The Bees Knees !

Last week I was having a bit of a moan about how hectic my week was, this week I am thrilled by how hectic my week has been. I never dreamt my set of watercolours and my paints would lead me to such wonderful places. So today back home in Devon I wanted to paint something to make my heart sing, bumble bees.

I submitted artwork for the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition way back in December. I am always in a quandary, whether I should subject myself to the judging process. I have submitted to open exhibitions before and when I am rejected it feels tough for a while.Happily this time I had 2 pieces accepted, and after getting them to London we had a happy day on Tuesday seeing all the amazing Art and guessing our own winners

 

 

I also had the pleasure of being part of an Art Week at the Arundell Arms in Lifton, we went to the preview last night, and I had the pleasure of speaking to fellow artists as well as some lovely people, who had come to view the art . Talking to people who make wonderful art for a living and asking questions about what they do was such a thrill. I realised I don't know a lot of artists and to share what I am doing with them was a very special evening indeed.

 

 

I hope you enjoy hearing about my ups and downs, but I also want to share my total love of watercolour with you and so as I said at the beginning, with my bees flying off all over the place, and my absolute joy when painting them there really was only one subject for today's painting board.

1. Sketch out my little bee

 

 

2 . I don't have an eye to paint this time so I paint in the antennae, and the delicate wings.

 

 

 

3. Then I have fun and get looser painting his furry body 

 

 

4. Finally I add the detail of his legs, I flick some gold ink on his back for the pollen and finish off the wings. A small painting for today, I am happy and tired this week, next week I have some commissions to finish and a mind full of ideas after seeing all the wonderful art in London.