Thanks for the welcome, Mary.
Joy, I can't take credit for the journal format of my site, the web is rife with 'paintingblogs' so feel free to steal it. It's a nice way of looking back and seeing not only the work you've done, but also how you felt about it at the time. Its interesting how perspectives can change.
I believe we learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes, so a straight portfolio site wouldn't be right for me at the moment. Also I hope that by trying to be as honest as I can about my progress and what I'm getting wrong, I can connect with other artists in some way. Painting can be a lonely pursuit sometimes.
I had a poke around your site too, lovely work. The only disappointment for me was that there wasn't more of it.
I know the area you speak of quite well, (although I'm well south of there now,) I lived in Nottingham for about ten years. I used to do street art around there, I've covered most of the midlands towns. The countryside is beautiful around there, especially once you get into the peak district - around Matlock and Belper. It's a limestone area with very distinctive bleached outcroppings of rock. Did you get to see that area?
Unfortunately I haven't heard of Teaching Art Inc or the Society for all Artists - but I will be sure to look them up. Most certainly I'll grab a copy of your book when it comes out here, it sounds like its right up my street.
27 years! Congratulations!
I'm spoiled in that I'm only a half hour train ride from London, and am often to be found skulking around the National Portrait Gallery, usually in the room with the Sargent portraits. They have some fantastic work there, it makes so much difference to see great paintings in the flesh I think. There's a brilliant portrait of Henry James by Sargent there, up close you can really see his 'swordsman' brush strokes. Step back and they meld into a beautiful realisation of the sitter. Very inspiring.
With all these lovely welcoming posts I'm already feeling right at home. What a nice place you have here. I think I see a spot at the back there where I can make myself comfortable
