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Unknown quantities and fish breath

Unknown quantities and fish breath

When you agree to do a workshop for a local art group, most people would think you just turn up on the day and, well, teach. But, its not as simple as that. You have, for a start, to know what exactly you are teaching – what the subject matter is, and the medium. And it helps if you know how many people you are teaching, and if they are beginners, or adept artists, or a mix of the two.  And when that is known, the artist has to be able, within an hour hopefully, tell the group about themselves by saying more than “ER, well, er, I can ,er well, paint, and er, I like painting cos my aunties best friends hairdresser thinks I did I nice painting of some flowers, like”. And you have to tell the group about why you like the subject matter, and why it inspires you. Then you have to tell them about the medium and the paper you’re using, the paints, the colours of the paints, and the brushes. Then, you have to paint a picture in-front of them, without it taking more than an hour hopefully (cos they get bored and twitchy) in a way that they can paint, talking about techniques, and making it as easy as possible for them to do the same thing themselves, regardless of whether they are beginners or experienced artists. And you’ve got to make sure they don’t get frustrated whilst painting, and that at the end of it, they may well have a beautiful picture that they love, but they are more likely to have a painting they are half happy with that is unfinished, but they will be armed with information, tips, and will have learnt new things along the way. If they enjoy it, and have a laugh as well, that’s a bonus.

But, when the artist walks through the door of the venue for the workshop they have no idea of the standard of art the artists can do, or can’t do. And, no matter who the artist likes or dislikes as a character, or as a pupil, they should all get equaElliot (2)l time from the teacher. Because they have all paid the same amount, and expect equal time and effort.

So that is why I am spending time making sure the picture I shall do at this workshop of an animal, is of a horse, because horses have long and short hair which shows different techniques, and I’ve been asked to demonstrate it in acrylics which is a good medium because you can paint it thin like watercolours, or thick like oils, and I can show both of those in the demo. And I have to paint that picture quickly and easily, and talk, and smile, and interact with them, and answer questions whilst I’m doing it. And, most of all make the picture look good.

And that’s before I take pictures along to show them, and cards to sell, and any information that will add to the experience, and business cards, and spare paint, paper, brushes in case anyone wants to borrow any.

And sandwiches for my lunch. And that’s not as simple as you’d think, I love tuna and mayo but can’t have it because I’ll have fish breath all afternoon, and I can’t have anything with onions or garlic in it cos that would be worse. Mmmm…. cheese I think, its safe!

Plus, the workshop is actually of “Farm animals” so because I am doing a horse, doesn’t mean the rest of them are, so I’ve also got to be proficient in painting cows, goats, sheep, donkeys, and of course pigs as well!

I've been an artist all of my life, and my paintings now hang on walls in Europe, USA and Canada. I'm working on getting them on the other continents! My wide range of artwork has been exhibited nearer to home in the East Midlands, with the Guild of Erotic Artists at Beaumont Hall Studios in Hertfordshire, and at "Erotica", Olympia, London. I have also been featured alongside my work in the Guild of Erotic Artists book (volume 2). I love to create dramatic interest in my pictures, whether it’s to paint an unusual landscape, or just to utilise dramatic lighting in my figure drawings or strong colour in my animal portraits. Delighting in the spontaneous tendencies of watercolour adds an interesting and distinctive look to my paintings, some of which are purposefully ambiguous, enabling the viewer to use their own interpretation of my artwork. I also love to hide images, and humour within my paintings, whether it’s a secret message, or an erotic couple hidden within a landscape, or even an erotic landscape where the couple are camouflaged as the features of the land itself. I am equally happy painting in oils, acrylics or watercolours and love to draw with pencil or ink. I have also developed the very effective method of drawing using white pencil on black card which creates dramatic pictures by just picking out where the light catches the body and leaving the rest of the image to the imagination, in darkness. I can also utilise many different styles, whether it is realistic, abstract, surrealistic, erotic, fantasy or camouflage art where something is hidden within the painting. I'm just passionate about my art, whatever I paint! But, it doesn't matter how many landscapes or pet portraits I paint, its always the erotic stuff that people are interested in! I started blogging to share some of the strange conversations I have with the people I meet. But its evolved into far more than that now.