Finally sunshine, but still very cold.  I've been carrying on with the April Plein Air month, painting daily with gouache.  However, progress has been pretty bad.  I don't like this stuff as an outdoor medium.  Think it is something that will stay indoors! Still messing about with oil paints and oil pastels on a Wednesday.  Winter Plein Air was at Carisbrooke this Friday.  Again very cold and limited sunshine.

Did two sketches at the same time.  I moved between the two as they were drying.  These are of Beatrice's garden.

 Managed to finally move the boat off the mooring on Sunday.  Step by step but we did get up the river and  Muffin was ok. Next step is down the river towards the Solent.

Missed a couple of swimming sessions and felt really guilty, but I did go on Thursday.  Apparently feeling guilty is the norm!

 So much for thinking April was going to be a turning point! Wet and incredibly windy.   I have been doing Pleinairpril every day with gouache, but every day the painting has turned out a disaster.  Even painting outside at Arreton Barns on Friday I produced absolute rubbish.  Been a bad week for all my painting.  I think I need to concentrate a bit more instead of rushing.

I have been trying a bit of book binding.  Which started off ok, but yesterday's session the presenter made a mistake, which I obviously followed, and then had to redo bits.  However, it is only the first and prototype for me.

The dogs keep getting each other into trouble.  How on earth do they manage to do that?  The awning has not been finished for the boat, even though I told the guys cutoff was end of March.  On top of all that, swimming has been a bit indifferent.

Perhaps next week will be ok.

 We've had a couple of nice days this week.  Finally.  Outdoor painting was Friday and was at Osborne house.  My painting wasn't too special, but when the sun came out the view was lovely.

More and more people were arriving as the sun really made it's presence felt.

Tomorrow is the start of Pleinairpril and I've been practicing painting gouache outside - bit tricky, but will carry on with it.  Perhaps start with the garden first.

Missed swimming on Thursday due to a long traffic jam. - Poor excuse!

Taken the dogs down to the boat a couple of times now, but Muffin is still very nervous.  Have to work on that.

The sun has just come out, so I'd better get on and practice that gouache.

 Just got back from walk with Henry - absolutely bitterly cold out there even though the sun is shining.  Managed to get in a quick sketch.

Last Monday we were at St Helens.  My sketch was pretty mundane, think I need to concentrate more.

Have continued doing oil pastel sketches on a Wednesday and gouache and oil sketches as often as possible, but to be honest, I haven't really been very motivated.

Here is one of the oil sketches

Not too displeased, perhaps it will make a reasonable subject for a proper painting.

Swimming is going ok,  Have managed to do 40 lengths a couple of times.

Our Monday plein air group have decided to become Friday plein air group.  This will give us the chance of more cafes being open.  We have also drawn up a more comprehensive list.  So that should be good.  We start this coming Friday and as it's easter have decided to go to Osborne, because at least we will get parked there.

 Cold, rain, sunshine - whatever you wanted, we had it this week.  Monday's painting was at the Green Yarmouth. A bit cold, but I managed something in an hour. 

I did change some bits and pieces, but again I really must move away from a book which is spiral bound.  Unfortunately I discovered in my stash, that I actually have two more of these books! As April is plein air month, hopefully I can use up one of the books.

Swimming is progressing ok.  But the dogs are starting to be a bit naughty!

Boat comes out next week, so that will involve a lot of  to-ing and fro-ing for Perry.

Got a super little cushion laptray on which I can do painting and drawing.  Hopefully.   I know it breaks my no art materials year, but I thought it would be really useful.  Can have it in the car as well.  However, I must use it!

 Again what a mixed bag of weather.  Didn't put anything out last week because my plein air work was pretty awful.  It was at Godshill and of course it rained.  For the rest of the week and this week I've been messing about with my oil paints, a bit of gouache and drawing and oil pastel.  On Monday we went to Noethwood House in Cowes, although it was very cold we did manage to get a bit of painting in.

