Pastels are a real hit in Southern Spain!

Fun in the sun with pastels in the mountain village of El Acebuchal with 'Paint Andalucia

What a  great art holiday in sunny Southern Spain we have just had recently with 'Paint Andalucia'!

A totally magical and enriching creative art holiday for all of us in so many different ways. Superb, positive impressions and experiences for us all of us. What a great place, what fun!

Here's a little about what we did...
On arrivals day in the village of Torrox it was wonderful to meet everyone coming from Ireland, Brighton and the Cotswolds,  all coming together for a fantastic painting experience in beautiful and scenic Southern Spain! 

Distant Frigiliana and the Mediterranean coast from the mountains near Torrox

Scenic view towards beautiful Torrox and the Andalucian mountains in Spain

Elegant beautiful Spanish architecture in the centre of Torrox

In the afternoon after everyone had settled into their lovely typical Spanish hotel just off the main square in the centre of the lovely village of Torrox, Vicki and Paul had arranged a lovely Spanish meal for everyone with one of the local restaurants. 

A great chance for everyone to start to really unwind and get to know each other and enjoy the first of many brilliant meals and tasty Spanish food to include our get together in the evening at another local restaurant in the main square before exploring Torrox further still.

Torrox - a delight to explore the quiet narrow streets and discover the hidden corners!

Old Torrox - beautiful, colourful, enchanting and above all, typically Spanish!

Religious icon - Torrox 

Torrox narrow streets towards the top of the village - fabulous!

After a leisurely breakfast we all met the following to be taken by Paul and Vicki to spend the day painting the beautiful Spanish scenery from their lovely home in the mountains near Torrox - a great location offering fantastic views towards the Mediterranean sea.

In the afternoon Vicki and Paul treated us all to some fantastic food they both lovingly prepared - delicious! In the late afternoon it was chill out time - quite literally as several of the group took the plunge in Vicki and Paul’s pool after creating their first wonderful pastel paintings - the hard work done!

Joan exploring pastel colour in a cool and shady spot at Vicki and Paul's Spanish mountain home 'Casa Maria'

Elizabeth and Helen having a great time painting the beautiful scenic mountain views at Vicki and Paul's home near Torrox

A great place to relax at Vicki and Paul's home after enjoying your painting before taking a dip in their pool

Every other day thereafter for the rest of the amazing pastel painting holiday was equally as fabulous. Our wonderful painting locations included mountain hideaways, hidden villages, an historical botanical garden (Jadin Botanico-Historco in the province of Malaga - a real hit with everyone).

Angela and Helen pastel painting the beautiful historic building and light and shade in the Jadin Botanico-Historco

The beautiful gardens of Jadin Botanico-Historco

All these fantastic painting locations where just a short drive away from the lovely village of Torrox. 

We were taken there in style taken from place to place by Vicki and Paul in their comfortable and air conditioned mini bus and 4 x 4  -  all the painting gear provided by Vicki and Paul safely stowed in the back!

Meg painting the serene garden fountain and pool in the beautiful gardens of Jadin Botanico-Historco

The work everyone created was absolutely great! It was an absolute joy for me to see just how everyone took to pastel painting (many their first time experience using this versatile media and indeed, venturing outdoors to paint too) at all the inspirational locations we visited.

Jenny and Angie exploring the colours in the light and shade from one of the many stylish historic iron bridges in the gardens of Jadin Botanico-Historco 

Tree roots in the Jadin Botanico-Historco - another great painting subject

Half way through our amazing pastel painting holiday we visited and spent the day in the beautiful and historical ‘hidden village’ of El Acebuchal deep in the Andalucian mountains near Torrox.

Painting in the 17 century Spanish hamlet of El Acebuchal

Everyone was hooked - especially as we pretty much had the place to ourselves painting in the wonderful village streets. Everyone created great pastel paintings late into the afternoon all before another well deserved sumptuous lunch in the local and popular village taverna. 

The food was amazing and all freshly prepared. A great way to finish the afternoon with tasty Spanish cuisine before a scenic drive back to Torrox!

Creativity in the mountains of Spain. Everyone bringing their pastel paintings together

A quiet corner of the lovely village of El Acebuchal 

El Acebuchal - really beautiful and not a tourist in sight!

Mountain olives at Canuelo

As part of our art holiday we'd organised for everyone an exclusive visit to the superb mountain hideaway 'Canuelo' near Torrox. in the cool shade of the local olive trees and from the terraces of  this quiet and amazing mountain hamlet the views where spectacular - no wonder everyone created such good work!

