I finished the commission painting Five Golden Butterflies.  I delivered it to the buyer today who is very happy with it, after the initial disappointment of missing out on Golden Trio - that had already sold a few days earlier.  

 

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CATching the Lamplight is the third painting in the CATching series.
No 1 was CATChing the Sunset
and
No 2 was CATching the moonlight.

CATching the Lamplight is based on a photo taken several years ago replacing me with the cat at the front. There was also a stone wall to remove so some artictic licence and creativity has come into play.

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Here's my latest painting - snowdrops.  Painted from a photo taken early 2012 and inspired after seeing a bunch of snowdrops in an area of very dark soil a few weeks ago.
I like how bold these flowers are against the dark background and the negative shapes amongst the leaves.
 

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Have completed my work on the St Ives commission.  I'm happy to report  the customer is pleased with it and has agreed framing style.



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I've painted Red Butterfly as part of my contribution to the Baby Alfie Appeal.  Paintings will be auctioned next month at the Eccles Community Art Gallery.  Proceeds raised will be donated to the appeal.

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I've painted this Eagle Owl from a photo I took whilst watching a falconry display.  This owl was quite young and still in training - which is why he's sitting on a picnic table and not the falconers arm.  The original photo had a grey stone wall in the background which I've chaged to greenery as the owl sort of disappeared into the wall.  Watercolour sponge eraser recently purchased from the SAA enabled me to make the change.

I'll be taking this to the Eccles Community Gallery to join my othe...
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Aquarium Stars was inspired from a trip to the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary last September.  I was entranced by the colorful starfish and used the photos I took as the starting point for this painting.  As my photo was a little blury ( taken without a flash ) I've had to use some imagination on this along with simplifing the content.
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Red Gerberas in mixed media is the last in my series of Red Gerberas painted with different media and is the largest of the three versions..  The others were a small gouache and a tiny oil.   This one was supposed to be all pastel but I had difficulty getting the centre as bright as I wanted.  After a little experimentation I found that acrylic inks gave me the brightness I was looking for, hence its a mixed media piece.  Different people have a different favourite.  Which is yours?

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I decided to re-do Alcatraz in gouache to allow me to get some of the finer details I wanted.  I also decided that I would use this as the about.com painting challenge for January 2013. 
I'm much happier with this version as I feel I've resolved the issues I had with the oil pastel attempt.


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My 2nd Jellyfish painting - Monterey Jellyfish.  This has been painted in Acrylic Inks for the intesity of colour and to create the illusion of light in the Jellyfish.  I visited the Monterey Aquarium a few years ago and found these creatures beautiful and fascinating.

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Here's my latest painting Deep Blue.  This is an abstraction of a blue jellyfish I photographed recently.  I found myself fascinated by the patterns of the jellyfish and therefore the painting focuses on the patterns I saw within the creature.

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Here's my entries for the Twitter 2012 Postcard Art Exhibiiton.  I've never painted this small before - even with the smallest brushes I own - these were diffficult.

My Mini Mondrian - acrylic inks



Hydrangea - mixed water media


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Here's my latest piece Lillies .  I liked the shape of the blooms and had to do a bit of manipulating to get them to fit the square canvas.  The  actuals were pale pink but pale pink isn't really me so bold purple came out.


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Well here's the 2nd panting in the Red Gerberas series - Red Gerberas in Oils.  I'm experimenting doing the same painting in different media.  The first was completed with Gouache.  I think each painting has it's own qualities.  I'm thinking that I should have done this bigger - it's only 8 x 8 inches / 20 x 20cm.  So I may well do a revised version where I'll be able to get more tonal values in each of the petals.  Version 3 in pastel is well underway but being worked on periodically when I'...
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After studying my initial painting for a few weeks, I decided to act on the feedback of a few fellow artists and make some tweaks rather than re-start the work.  I'm finally pleased with the result after a few hours spent tweaking. 
Branton lakes were developed after quarrying in the area had finished.  The lakes provde a haven for wildlife and allow us humans to enjoy walks around the lake edge. 

