Summer101: final Bowerbird sales

Not only is the show nearing it's end, but so is my time on island. I went to take down my artwork and found a lovely surprise, TWO of my paintings have sold in the last few days. There I was thinking the euphoria of selling my work was behind me when it snuck up on me again.

Enduring love on Seven Mile

My two wooden framed 'doodles' will find their new home in a Michiganian's Summer House, I'm told they thought my work was perfect for it and reasonably priced too. Score!

People Watching on Seven Mile Beach

Although I'm sad not to be able to keep them myself, I'm pleased that a little piece of Bowerbird will reach another home and nest. Sorry Mum, looks like that's two less paintings for your walls.

Commission: painting work in progress

Work in progress triptych painting for PT

Summer101: gallery reshuffle and some **NEW** work-ish

It's been a little while since I last posted, and I have plenty of excuses but I don't think you want to hear them, instead I'm posting new pics (apologies for the graininess, I'm using my old ancient camera just to make sure I post SOMETHING today, better pics to follow).

We've had a pretty slow month for art sales in The Gallery, so I decided to try something new and frame some of my pen and ink illustrations to test the water with. These are cheaper than the paintings and have a crisp white matte and wooden frame, what do you think?

"Enduring Love on Seven Mile" "Reading at Smith's Cove" and "People Watching on Seven Mile Beach", all dip pen and ink on watercolour paper - hang top to bottom next to the existing paintings.

Summer101: second Bowerbird sale

Great news! Yesterday I sold my second painting to a lovely family who I'd hoped would buy it after they showed interest earlier in the week. The son and father of the family tried paddleboarding for the first time while staying at the Ritz-Carlton this week and wanted a memento of their holiday!

I was happy to oblige with this sale, and love that I could share the story behind the painting with them. It really is an honour meeting the people who will own your work, you get a glimpse into their lives and why they want your artwork in it - which so rarely happens in galleries.

Summer101: what's in a name?

Sometimes the name of a painting can be enough to sway a purchase, so I'm throwing this out to you, what should this painting be called? It's more traditional that my other pieces, but also more impressionist.

It's 12" x 9" mixed media on canvas, based on an image taken at dusk/twilight on Seven Mile Beach.

It's also better viewed from a distance. :-)

Any name with a hint of Cayman, Seven Mile or local spots also is favourable as a holiday memento, but I'm open to all suggestions. Answers in the Comments please.

Summer101: windsurfing

The trouble for PT is that I give with one hand and take with the other. For example, the painting of him learning his use his new windsurf I made for him, suddenly had to disappear from our walls and be 'loaned' to The Ritz-Carlton gallery. Above is "Windsurfing - try, try, try again".

I did however promise to create him a better, more PT-like version as an apology, which is his for keeps. For now. Image below is "Perseverance", can you spot the difference?

Summer101: first Bowerbird sale

I arrived at the Ritz at midday and by 12:05 a gentleman arrived at my Gallery Information desk requesting a haggle on the price of a painting, "Ah well, that all depends on the artist and their generosity" I smiled back, "it's this one" he points. "Ahhh", I said, well "I'm up for a bit of haggling".

And 30seconds later I had a sale, my first sale in the gallery was also MY first sale. What a buzz! I had the privilege of meeting the couple who fell in love with the painting, something that few artists get to do, and give them a little more information about it.

Interestingly, after the 'sold plaque' went up, in exchange for the painting, a string of people proclaimed their sadness at the painting being sold, which was added bonus. I've now got the weekend to create a few more images, which hopefully will go to new homes soon. Watch this space.

Summer101: updated artwork and more doodles

"Ochre Urchin" has been updated and now has a bright blue background, which I think works better.
10" x 10" mixed media on canvas.

Here's a new addition, "Enduring Love" is based on a sketch I did early on in my days in Grand Cayman, a lovely old couple holding hands in the sea. 11" x 14" mixed media on canvas.

I recreated the paddle-board sketch on this 14" x 11" canvas, since PT has taken a shine to the original one I made. I'm hoping the Ritz-Carlton guests will also take a shine to this piece, which goes into the gallery this week.

Sketchbook: Barker's Beach

After a weekend on the deserted beaches of Barker's National Park, deserted bar the pony treks of course, here's a sketch of PT (thankfully) returning to the shore after zipping away on a very choppy sea and gusty breeze.

We're both sandblasted, salt-licked and in need of some shade now.

The horseman appeared from under the sea-grape trees in the far left, so they were a swift addition to the image.

Coming soon: Bowerbird in the Ritz-Carlton gallery

Here's the latest draft of the flyer I've made for the show, and look, my image 'Nurse Leila's Garden' is the main poster image, I'm classed as one of the "New Artists" and I'm very excited about it. Watch this space for featured artwork.

P.S. That's a font I designed last year for a certain international razor company, the font is called "Smooth legs" and I thought it worked well for the flyer, what do you think, Summery?

Spring break - I'm back!

So much to say, so little time, I left the island to attain a work permit, and now I'm back and raring to go. Trying to make the most of the time I have on the island. Above is a painting (Chicken!Chicken!), named after a local restaurant and is a leaving present for my good friend Tammy, who returned to England this week.

Say hello to London for me Tammy. I'll be back to posting here and documenting our time on island. More soon.

Nurse Leila's House

Welcome to Nurse Leila's House, a picturesque lilac and turquoise building which has captured my heart, as soon as I saw it with its picket fence and vivid almond tree I wanted to paint it. Although far from my favourite painting, here's my first offering, I'm sure there will be more.

Nurse Leila's House is owned by The National Trust, and currently being cared for by Cayman Traditional Arts (CTA), and I've been helping out CTA a few days a week. So this delightful place could be my prospective new office!

Painting: Miss Charlene

Here's a painting of a lady I met at CTA (Cayman Traditional Arts), she is a thatch and weave demonstrator, here she is, in Nurse Leila's garden, West Bay.

Mixed media on paper

sketchbook: urchin

Inspired by my near spiking from a black sea urchin this morning, I collected up some sea urchin shells for sketching this afternoon. They're incredibly delicate under all those spikes, see photos on Flickr.

Sketchbook: Immigration

In an effort to pass the time and document my waiting time, yes it does say 2:28min here's my banal doodle.

Sketchbook: beach people 2

More people watching on Seven Mile Beach.

Sketchbook: conch revisited

You'll notice that I took my previous sketch, conch, from Cayman Ladies' Art Society (CLAS, we have an acronym, now we need a logo) and decided to experiment with some painting. 

Apologies for the same composition, but this exercise was more about playing with different media. I really need to learn when to stop, as I'll naturally keep plying on the layers, but I enjoyed it all the same.

More pics of the individuals paintings on Flickr.