The Fox Vanishes - Game 6 - Deadline for Entries Sat 22nd March 2014

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Welcome to Game 6!

Please see how to play below and deadline - good luck!

In this game I will be placing a faded out fox (here he is below at full strength) on a certain animal print in my online gallery at Eastwitching (www.eastwitching.etsy.com).

fox june cropYou will need to scour the selected items (usually about 12) that come up when you click the link I will provide each game. PLEASE USE the ZOOM feature when you search.

When you find the faded fox image on the animal image in question DO NOT SAY WHERE IT IS in comments on this post.

Simply convo me with your ANSWER at eastwitching@hotmail.com (yes - it is back up and running folks!) or convo me at Etsy if you have an account there.

THEN leave a comment ON THIS POST saying WHICH PRINT you would like to receive if your entry is selected.

Selection is made randomly using RANDOM.ORG two weeks after the game is announced.

WANT TO PLAY? - GAME 6 of The Fox Vanishes.

How to play …

1 Click on this LINK and start searching all of the animal images that come up. On one of them there is a faded out fox like the bold one in this post above.

2 Convo me via Etsy or email me at eastwitching@hotmail.com with your answer

3 Come back to this post and say which animal print you would like to win from my gallery HERE - you can choose ANY print and shipping is free worldwide too!

4 Deadline for entries is MIDNIGHT GMT Saturday 22nd March

5 Winning entry selected on Sunday 23rd March and new game announced that same day.

To start hunting the fox click HERE! Good luck:)

Watercolour Poppy Demo

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Here is a simple watercolour step-by-step to paint some pretty poppies - just right for a warm spring day.

Watercolour original of poppies - 8×10 inches on Arches hot pressed 90lb paper

The paper is hot pressed but you can use NOT or ROUGH - you will just get a different look.

If you click on the images to bring them up nice and big you will see what paints I used - I also include the traceable outline for you to use - have fun!

COPYRIGHT - if you paint this exact composition in these colours then you can keep it for yourself but not show it publicly or sell it - BUT - if you change the compostition or the shape of flowers etc then it will be your own design and you can sell or show publicly - hope that helps - Alison

poppy cluster

The Fox Vanishes - Game 5 - Deadline for Entries Sat 8th March 2014

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Welcome to Game 5! Please see how to play below and deadline - good luck!

In this game I will be placing a faded out fox (here he is below at full strength) on a certain animal print in my online gallery at Eastwitching (www.eastwitching.etsy.com).

fox june cropYou will need to scour the selected items (usually about 12) that come up when you click the link I will provide each game. PLEASE USE the ZOOM feature when you search.

When you find the faded fox image on the animal image in question DO NOT SAY WHERE IT IS in comments on this post.

Simply convo me with your ANSWER at alisonfennell@hotmail.co.uk or convo me at Etsy if you have an account there.

THEN leave a comment ON THIS POST saying WHICH PRINT you would like to receive if your entry is selected.

Selection is made randomly using RANDOM.ORG two weeks after the game is announced.

WANT TO PLAY? - GAME 5 of The Fox Vanishes.

How to play …

1 Click on this LINK and start searching all of the animal images that come up. On one of them there is a faded out fox like the bold one in this post above.

2 Convo me via Etsy or email me at alisonfennell@hotmail.co.uk with your answer

3 Come back to this post and say which animal print you would like to win from my gallery HERE - you can choose ANY print and shipping is free worldwide too!

4 Deadline for entries is MIDNIGHT GMT Saturday 8th March

5 Winning entry selected on Sunday 9th February and new game announced that same day.

To start hunting the fox click HERE! Good luck:)

Valleys’ Girl Makes Good - “Alison’s Ark” art cards available through Musuems & Galleries Collection

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Years ago when I worked on front of house in Visitor Services at The National Museums & Galleries of Wales in Cardiff I used to love browsing the galleries before the public came in.

INSPIRED

There I saw original paintings by Cezanne, Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh to name but a few. I loved the quiet hush in the light airy spaces and enjoyed dreaming of painting full time.

RESENTFUL

Back then I painted as a hobby but it was always on my mind and deep down I resented the time spent doing administrative work there when all I wanted to do was be home with my art. But by the time the working day was finished so was I and the there was an hour and a half drive back home and a meal to cook etc etc… so there was precious little time to paint.

PRIVILEGED

It was a very privileged position though, to work at The National Museum & Gallery. You couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful and grand building in which to spend your working days. Below is a pic of me working in the Director General’s office shortly before I left after 10 years at the museum.

My colleague is Laura Harris who was the best person ever to work alongside

and my friend Helen Sian Bowen (with me - seated on a chair below a painting I loved) who is now a fully qualified Reflexologist and Homeopath.

HOPEFUL

There was a lovely gift shop which stocked a range of gorgeous art cards featuring all the great masters and modern artists too. That range was the Museums & Galleries Collection and I can tell you I hoped to be printed by them.

Well - it only took me 12 years but it finally happened.

VINDICATED

I was contacted out of the blue last Christmas by the art buyer for Museums & Galleries. He had found me on Etsy where I have my main animal art gallery. He asked would I be happy to license 12 of my images to them! What a silly question ! I jumped at the chance and this week I received a big box choc full of samples of my cards.

My art on Museums & Galleries Collection cards! - I did it!

I scuttled over to their website and found that lo and behold they had even given me my very own range!

Alison’s Ark is now available in gift shops and card shops all over the UK including many museums and galleries.

This is a major dream come true and it feels so good.

I am encouraged to keep on going even though at times it is an insecure and uncertain life. But I believe in myself more and more and feel vindicated that I took the plunge to work as an artist and I thank Museums & Galleries from the bottom of my heart.

The Art of Casey Klahn - My first purchase

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Over the past few months I became aware of the beautiful pastel paintings of Casey Klahn.

My first original Casey Klahn pastel

Nearly every single time he posted one I would stop dead in my tracks and be captivated by his use of colour and his semi-abstract style. I found his works satisfying and solid to look at with simple yet powerful shapes which pleased me eye.

In the end I have to give in and just buy one. It is the first image - beautiful isn’t it?

Now that I have it I am deliberating on how to frame it. Here are two possible ideas (I used Adobe to create virtual frames).

Which do you prefer - if any?

Meantime I have isolated some of those lovely passages in the painting that caught my eye and I hope they do yours.

To view Casey’s work visit his blog here…http://currentcaseyklahn.blogspot.co.uk/

or his Pinterest board here and be blown away buy his flamboyant and confident use of colour - http://www.pinterest.com/pin/181762534932537925/

I am lucky enough to now be going on a pastel workshop that he is running in Kemijarvi, Lapland this August - I only hope to be a quarter as good as Casey after my trip!

I have never really worked en plein air as the UK’s weather is so unreliable - I hope this trip will change all that.