Chichester Art Trail

May 5, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

The Chichester Art Trail happens every May and generally includes Bank holiday Monday in the first weekend. That is what has happened this year too and we are again open to the public.

Essentially the criteria for this art trail is that you open your studio to the public so that everyone can see you at work. Unfortunately this doesn’t always happen. And, in fact I am told that very few people are actually working at their art. Therefore , it seems that people are very pleased when they arrive at our ‘venue’ (sounds a pretentious word doesn’t it?). That’s why I call the shed the shed – because it is and was a shed. Actually, it was a loose box, so a shed is an upgrade. But as ever I am off on a tangent.

We have had a steady trickle of people since Friday evening. We, and the other artists in Bosham, had a Pimms preview evening for people who live in Bosham. It was quite tough getting everything ready in time, but it was fun once we got there. The people of Bosham did as requested and either turned up on their bikes or ‘Shank’s pony’. For those who are not English, this means ones own two legs.

The first day – Saturday- went well enough once everyone had got their weekend shopping out of the way. The weather has been absolutely supper. The sun has been shining and it is very pleasant. This means I have been able to sit working in the shed with the door open ready for visitors. Yesterday went very well. In fact the first Sunday is usually the best day of the two weekends. With any luck, in writing this the statement will prove me wrong.

In Bosham there are 15 artists in 11 locations – which tells you that those who share are not able to show their own working environment. As one can’t go any further than the sea when getting to see us (we are about 200 metres from the inlet), we are the last one on the Bosham part of the trail. This means that many drop off the trail before getting to us as there is so much of interest on the way – that is unless they have specifically chosen our place. However, we still get a few who want to see as many artists as they can and that gives me a real opportunity to get people interested in botanical art.

Our set-up is that we have a gallery of my pictures in the conservatory (where I normally have workshops). My husband mans this area as he loves talking to the people that come. I am working in the shed so that people can see what I do and ask as many questions as they want to. Mulling over the questions I have had, perhaps I have chosen the wrong medium that I am using in the shed. I chose to do some purple irises in watercolour as I haven’t used that medium in a whole painting for some time.

The conservatory (Gallery for the day)contains the RHS Silver Gilt medal Crab apple series, which is in coloured pencil and attracts a lot of attention, but also some of the Magnolia x soulangeana series in watercolour that I did as an RHS exhibit in 2011. Visitors are astounded when my husband tells them that the crab apple series is in coloured pencil and therefore they are asking about the coloured pencils all the time. There seems to be less of a thrill about watercolour, although a fair amount of interest as to how I achieved the iridescent purple of the Irises.

Visitors do love to see the artists working environment and ask questions about how they do things. That is why it is a shame to hear that very few make themselves available to do this.

Before I finish this blog, there are two things I must mention. The open studios art trail is open next Saturday and Sunday between 10:30 and 17:30. You can find my address on my website: http://www.gaynorsflora.com . Additionally, I have places on my next workshop ‘A page of flower heads from the garden’ – May 29th – 31st. Now I am going to show one or two pictures of my working environment and on another occasion I will show you what I have been working on this weekend and the ‘gallery’ in the conservatory where

My workspace - in the 'shed' — My workspace – in the ‘shed’

I have the workshops.

Catching up!

April 19, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

How many things to catch up on. Made much worse by problems on my website.

Yesterday, I spent as much time as I could preparing the Crab apple series for getting some notelets printed. But everything always takes much longer than you think. I took time out In the evening to go to the Maundy Thursday service as it is an important preparation for this coming weekend. On my return I sorted my to-do list ready for today.

Just before the RHS exhibition, I had said that i would post each picture properly on my website. I had done most of the preparation for it with only some minor adjustments to be made. So I thought!

I went into the back of the website only to find that most of what I had done, was no longer there. I looked on other pages and all my pictures were gone. I expect one or two of you may already be aware of this, but when I went into the front of the website, there was none. It told the world that I hadn’t paid my dues!

I was very upset as anyone can imagine. I had actually paid my subscription a month ago to avoid any problems in this very busy period. Eventually I was able to do an online chat with the company who sells the services for this website package. They sorted it out, but said I had to wait a few hours for it to go live. But there was absolutely no apology – even when I suggested it was appropriate.

