Stephanie asked for some more verbiage to go with these latest paintings so I will explain: Many of the old masters spent many years copying paintings by even-older-masters before they began painting original works. Many of them continued studying and copying other artists' work throughout their careers. I enjoy the impressionists and particularly admire the post-impressionists, so I wanted to learn more about their techniques.

This is a copy of a detail of a pastel drawing by the impressionist artist Mary Cassat. I learned about the way she smudged the flesh flesh tones to make them soft and touchable while leaving other areas of the painting rougher, to draw your eye to the faces and hands of the figures.

This is another copy of a detail of a pastel drawing by Cassat. The skin tones are less smudged in this one. I was interested in her choice of palette and the extraordinary freshness of colour she was able to achieve.

This painting is a copy of a detail from a pastel drawing by Degas. He uses pastels in a very different way than Cassat, much more vigorous and exciting in my opinion. All of these pastel drawings were done without any fixing of intermediate stages. This contrasts with my usual way of working - I am a "fixaholic", spraying my work quite frequently as I build up layers of colour.

I am enjoying studying these works by the impressionists, and I am learning a great deal about the way they used colour to capture light effects, and create a painting almost like a snapshot - a frozen moment in time. Tomorrow I will be painting again, Degas and Cezanne. I'm very excited about the Cezanne as he is "my guy" at the moment. I love his work inordinately. Later I will be doing Seurat and Van Gogh.

Three more impressionist-style paintings. Top two are Renoir and bottom is Pisarro. My favourite is the Renoir legs one. Tomorrow, pastels a la Mary Cassat

Two paintings in the style of Monet. I'm pleased with the haystack but the snowscene didn't really work.

Rooftops in the style of Pisarro

Another Modigiani-inspired nude

The first linocut I ever made.



The second linocut I ever made

"Nude"

"Nude after Gaugin"

"Kiss"

"Face"

Two of the still lifes on sale in a gallery cafe in Poynton.

Three of the still lifes on sale in a gallery cafe in Poynton

Three of the still lifes on sale in a gallery cafe in Poynton

Exciting new developments.

First, my sister and my husband have emptied all the crud out of the garage. They have turned it into a lovely space for working instead of a spidery hell-hole. They have painted the walls and the floor, put up workbenches and shelves and storage, installed a loft ladder, loft flooring, better electrics and all kinds of improvements. It is going to be my studio.

Second, I have found two local outlets for my paintings. I am very excited about the possibility of selling some of my art. I have been painting a series of still lifes, thinking they're probably more likely to sell than self portraits and portraits of my family. They're in a different style than I have worked in previously. I will put some photographs of them on this website soon.

I have some very clear ideas about the direction I want to go in, and the projects I want to work on next. I am feeling positive and optimistic and full of energy and enthusiasm for my art and for life in general.

I want to use this photo of my sister as the basis for a painting.



So I made a drawing from the photo.







Too many details. Draw it again using fewer lines.

Using a more jagged line.

Using a brush to make thicker lines.

How much simpler can you get? How few lines can describe a face?

I like this last one best.