recent work

Managed to find some time to explore variations on a theme. Instead of full colour paintings/drawings, I tried to strip them back to a bare minimum, using colour for the backgrounds only. Particularly like the skateboarder.

dolls and books

A couple of weeks ago I managed to find some vintage wooden pegs at a flea market.
Have just got round to making one up as a peg doll. The arms are jointed using vintage buttons and hand-made string. The wooden heart covers a hole but thinking about it now I could have left it and called this a 'broken-hearted' doll.

The reason it's taken a couple of weeks to whittle this is because I've been busy publishing again!
This time I've gone all ebook and have put a children's book into the kindle store on Amazon. It only went live yesterday but already has begun to sell. Its the first in what I intend to be a series that can stand alone as fiction books or be used in a classroom to spark an interest and enthusiasm for grammar and punctuation! Please feel free to check it out;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/P-U-nC-S-Saviours-punctuation-John-Fidler-ebook/dp/B01FPLZK8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463412374&sr=8-2&keywords=john+fidler

Trying out a new style - even more blockier and abstract than before. 'Red Diver' measures 30x40cm, on canvas.

'varnishing day'

Managed to find sometime at the end of yesterday to 'varnish' (or matte as they say in America?) all of my recent footy/rugby paintings.

Now to decide what I'm going to do with them - list in my shops, think about joining 'Artfinder' (has anyone got any experience of this ?), create a Facebook page wherefrom I can advertise them for sale or try and approach small galleries!
Any advice welcome.

finished

The paintings are now finished. I seem to be accumulating quite a few footy paintings - I must get around to putting them in my Folksy shop.

All are 18 x 24cm, mixed media on canvas board.

                        

paintings

A pic of three, first stage, footy paintings currently on my 'painting' table. Each one is on canvas board and measures 18 x 24cm.

flames

The y2's did a bit of colour mixing today, as a precursor to creating collage pieces that represent the fire of London.

We varied the proportions of red and yellow to get darker and lighter oranges.

Meanwhile, here's one of my paintings from last week, all finished.

It's on canvas board, painted using acrylics and measures 18 x 24cm. If anyone is interested in buying it, £30 would secure (p&p free - anywhere in the world)! Please comment sold.

collaborative painting

Finally managed to do some 'real' art this week with the children. In y5 today they had a go at creating some paintings as a whole group. They each had one colour and were instructed to paint half of the paper. 

The 'painting' was then passed to another person who, using their colour, painted half of the remaining space. And so on and so on until the whole sheet was blocked in.

They then started to add stripes, again passing the paintings around. We had taped the sheets to thin boards to both keep the paper flat and aid easy movement.

Next, they added spots (using cotton buds to apply the paint.

To further enhance the pieces, the children used felt pens to draw lines, stars etc.

The resulting pieces were a riot of colour and pattern. 32 children = 32 abstract artworks.

 We're thinking of using them to create lengths of bunting.

sad face

Although the pottery sold quite well there were no takers for any of my cards! I'm putting it down to the fact that the table was small so they couldn't be displayed or appreciated in all their glory. I'll just have to make more so that I can have a stall of my own!

new(ish) card

My better half is selling Polish pottery at a Xmas fair this weekend. I might sneak some of my hand-drawn cards onto the stall and see if they sell.

'polish' figures

A couple of faux, ceramic 'polish pottery' type figures. The one 'sitting' on the edge is a simple slab figure whilst the one with attached limbs has a hollow body and a large wooden bead for a head. The hair is hand-made string, that I've had for ages, and the fixings include vintage buttons.

Stop press : the ceramic poppies that we made in school have so far raised over €500 for the Royal British Legion.

more

Yet another card 'design' - footy team selfies.

At the prices I'm considering charging (£2 each or 3 for £5) I can't go overboard with detail and colour on my cards otherwise they would take far too long. Remember that these cards are all hand-drawn, so for an original, unique piece of art they're a bargain! Once the cost of materials, envelopes, cellophane wrappers etc, not to mention time, have been taken into account I'm unlikely to be able to retire on the profits. Would you charge more?

new card

Another card 'design'.

more cards

Tried out another idea for my hand-drawn cards today.

Let me know what you think.

Poppies

Inspired by the poppies at the Tower of London we've started to make some very simplified ones of our own. The intention is to 'plant' them as an avenue to be walked through by the parents attending our Remembrance service in November. Afterwards we hope people will offer a donation in order to take one home with them.

Today's painting.

painting & Poland

This weekend saw my wife and I venturing to Poland to stock up on pottery. Whilst there we visited the site of the POW camp from where the 'Great Escape' took place - stalag luft 3. There's a small museum with artefacts and poignant information regarding the fate of the escapees. There's also a reconstruction of a section of tunnel and a replica of one of the huts.

We didn't manage to get as far as the actual site of 'Harry' as time was short but hope to return early next year. 

Currently on my painting table - a small (12x12 cm) mixed media piece. 

Another portrait

The rest of y1 completed their collage self-portraits today. This one is actually quite a good likeness as her hair is exactly like that!

Again, not at all bad for a 5 year old!

Portraits

Today the y1's finished their collage self-portraits. I think they turned out quite well. We added nostrils and eyebrows as well as eyelashes!

And a couple more cards - should have taken the pic before putting them in the cellophane packets!

more cards

Made some new cards - collaged patterned papers for the dresses and drew the rest.

Packaged with envelopes- am still thinking £2 each or 3 for a fiver.

Card

Drew a female pirate on a card today. She looks a bit wistful!

Have been drawing lots of cards lately. To me, it's just as quick as printing them and each one is unique. I've packaged them up with envelopes and even put them in those fancy cellophane pockets! I'm intending to sell them for £2 each or 3 for £5. I don't reckon that's too bad for an original piece of art.

Oh, and have just sold a painting and another 'A is for Art' book on Folksy! Yay!