Landscape paintings for the 30 30 30 Challenge

Cheviot Hills, Northumberland. Acrylic

I live in the beautiful county of Northumberland, England. we have it all! Stunning beaches, old castles, rolling hills, market towns and all within about an hour from home. To top it all off, Newcastle is only 15 miles away , so we have access to all that city life brings as well, when we want it.

Tree, Mixed Media

The paintings I'm working on at the moment are all landscapes, I've been working on 4 all at once, layering, gluing, painting, spraying. building up layers of washes and also areas of heavy body paint. I almost forgot I had some super heavy body paint and I'd forgotten how much I like using it, until I started applying it to these paintings the other day.

I have been working out in the garden as it's been sunny and warm and I've even hung the paintings to dry on the line with my washing. I've now completed 20 images (I think) that means there's just 10 to go.

Oh I do like to live beside the seaside...

The Northumberland coast is stunning all year round, but especially so in the summer. This is where I live and this week I've been off the crutches and walked down to the beach. (photo by Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland on FB). I've also just had my first Physio class and I feel great, for the first time in ages I feel like I can move normally - more please!

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland. Acrylic, Oil and pastel

Anyway, inspired by the beautiful county where I live with it's long sandy beaches and stunning castles. I've created three pieces for my 30 30 30 Challenge. These stunning castles are all within 45 minute drive from home. This is a stunning place to live.

Dunstanburgh Castle. Northumberland. Acrylic, Oil and pastel

Not everyone thinks so as some goverment minister suggested that the NE of England is desolate and would be a suitable place to undertake Fracking (hydraulic fracturing). Maybe it would be better to Frack his own back yard, not our beautiful county - Rant over.

Lindisfarne Castle. Northumberland. Acrylic, Oil and pastel

I've now completed 18 pieces of the 30 I set out to do. The question is, can I get 12 more done before I return to school on the 2nd September? In the autumn they'll be sold off to help me raise funds to go on a short term team with International China Concern next April.

Chemo

It's not a word that make you think of beautiful is it? But I've seen images of people who are undergoing chemotherapy and have lost their hair and there is something beautiful and stunning about seeing someones face with it's bone structure evident and not covered by hair.

Chemo, ball point pen and coloured pencil

A friend of mine has had aggressive breast cancer in the last couple of years and has undergone several surgeries as well as Chemotherapy. She is a remarkable person, and sees her time having chemo as part of the aspects of her life that that have contributed to who she is. As part of my 30 30 30 challenge she asked me to create a portrait of her, based on a photograph of her during her Chemotherapy.

Chemo, Oil paint

I found myself so taken with the image that I created two versions, one in pen and coloured pencil and one in oils. I have to say working on these pieces have been my favourite work so far in the challenge and it's been a privilege to be able to create a portrait of my friend from such a challenging time of her life. She has agreed that I can share these with you. I hope you agree that she is stunning and beautiful.

What is it about drawing....

Back, Pencil on paper

...that is releasing and refreshing. Working in a totally different way to normal is helping me generate new ideas for my art work. I rarely just draw, and I've missed it. My work has been a lot more abstract in nature over the last few years and it feels good to get back to some basics. I'm enjoying the challenge of creating art work for others in the commissions I've received, but that's been a challenge too!

Perfume, Pencil on paper

I'm almost half way through the challenge and I've worked predominantly in monochrome, with only a few colour pieces. I think I might have to rectify that in the second half of the challenge. I'd also like to reflect a range of artists style in my work too. I encourage my students to try stuff that other artists do, I suppose I ought to do the same!

Rose, Charcoal on paper

So If you would like to suggest artists whose style might inform one of my pieces i'm more than interested in hearing who they are.

I'm loving this!

Northumberland beach, coloured pencil and oil pastel on brown paper

I really am loving this! I'm loving creating new art works and not being constrained by my previous work, or what I think I should be creating. I'm just enjoying making art for it's own sake.
Here are my two most recent pieces.

Libby, Fineliner and acrylic paint on brown paper

6 down and 24 to go

Northumberland Hills - oil pastel

I've made a good start to my 30 30 30 challenge and have now completed 6 pieces. I'm trying to do a range of different styles and subject matter. And using this time to explore art I wouldn't usually make. I am a abstract painter if i'm honest and love throwing paint around, so doing something as disciplined as creating work to a set size is a new way of working for me.

