a splash of watercolour = some funky, weird creatures

This is kindof a bit of a late WOYWW as I visited my artist friend Graham on Wednesday, and took my watercolours with me.  He's done some more work on his studio since I last visited...

It's such a warm and welcoming place...

... full of inspiring art...

I, meanwhile, just splashed some watercolour around on a couple of pages in my sketchbook.

Then hunted for some 'beings' amongst the paint splashes aka Carla Sonheim (Drawing Lab).

My favourite is the little 'thing' leaning up against the central spine of the book.

It was this large bunny I found first though.  I just LoVe this technique, there's no way I'd be able to invent these imaginative characters any other way!

WOYWW - in the studio

Today I am working in my friend's art studio at The Mustard Tree in Ancoats, Manchester. [I'm usually over there on Tuesdays but I had a fabulous day out to The Cubby Hole, Crewe yesterday with a couple of friends :)  We had such a fun time :)  ]  I am gathering together shapes and patterns to use in my pieces for my exhibition, and practising working BiG!!!

It's a wonderful place to work in, full of inspiring objects, and surrounded by fun people - we have a good laugh as well as supporting each other in our work.

Graham is a really talented artist, and is currently working on commissions for John Lewis and The Hilton Hotel - if you know Manchester's Betham tower well enough you can just spot it on Graham's easel in the background.

starting my first BiG painting :)

1m x 1m canvas

The vicar at my church saw my paintings last week and asked if I'd paint one for the prayer room in church, during a service!  So last night saw me painting on the stage, trying NoT to get paint on all that lovely wood panelling LOL.  I'm thrilled with what I managed to get done as I've wanted to work on a large canvas for ages but it was a bit of a scary thought!

I used my usual materials - bubble wrap, sequin waste and acrylic paint [but not my baby wipes yet] and cut my own stencil from funky foam.  Next step is more stencilling, and creating some large letter stamps and masks :)

It really felt like I'd come 'full circle' doing this as it was as I watched Graham Hudson from the Mustard Tree painting in a service in May 2010 to raise money for a trip to Mexico that I realised that I could do what I do in my journals on a canvas!  Thanks Graham, for the inspiration :)

EDIT:  Thanks so much for your lovely comments everyone.  I thought no-one liked me anymore as there were no comments all day, then Julie reminded me I'd put comment moderation on!!!  I've been having problems with spam comments advertising unsavoury things, so need some kind of moderation, but I've gone back to word verification instead so I know you are there :)