Studio News w/e 18 Sept '26
This week has been exhibition-focused as I have partaken in the Lochalsh Art Fair this week, whilst getting ready to commence my solo show at the Treehouse in Lochcarron next week:
Much collating, stickering and designing and labelling has been industriously taking place as I try to make sure that I am as prepared as I can be.
Lochcarron's Tartan Week will be in full swing for part of my exhibition, so I'm hoping to join in with the local enthusiasm for creativity and joy that this may bring. We all need a little extra joy in the world don't we? So all endeavours in the happiness vicinity are to be celebrated in my view.
The local life drawing sessions have restarted after the summer break, and I realised just how much I've missed them. Regardless of output quality, there's a kind of soul reset that takes place as a result of these sessions, and for that I'm unbelievably grateful.
Here are my life drawings from this week, starting with my usual 3 x 3 minuté 'blind' drawings (where I only look at the model, not at the paper at all):
These were followed by a 10 minute pose:
And then a long one which was utterly disastrous. So disastrous that I destroyed it before taking a photo (which is very rare, I’m usually incredibly open about sharing any drawing I do, monstrous or otherwise), so appalled was I. So you have the swift sketch I did in the few minutes I had left after the disastrousness occurred:
A half an hour pose then rounded off the session:
Thanks as always go to Sarah who organises us all, and Mike our model.
A new luxury scented candle has found it's way into my ArtOnEverythingShop on Etsy this week too. It's wrap-around label features our painting of the month 'Rhythm':
Off to take Buttercup the Beetle for her MOT now - fingers and toes crossed x
P.S. I'm often asked about the art materials I use in my practice. These are the surfaces and materials I used for this week's life drawing session (some are affiliate links):
Surfaces:
- Derwent Sketch and Store A4 spiral-bound pad - I've had mine for years, but they are widely available, including some I recently found on eBay.
- I also used some off-cuts of thick creamy paper which I discovered whilst having a forage in my paper stock recently. I have no idea where it's from, but thick smooth drawing paper is pretty widely available.
- Daler Rowney Murano Pastel paper - click here for the link at Jacksons Art.
Materials:
- Coates charcoal - click here for the link at Jacksons Art.
- Farrel&Gold Black to White Shading Pastels - I got mine from The Works, but you'll find them on eBay sometimes.
I'm an affiliate of Jacksons Art, which means I earn a small amount every time a purchase is made using one of the above links at no additional cost to yourself. Thank you in advance for supporting me this way.