 

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Here’s my latest piece Red Gerberas (in Gouache).  These particular flowers were given to me as part of a thank you bouquet.  This painting is part of an experiment where I’m going to do the same painting in different Media.  First one finished is in Gouache.  This is a small painting 22 x 13 cm / 9 x 5.5 inches.  I love the vibrancy of colour on this.  Next underway is a pastel version much larger 15 x 11 inches / 38 x 28cm and then there’s a small oil 8 x 8 inches / 20 x 20cm.  If, Iâ...

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Morning Light is my latest oil painting.  Simply because I like lighthouses and dark shilouettes against dramatic skies.  I have to thank my friends on the about.com forum for their advice in a couple of tweaks to improve the composition which has made this a painting I feel happy with.


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On my last blog I was threatening to give up on "In the Shade of the Banyans" as I was still struggling with it - on my 3rd attempt.  Well I got a few hours painting and I feel I've finally cracked it.  I find this tropical tree fascinating as it spreads it branches wide.  It makes a great place to shelter from the heat of the midday tropical sun.  These particular trees are on beautiful island of Gasparilla off the Florida Gulf coast.  They line up along each side of the Street - appropriate...
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Catching the Moonlight is my lastest painitng on my journey into oils.  I started this with an acrylic underpainting and to get my composition and colour ideas together.  Once the acrylic was dry oils have been used to complete the work and give it that richness of colour that I'm finding are one of oils best features.  There have been a few dodgy moments i.e. when the cats collars started to drip down their backs - but nothing that couldn't be rescued.

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I've painted Olympic Sports 2012 as my entry for the Eccles Community Gallery " Summer of Sport" exhibition.  The black and blue represent day and night on this globe of ours.  The silver bronze and gold interlinked rings represent the Olympic Sports of 2012 uniting the world in what I think has been a fantastic event.
The frame is silver and I painted the the mount bronze and gold to fit the theme of the painting.

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CATching the sunset is my very own oil painting.  The first I have been happy with outside the classroom.  It was inspired on a winter holiday in the Lake district when the sun set early behind the bare limbs of the trees.  The cat was added as a reminder of the cats we often befriend whilst away.
I've now in my mind the a complimentary similar scene but with the moon rising.

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My latest work - Clematis.  These flowers were growing in the grounds of a recent exhibition venue. 
I liked how the light and shadow across the plant gave pink flowers in the sun and purple flowers in the shade. The mount and frame have enhanced the piece.

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This was painted initially for an about.com project seasons.  After looking at this entry for a few days I decided I didn't like it and consigned it to the bin..  This version which I'm much happier with.  I ejnoyed the memories it brought back to me of visiting the bluebell woods each year as a child and I think that's why this painting has quite a naieve quality to it.

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I finished my painting from Mazart Class- Winter Sunset

Finishing touches were
Frosted the other 3 front trees - struggled with the recommended fan brush so used a rigger to pull the lines in created with the pallet knife
Put more snow on th front bushes
More twiggs on the middle tree
Added the twiggs to the front trees - too darkly so had to go over with some grey
Worked on the gorund added more shadows and more highlights and did a bit of blending
White ice with a knife in the water
Twiggy grasses ...
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Here's my latest painting - River Ness.  I spent many hours walking through the park along the banks of the river.  Bridges and islands criss cross the river allowing you to wander from river bank to river bank.

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Finished yesterday and framed this morning so I can take this one along to tomorrows exhibition.  This was painted to add one more to my shells collection - and because I enjoy doing these.  Splashing the masking fluid on the background gives the water its bubbles.

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Winters bloom was accepted for the about.com project - abstracting nature.  I wasn't certain that it would be, but the composition was deemed to be towards the abstaction ( the words very Georgia O'Keefe were compliment enough for me ) .  Here's the entry
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I've just submitted this painting for the about.com abstraction project.  I suspect that it's not quite abstract enough to meet the requirements of the project but I did enjoy creating this.  I particularly like the shapes and the overlapping of the leaves / petals.  I'm currently deciding on mount and frame - I'm thinking cream mount and dark grey / pewter frame. Final choice will depend on visit to the frame suppliers.

