Valerie Stewart Seminar in the UK

We've some Valerie Stewart news........ Today I collected the Valerie Stewart portrait paints and brush sets. You'll now find them available on my supplies page and they are ready for immediate despatch from the UK with no additional taxes or duty to pay. I can highly recommend the brushes, I have both sets in my own private brush collection and both types are great work-horses. On another matter, we've had to change the dates of the Valerie Stewart 2010 UK seminar. Valerie was originally scheduled to come here at the end of April, beginning of May. She very recently had some exciting news, delivered in quite an unusual way. Valerie's daughter sent her a photo of little Haydn, her grand-daughter. Nothing unusual about that, except Haydn was wearing a t-shirt which said 'Big Sister......' on the front. It was the back view of the t-shirt that caused uproar as it said '...........coming May 2010' Fortunately Valerie and I have managed to reschedule the classes and they will be going ahead in June 2010 instead. Everyone who has paid their deposits have been contacted already on this matter and full refunds will be given to anyone who cannot make the new dates. The new dates are 3rd June to 6th June 2010 inclusive. If you're interested in learning to oil paint portraits with Valerie, do have a look at the details HERE

Floral DVD - one of the best

There's one thing that my supply list has been missing........and that is a GOOD floral DVD. Finally, I can bring you one of the very best on the market. Not only that, it's available right now from the UK. Lowell Speers is renowned for his beautiful and extremely life like roses. Lowell is one of Alexander Art's Master Artists and when you view his work you'll see why he carries that prestige. The DVD covers over 100 minutes of floral techniques. It weill show you how to apply medium, both white and black. You'll see an extensive range of leaves and stems being created in easy step by step stages. The best comes last.......the flowers. With a very varied selection of blooms you'll fall in love with the attention paid to reality. From this single DVD you'll be set up for some considerable time. I've just opened a shopping basket for this DVD and you can find it by clicking HERE. I don't think anyone will regret adding this to their DVD collection.

Old friends

A couple of weeks ago I had a visit from students who are more like long lost friends than customers. They first started painting with me a few years ago, travelling all the way from York. It was great to catch up with all the news and chat, and of course, it's the first time they've seen me since I lost all the weight too, so they had a very new-style Sue teaching them today. They left with a goodie bag of Victoria Sponge, Cheese Scones and Cinnamon Fruit Loaf, (well it stops me being tempted). I'll be seeing them again in class tomorrow where they will be swapping from the acrylics and Pop Art to more wet on wet traditional oil painting. After this re-union I caught up with another student who I haven't seen since 2007. It was great to catch up on news, but most importantly, we'll went over the ins and outs of becoming an Alexander Instructor. Fingers crossed we'll have another member from Europe enrolling on the course.

Not like yours.......

'Oh Bu**er! My tree is wrong, it's got a bend in it. My hand shook, I've ruined it! What to do? It's not like yours..........' That's the comments from Cynthia, a recent private student. My tree was pole straight, hers had a nifty little kink to it and I actually much preferred hers to mine. See what you think?

Worth a look

I'd like to draw your attention to a chap from Ohio. David Steffy is an oil painting instructor, who, with some encouragement has launched an independant website. David has been sharing his work for some time on my FORUM and his input has been valuable to all. You see, David has developed a new concept with the wet on wet, incorporating biblical characters into his compositions. Recently he completed a rather large composition and showed his half way progress so we could comment. The picture in question is not only magnificent, it is also a fund raising charity painting. I'm sure you will join me in wishing David all the best with this. Do pop over and give him a visit, you won't be disappointed. CLICK HERE and if you have 5 minutes, do give his website some feedback by signing his guestbook.

Facebook

Facebook is really becoming a hugely popular social networking application. I was introduced to it a couple of years ago when Alan's daughter & partner went jet setting for a year. It was a great way of keeping in touch and especially viewing the many photos of their travels. There's many games available, some addictive and some just plain silly. Lots of fun quizzes to try too. It seems Facebook is THE place to be these days. A few weeks ago, thanks to Facebook, I've taken 3 class bookings, booked tickets for a Pink Floyd show, had a real good giggle with some overseas friends and have been communicating with a couple of pals that I'd lost touch with some 15 years ago. Doesn't the internet make the world a much smaller place?

A popular subject

Bamburgh Castle really has been a popular little painting these last 3 months. It's the most demanded 'private' painting subject too. My equipment has been set up for 4 consecutive private lessons - all of them are for Bamburgh Castle. I'm really getting quite a collection of these paintings, creating a new one each time I teach it. I'll have to put them on sale I think. I was delighted to hear that one of my students recently entered her version of Bamburgh Castle in a competition. She came 3rd in the contest with a professional artist taking both 1st and 2nd place. She's thrilled to bits with the result and I am very proud of her. Well done to Maxine, here's her painting.