I didn’t have to wait a few hours, but all of this did take a rather long time. Since then I have been even further behind and I’m still trying to catch my tail. The Crab apple explored page is now on the website – but I’m not a happy bunny.

Just so there is no confusion, the website package is not WordPress. WordPress seems to work remarkably well and might be worth considering for the main website.

My next workshop is 29 – 31 May, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The topic is flowers from the garden. Have you seen flower heads floating upturned in a bowl of water? Well this is the suggestion.

Have you also noticed that all flowers, no matter what their colour – go together? Nature is so fantastic that there are no colour clashes in our gardens. Don’t you find that amazing? Hopefully those who come to the workshop can replicate this.

This time you should be able to look at my website page http://www.gaynorsflora.com/page9.htm to get the details. You know how to get in touch with me if you are interested.

Looking ahead as the days have been getting a little warmer and brighter, I have been reminded of the summer workshop holiday 29 June to 6 July in Norway. Luckily the cost of taking a flight to the small airport not far from where the hotel is, is in fact very reasonable. I daren’t say cheap In case they put the prices up. – but ………

Norway is an absolutely beautiful country, so if you love botanical art. – or want to learn how to do it and, you want to visit Norway during their warm summer season, then join us. The places have been filling and I have but a few left. http://www.gaynorsflora.com/page10.htm

In the meantime, another botanical artist from the RHS exhibition. Nikki Marks who was awarded a Gold medal for her work on the Arisaema Genus.

Congratulations Nikki!

Completion of a good workshop

April 17, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

For the last two days I have been running a workshop with the title of Spring Bulbs. I have already commented how out of place that title was. However, it was still a good group who found suitable botanical subjects to paint.

The coloured pencil artists outnumbered the watercolour ones, but I was very grateful for being able to use my brushes having concentrated so much on coloured pencils recently.

As a group we had great fun. Everyone got on well together and were encouraging to each other. We had plenty of lovely weather, warm and sunny. But, the sun moves and the warmth affects the plants!!

Aren’t we hopeless, we want the sun – to stand still and in the right place; we want the warmth – at just the right time and the right temperature; we want to paint living plants – that act dead, but look alive!! We are impossible beings.

This is the lovely group.

Now the results. These came from people who hadn’t before, through to those with good experience. I am very pleased with the results . Thank you to everyone who allowed me to show their work. By the way. Notice that one of the pictures is actually done twice. The artist did it first, then decided to do it again incorporating what she had learnt. She (and I) were well pleased.

The next workshop will be Thursday 29 – Saturday 31 May. Have a look on http://www.gaynorsflora.com, on the Tuition page. I hope to see you here in Bosham then.

Botanical Art workshop

April 16, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

Now I am back into the swing of things with a two- day botanical art workshop. The title was based on pictures I took at this time last year; spring bulbs! Bad mistake. Most spring bulbs are finished now.

I trawled through the local garden centre and found some worn out tulips, fading well in their pots, and some Fritillary. I therefore bought the latter, and some Osteospermum. One student found some Lily of the Valley and another brought some more Fritillary from the garden. Challenges galore.

I think that the greatest challenge was the pattern on the Fritillary and this was tried both in watercolour and coloured pencil. Thank goodness for a little knowledge about Fibonacci. It certainly helps in knowing about the spiral when planning the pattern.

For those who might not know, Fibonacci was an Italian mathematician and he worked out the mathematical process behind the spiral which we basically find in nature and in good design. For example, the spiral of segments in a pineapple and it’s leaves, a pine cone, the centre of a sunflower – and of course the pattern on a Fritillary petal.

Hopefully I will be back with some pictures from the workshop tomorrow. Things look promising, but I have students who have not painted since they were at school, and those who are very experienced. Believe it or not, it is those with experience who feel most challenged as it is generally very specific problems that they want to overcome.

I think it fitting that I show you Diane Sutherland’s exhibit for the RHS. She painted these Fritillary on vellum. In fact, the largest piece of vellum in this series is from Rory McEwen’s vellum left to the Hunt Institute of Botanical Art in Pittsburgh.

Monday after the RHS botanical art exhibition

April 15, 2014April 4, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

I expect that my day has been very similar to the other artists who took part in the RHS exhibition. Beginning to clear up after our last massive input into the exhibition.