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Here's the final painting in my Purple Series - Iris.  You can view all these together in my flora section.  I'm undecided wether this one or the Purple Rose was the most difficult to do.  I spent a lot of time working on these.


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Blooming Purple is the 2nd in a series of three purple flower paintings.  Comissioned work of purple blooms on light backgrounds - going into light wood frames.  The first in the series is Purple Pasques and number three Iris is on the easel.  The customers preferred the light backgrounds to the dark ones of Crocuses and Purple Rose.  My preference is the darker backgrounds.  However the customer is always right - after all the paintings will be hanging on their walls not mine.

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The Cove, Silverdale has been siting on my easel since I returned from a trip there in January.  As the sun dropped in the winter sky the cove took on a pinky purply hue and I wanted to capture this in the painting.  It's a very beautiful place and peaceful - especially in winter.  I even went paddling at the waters edge - but have to admit - I was wearing my wellies.

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The 3rd in the Purple series - Crocuses.  These flowers were brightening up the grounds of Walmsley Parish Church, Egerton on a fine but cold March day.  Painted mainly with water soluble pastels (used gouache to lighten the highlights and black tube watercolour to darken the background).  No 4 in the series is an Iris - drawn and waiting to be painted.
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I managed to get in a comfortable position to finish my purple rose.  The 2nd in a series of purple flower paintings that I've been asked to do.  I'm not sure that this one matches the first in the series purple pasques so I'll probably end up doing some additional purple flowers.  You can see these 2 together in my flora paintings. The next one Iris (no 3) is drawn and I'm already thinking crocuses as I've been out and about with the camera to capture this spring bloom.
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My latest painting - Yellow Rose.  Created with pastels (pastels being a favourite media for painting flowers). 
I've always loved yellow roses ( they made up my wedding bouquet ).  This rose has bloomed in my garden since 2010 - a wedding anniversary present from my friend that year.


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The first of a trio of purple flower paintings - Purple Pasque.  Painted with water soluble pastels to get those vibrant purples in the flowers. No 2  Purple Rose is in the painting stage and No 3 Purple Iris drawn and ready to be transferred to the painting paper.
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Through the Sand Dunes has been in my head for some time since my last visit to Nairn near Inverness, Sotland.  We spent many hours walking along the sea front , wandering between the beach and the promenade - Through the Sand Dunes.
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My painting of the Breamish Valley was inspired by a wonderful week I spent there last November.  Most evening we walked along the river, taking in the stunning scenery.

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I decided to take a new approach to the Venice night scene - by doing a totally different picture.  The idea came to me with an about.com painting challenge to use 3 colours - red, blue and brown.  Well, I also had a very nice brown frame ready to use so Days End Venice was created.

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I was determined to finish this in time for Christmas!!  Snowflakes Too another painting for the Festive season. 
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Snowflakes - a seasonal picture painted as an experiment in mixed media.  I used watered down writing ink, irridescent medium, white acrylic ink and metallic paint.  The background was poured and sprayed.  The flakes were painted /drawn with a brush and pen nib.  Finally to make it fully seasonal blue and clear beads were applied to the flakes.

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Finished a new abstract  My Mondrain.  My interpretation of the Piet Mondrian "compositions in red blue and yellow".  Getting those straight lines was not as easy as one may think.

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The idea for Leaves Falling came from an Autumn workshop I recently attended and a class on stylised flowers.  I put the 2 together and created some stylised Autumn Leaves.  Finished last week on a visit to the Beamish Valley where the Autumn Colours were in their full glory.

