Creation

Today happened...

‘Eight days a week’

I am really happy with this painting.

It has lived in my studio for several months.

But not like this...

Today I changed its life.

It was ‘born again’ in an art sense. 

Just with a few random marks. 

These new marks were made quickly 

using oils and cold wax medium.

The studio was a little dark as the blinds 

were pulled down.  No lights were on.

This made a quiet relaxing place...

with no noise and no-one around.

I resisted the temptation to fiddle.

Bold applications of paint and marks

were left alone to tell a story.

Before working...

...and now

Drying on an easel.

Making marks is an exciting process.

Making marks ‘without care’ is very exciting.

Taking care can ruin a painting.

This may sound odd...

surely it is important to be careful with the work?

Not exactly...

When I began taking risks and ‘not caring’

I found my work moved on significantly.

A detail from my new piece.

A story of creation.

Destruction and creation.

The whole finished piece.

‘Eight days a week’

Oils and cold wax medium on 51x77cm canvas 

in a cream wood float frame. 

Before I go...

here is the previous picture 

in an exhibition earlier in the year.

I have no regrets about the change...

it was time to move on.

I love my job.   

Until next time...

Thank you for visiting. 

Parting ways.

‘Thoughts on Fire’

Oils and cold wax on Arches oil paper 

A new painting 10x12 inches

I cropped the painting to fit this 8x8 inch float frame.

It sits happily near my Lyn Lovitt ceramic vessel.   

Lyn has an exhibition opening on 

Tuesday 17 September in Sam Scorer Gallery, Lincoln.

Out of sight, out of mind.

It never ceases to amaze me how often 

I read something in my emails which 

is appropriate for my art journey.

Here are two quotes from last week...

The first rule of storytelling is that something must die in order for something else to be born. 

In your art story, this means that if you want your work to grow, you’ll need to kill something. 

The good news is that you probably have something to sacrifice lying around your studio 

(Sara Genn -  Painter’s Keys)

When you get rid of old material, 

you push yourself further and 

come up with something better.” (Austin Kleon)

Getting rid of art which may be 

holding me back is a habit I try

to practice in my studio.

There is a sense of relief and freedom.

I like to have paintings around me which

are fresh and new as these can

trigger an idea or become part of a series.

Shapes and colours 

Work on Arches oil paper 

Part of my paper-painting collection.

Back to the process of parting of ways...

Sometimes it is just a case of putting 

unwanted paintings aside, out of sight so they

do not influence the current work.

My out of the way place is here...

The old caravan.

Taking a break from making pictures,

here are some of Nature’s landscapes...

Beauty in old age

This oak tree was planted 165 years ago

I hope it lives here for many more.

Here is a place for new planting...

Maybe some Mountain Ash saplings 

to provide berries for our birds.

A home for wildlife...

A little track through the wild garden.

The fox visits us most nights.  

A quiet place for contemplation...

Timber housing.

That’s all for now...

Until next time.

Thank you for visiting.

Mellow September

September is my favourite month.

My birthday.

I love the mellow warmth of days relaxing into autumn.

My studio palette seems to reflect the wild tangled 

hedgerows in our nature garden.

A small canvas 8x8 inches

It’s partner...

Oils and cold wax medium on 8x8 canvas.

When I look across the fields around our home 

these colours are everywhere.

      

Detail from a larger picture...

Rose hips, Rowan berries, apples and blackberries.

Sun streaking across the stubble fields.

It’s a glorious time.

Making plans...

    

I am preparing my work for the 

Gainsborough Artisan Fair in October.  

These small abstract paintings on Arches Oil Paper 

are my demonstration studies for workshops.

I use transparent oils mixed with some 

cold wax medium and ‘sculpt’ the

paint on the paper.  After scraping and rolling, 

scribbling and scratching...a picture appears.

They can be used as pictures to frame, 

or made into greetings cards.

Also, these one-off original paintings 

could be hostess gifts, birthday presents 

and ‘stocking fillers’ for art lovers.   

A selection of small oil paintings 

ready for my table at the Fair.

6 x 6 inch paintings in natural wood box frames.

On the second Saturday each month this

Artisan Fair is in the Town Hall, Lord Street,

Gainsborough from 10am to 3pm....

I have booked a table for 

October, November and December.

Louth Exhibition 

My Show in the Riverhead Theatre Gallery 

continues until the end of September.

September is a busy month 

for artists and art lovers.   

Until next time...

Thank you for visiting.  

 

Journeys.

