Autumn update

It’s been a while since I wrote a blog so thought I’d catch up with a little update.

It’s been a really busy few months personally as our family adjust to life as a team of four after the birth of our second child. It’s meant making changes to the routine of many things including when I paint. One of those changes has been to rearrange my hours at the design job (I’m a full time graphic designer on a weekly magazine). I now work longer days, four days a week, which has freed up a day in the week for nursery drop off and maternity support but also to have some good solid hours dedicated to art. I also look for other times during the week to satisfy the need to paint but to know that there is a definite day set aside to develop artistically has been brilliant.

On one of those dedicated days during the summer I met up with a film maker who contacted me after my participation in Portrait Artist of the Year. Callum Robertson had an idea to produce a series of films showcasing artists in their careers and I was delighted to take part. The result of our time together can be viewed on my About me page.

For the last few years in October I’ve taken part in the excellent Landmark Art Fair in Teddington. As good as it’s been I decided to take a break this year but still wanted a focus for producing new work and an opportunity to show paintings so I held an open studio at my home at the end of August. It was a really great weekend and I was delighted with how it went as it was the first time I’ve done one so had zero expectations when it came to numbers through the door, let alone sales. I’m pleased to say that I made some sales but more importantly than that was the encouragement I gained from the 70 or so people from our local community who came to support. How great to meet so many like minded souls on my doorstep who have a passion for art. I will look to do future open studios and next time perhaps link up with an official art trail.

Not long after the open studio I was guest artist at Walton Art Club. I did a portrait demo in oils using the Zorn palette (titanium white, yellow ochre, cadmium red and ivory black). Thanks to the volunteer sitter on the night! It was a good evening and opportunity to share some knowledge and meet art enthusiasts.

Something I’ve noticed from doing previous demos, and was reminded again at Walton, is that there are a lot of hobby artists who would like to paint in oils but have a bit of fear when it comes to starting. Because of this I’ve decided to hold some one day workshops in the new year titled An Introduction to Oil Painting. Sign up to my newsletter to be the first to hear about when and where.

I will most likely write another blog before the end of the year but the newsletter is also a great way to keep up with what I’m doing in my art career. And as ever Instagram, Twitter and my Facebook page. For now that about it.

Thanks for reading!

Rodney