November 2023 Update

I was so sure that I did nothing this month but the photographic evidence is telling me otherwise! I started November by doing a series of 20 watercolour postcards inspired by winter window scenes that will be sent out as Christmas cards. Not by me because I'm a lazy hermit but I gave them to Ma to send out on behalf of our corner of the family. Click on the composite to see them in their own wee gallery.

This A3 mixed media sketchbook wrapped up this month, finishing on some studio club and landscapey bits. Click on the cover below for a full tour of what will probably be the last sketchbook that I finish in 2023. I already have a fresh blank A3 ready to go in the new year!

So I put together a new gallery page for my last project of 2023, titled 'Figure with...' which is mostly preparation for a project I'll start in January. But it's lovely in itself (so far) and starts with the three A2 florals from last month's update. They lead in to this final BIG piece from the start of this month...

Followed by three A2 landscape pieces....

...Which finished with this full Imperial sized big piece! Which I really love, it's so soft and dreamlike. I'll do the same process on the theme of still life in December and then be ready for all sorts of mixed media shenanigans in 2024.

OK, after all that serious-proper-advancing-my-practice nonsense please enjoy another silly little elf painting. A3, watercolour and mixed media and lots of fun.

I also popped out a few more gouache still life studies, click the composite to see the full gallery so far. I'm so much more confident with the medium compared to when I started this little series! I mean, I know that's how practice works but it still surprises me every time.

Here's some stuff I painted at Studio Club ( FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM ) this week, we had a really interesting month including a sketchbooking session from yours truly! Janet Cleghorn workshopped with us, it was really nice to finally meet her. Local artist Anne White did a fab class with us and at tonight's meeting we get to learn from Margaret Findlay, treats! Iain, another member, also showed us how to mix out own pastels and got us trying different surfaces for pastel painting. Something I would never have tried at home on my own so a really valuable experience.

Kaleidoscopic Minds, the poetry anthology that I did a cover illustration for, sold out of it's first run! But there's another run coming here on Etsy if you would like a copy. It's a fascinating collection featuring neurodivergent women with all profits going to the Autistic Girls Network.

So next month I have some Christmas presents to paint, 'Figure with...' to finish, planning for 2024 projects to do and (far more importantly) a great big nerdy watercolour painting to make for myself as a Christmas present! I'll leave you with this wee prep page I've done for it and see you at the end of December for the last journal update of 2023?!?! If that's already up I'll link it below, otherwise have a great month.