Rose tinted view

Some days are really nice arty days, and yesterday was one of them.

It started when I attended an art workshop. On the subject of ................flowers! :)

Not very erotic, I know, but I still enjoy them regardless of the subject matter. I don't do many flower paintings. Infact there's only ever been one that I've done that I've been really happy with (so, it'll be THAT painting that will be worth a million when I'm a famous artist - and not the erotic stuff at all!!! LOL ). But still, flowers it was, and flowers I did. I had to take my own "subject matter" to paint, and since my mind is full of the  "Erotica" event that I'm exhibiting at in a fortnights time, I just took the first book I could find with a selection of flowers in it. Roses. I like roses. Most people like roses. But I didn't know what I was letting myself in for.......

The tutor started the day by explaining that she covers her canvas in plaster filler to start. I've come across this technique before and was intrigued to use it again. It makes a nice texture on the canvas, and the acrylic paint instantly adheres to it as its like blotting paper, and makes some nice effects as it soaks up the paint. And then you build up the shapes and the colours, and can use a dry brush effect over the paint to make interesting texture as the colours underneath shine through. Lovely! I like it!

But.

(You knew there was a but, didn't you !!)  :)

The problem was my choice of "flowers". The roses. They're difficult to do at the best of times. And I was told AFTER I'd started and was half way through it that I'd chosen the most difficult subject in the class. Ok, I don't mind that, I like a challenge. And a botanical painter friend who was there told me that its always easier to paint flowers "when you can count the petals". Ok, I'll bear that in mind next time. And avoid roses.

So after that I carried on and decided to make the image more abstract, and play with the colours and shapes that were the interest for me in the first place. And I enjoyed the day. But the painting was crap at the end of it. It sometimes happens like that. But, at the end of the day, I'd learnt a lot (avoid roses like the plague!) and had had a fun day with my artist friends. So that was good then!

But later on....... I went to a house party. To a place I'd not been before but I had met the hostess a few times in the past through a mutual friend, and was delighted to be asked to her house for the evening. I wasn't sure how many people were going to be there or what exactly would be the nature of the gathering.

It turned out to be drinks, and delicious food, and lots of chat with a small select group of nice and friendly multi-national people, some of  whom I hadn't seen for a few years, and others I didn't know at all. So, the usual initial conversation of "Who are you and what do you do?". And I answer "Hi, I'm Jackie, and I'm an Erotic Artist" - which seems to be enough to continue the conversation in an interesting way! :) Particularly when they all seemed to be genuinely interested in the subject matter. And vowed to look at my website as soon as they were able.

But..... I think the most amusing part of the evening for me was when the host passed me at one point, as I stood with a glass in my hand, and with no warning beforehand, said out of the corner of his mouth "You're going to have to tell me what a "prince albert" is!". I burst out laughing, as I realised he must have read my blog in the last couple of days. Because there was certainly no other reason he'd have said that to me!!!!

So, to give you a picture to look at. It will be my favourite flower painting of a few years ago. And guess what the subject matter is..........yep, that's right! ROSES !!!