So...finally getting started on some landscape work.  I'm a bit nervous.  The last landscape I did was on the Big Painting Challenge.  It's taking me what feels like an age to get started and decide what to do...how to approach it.  I don't normally work from photo's but my holiday in the Lakes was a holiday holiday, not a painting holiday, so the camera became the tool to use, rather than paintbrushes.

I'm findng the photo a bit restrictive - it was taken through the windscreen of the car as we were zooming down country lanes, but I do remember the amazing colours and have decided that that's what I want to bring to the fore - colour and shapes.  This is sort of a tester landscape, a warm-up if you like......there are a lot of ideas for me to play with yet.

Lovely write-up in the July issue of The Leisure Painter magazine.  Myself and the other artists from the Big Painting Challenge talk about our favourite painting made during the programme and how we created it.

Definitely on the case with my blog at the moment!  Here I am, standing in front of my piece of work being exhibited in the SWA exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.  

Photo taken courtesy of Matt, my partner, who had to battle with my little camera a bit to get a decent photo! 

It was a wonderful private view.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous.  Possibly the sunniest day of the year yet.  The pv was absolutely packed with people and the work was generally quite fabulous - a wonderful mix of paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints.  It's definitely an exhibition worth going to see.

Had a lovely chat with Anne Blankson-Hemans, my fellow compadre from the Big Painting Challenge.  Anne is a member of the SWA and had 3 pieces of work on display.  Fingers crossed we both sell.

We had a bit of a natter about the forthcoming Pintar Rapido challenge.  I'm not totally sure about taking part in this one.  I may have had enough of challenges for the time being, but it is a day to paint as opposed to a BBC 3 hours, so I may give it a go.  It's outside though.......and architecture........not my best subjects.  Let's see how I get on with my Lake District paintings, which I am hoping to start this weekend.  Very excited and really looking forward to mixing up some oil paints for colour studies.  Hmmm, I can smell the turps already!

I've very pleased and excited to have had a piece of my work accepted by the committee from the SWA (Society of Women Artists).  It will be showing at the annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London, from 5th-13th June.  Fantastic!!!