'll step out of any future (altruistic) co-ordination role this one as it really didn't seem to be appreciated much. I make sure that for ANY art event I take part in, I let the organiser know how much I appreciate what they do and all of the work involved as sadly, it seems to be a generally thankless task. Especially working with artists who sometimes have egos much bigger than their talents warrant - the majority of them are lovely and modest, but sadly the diva few can really get your back up!

The great news is that I have got a lovely little Pet Portrait Commission to get on with (it's a Christmas present so I won't be able to post it on here til the New Year) and possibly another one on the way. I also have a meeting to schedule in Eastbourne with a cafe owner regarding displaying my work there, via a contact from the Athena Ladies Networking group.

Influenced by Poppies, Mandelbrot and Gaudier-Brzeska

This week at art group our theme was 11/11/11 - remembrance day the obvious conclusion. Next week our theme is Mathematics, being the anniversary of the birth of August Mobius in 1790. This got me thinking about the mathematics of 11/11/11 and I started a design of 11 poppies each with 11 filaments and anthers, each of them with 11 extra anthers, a bit Mandelbrot (Benoit Mandelbrot)  inspired. Fractals and all mathematical images can be stunningly beautiful - have a look, google Mandelbrot and click 'images'. 

 I was talking yesterday about Henri Gaudier-Brzeska who was sadly killed in the trenches in 1915 just 4 years after he started to develop his art. I saw some of his sculpural work at the Vorticist exhibition at the Tate easrlier this year. I loved a small bronze carving of a fish and have done several designs blending this style with the 'fish in movement' paintings I have been working on.

I'll continue with my Mandelbrot Poppies next Thursday then post them on here when finished!

Bexhill workshop

Members of the Bexhill Art Society show off what they produced at my workshop today - lovely selection of styles and techniques!

What's coming up?

Have a look at the details of the Arlington Arts Group Christmas open Evening http://www.arlingtonartsgroup.co.uk/#!/2011/10/christmas-open-evening.html

and the latest competition - deadline 31st March 2012
http://www.arlingtonartsgroup.co.uk/#!/2011/10/competitions.html

and remember that the Winter Exhibition is now on at Gallery North in Hailshan High Street until 23rd December. Pop in and have a look between 10 and 4 Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Smokin!

Today I have been trying to catch the delicate and transient feel of smoke using mixed media - acrylic, acrylic glaze, chalk pastel and pencil. Still needs some work but think 1 and 2 work well - in 3 I was thinking nicotine hence the color but think the randomness of shape hasn't really happened - it's looking a bit too much like last week's squid picture!!

You can't really see the subtleties of colour in this photo - pink and blue match smoke

Pet Portraits in time for Christmas

If you are panicking about what to give someone for Christmas and are worried that it's too late to organise a Pet Portrait, never fear - I do Gift Vouchers!
The 'giftee' can then look at their leisure for their own favourite photos and make those difficult decisions about what style and medium to choose. 

You can order Gift Vouchers via  my www.petsbyjosie.co.uk website. I can send them direct too, if you would prefer.
If you would like me to post you a brochure which includes examples of work and a comprehensive price list, please send an email

You can view examples of my work on the SAA site (www.saa.co.uk) and on my own website (www.josietipler.co.uk)

Gift vouchers are available for £10, £20 and £50.

All good publicity!

I made page 6 of issue 35 of the Wealden Business Focus (well, my work did!) - shame Gallery North's involvement wasn't mentioned, nor the Hailsham Arts Festival.