REMEMBERING

We will remember them.

Past Times & Recent Times

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Winner of this year's 'Most Beautiful Witch of the Year' is Wynona the Witch from Witchville.  Who likes to thanks her family and fiends for  making this possible.

Don't have nightmares!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Brusho 16 x 10")

TALKING AND WORKING

I am a member of Churchtown Art Club (which is on facebook) and this weekend we had an exhibition.  Three of us work on the day, answering questions about painting and the club.  Here is what I managed to painting while chatting.  Some of the paintings went awry, but hey, I had fun.

Brusho and bleach.  If you can spot her, there is a nude hidden away. Her face has been bleached out as it was awful, I will adjust sometime in the future

This was my warm up exercise to see how fast the paint was drying and if my brush was working!!  Painted the whole sheet yellow , then nagatively painted around the Budapest Parliament buildings, upside down. Not easy for the first painting of the day.

Eccinachea (can't spell it).  I have to concentrate when doing my nemisis, flowers, and went a bit awry with the r/h flower.

This painting is from a photograph my Sharon Whitley, and was a challenge, thank you Sharon.  Brusho, Ink and bleach.  End of the day when I was flagging.  But the most fun of the four to paint.

Have a lovely week everyone.

PETALS TO PRICKLES

Here's my weekly visit to my blog.  Yes that's my limit now, been spending far too much time on tinternet.  Consequently I apologise if I miss some of your lovely posts and spend less time visiting your blogs.

Now then, most of you know I don't like painting flowers, cos I battle like mad with them.  But just lately I have had a Eureka moment!!!  Yep, been pleased with my blooming battles, get it blooms.
Ha ha.

Well this was going awful, painting away at Churchtown Art Club, that I go to (check out their site on facebook) so took it home and ran it under the tap,  Then put in a wet in wet background and scrunched on some cling film.  Added a few darks and hey presto, a miracle, a decent painting.  So never give up (which is what I would normally have done)  I have called it Dancing Fuschias.

No idea what this flower is, it's like a Rudebekia. Can't spell it.  Saw someone had painted yellow flowers on facebook, and I thought what a cheerful colour, saw masses of these in a magazine so had a bash.  They cheered me up just painting them.

A battle and a half!!!! Brusho Thistle.  I threw everything at this and I considered it a failure, until I posted it on facebook.  Well what was going on?  Either they were all being kind or it actually isn't as bad as I thought.

Now all I ask is you look around at the beautiful flowers around you and think how wonderful nature is.  A miracle around every corner.

BRUSHO WITH JOANNE BOON THOMAS

I recently went to a workshop run by The Brusho Queen, Joanne Boon Thomas.  Very informative   but fun thrown in for good measure.  She is very generous with the information she passed on to us and is warm and friendly.  Here is a the work that we did.  They are on Half Imperial Langton Paper.

  Can't say the name of the flower but remember it is An Enemy - er really an anenome!  Some spraying technique and then used like like watercolour.  Such vibrant colours.

Just using two colours.  Turquoise and Orange! A tiny bit of  Ultra under and in the boat. Same method as above.

If you haven't heard of Brusho and would like to see it in action, you can find a video by Joanne Boon Thomas on Youtube and many of her painting on google.

Brusho is like dye crystals or ink, like salt, you can sprinkle and spray, use bleach and play with the paint or use like watercolour.  You can get effects with it that you can't with watercolour.  I call it my playtime when I use it.  Originally it was used for textiles.  It is also used in schools as it is non toxic. It does, however, stain your fingers temporarily, so I have to wear an apron, as I am a messy painter at the best of times.

Do check out her lovely work on google images, pinterest or visit www.artybyboon.co.uk.

HAPPY NEW YEAR WITH LOVE

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Contented 20l5.  Full of fun and colourful adventures.

And for those artists among you, many unexpected surprises and masterpieces.

Luv and hugs

From Polly xx

BLACKPOOL ZOO, FINITO, FIN, END

I have so enjoyed painting from the photographs I took at this delightful zoo.  I just knew I wouldn't rest until I had the ideas out of my system.  I don't paint many animals, so it was also a challenge. And most of you know I loooove a challenge.  Here are the final ones.

This one speaks for itself and it is frightening how so many species are in crisis.  Using mixed media like this was inspired by Lorraine Brown - do check out her work which is brilliant and innovative

Monkey Puzzle!  What shall I eat first?

Final flourish - Pretty Polly Parrot in Brusho.


Problem is, what on earth is going to inspire me next?  Nothing in the pipeline.  Perhaps I may read a book, tidy the garden, go for walks, do some baking  ...................   Well, whatever you are doing have a lovely autumnal weekend.

BRUSHO FUN

I keep venturing back to paint in Brusho.  It's exciting and unpredictable, like watercolour, but even more so, and vibrant as well.

These were painted in the garden.  Brusho is a powder that you paint with. Sometimes you sprinkle direct on the paper and spray first, so in the garden you get fun things happening when it's a bit breezy.

If you would like to know more about Brusho I will put some links on at the end of the post.

