My Artist Journey ... Part 4

In 2018 I started my own ‘Beginners Acrylic Workshops’ and had them in May, August and November. I was really happy with how these went though I must confess that were absolutely exhausting to set up, do the workshop, organise food and pack down everything. By the end of the day I would collapse on my bed and did not want to move for love or money. Still they were worth it and I enjoyed the teaching aspect as well as meeting lots of lovely people, some of which returned for a second and third time. I learnt that I needed help and thankfully some friends would come and take part in a portion of the workshop and also help with the food.

I had some really lovely feedback from the participants, just goes to show that it is worth having a go if you have always wanted to paint, it’s not as scary as you think and you may just enjoy the process.

“My first ever attempt at painting in this way. Linda helped talk me through the frustration point and what do you know? I actually produced a believable landscape by the end of the workshop, I loved it. I’ll definitely be taking they further now I have built a bit of confidence, thanks to `linda. I didn’t think I could do it but she had faith in me!”

“An excellent workshop, I learned a lot. Thank you .. so grateful for your help and advice.”

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my day with Linda once I stopped panicking! Thank you for setting a relaxed and calm atmosphere, for you gentle support & instruction. I would love to come again and highly recommend the course.”

“The best class ever. So relaxed but informative. Lovely lunch. Great way to spend your Saturday, all abilities catered for.”

“Linda is very helpful and explains and demonstrates to help a complete beginner and gives suggestions and individual help. Encouraged us to try different techniques.”

“What a fabulous day! A lovely way to learn in a wonderful environment. Linda has amazing skills which she shared in a great way to encourage learning. Would highly recommend it.”

In May of 2018 I had an exhibition in The Blagdon Gallery on Milkhope Estate in Northumberland. This brought back memories as I worked as a colour separation artist on this estate years ago for a textile company.

Blagdon Gallery, Northumberland

I had a month long exhibition here in May 2018

Mini Art Exhibition - The Appleby Rooms, Durham.

This was the last time my mum could come to anything.

It was shortly after this mini exhibition mum was taken in to hospital and then in to care, she would never be living in her own home again. Circumstances in life can change so quickly, it is a good reminder to take time to appreciate people around you.

In the August of this year there was an addition to our family, a particularly furry one with the cutest button nose you could ever imagine. My daughter had been waiting to get a furry friend for about seven years so it was well overdue. It was very hard at first as she was quite naughty and a lot of hard work but her cute looks melted your heart. Thankfully it only took a couple of months before things settled down a bit.

North East Art Weekend - Sept 2018

This took place in the historic Brancepeth Castle

A special gift

Throughout this year I was also working on a number of commissions, the one below was a special present for someones relative of the place where they became engaged… a special memory what a lovely gift to give someone.

October … Engagement in Durham Cathedral !

I felt this place had significance to me as my daughter and I used to go in and light candles and pray for various things … write them on a scrap of paper and put them in the basket. One of the prayers for my daughter that had been on repeat was to get a dog and the one for me was to get married and there were several others. I don’t believe you have to go to a Cathedral to pray, you can just as easily talk to God anywhere but it still felt like a special place where I would go for some head space.

The winter season is always a very busy one for me with lots of fairs to go to, these are the ones I did this year, Wynyard, Durham and Ramside Hall. I also had some work displayed in Berties of Bay, Robin Hoods Bay, Yorkshire. Life was extremely hectic this year juggling being a single parent, having a long distance relationship, visiting my mum frequently, planning a wedding and also we now had the dog to sort out. I am so thankful that I had great friends in the North East who willingly helped with looking after the dog when my daughter couldn’t and enabling me to keep all the balls spinning.

Wedding Bells

The beginning of 2019 was a time I focused planning the wedding and painting what inspired me. I could not believe how much there was to sort out even for a fairly simple wedding with no evening do and by the night before I knew I had dropped the ball on a couple of things but just had to let it go; it was stressful in the run up to the wedding but by the time I got to the church… even if a little late I was able to then just enjoy the day and enjoy getting married which after all is the main point!!

In the first 16 months of our marriage we couldn’t actually live together as my daughter was studying for her GCSE’s and I felt it was important for her not to be disturbed too much in these crucial times, in the end however she didn’t take them because of Covid the following year.. the best laid plans! So it was a season of travelling up and down between Durham and West Sussex for us all.

Cornwall

We went to Cornwall for our honeymoon, I took rather a lot of photos for painting reference hmmm I mean I relaxed and didn’t do any work!!

There is so much eye candy for an artist, I could not help myself.

In June of this year I took part in a Community Fun Day on Palace Green in Durham. It was fun actually, I exhibited some work and also helped people have a go at painting and do a little mini original that they could take home.

In August of the same year I did an external workshop at the Low Barns Nature Reserve in Weardale. The difference with this one is that I could not forget a thing as it was quite a way from home. My usual workshops had been just along the street which was very handy.

ART&, York

Took part in this event for the first time, went really well and sold both my panoramic wave paintings as well as prints.

Unfortunately during pack down or sometime later someone went in to my car whilst parked and it was written off although I could still drive it … these things are send to try us :(

I also carried on doing my own workshops this year and actually had some guys brave enough to come along.

In November and December I did my usual Wynyard Hall Fayre and Durham, I also for the first time took part in The Country Living Fair which was held in Harrogate. This went really well and I felt like my Christmas Cottages fitted perfectly. Little did I know what was going to happen in the coming months.

2020 was going to be a year of change and transition. I started another E-Course run by Emily Jeffords which I thoroughly enjoyed, in fact so much so that I did it again in 2021. Its great how you can be part of an art community spanning the globe with varying levels of exposure and experience.This year I had so many commissions to do which was great considering what would hit us all a few months in.

I met up with Tim in the third week of March and that would be the last time we could meet up until June because COVID reared its ugly head. What weird time, I am so thankful that I had work that I could continue doing through this time and that kept me somewhat focused. I also had the arduous task of clearing a house that had been lived in for over 40 years.. not a job for the faint hearted.

So the next few months were filled with sorting, clearing and painting. I had also decided before Covid struck to have the following winter season without any shows as Wanted a quieter less stressful Christmas as I had just got married and would have just recently moved South.

After much work and also catching up with my friends in various ways we were allowed to, I said my farewells and my mum, my daughter and I our dog moved South at the end of August.

Work had quietened down by this point which was really a blessing in disguise as I didn’t have a studio space or the prospect of having one in the house.

We decided the only option was to build one in the garden so I ordered a log cabin after much research and seeing all the options available.

The studio arrived in all its glory in September .. these things take time to arrive be warned. A massive pile of wood of varying lengths not nicely labelled I hasten to add. Tip here for log cabin companies - make it easier for you customers and label wood and bundle like with like! Saying that it is a lovely quality cabin, just need better instructions and labelled wood.

It took until the beginning of November to finish erecting and sorting it as my husband was working all day. I have to confess he did most of working out the terrible instructions, laying the foundation and building it, with my assistance of course :) I have never painted so many layers on a wall. The interior took about three layers and the outside I took ages choosing the right shade and ended up mixing my own. Then there were the electrics and internet to put in. As we were finishing it the Christmas orders started coming in almost to the day. The latter two photos are from the beginning of 2021 when I had settled in.

Well this is where I will end my Artist Journey this week, happy reading!