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This is the painting I've submitted to the about.com painting project - to work in the style of Morandi. If you follow the link you can find my thoughts about how I developed this.
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The last - for now - of the sea shells series.  Sea Shells and Starfish has been finished after several months ( due to sprained wrist not being able to pick up its large heavy working board.  I've enjoyed doing this series and my imagination was allowed to roam in creating the starfish.
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Days End Sherwood - based on a photograph taken several years ago on holiday in Sherwood Forrest.  So I've taken a bit of artistic licence to make the painting work.  I created a little more shoreline, included the last minutes of the sun before it disappears and increased the size of the distant pine trees. 
The new gouache paints were very nice to use.
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Seems like I've been working for ages on this one.  Anyway finished Golden Trio yesterday.  I've had fun doing this series of paintings and am likely to do more in the future.  There's a whole range of colours and numerous butterfly shapes to work from.  Then the wing patterns and backgrounds start to take shape. 
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I finished the 3 small butterfly paintings. Golden Butterfly, Golden Butterfly Too and Purple Butterfly.  Here's how they look together.

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I've finished paintings 2 & 3 in my sea shell triptych.

Sea Shells Too



Three Sea Shells



Here's how they look all together

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I've completed the first of the sea shell paintings.  Now to work on the other 2 to complete the triptych.
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Evening Mill finished and added to the site under Lighthouses and Windmills.  Could have been added as a sunset - but it's got to go somewhere.  I wanted intensity in the sky and water colours and using Acrylic Inks, I think I got it.
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As the Sun Sets added to the site under sunsets , after being painted for an about.com painting project to create an impressionsit sun painting.  This is my 2nd attempt as the first one went wrong with its perspective lines and I wasn't happy that I'd achieved enough of an impressionst look to it.  Much happier with this one which received some good feedback from the about.com guide.

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Bronze & Blues was started whilst on holiday last week.  I really enjoyed painting "For Laura" so decided to work on another butterfly painting.  Developed from my imagination this took quite some time to create.

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Latest painting added to the web site - "For Laura" - painted at the request of very special young lady.  She wanted gold and jewels after seeing "Indian Influences" and was wearing a butterfly decorated T Shirt at the time.  To be given as part of her birthday present on Friday.


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Finished the painting started for my art class project.  The metallic paints have been applied in several layers to achieve a rich colour that shimmers as you move round the painting.  The beads were quite fiddly to apply, but as with the metallic paint, catch the light. 
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Revised pansy picture finished.  Reduced from 5 pansies to 3 gives better composition for the size of this work.  Soon to be on it's way to Australia as an housewarming gift for my Godmother.
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Latest addition to my completed sunset paintings - Rocky Sunset Shore.  From a holiday some years ago in Umag - Yugoslavia where every evening we saw spectacular sunsets from the Rocky Shoreline.
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Allotment Reds has been added to the Flora Paintings.  These flowers were growing wild at my friends allotment and I thought they were beautiful.  I have no idea what type of flower they are and that's why the painting is called Allotment Reds.
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My latest painting Rainbows End was completed as my contribution to about.coms march / april project to create a geometric abstract.  Here's the link to the published entry.
http://painting.about.com/u/sty/submissiongallery/painting-project-geometric-abstracts/Rainbow-s-End-by-Margaret-Shaw.htm

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Winter Sunset was inspired when walking in a local Beauty Spot - Jumbles Resovoir, Bolton.  As the setting, pale winter sun cast auburn glows in the trees and lit the sky and the water with pale orange lights.
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Decided that I wasn't happy with Poppys Poppies so did some more work on it.  Have now mounted and framed it so I can twiddle no more.
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New night time lighthouse painting has been added to the structure paintings.  I had the idea for this Mid Sept 2010  when I started to experiment with irridescent medium.  I wasn't happy with the original so it's been lying in my re-do pile and I've got it re-done this week.  The lighthouse the moon and the stars are all painted with the irridescent medium so as you move past the picture the lights glow.
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Finished painting Poppys Poppies - lets hope mum likes it when Poppy arives (due May). 
Taken quite some time to do this and will be presented in red / cream mount and I'm thinking natural frame - will have to see what looks right.
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