Venice in Brush! Sprinkled on the paper and sprayed.  Each colour has other coloured crystals in it, so you can get varying effects.  I did not draw the buildings in the distance just drew the horizon and where I wanted the posts.  You lose the drawing somewhat anyway.

And, of course, being in the garden I had to paint the washing.  The washing is NOT as dirty as it looks, honest!!!

Have a wondrous weekend one and all.

Now for some links for you.  Firstly, if you are on facebook, check out Beautiful Brusho Moments.  Also Joanne Boone Thomas's facebook page,  who is the queen of Brusho.  She has done a DVD and ebook. It's magic! These can be bought from the SAA (Society for All Artists). www.saa.co.uk. or a you tube clip of her using brusho  www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcs6NNczOqM   

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

Had such a busy week.  Gardening mostly, so painting with plants!  Anyhow here is my arty news.

Easter Challenge, kept til the last and done with care.  Sue D'Arcy-Masters husband is connected with the Southport Lifeboat Station, and challenged me to paint the old station (a new one is going to be built) with the boat in front of it. So this is what I came up with.  Guess what, they have had it framed and it is going up in the new building when it is finished. How lovely is that!

I wanted something to put in pencils that have been kept at the back of a drawer.  I thought I might use them if they were to hand, so made these.  I stuck on all the Easter Challenges that you out there set me, so I can remember the fun I had over the Easter weekend painting them. Empty baked bean tins and glue that doubles up as varnish were used.

And I took my last brusho mini workshop.  I think they all enjoyed and learned from what I passed on from my workshop with Joanne Boon Thomas.  This is one of the paintings we did (we managed 3 in 2 hrs) and this was by the far most successful of the ones we did.  More brusho is being ordered and the word is spreading.

I am hoping for a quiet relaxing week this week.  Putting my feet up and the odd afternoon tea.

Enjoy whatever you are doing, wherever you are.

EASTER CHALLENGE - THE END

Here are the last paintings (bar one which I cannot publish yet) of my Easter Challenge, where I asked you bloggers and fb friends to give me subjects to paint over the Easter Holiday.

Anenome - Ruth H Harris (nervous doing this as she is a beautiful flower painter)

A neighbour asked me to paint her house Carol Hodge, this picture was taken when we had such a long cold white winter

Albert Dock, Liverpooo - Val Downie - She suggested somewhere locally.  I took this picture in the summer. It is right near the Beatles Story exhibition, and the band were singing Beatles songs.  I cropped the painting so the conentration was on the father and son Liverpool Football Club supporters

Lupins - Judith Farnworth - very kind of her seeing as I don't like painting flowers!

Neglected corner - Joanne Boon Thomas - Brush and bleach.  Spot the Easter interlopers

Self Portrait - Laura Moore - rather flattering I think!

Sloth - actually two and the picture is from PMP Clare Smith.  Found this looks rather stripey, perhaps a new rare species of lesser striped sloth.

Thank you all for commenting and following my Challenge.

Now then, have a wonderful weekend (early wishes) but won't be posting for a while as I am burned out painting.

EASTER CHALLENGE PART 2

I'm doing an Easter Challenge..... I asked people to take me out of my comfort zone and suggest subjects for me to paint over the Easter Holidays, as I am not doing anything else.  Here is my next batch

Chicken - Debbie Nolan.  Guess what kind of egg I was eating.  Just for research you understand, for this painting.

Easter Bunny - Ngaire Magalotti - an Aussie friend on facebook.  Actually the orange in reality is really bright.  Transparent Orange

Farm Equipment - Pamela Williamson.  Far too tight painting this, wasn't happy with it at all

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury and the photograph is by Theresa Jones on PMP. - Idea from Sue Caton.    Supposed to be a drizzling and misty day. I am having trouble linking this to the photographer so apologise to her and will get it sorted as soon as I can.

Hat and gloves of the old fashioned Easter kind.  - Celeste Bergin.  Thanks for bringing back memories

Chicken - Dana Mallon.  A chicken mad lady suggested this one.  It is done in Brusho!

I do hope you are having a brilliant weekend and are not feeling too sick with eating loads of chocolate.

EASTER CHALLENGE

Well I have been overwhelmed by the interneters who have given me subjects to paint over the Easter.  And here are the ones and whipped through yesterday.  The hardest ones, though, are ready and waiting for me.

Helen H Trachy - Woman cleaning windscreen with broom.  This is no ordinary woman it is Me Grand Friend Annie Arkwright.  No ordinary broom for her!

Carol Davidson - Horse.  Actually it is Polly Panicking Painting Peoples Pictures

Beverley Wells - A banana that doesn't look like an ordinary banana painting - took ages thinking about this one, and created a kind of stained glass window. Brusho.

Rita Vaselli - she had seen on facebook a picture of real sheep but they had been coloured and also online there is a page about William The Lurcher, so asked his owner if I could paint him and here is the combination.  William dreaming of sheep and sheep having nightmares about William

Carol Hodge - Cream cake (no calories in this one)

Gill Fox and Martine Weare - I combined one here.  A nighttime scene with the moon and a painting in one colour - here I used Indigo.