For me, I have a lot of paperwork to clear up and finish off. But the shed looks an absolute mess. And, tomorrow I am starting a two- day workshop. I know that some will be using watercolour and some coloured pencils. It will be lovely to get into it again.

We have re-arranged the conservatory cum sitting room so that the work table is as big as possible. Two extra tables are brought up to the house from the shed and everything is in place for arrivals tomorrow. We also ordered good weather with good light, so what more do we want? Good humour!

What you really want to see are some more pictures from the exhibition. I know that some of the same or similar ones will be found in other places on the net too, but I don’t think you will see one of these. It is of all the artists who took part in the RHS exhibition this year. As I have already said , they are. Lovely lot of people.

The second picture is of Isik Guner. She is a fantastic botanical artist and also a very bubbly person. The picture she is standing beside is the one that was best in show. But each of her pictures were very beautifully done.

Last day of RHS botanical art exhibition in London

April 13, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

This is a very short blog as I am finished. I intend to write a little more tomorrow.

Normally at the end of an exhibition you are tired but exhilarated. I am exhausted and although it is a happy culmination of three years work, as you who have read my recent blogs will know, it has been eventful for me.

I met so many people today. Many who were so immersed in the paintings that they didn’t notice my face, others who were embarrassed and didn’t know what to say, and a few who either asked outright or commented that I had Been clever at matching my jacket to the colour of my face. It didn’t look good. In fact the bruising is now even under my chin. But my face only looks bad unless I touch it. My arm feels bad.

It was so good to meet so many interested people today at the RHS exhibition. It really helped to take my mind off things for a while. Quite a few people were very surprised to find out that my Crab apple pictures were in coloured pencil and not watercolour. Hopefully I can encourage more people to start using it as a serious medium.

It was lovely having the opportunity to meet so many other botanical artists from all over the world. The whole botanical art environment seems like one big family. People I met at the RHS when I exhibited in 2011, I met up with again in Pittsburgh at the opening of the Hunt Institute exhibition; who in turn introduced me to new faces (British and American) that I met again here at the RHS in the last few days. I had been introduced to the idea of the Hunt(Pittsburgh, USA) by an Italian artist when I exhibited in Lucca, Italy.

It is a very small world and I am very lucky – and happy.

This picture was sent to me by Alena Lang Phillips, who I met for the first time today – but have corresponded with via this blog. Thank you Alena. You have done a good job of making me look almost normal!

Today I have set-up my RHS exhibit

April 9, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

The day started well as the sun was shining. The eldest of the cats started following us around as he doesn’t like us going away and knows we are because of the packing. He will ignore us when we get home! Our punishment.

The plot has changed. It seems that the people organising both the RHS Botanical art show and the Orchid show are under-manned. We could see that there was some rushing around and stressed responses. Luckily, as I have exhibited once before I didn’t need to ask too many questions – although it has changed a little since last time.

Regarding the change in plot and the shortage of staff, it has affected when we will know the result of the judging. I’m afraid that we have to wait one more day.

They are still going to judge the botanical art show tomorrow morning, but they apparently can’t do the Orchid show stands until Friday morning. This means that they want to give all the results and medals out at the same time on Friday. Even people attending the show for the preview and the Friday morning will have no idea of how each of the exhibits have been judged. This isn’t only just a shame for us (prolonging the agony – although just 24 hrs isn’t going to make that much difference), but for those who are coming to have a look. But I can imagine it is worse for those exhibiting live plants.

Anyway, we have set up my exhibit of the six crab apple pictures painted in coloured pencil. I will show you snaps I took of the three panels in this blog.

There are a lot of lovely exhibits there and I think it will be well worth a visit. Artists from all over the world are exhibiting with paintings of flora from their own countries. Some of which are really interesting. Although not everyone had arrived when we left, I saw one exhibit in graphite and the remaining, except for mine seemed to be in watercolour. A couple had used watercolour for their main subject, with background in graphite. There was little vellum as most was on paper – but there was some. My next challenge!

I didn’t go into the other hall where the Orchid show is, but no doubt I will get an opportunity at some point. I will try to get some pics of that too.

My husband has disappeared off to his meeting in Manchester and we had a nice meal together before he left. I get a slight lie-in tomorrow morning as I don’t have to be at the Lindley hall until 12:00, for annual awards – not ours!!!