Warkworth Castle - Charcoal

So far I have completed: 2 pencil drawings; 1 Charcoal Drawing; 1 oil pastel drawing;  1 ball point pen drawing and a painting in acrylic.

Piggies - ball point pen

I've spent about a day on each, but the pen drawing has taken more than two days.

Boats - acrylic paint

My oil pastels also melted in the heat and were more like mini oil bars. I quite liked the fluidity of the melted pastels and got very messy creating the drawing.

Statue - pencil

I still need to create another 24 pieces to meet my challenge and I'm still on the look out for more ideas. If you can challenge me to create a specific art work, or use a certain style of unusual combination of materials I'd be more than glad to hear from you.

Pencil

I'm hoping to exhibit some of the work in the autumn and will be selling it for £30 each original piece  - as is, no framing. It's to help raise funds for my upcoming trip to China with International China Concern. And considering how long I've spent on some of these pieces  - £30 is a bargain.

30 30 30 challenge update

Boats, Acrylic

My recovery is being aided by my lovely family. this morning before they left for school and work they made me a flask of coffee, glass of water and put all my art things out in the garden at the table. It was rather windy and this morning was a little cooler than expected. I kept the sunglasses on to avoid pollen in my eyes and dosed myself with hay fever meds and painkillers, applied the Piz Buin all day sun screen and was ready to go.

Warkworth Castle, Northumberland. Charcoal

I'm trying to keep my feet up as much as possible so worked on my knee, I was using acrylic paint and despite adding drying retarder it was still drying a little too quickly for my liking. I managed to work on two pieces today; a painting and a very quick charcoal sketch.

Comments please, and I'm still looking for suggestions of what to paint/ draw.

Hip Hip Hooray

Today's Efforts

I've been in hospital this week having a Hip Arthroscopy to repair the hip FAI (Femoral Acetabular Impingement) I have in my left hip. It was a planned surgery and I'm quite surprised how quickly the pain has subsided. I went in on Tuesday morning and was due to be out by the evening, but had a lot of pain in recovery and the nurse suggested staying in overnight, which I was more than happy to do as I hadn't seen the physio about getting about and was feeling groggy after the anesthetic.

I'd forgotten how much you get disturbed on the ward at night, as my blood pressure was taken every two hours, usually on both arms, as it was on the low side. The night was warm and muggy, but I did sleep a little. I got chatting to the lady in the next bed and we talked about crafting, she loves embroidery. I was busy with my crochet and all the nurses commented on it and asked what I was making.

I finally was discharged at about 3pm on Wednesday, and made my way home, not quite sure how I was going to manage the stairs, or worse the shower! I can manage both, as long as someone turns the shower on! The pain is bearable and I keep it under control with painkillers through the day. It's a lot less that I thought it would be.

The dress I'm working on.

I have spent the last two lovely days sitting in the shade in the garden crocheting and drawing and I've completed 2 of my 30 30 30  challenges. I do know why I prefer to sew than crochet though - the dress is taking an age! I'm just too impatient and want it finished yesterday! I need to get a smaller crochet hook and the shop in our town doesn't have the right size, so I'm going to have to put it on hold until I can get the right one.

30,30,30 challenge

Have you ever set yourself a challenge that seems bonkers, but exciting at the same time?
Well this is it. I'm in need of a boost to my art practice, I'm going to be based at home for most if the summer as I'm having an op on my hip soon, but I don't want to be bored to tears. I want to make art on a small scale that I can do on my knee or in the garden. I simply won't be able to stand and creat large scale works where I throw paint around. So I'm asking you for help.
I'd like to make 30 30x30 cm art works on paper or board.

I'd like you to give me suggestions about subject matter or theme and materials to use (e.g. A self portrait in ball point pen on brown paper). I'm hoping to generate enough work for an exhibition and will be selling the works in the Autumn for £30, unframed. Monies raised will go towards funding a charity trip to China to work with International China Concern next April.

This could be an opportunity for you to commission an original art work. Or just help generate some interesting pieces. So collaborate with me and be part of creating art. Leave a comment to Join in.