Why artists create
There are two ways to think about the question of why artists create: What leads someone to pick up a brush and get started? What drives someone to keep creating artwork? There are different reasons for everyone. Here’s what it is for me: Why artists…
Five Masters’ Iconic Flower Paintings
Five Masters’ Iconic Flower Paintings that debunk the idea that flower painting is only for beginners – and they are just the start. Painting flowers is joyful for so many reasons: the colour, the shapes, even the scent. All aspects are sensory, right down to the…
Letter to a Young Artist
What would you say if you were to write a letter to a young artist (specifically, the younger you)? I loved this question in the interview with Mary from Wonky Wheel of Finchingfield. The article introduces the Uncontained exhibition featuring my floral paintings and Stephie…
How limits improve your painting
It may seem contradictory to say that limits improve your painting. But in my experience, it is a good learning tactic that has worked for me. Limits make you stretch in different ways. For obvious reasons, we call it thinking inside the box. With limits,…
Finding artistic motivation
Artistic motivation is something Michelle Cheyne from Instinctive Living is well qualified to write about, given her expertise in psychology. She has written a guest post for us about the three cornerstones that help us find artistic motivation. ******************** Finding your creative voice can be…
Nine tips for an Artists websites that works
Artists websites are the cause of a lot of soul-searching and stress for many, but they don’t need to be. Here is a guide on how to work out whether you want a website and how you should use it. Should you have a website…
How to display artwork at home
Have you ever wondered how to display artwork at home when you’ve run out of wall space? You see a painting that you’ve fallen in love with and you are bursting to buy it, but there’s just no space left on your walls – not…
Creative Loosening-up Exercises
I always start my watercolour tutoring sessions with some creative loosening-up exercises. I did just that yesterday during the first workshop of the year. It was even more valuable than usual, given that we had all been without access to in-person workshops for so long….
Cleaning Used Acrylic Painting Water
Cleaning used acrylic painting water is not something I had to think about much while I was predominantly using watercolour. I’ve used acrylics and oils over the years from time to time, but only to satisfy my ‘how does this work’ curiosity. That meant the…
Finding your inner artist
Have you ever thought about finding your inner artist? Last month I was honoured to guest blog for Instinctive Living. Here is the post, as Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”…