For those of you who can, do come and visit the RHS Botanical Art Exhibition at the RHS Halls, Vincent Square, London. It’s not far from Victoria railway station. The preview for RHS members is tomorrow evening from 18:00-21:00. It is open on Friday and Saturday 10:00-17:00.

I hope to see you there. Do make yourself known to me.

Tomorrow is the set-up day with the RHS

April 8, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

Tomorrow my husband and I will be driving up to London with the Crab apple botanical art pictures due to be exhibited at the RHS, Lindley Hall from Thursday 10 April until Saturday 12 April. We will set up the exhibition tomorrow afternoon and evening and then my husband will disappear until the next evening. I will be all on my own (sniff), but with other exhibitors of course, when we get the results of the judging on Thursday lunchtime.

We have found a hotel not too distant from the RHS halls so I might even get a slight lie-in on Thursday morning. The exhibition will be open for the preview between 18:00 – 21:00 on Thursday evening. I think that this is meant to be for RHS members. By this time I hope that my husband has returned to either commiserate or enjoy. Either way, I think we will have a nice – but late meal in the evening. Everything is planned so far, but you know what happens to plans!

The RHS Botanical Art Exhibition and Orchid show will be open to the public on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 between 10:00 – 17:00. I understand that they are doing something new this year in that several well-known botanical artists (previous Gold medal winners) will be demonstrating their techniques. I will be very interested in that.

So what am I doing now? Have you noticed that I am now looking ahead? This means that I think I have done as much as I can before we set off tomorrow morning – except to pack. Someone is going to look after the cats, so they will probably get spoiled to death.

Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet' crab apples in coloured pencil — *Malus x zumi* ‘Golden Hornet’ crab apples in coloured pencil

Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet' blossom in coloured pencil — *Malus x zumi* ‘Golden Hornet’ blossom in coloured pencil

Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet' sections in coloured pencil — *Malus x zumi* ‘Golden Hornet’ sections in coloured pencil

I have got everything together – I think. Pictures painted, framed and labelled. Some prints made – in case. Picture hooks, rope to hang the pictures….., a level to make sure they hang straight. Scissors. Oh I must take something to clean the glass! Visiting cards. Have I forgotten anything?

I am trying to make the house habitable again – but that doesn’t extend to the shed – I will do that on Sunday. Imagine, I can start painting again on Sunday – if I am allowed.

There is one picture remaining. I am attaching the elements from it as I have done with the other five. Bear in mind, I have grouped things to make it easier for the blog, but the whole picture does not have the same arrangement. Once I get back, I will put the pictures on my website: http://www.gaynorsflora.com. That means I might not get to paint on Sunday! We will see.

This is Malus x zumi ‘Golden Hornet’ in coloured pencil.

2 days until the RHS botanical art exhibition set-up

April 7, 2014April 3, 2015 | Gaynor's Flora

The day after tomorrow we take the pictures into London to set up for the botanical art exhibition in the Lindley Hall.

Today I moved everything up to the house from the shed. I thought I had done all the printing for labels and information sheet etc., but I made a mess of the first things I did. I had to print the whole lot again.

We had decided to back the labels with foam core as it’s easy to cut. Bad mistake! The edge looked so messy. I therefore had to print again, but this time I backed it with mount-board. I did this in 2011 the last time I exhibited with the RHS. I remembered that cutting small pieces was hard work. It was hard this time too.

Anyway the labels and information board are now done to my satisfaction.

The next thing on the list was mounting some limited edition prints to take with me. I am taking some mounted and some un-mounted but packed in stiffened envelopes. Additionally, I need to pack the unlimited prints of the blossom that I mentioned yesterday.

I think at the moment I am about halfway through these last things. I am hoping to get them done reasonably comfortably tomorrow.

I have a very large table where I normally teach. It is piled high with stuff. Obviously a temptation for the cats, so I have had to cover it all carefully for the night.

What on earth will I have to think about when I have done all I set out to do?

Now to show you the sections and enlarged detail of the parts of the Malus x atrosanguinea ‘ Gorgeous’ blossom in coloured pencil.

GAYNOR'S FLORA

Botanical art, illustration, artist, illustrator, teacher, workshops, classes

Coloured pencil