Seahorse study

Seahorse Study  watercolour 15x21cm ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

I have managed to get some more nature studies done whilst sitting in at the Hayloft exhibition. New to the range is this little seahorse. I had been looking forward to doing some since December when I was doing some drawings which you can see in this post. The flowing shapes are addictive and I think I will be painting lots more of them.


The Hayloft exhibition comes down today but there is no rest as I must straight away get preparing for an event at Christchurch Priory called the Living Crafts. I'm really looking forward to this event which I have been to before as a visitor but not as an exhibitor. There will be a number of artists and craftspeople demonstrating their skills and exhibiting for a week within the Priory from 4th - 8th June 10am - 4pm.

A great start to the show...

©Sylvia Musk, Morag Dixon, Dennis Male & Lisa Le Quelenec2013

 I really enjoyed helping to hang the exhibition it was exciting to see the show come together.  It's a collection of very different styles, subject and media (watercolour, oils, pastel, acrylic, collograph and monoprint) but it hangs beautifully together I think. This photo taken of a corner of the gallery shows a selection of what is on display. We have had success with some wonderful feedback and those all important sales. With a week and a half to go there is still plenty of time to visit if you are in the area.

Watercolour sunset skies

Sky Study VI  watercolour 18x9cm   ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

Sky Study VII   watercolour 18x9cm   ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

We have been treated to some wonderful skies just lately. The colours are so beautiful and so difficult to mix.

There hasn't been much time for painting just recently as I've been preparing for an exhibition but the quick snatches of time to pick up the brushes and play with colour have made for lovely breaks. I'm really looking forward to hanging the show tonight and seeing all the work from my fellow exhibitors.

The count down has begun...

So much framing and so little time.......

Sunday stroll

The sun came out to play and I headed to the beach for a break. I've been working on back to back commissions which is keeping me from making any work to share on this blog. I also have an exhibition coming up in early May with a lot of framing to do, so deadlines are looming and time is short. It's so good to be busy...

Sunday stroll at the beach  photograph ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

Day dreaming of summer

A selection of watercolour shells   watercolour on Khadi handmade paper ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

I've been day dreaming of summer and trawling through my collection of beach finds for subjects to paint. Days spent at the beach sketching and collecting can't be too far away now...

I'll be adding these to my Etsy shop  over the next few days.

Morning Glow

Morning Glow   20x20cm  acrylic on canvas board   ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

Painting has been sloooooow the last week. Even though this painting is just a small one it has been a battle of wills trying to capture the soft hazy light. The warmth in this piece is my wishful thinking for a warmer spring than we have experienced so far this year. It can't be long now.... can it?

Elemental II

Elemental II   9x9cm mixed media   ©2012Lisa Le Quelenec

I've been feeling a little under the weather lately so there hasn't been much painting going on this last couple of weeks. I have been catching up on some reading though, dipping in and out of Delacroix's journal and a book that I stumbled across on Amazon, Gist of Art by John Sloan. Both of which are fascinating. The Delacroix book is a feast for the senses it's printed on very fine paper (I'd estimate 50gsm though it may be finer) and makes a lovely rustling sound which adds to the sense of stepping back in time. It's an older second hand copy and is just starting to get that wonderful scent of old book. The weather has been miserable and it is still quite cold so there has been no better medicine than hunkering down with a good book. Hopefully this bug is now on it's way and I'll be back next week with some new work to share.

River reflections - spring

Some small watercolour studies of the river from the last post. There are surprising amounts of violet in the waters shadows. Whilst the trees are still mostly bare, green buds are appearing and the colour is starting to fizz here and there.

Yesterday snowed most of the day though luckily it didn't stick. It was so fine and grainy that it looked almost like sand. Today is bright with sunshine although it does look quite chilly so there might not be much sketching done.

River reflections - Spring Watercolour A4 sketchbook

Getting out and about

I've been getting cabin fever, with the sun shining and birds calling I needed to get outside. I rushed through my chores, grabbed a camera and set off. It was a lot warmer than I thought it was going to be, so rather than going to the beach I headed for the river to find the evidence of Spring. Today wasn't about painting or sketching so much, more of a reconnaissance for future work and a recharging the batteries so I didn't do any sketching just took a few snaps as reminders of where to revisit.  I'm always drawn to the river reflections, there may be a series of drawings based on them in the not too distance future.

Snap shots from my walk photograph medley ©2013Lisa Le Quelenec

I had to include this snap of the black headed gulls. They line up along the bridge waiting for the people who come to feed the ducks. As you walk towards them they size you up for any goodies they might want then as you get too close one by one they drop of the side. They make me think of synchronised swimmers diving into the pool.