I'm home from a wonderful weekend which started off with a couple of days in the Lake District staying at one of our favourite B&Bs, Lakeside Country Guest House, with fantastic views over Bassenthwaite Lake to Skiddaw. Sharon and Arnie always make us feel so welcome and you can't beat the breakfasts they serve which sets us up for a day's walking in the fells. We had a mixed bag of weather over the couple of days we were there with Thursday being quite grim weatherwise and then Friday being glorious!
Here we are on Barf summit looking over towards snowy Skiddaw - I'm quietly ticking off new Wainwright fells when I can - there are 214 in all and I've still got a long way to go to complete them all but I'm over half way so maybe one day I'll get round to completing them all.
My art fix for this weekend was meeting the lovely Judith Farnworth. There I am with the lovely lady in the photo at the top of this post. Judith has been such an influence on my art since I started painting nearly 3 years ago. She's been so encouraging and supportive to me (and I know lots of other artists), so it was wonderful to get the opportunity to visit her solo exhibition in Garstang and get to meet the lady herself. The paintings on display looked so familiar as I've admired the majority of them online but to see them 'in the flesh' so to speak was such a pleasure - they look great online but even better in real life and her gorgeous red poppy made a beautiful centrepiece above the fireplace - what a stunning painting! Judith has recently started running workshops and I'm not at all surprised at how successful they've been as I know what a great teacher she has been in the online group she runs on Paint my Photo, encouraging looseness in watercolour. When I first started painting I thought it was important to try and paint all the detail - something which doesn't come that naturally to me, so it was wonderful to find that painting loose - something that seems to suit my slapdash way - is ok !!! So I'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Judith for guiding me down this path and helping me believe in myself. I really hope we get to meet again and spend a bit more time chatting - I could have happily chatted with her all day!
Our weekend finished with a charity ball in aid of Brainwave. So Gary and I went from being in walking gear one day to bow tie and ball gown the next - I haven't any photos to show of us all glammed up though which is a shame. I'm hoping to get the brushes out tomorrow night for the first time in a couple of weeks and can't wait, so hopefully something new for you here artwise! Hope you're all having a wonderful day whatever you're doing. Bye for now!
P.S. got a photo of us at the ball after all! Nice change from walking gear
Hi Sharon. Great that you were able to meet Judith and seeing paintings in the flesh. Wonderful scenery were you were walking and yes it was a pity we didn't,t see you in your posh rags!!
ReplyDeleteit was a brilliant weekend, and I will get the photo of us all glammed up xxx
ReplyDeleteAw Sharon, what a lovely account of our meeting and while I truly appreciate your really kind comments and would love to glory in them, I do think you had both some fab raw material and what I am always droning on about... the desire not only to paint but to improve so I have the feeling you did a lot yourself with maybe a teeny bit of help along the way... it is such a thrill to see people progress and I am so delighted you think I had any part in it so really no thanks necessary at all, it has been a pure joy to see you develop!!
ReplyDeleteYou've beaten me to the blog about our only too brief but meaningful encounter lol.... will have to think of something equally entertaining to relay about it on my own blog!! Looks like you had a super evening at the ball... you scrub up well, though you looked pretty good to me at the exhibition!!
Yes we should meet up again and soon... we could have a day painting one Friday if you and Gary aren't walking.....
Sharon - loved seeing Judith's work...your hiking picture and your glamorous one with Gary. Thanks for sharing - hope you have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteSharon, sounds like a great time. So nice to read all about it with my cup of tea today.
ReplyDeleteA Very Happy and Successful New Year! Sharon.... May The Art Force Be With You!
ReplyDelete