Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Looking over Grantham

Looking over Grantham from Belmont tower

A misty day on Friday found me climbing up to Belmont tower again to paint the panorama looking over to Grantham. Interestingly, I got absolutely covered in tiny spiders while painting, which is a new one on me! When I got back to the car I had to flick a further dozen off the easel. Anyway, this was the best of two paintings I did on the day.
I've been busy framing six 'hopefuls' for the Royal Institute of Oil Painters exhibition. I had a varnishing disaster, when an area of one of the paintings I was going to enter (Galley hill allotments) began to melt away as I applied the retouching varnish, even though it's at least four weeks since it was painted and I thought it was touch dry. So I had to bring on a substitute, and get hold of a frame with only minutes to spare. Now all six are signed, varnished, photographed, framed, labelled and willing to try their best for me with the selection committee. All will be out of my hands after tomorrow.
I've gone through the trough of despair 'none of them are good enough!' and am now in the resigned, calm stage 'I've done my best, there's nothing more I can do'.
Except start work on next year's entries of course...


9 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing that last comment. At least I'm not alone in thinking like that about my work. Good luck.

    Tim

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  2. Un endroit qui me semble bien joli d'où vous avez peint ce merveilleux paysage...
    J'aime les belles nuances de couleurs douces de la ville au loin. un très joli contraste avec la campagne du premier plan... Une atmosphère bien serein que j'aime particulièrement.
    Il y a très longtemps, j'ai eu un grand déboire avec une bombe de vernis. Lorsque j'ai commencé à vaporiser mon vernis sur la toile, des dépôts noirs sont venus se déposer sur elle! Impossible de les retirer. Ce fut une véritable catastrophe! J'avais pleuré, pleuré... Avec du recul, aujourd'hui je me dis qu'heureusement que cela s'était passé pour une de mes premières peintures ! depuis je n'utilise plus de bombe, seulement le pinceau pour vernir. (il est juste que j'aurais dû faire un essai sur un papier avant de pulvériser!)
    Gros bisous à vous

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    Replies
    1. quelle terrible! En angleterre on dit 'ces choses nous sont envoyées essayer!'
      bisous xx

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  3. Haidee, you have done yet another wonderful painting!! I'm sure all your followers are like me and think your work is more than good enough! Your sense and use of tone and the distance you get into your paintings are just so good. Lovely lively looking paintings that are fresh and easy on the eye. Great!
    Good luck for tomorrow.

    Joy

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  4. Whatever the judging committee say we all love your paintings and your enthusiasm for it.

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  5. I particularly like the understated colours in this one. Best of luck with the hanging judges.

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  6. Oh, poor Haidee! I use spray varnish for the barely dry (or not even barely), but I have to admit to holding my breath sometimes when I brush on the Conserv-art, hoping that all will be well. I'm so sorry aout your painting, it was such a nice one. And I know the "they aren't good enough" feeling too well. But your paintings are marvelous, you know that in your heart, don't you? You are an inspiration to us all. Soon I will send you a photo of "Field with Daisies" in it's new beautiful frame I bought last week.

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Thank you for your words!

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