Every picture tells a story...

I have finished a painting.

Last night I decided the end had come

and I had reached my destination.

After 6 reworkings.

‘Where the Sea meets the Moon’

Oils and cold wax medium on canvas 16 x 32 inches.  

The collage above tells the story...

each image moving on to the final one. 

It’s a rare occasion to have so many reminders 

of the journey as I normally forget to take a photo.

It wasn’t an easy journey, there were many

‘scraping backs’ and fresh layers of oils 

applied over several weeks. 

Many times I wondered if it was a waste of

time and paint.  Just one more try...

Suddenly it all came together...

It was a special moment .  

Easier routes...

There are occasions when a painting journey is short.

This picture began with an under painting of yellow 

and burnt sienna with some cold wax medium.

I scraped a loaded palette knife across the canvas 

and with a rubber squeegee, sculpted the colour,

making marks and scraping away 

to reveal paler parts. 

Here and there I added some transparent blue

which turned turquoise when scraped back.

When it was dry I added more burnt sienna and 

dark red mix with a brayer.  More scraping

followed with some scratched drawing into the paint.

Darker parts at the bottom give weight 

to the composition.

Finally, I loaded my large brayer with blue and gave

two fast ‘passes’ across the canvas.

‘Upon my soul, this scene of rest’.

Oils and cold wax medium on 16x16 inch canvas.

Studio time...

Some days my studio time is in short bursts,

particularly when other jobs are to be done. 

The wild garden is now in a state of dereliction.

Turning my back on it is not an option.

I have set myself a daily ‘3 barrow load’ 

regime for autumn and winter 

to bring some order to the situation.

So far, I am keeping up with it.

The advantage...

Short bursts can be an advantage.

Working faster and not labouring over

a picture prevents the work from tightening up.

This little painting was an example of my

fast and loose process.

‘Passing by’

Oils and cold wax medium on 12 x 16 inch canvas 

Making geometric marks and removing paint 

here and there, I sculpted an abstract scene.

I like the colours and shapes with random lines.

It was made over three days...allowing 

the paint to dry before adding to the work.

Each time was brief...possibly only 30 minutes.

Larger paintings will need more time.

For now I shall keep my painting muscles

exercised with these little studies.

That’s all for now...

Until next time,

thank you for visiting.

Showtime in September

Louth, here we are...

‘Lincolnshire in the Wild’

Abstracted Oil Paintings 

A show for September by

Anne Wood - Oil painter

It’s all there...from today 

My selection of 10 oil paintings for the 

Riverhead Theatre Gallery.

A small wall but they fit nicely...

Also, a selection of small framed 

landscape oil studies 

at special prices. 

On the desk in the booking office.  

Times of opening...

The Show continues until 

Sunday 29 September.

Plans for 2020

My plans for having oil painting 

workshops next year 

are going ahead now.  

I am preparing the studio and 

surrounding areas for access.

There will be places for 4 artists to work.

A new ‘Posh Privy’ is being built nearby 

and a kitchen/diner area in the cabin.  

‘Posh Privy’

Here is the advance poster.

Dates may be provisionally booked...

2020....Oils & Cold Wax Painting Demonstrations/Workshops 

In my studio, set in a wild garden 

in the Lincolnshire countryside.

These one day workshops are an introduction

 to working with Oils and Cold Wax medium.  

Working with oils, oil pastels and other 

mark-making tools, Students will learn 

and experiment on Arches oil paper.

It is designed to be a relaxed, fun day...

creating some small paintings to take home.   

This workshop is suitable for beginners 

as well as experienced artists.  

Painting materials, and 

tea/coffee/cake

are included in the price.

Please bring a packed lunch 

A fridge, cups/plates & utensils are in the studio.

Off road parking

Wheelchair access 

   April to October   

The 1st Thursday & 1st Saturday of each month 

Four places will be available on each day....

from 10am to 3pm     

Fee £ 50 per person.  

Contact Anne Wood for more information

 if you are interested in taking part...

Wild at Heart Studio 

Green Acres 

Broxholme

Lincoln 

LN1 2NG

E:  annewoodpaintings@gmail.com

The studio ready for a workshop...

Little oil studies will be made.

Here are some demonstration pieces.

You will have something 

you have made to take home.  

If you are interested in taking part,

just email me to provisionally add 

your name to my list.  

The full fee is payable one month before the chosen date.

E:  annewoodpaintings@gmail.com

Well, that’s it for now.

Until next time...

Thank you for visiting.