CurbiArt
Contemporary Acrylic and Mixed Media Paintings
Latest News
2024 a New Year
A new year and a new start. I'm looking forward to see what the new year brings. I am always ready to try new techniques and although I don't always continue with the style learnt in a workshop I find that I always learn something and may use techniques much later on in one of my own paintings. With this in mind I signed up for an online collage course, which I'm in the middle of, and have produced not only collage papers but used them to create some mini collages. It'll be interesting to see what happens as I continue.
I have some exhibitions to look forward to details of which are on my exhibition page which will be updated as I enter exhibition throughout the year.
August 23
My goodness how time has flown. This year has seen its ups and downs as always and art wise I've been quite busy. Exhibitions have included a two person show with my great friend Brenda Hurley in Aylesbury. This was followed by the Pop Up Art weekend in Wendover, , Bucks Art Society Open exhibition, Discover Bucks Museum Open exhibition, Mentmore Art Festival and Bucks Art Weeks. There are still a few to go so check out my exhibition page for updates as I add them. I've also had the pleasure of guest tutoring at a couple of local art groups which were great fun. I'm also still teaching my regular class at the Queens Park Arts Centre in Aylesbury, and he group has an exhibition coming up at the end of September.
I've been continuing to explore my favourite subject of pebbles and water but I've had fun doing some abstract still lifes but a couple of little abstracts too. Very different for me. I have a workshop to attend in September, a subject I don't often do but always good to learn from. These are two of my recent works and they're very different sizes, the Seascape is 80 x 80 cm, the still life 25 x 20 cm
Christmas 22
Christmas is fast approaching and along with that the end of the year. I don’t know where the time has gone. It’s been quite a busy year for me, I even succumbed to the dreaded Covid.
Ever thought about being an exhibit in a museum? Well, as I have mentioned before, I became an ‘exhibit’ in the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury - part of their People of Bucks, past and present display. If you are there, watch the photos change on the screens and you may catch me standing in the doorway of my old studio. I also made a recording talking about something I’d overcome which was a hard thing to pinpoint at first. I felt that shyness was my thing. It may not sound much of an obstacle but when I thought about it, I realised I hadn’t participated in things I would have liked to or spoken up for myself when I should have. For example, I left a dance class because there was a girl there that bullied me and I really loved dancing. Meeting new people and joining groups made me feel nervous, anxious and I had that awful feeling in my stomach. For some people shyness can be so much more debilitating. Strangely enough, thinking about how I had felt and what I had to do over the years, for my children and through my art, I started to realise that I had achieved quite a bit. It changed me, I feel more confident now.
This year alone I have done a couple radio interviews and written a couple of articles for a magazine which are due to be published next year. Both things I never thought I would do.
I have been a member of the Buckinghamshire Art Society for just over 10 years and this year I became the Chair. It was great that they have so much faith in me and I will do my best. There are lots of new opportunities for the Society coming next year so I’m looking forward to that.
This year I was delighted to sell several paintings and I was especially delighted to have a painting selected for the Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition at the Mall galleries and it sold too.
I have enjoyed guest tutoring at some local art groups and continued teaching my regular class at the Queens Park Art centre.
I took part in Bucks Art Weeks, the Pop-Up Art Weekend at the MS centre in Wendover, the Mentmore Arts Festival, two exhibitions at Obsidian Art Gallery, both the Bucks Art Society Exhibitions, the Oxford Art Society members exhibition and a small exhibition at Drayton Parslow.
I went to a couple of lovely workshops on mixed media artwork. Two very different approaches and a little out of my comfort zone but oh so enjoyable.
Look at the exhibitions page to see where I will be taking part in exhibitions next year and I will add to them as the year goes on. Take a look and put the dates in your diary.
I hope you have had a good year and wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
I hope everyone has had a great summer. So far this year has been fairly successful with some of the usual ups and downs, entering some exhibitions successfully and others unsuccessfully. It was great to see and chat to visitors at the exhibitions I took part in. Some paintings have gone to their new homes and I hope they will be enjoyed for many years
I'm have several paintings in the Summer Collection at Obsidian Gallery, Stoke Mandeville which is on until 4th September.