There are a mixture of sizes from postcard size to 15 x11" and the challengers are from Blogland and Facebook Land, so thank you all for taking me out of my comfort zone.  All except the bananas are in Watercolour, the Bananas are in Brusho!

I'll be back with some more of these challengers.

Happy Easter everyone

BRUSHO WORKSHOP (MINE) !!!!

Yes, you read that right.  I was bludgeoned into doing a 2 hour workshop at our little art club, Churchtown Art Club (we are on facebook check us out).  After people had seen me having fun with Brusho they wanted to try it for themselves. So having plucked up the courage to say I would, I set about organising a plan of compaign, as I didn't want to let them down.

Because there was only two hours, I decided I had to fit in as many techniques as I could. So after explaining what Brusho was and showing some of the work I had done, to show them how versatile it is, I decided to do a pen and wash, which would incorporate wax on an elephant, and some silver birch type trees out of a dark background to demonstrate the use of bleach. You can also just use it like watercolour.

I was soooo nervous I started out by telling them that if they had constipation, then volunteering to do a workshop would work wonders!!!

Ok, so this is how we did it.  We drew an elephant in thick permanent ink (pens from the £1 shop), used wax candle for highlights on the ephalump, and for the grasses.  Sprinkled - sprayed - tilted.  Done and dusted Brusho did it for me.

Second was using pure thick bleach.  Taking care to cover clothes, using separate container for water and old brushes.  We sprinkled (through a hole in the top of the brusho containers) - sprayed - tilted NO DRAWING FIRST - dried and then whoosh, in with brushstrokes of pure bleach, and as if by magic the tree trunks appeared, then some thicker branches and because we had no fine brushes, used cocktail sticks for the thin branches - plus some imagination.

Considering we had to share 2 boxes of brusho with 8 people, it worked really well.  There was quiet concentration and laughter.  They seemed to be having fun. I have had more recruits, and now have to do another two.  Yikes!!!

Please, if you are interested in seeing a quick demo of this wonderful medium, check out Joanne Boon Thomas's Brusho Secrets, ( it shows a short video). There is a DVD and ebook, which are both easy to follow and inpsiring and shows the versatility of this medium. Good pressie to yourself! I had been on a day workshop with her, and used some of the techniques, she generously passes on to all her students and also her enthusiasm for a new and exciting way of painting.

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to her for all the fun I now have using Brusholicious paint.

BRUSHO BAGATELLE

While I have been battling away with Abstract I have also been brushoing, if there is such a word.  One quite intricate for me and a flower (yes I said flower me no like painting flowers - oops bad english) and one a challenge which turned out better than I expected.

I painted a Bird of Paradise flower in my A-Z challenge as Xotic flower for 'X' but thought it would make a good brusho painting, because of the vibrant orange.  The bleach wouldn't complete take out the blue, so it has left a lovely texture that was quite by accident!

This is Sharon Whitley's Challenge for February, photograph by Gary Jones
Was going to to it in watercolour, but Brusho called and I listened. Great fun.

Have a lovely week and remember Spring is round the corner for us Northern Hemisphere people.

LAST BRUSHO THIS YEAR

Yes, I am putting brusho away!  There's so much going on. I usually do my brusho at the art club because it is, or sorry, I am soooo messy, and it's our Christmas do today and then that's it til after New Year.  These two paintings I have concentrated on using bleach.  I sprinkled and sprayed the background colours on, covering the whole sheet of paper with colour and then picked out the white with bleach and added some darks.

Dark Stripes were just the background showing through.

This one is actually Sharon Whitley's December challenge, and is from a photograph by Gary Jones of the Ugly House in North Wales.  Just a note to Health and Safety, The snowman didn't suffer any harm from being covered in bleach!!!!!

BRUSHO, WATERCOLOUR & BLEACH

Thought it would be interesting to see how the two react with bleach.  I had only ever used bleach on Brusho and it was suggested that you could use bleach on Watercolour too.  So Polly had to experiment and here are the results, which you might find interesting.

This is the Brusho chart. Using all the colours that I have.  With the exception of Prussian Blue on all the above I used just one sweep of a brush loaded with bleach (or you can use Milton (a sterilising agent)   And the whiteness of the paper just appeared through as if by magic.   Obviously some reacted better than others.  The paper didn't turn yellow and wasn't damaged.  In fact, I have tried and you can paint over the top when it is dry.  Could be very handy to know. 

Watercolours and exactly the same procedure BUT I had to scrub the bleach into the paint, no single strokes here, so was worried about the paper and the brush (an old brush that I washed constantly) And while I can see that some of the colours allowed the white paper to show through, many of them, even after the vigourous brushing, did not turn white.  The scrubbing affected the wash giving run backs sometimes.  I wouldn't use bleach on a watercolour painting from choice, as I feel it could damage the washes around the bleached area, not to mention quickly ruin any brush.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has tried a similar experiment.

Have a wonderful weekend my lovely blogging friends!!