Sometimes I Think, Sometimes

I have been wanting this book for quite some time it is written and illustrated by Sara Fanelli. It is a little challenging to get it in the store but I found it on Amazon.co.uk - I love Amazon. I still have to wait a few weeks before I get it, hopefully in time for Christmas. The book has great reviews too.

She is an illustrator and I came across her work by reading Charlie and Lola by Lauren Child, I believe Lauren takes her inspiration from Sara Fanelli. They both write and illustrate children's books however Sara has exhibited here work and has done very well for herself and has entered into the adult world of books. I am simply looking forward to getting my hands on this book. The reviews say it is a "treasure".  I am so excited, I can barely write this blog!

Arts and Crafts

I am currently working on this blog with my kids and for them. I am working on arts and crafts and producing art, reading books, science projects etc. It is loads of fun and I am really enjoying it. You can visit it here:   http://sweetpeaandsugarplum.blogspot.com/

I have also been commissioned to do a piece of work for someone for Christmas and it is finished. They saw one of my older paintings in my old style and I have so many great comments about it that I really should do more like it and at this point unless someone offers me a lot of money for it it is not for sale. Anyway, the painting is finished and drying. Picture to follow soon.

October Art Show

I exhibited a few weeks ago at the Liss Art Show but I did not sell anything which was disappointing but as I discovered the sort of work being displayed was not contemporary like mine infact those artists whose work was contemporary, bold and colourful did not sell either, to their dismay too. I did a bit of networking and helped out on one of the days and discovered that if I had dropped my prices considerably my work would not have sold. I should add that most artists there were retired and producing pieces purely as a hobby, which meant they were selling their work as little as 35 pounds a piece which meant the professional artists had no chance of selling their work when the prices were so low by the hobby artists.

I learnt a valuable lesson. You will never compete with retired artists in the local area, they know people who will buy their work, they tend to be neighbours, they price their work at a loss or a very small profit and the clients will pay want they want to pay at the time. Hobby artists are not in it to make money.

SIGH!

October's Exhibition

I am exhibiting 5 of my paintings in a local show in Liss, Hampshire. I am very excited to have my work on display (at long last) and to see if I get any sales. I am currently working on a piece that is of the Triangle Community Centre. It is coming towards its completion but I am having a few issues with the last bit of the painting. The details are really making the painting 'pop' but somethings just need to fit a bit better. The composition of the painting needs to be developed but as the painting stands it is starting to look the part. Hopefully there will be some takers.

So long for now and I will be posting the latest painting soon.

An old painting of mine

I did this painting as part of my GCSE art exam in which I received a top mark - A. I did have a buyer but I found it was hard to let this one go, so my parents now 'own' it. It seems so timeless but it is in need of a clean up. I did aim for perfection with this painting but my style is far from realism however, I still remember the still life that was set in-front of me and my work leans to more of the impressionist style, which is rather apt since that was what I studied and enjoyed the most in art history.
Maybe, if I can bare it, reproduce it again, it won't be anytime soon.

Stephanie Matthews

Back in the UK

It is my third week in England. I have spent time with family on both sides and I am having a fab time. I have even manged to get out on couples night almost every night which has not happened in the last 5 yrs so I am very happy and becoming 'Me' again instead of mummy this and that... I am disappointed to see that the coffee shops are not open late but the pubs are and since living in Vancouver my alcohol consumption has greatly reduced and I am glad for it but some pubs are OK as long as the larger louts are not out to play.

I am living with family and since we have arrived the weather has been lovely, not at all traditionally English. I have been spending a lot of time outdoors, walking everywhere and sitting out in the garden and I have taken a few pictures of the beautiful, quintessential English garden I am fortunate to enjoy for the time being.

Stephanie Matthews

Camera - RIP

I knew my camera was on its last legs and it has finally died on me. This is not good news since it will be a while before I get a new camera and I need one to get my pictures posted. I am torn with getting a reliable Coolpix type camera or a DSLR, which is my preference. I want something high end and I really would like to learn how to take semi-professional shots. I do not intend to take my art to the photography route but I would like to learn to take quality photos, something I have always wanted to do. Who knows it could lead me down another path. Anyway for now, I am camera-less and unable to post photos of my work. It is a sad day.

Collection - sneak peak narrow boat

A simple painting in my art journal which will be painted on a larger scale at a later date. Layers of colours will be added to the final painting.

Stephanie Matthews

Collection - sneak peak.

2 sketches of Stoke City FC AKA Britannia Stadium. I may do a few more sketches and change the colour palette. I also like to layer colours. Come the final version there will be several shades of red used and blue and grey tones too.

Stephanie Matthews

Big Ben

Big Ben - London Clock

Big Ben, the famous London clock. This was my first attempt at doing this cartoon style of painting. I really like the vibrant colours and the clouds and the Dhali style clock face. It was a lot of fun to paint.

Stephanie Matthews

New collection - a sneaky peak.

I have been planning and working on a new collection that will hopefully be complete come autumn/fall. It will be called - Proud to be...

I am really looking forward to gettting all my sketches prepared ready to be transformed onto canvas. So far I have 12 peices of work which some will be duplicated with a twist, so I endeavour to have 20 works of original art ready for exhibition in the UK.

I hope to exhibit in two locations in the England and see where it takes me.

I already have a few more collection ideas that I would like to work on but one at a time. Some of my artwork can take months before I finish so hopefully this will motivate me to quicken the completion dates.

Stephanie Matthews



Photography

I have entered a photography competition and here are the three shots I am entering.

Stephanie Matthews

Kids illustrative books

I love visiting the library and pulling out the books from the kids section. Library books bring back good memories of my childhood and I love to look at the illustrations. The book pictured below is a great example of what my childhood was like, yes, horse bloody mad! I too, like the illustrator, draw horses like no ones business, since I too had parents who told me, they cost too much, so my focus was on my art instead and I took riding lessons when I could afford. Indecently, I became a very good rider and was trained by some high ranking instructors but it is an elitist sport and unless you can get a sponsor you can forget about making it on your own, very few do. Off on a tangent again, here is the book - I love it and so do my girls.

Beautiful.

Stephanie Matthews

Little Red Train

I am working on a 10x10 acrylic painting of a train. This is for SunflowerKidsArt.com (website under development). Here are the stages so far...

Choo! Choo!

Stephanie Matthews

Garden pictures

I love to explore the outdoors and since I have a large garden that has lots of weeds there are lots of lovely things to see. I love dandelions, they remind me of when I was a little girl, ready to blow when the opportunity arose. Buttercups are just happy little yellow flowers that contrast nicely with the green background and busy creatures pollinating or making honey - yum!

Here are a few snapshots during a beautiful warm, spring afternoon.

Stephanie Matthews

Sculptures with Pluffy

Currently I am doing lots of arts and crafts with my kids so that they enjoy what I do and vice versa. I am having lots of fun doing this and getting to use materials that I do not use because really, I am a painter.

Just like Sculpey products Pluffy is tonnes of fun, here is what I have done so far and I have one that is stuck onto a painting just waiting to complete it.

Stephanie Matthews

Multi-media

About time I posted something so here goes...

 How to paint blindfolded...

 My favourite glue so far

 Fav new product...

 Sunflower sculpey

 Lady bug

Crazy bug

Stephanie Matthews