This is my three year old grandson, who seems to have taken over my sketchbooks. He saw me colouring and asked if if he could help me. Well what could l say?? First of all, in my black and white sketchbook and then in my small handbag sketchbook!!!! 

I had down these flowers but he coloured the one on the left in. Not bad for a 3 year old, in my view.

In this image, he had drawn round his own hand ... this is amazing for a three year old l think.

This was me having fun and doodling!

Then he wanted to paint with me, in my Art Studio. We had great fun together.

It was really lovely to watch him paint. He decided to paint my husband and got busy on it. He only painted Tony's head and when l asked why, he replied ; " Because there was no more room on the paper for his body and legs!"  Logical! So l give him another piece of paper but this time portrait instead of landscape. He started again. Then we talked about the right colour for my husband's trousers .... so then he experimented with mixing colours. My husband's trousers were actually deep red but my grandson painted them brown and told me : "They are not the right shade Nanna but it is nearly the same colour" ... cute.

I have spent a lot of my time recently drawing. Why ... because l didn't really have much space to paint or so l thought.

Then l realised that if l re-arranged my studio ... l could put one of my easels up and paint again. Simple. I just needed to be still for a minute and accept letting go of "stuff". Once l accepted that fact ... life became a lot simpler. Never thought l would ever be able to let go of my "stuff"  but if l can ...  ANYONE can!

Just a reminder of my last two painting ... learning to paint and approach my painting ... differently.

This my next painting in progress ... Watch this space. I am also learning to paint over and rub back parts of my painting. l finding it very liberty rather than scary, like l used to feel.

The next few images are giving me some wonder ideas for work. There is something so simple but beautiful about this illustration, l think.

A gorgeous white fungus. Stunning.

Can you guess what this is?  It is the kernel of a Mango stone. Beautiful in my view.

Isn't this orange colour beautiful?

Till next .... enjoy your life and keep on painting. xx

One of my students work and some of the "stuff" that inspires me .

On Thursday after school, l have a new student. She is very sweet and used to be one of my students, from artyfizz. She is working towards making a book from start to finish.  Her subjects will be futurist "strange and mystical" creatures! But before he start smaking the book, she is going to be trying out new techniques and implements. 

Today we talked about using sharp pencils, wax crayons and oil pastels. What happens for example, when you use a wax or oil pastel and then cover it with water colour paint ? 

Then l got her to copy the small creature, she had drawn earlier but to cover the  bigger piece of paper.

Children l have worked with, often find it hard to fill the whole page. I think she managed very well.

Paint and oil pastels.

Adding water colour.

Finished piece. A practice piece before she starts her book for real.

Now for some images, l have taken to help inspire me. This is an image of leaves, hanging from my bedroom window. They have been caught in a spider's web but looked as if they are just hanging there ...  in mid air!

It has been very frosty over the last few weeks. Very cold but beautiful at the same time.

Frozen puddles!

Fallen log ... beautiful colours.

Greeted by this beautiful sight this morning.

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A tidy studio ... don"t faint children ... and my new Art work!

Well ... it is quite a while since l wrote on here .... sorry. I have decided to try and use this blog to record my Art work. I have started recently, to think about the way l paint. I have spent time reading about how other artists start their paintings. Looking at loads of paintings, prints and drawings. I LOVE colour and that is another angle l am looking at.

Lets just take a few steps back ... my studio! Since l had to close my Children's Art Studio ( artyfizz), l  cleared it of 30 years worth of art equipment, some went home and rest to The Work and Play Resource Centre. After a lot of soul searching, tears and anger, my studio is now at home and a lot smaller and a hell of a lot tidier! Ha!

So now l have a smaller studio but oh so much tidier. I never thought l would say this ... " Less is more"! My husband still hasn't got over the shock of hearing me say that! :) Here is my first finish new painting, titled " My artist's brain"! 

This is my next finished piece titled " Transition".

And this is a piece in progress.

I have also been moving my lounge a round a bit too. I have had to get rid of loads and loads of my books and have managed to get them down to these two cabinets worth. Phew. very sad but had to be done. So now l have a very nice reading/meditation corner. Do love my lights. :)

Just had my hair cut ... very pleased with it. I don't normally like pictures of me but l rather like this "Selfie"! Not bad for 64! :)