Mike and I found a very sheltered spot, even though it had a hedge in the way.  The others, although a better view, were really exposed to that cold wind.

I've been carrying on with oil pastels, which I do find really relaxing, but only do them once a week.

Perry and I seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to sort out out BT contract.  Think we've got it sorted now.  I hope.

The very cold or very wet weather has made it difficult to take the boys out and I think they are getting a bit stir crazy......

Although the sun is shining today it is bitterly cold.  Let's hope it gets a bit warmer and we can hopefully have a fun day out!

 What a mixed bag of weather.  Monday was absolutely fabulous our little Plein Air Painting group met at Brook.  The views were spectacular, and after painting we went to the Isle of Wight Pearl for coffee and then mooched about looking at expensive pearls!

I was quite happy with this picture, but I have decided that once this sketchbook is completed, I will try and avoid a sketchbook with spiral binding.  Although I think I may have another one in my stash!

Perry and I actually went to a garden centre when the boys were getting groomed.  Have cleared one area of the garden which was a mess and put a few plants in.  This motivated us to start on another part of the garden which is a mess, and we have made quite a bit of progress.

Painted the shower room, but had to touch up places this morning!

Started to get things ready for oil painting and a watercolour session, but all of a sudden motivation dropped out.  Not good.

Tomorrow's painting is likely to be damp, but will try anyway.  Swimming is ok.

 Shouldn't moan about the weather, but it really hasn't been too special.  For our Monday plein air session which was at Newchurch to paint the snowdrops, it started to drizzle and then rain.  Which really scuppered watercolour painting.  Abandoned to the pub where Mike very kindly produced some cakes.

I finished another oil  pastel - not too special, but at least I am continuing with OPs. Did a gouache with an online course

Interesting approach.

Swimming is progressing and I have decided to finish the lessons and just keep pushing on myself.

Just thought I would include a picture of Henry and Muffin when we were in Lincolnshire.

Both had to be on the same pillow!

 Rather a difficult week.  We went to |Lincolnshire to help with sorting Ann's house out. The weather was really very cold, but the cottage we stayed in was fabulous.  Like living in a designer's choice place - except the heating went wrong one day. The village we were in was rather nice as well, Partney, and we were also very luck with the weather in that although very cold, it didn't rain and we had sunshine.

We felt sorting her house out was a bit depressing and we have come away thinking that we really must sort out all the rubbish we have accumulated here and get things into some sort of order.  I started on that yesterday, but we do have quite a way to go.

On the good side it was nice to meet up again with Lynn, Dave and Sebastian - although perhaps the circumstances weren't the best for chatting!  The boys (i.e. Henry and Muffin) had a great time, dashing about full speed as much as they possibly could.

I only managed a couple of teeny weeny sketches, and they were a bit rubbishy.

Five hours mainland driving does not make for a very happy bunch of people.  It has taken us about 36 hours to get over that and the overall feeling of the whole week.

 I'm sure my laptop has a mind of its own.  As soon as I say I must do this in a hurry - nothing works!  I might have trouble uploading a couple of pictures, but if this is the case, I will work on them for next week.  Plein air painting on Monday was at Gurnard.  Cold and windy as expected but at least it was dry.

OK, so I got the photo in, but don't seem to be able to shrink it.  That will make a difference when I try and transfer any pictures onto the website.

I also managed to do an ink and wash drawing that I've been meaning to do for ages.

This is the picture I don't seem to be able to shink.  However, I will work on it.  I'm generally quite pleased with this.  Took a while, but that's ok.

Have been working on another watercolour, which so far hasn't really been working out.  Have to add a couple of things/try a couple of things, and see if that improves it.  

We're away tomorrow for five days, going to Lincolnshire.  Weather looks as though it might be chilly, but no rain forecast.  Will try and get some sketches in.