This week I heard the great news that I have painting selected for the Royal Society of Marine Artists annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London, 22nd September - 1st October. Needless to say I'm quite pleased!
I'm also preparing for the Buckinghamshire Art Society's autumn exhibition in Buckingham in October, perhaps I'll see you there.
I am now officially an exhibit in the Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury! Last year I was approached to see if I was happy to have my photograph taken by Craig Easton which would then be included in the Bucks People/Heroes display at the museum. This is the photo of me in the entrance of my old studio which has now been replaced due to needing more space.
The museum has been refurbished and renamed. It's great to see the displays entered around Buckinghamshire and to discover the counties history. It's worth a visit and there you may see me in an A1 sized changing display of people of Buckinghamshire past and present.
It's been a while since I last published some news. Overall 2021 wasn't the best of years but at least there were some opportunities to take part in exhibitions both virtual and physical. I do hope that you were able to see some of them.
There are already plans to take part in exhibitions this year and those that are definite are on my Exhibitions page. I'm so pleased to be able to take part in these and other exhibitions.
In 2021 I was able to paint more river paintings, seascapes and landscapes. I even painted a new still life. I continue to explore techniques and subjects. I was also able to return to teaching a weekly art classed it was wonderful to reconnect with my students.
I was invited to become a member of the Oxford Art Society, which I accepted and look forward to exhibiting with and meeting the members.
I am now the Chair of Buckinghamshire Art Society and will do my best to support the Society and its members.
I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year and look forward to making your acquaintance in person or virtually on social media( see the links at the bottom of the page)
Bucks Art Weeks is in full flow and in fact will soon be over. Artists all over the county are opening up their studios and other locations to showcase their wonderful work.
We have been tried by the weather - very hot and then very wet, but it's been wonderful to meet and chat with those of you that have ventured forth to come and see us. I'm exhibiting with Brenda Hurley at her home studio in Tring venue numbers 77 and 147 in the brochure and online at www.bucksartweeks.org Here you'll find more information . The opening times and address is also on my exhibition page.
We have sea and waterscapes and landscapes in acrylic and mixed media and my sea glass jewellery.
Still in lockdown and so far this year has brought more postponements/cancellations of exhibitions including the Bucks Art Society Centenary which I mentioned below. It is still closed but the museum has put videos of the exhibition and some of the artists talking about their work on their website. They have also organised a webinar which I will be taking part non 4th February at 7pm. There will be Sue Shave (museum Director) and Mel Czapski (curator of art) from the Museum, myself to talk about Bucks Art Society and some of the work and Carolyn Ross, daughter of the Artist Tony Hart, to talk about an exhibition of his work which is also being shown at the museum.
To take part go to the museum's website to book a place: www.buckscountymuseum.org It's free but please feel free to make a donation to support the museum.
Hopefully you will be able to visit the exhibition in person after the lockdown ends.
Oh my gosh, what a year we have had! I hope you are keeping well and are not too disappointed with the Christmas restrictions.
After several postponements the Bucks Art Society Centenary exhibition at the Bucks County museum finally opened on the 16th December only to close 2 days later because of new tier restrictions. It looks absolutely wonderful and it was lovely to see art in the flesh rather than images online. The Exhibition is due to re-open in the new year from 7thJanuary – 20th March, Covid permitting. It is well worth a visit if you can make it, just remember you have to book online at the museum website www.buckscountymuseum.org . Entry is free but the museum would appreciate any donations.
In the gallery there are also some of Tony Hart’s artwork, do you remember him from the T.V. with his assistant Morph?
The centenary exhibition has caused me to do some interesting advertising. I had an interview with Sandra Smith for the Vale Life magazine (in the current issue - see below) and an interview for radio which I was quite nervous about. It wasn’t as bad as I thought and it will be aired on Wycombe Sound once the Centenary exhibition is reopened.
In other news I have written a tutorial for ‘Paint’ magazine which is produced by the SAA (Society for All Artists) and it will be in the January issue. I was also invited to join the Oxford Art Society which I have accepted.