 Wow, another week of really really cold.  |However managed to get out on Monday for our Plein Air painting/sketching.  Went to Harvey Brown's in Arreton.  At least we had sunshine this time! Made all the different and the cake and coffee we good.  Good turnout, Elise, Mike, Pam and Patsy. 

I did do another one, but I am happy with this sketch because it's light and airy, as a sketch should be.  

Have managed to sort out some of my paintings file on the laptop.  Deleted quite a few, but managed to sort and put the rest in some sort of organised space.  Amazing for me.  Let's see if I can keep it up.

Finished the watercolour painting of Parkhurst Forest - OK with that as well.

As you can see, I did two and yes they are different.  I prefer the second one, and that's the one going on my website.

Looks as though we (that is Mike and I) may have a venue for Open Studios this summer.  Have to check out times etc.  I could be held at MADVIK in East Cowes.

Also have done some guoache practice and lots of drawing practice, with the aim of a full picture (I hope).

Swimming progressing ok.  Henry appears to have been a little depressed of late, but had a long exciting walk with him yesterday and now he's fine.  I think maybe he's just realise that Muffin is here to stay!  Muffin received a clean bill of health on Tuesday (at vast expense).  So all is good.

 Again really very very cold.  Looks like this weather is in to stay for a bit.  Still messing about with photos, learning all the time. When you move an image, the origianl stays in the original file.  No wonder I have about 6 million photos all with similar titles.  Job for today, try and sort it!

Monday saw us painting out in the freezing cold at the Causeway.  Fortunately we all brought a flask and were having our first warm drink after an hour.  I don't think we could have managed much more, but we followed the hour's painting with cake at the End of the Line in Freshwater. Pam was a bit late for the painting, but Mike, Elise and I all managed something.

I am not sure I really like this way of doing sketches and will probably not buy another book like this (oops jusst remembered I have one in the stash!), but the paper is good.

Working on some larger paintings at home.

I am in the process of doing another one of Parkhurst as I feel it could do with a better centre of interest.  However, it's nice to be using more paint!

Followed a paintalong which was supposed to be in gouache, but as I have only a few colours I mixed it was some watercolour as well.  Felt a bit out of control.

Looks like we will definitely have one or two dates to exhibit at Quarr in 2025, but still waiting to hear if we have any cancellations for this year.

Swimming is still progrressingk albeit slowly.  Generally feeling slightly more motivated than the last 18/24 months.  Let's hope that continues.

 My goodness it's cold today, and it looks as though we are likely to have a week of this.  On a positive note, at least it's not raining.

Monday's plein air was at the Lifeboat Pub, here in East Cowes.  Difficult one to get enthusiastic about, especially as it was a little on the dull side.

Just quick sketches from the veranda.

I finished the oil pastel, and decided one of the oil pastel sets I have just had to go.  It isn't smooth and leaves lots of bits.  So into the discard it's gone.

That inspired me to have a look at some of the art supplies I've acquired..... and I cleared out a few things I am just not going to use and don't like.

I started a watercolour painting, and had a problem getting it just the way I wanted it.  After the third attempt I think I've done it.

I'm going to call it Woodland Walk, Mottistone and stare at it for a few days to see if I'm happy with it.  If I am, then I will put it on my website.

Have also done a bit of red chalk, or Conte drawing, which I like.

Will be starting the gouache course soon, but in the meantime have to prepare some bits and bobs for a paintalong next Friday.

For swimming on Tuesday, I had a lane to myself.  Wonderful, and I think I made a bit more progress.  I don't particularly like swimming, but feel I should continue.

Perry has continued working on the boat.  Found a leak, and sorted that.  Appears it was due to stanchion base coming loose.  He's also managed to get in a couple of bike rides, although both times came back absolutely drenched.

Muffin is getting along ok with Henry, although he often doesn't like going out for a morning walk - probably because it's been raining.

Think tomorrow's painting may be a bit of a problem as the forecast is so cold.  Let's wait and see.