Show time! Great to see everyone's paintings all together like this - great results each and every day!

Old Torrox - all things bright and beautiful and perfect painting subjects too!

Old town garden balconies in Torrox

Not forgetting Torrox itself, (which we explored on our second to last day) sketching and drawing soaking up the Spanish way of life in the different outdoor cafe bars in quiet pretty village squares, this was a great time to spend together again as another fabulous painting day - this time everyones drawing skills, not just their pencils!

Shared experiences

It was a real privilege to teach everyone lots of new and exciting things with pastels, make new friends, get to know one another and have a great time too on this wonderful relaxing art holiday. A real privilege to be the 'new tutor' for 'Paint Andalucia' and help create such a well thought of and successful art holiday for everyone. 

Everyone told me they learnt lots of new and exciting pastel techniques and I must say, I thought everyone's work was just great! 

On our final night we ended this great art holiday with another amazing meal at Vicki and Paul's home in the hills having fun and enjoying the last of the Spanish sun as it set over the mountains. 

Thanks!
Finally a big thanks to the amazing organisation from Paul and Vicki who were there every step of the way for all of us. We could not have asked for more! 

There is no doubt, a weeks painting with Paint Andalucia in Southern Spain is like no other! A fabulous art holiday for everyone in all sorts of positive ways! I'm already looking forward to coming back again next year to help everyone to feel recharged, energised and indeed...inspired!

Your next Spanish painting adventure or 2017

Roll on to 23 - 30 June 2017 for our next Expressive Pastel Painting holiday with 'Paint Andalucia' in southern Spain!

For further details about this fabulous Summer Spanish painting holiday for 2017 please visit

http://paint-andalucia.com/events/8-day-painting-holiday-in-torrox-23-30-june-2017/

Success with seascape workshops at Sandpiper Studio!

Meet the team! Proud students show their wonderful mixed media expressive seascape paintings at the end of a fantastic two day painting workshop at Sandpiper Studio on the Wirral

What a superb weekend workshop we all had together  17-18 June last month at Sandpiper Studio in the Wirral!

It was an absolute thrill to teach so many enthusiastic and skilful artists from around Cheshire, Merseyside and beyond lots of different contemporary mixed media techniques over two days of wonderful creative painting.

A fantastic painting weekend for everyone - a joy to teach such an enthusiastic and responsive group of students. Roll on the next!

Professional artist Julie McLean (owner of Sandpiper Studio) went the extra mile (as always) to create a wonderful 2 day painting break for everyone in her wonderful studio at Foxes Farm and Riding School in Ledsham, South Wirral to include tasty buffet meals each day too.

Great loose ink and watercolour techniques explored

Encouraging the friendly group of students to work ‘large’ and enjoy really loose big brushwork with watercolour, gouache and acrylic inks together with gestural pastel strokes, everyone's mixed media paintings quickly took shape.

Bringing the paintings together - lots of wonderful expressive layers in all directions...even vertically!

It was an amazing teaching experience meeting lots of keen students in two full classes each day sharing and teaching contemporary mixed media skills with everyone.

Everyone enjoyed the workshops so much that already they are thinking about booking with me again and come back next year for yet more creative adventures at Sandpiper studio.

That's the way to do it! Loose atmospheric seascape painting - fabulous!

New mixed media workshop dates advised for 2017!
Expressive moors and mountains 3 - 4 March 2017
(watercolour, gouache, acrylic ink and pastel)

Expressive coast and cliffs 17 - 18 November 2017
(watercolour, gouache, acrylic ink and pastel)

If you'd like to know more about next years 2 day expressive painting workshops I'll be teaching at Sandpiper studio why not give Julia a ring on 07788 412 480 or email her at

info@thesandpiperstudio.co.uk to find out more.

Full details are listed on Sandpiper Studio website too at http://www.thesandpiperstudio.co.uk/

Derwent do it again with XL Blocks

Expressive seascape painting/drawing using XL Graphite and Charcoal Blocks filmed and featured on Derwent's website in their Derwent Academy. They are an absolute joy to use - wet and dry!

An exciting opportunity to work with 'Derwent' art materials happened recently - I got the chance to use their wonderful XL Graphite and Charcoal Blocks and be filmed during the process helping to show just how darn good they are!

The final dvd (filmed by very gifted and independent award winning film maker John Hamlett from 'Lunar') will be featured, pride of place on the ever popular Derwent website in their Derwent Art Academy very soon. 

Moorland 'advance techniques' painting using Derwent XL Charcoal Blocks. Anything is possible with these amazing painting tools and this painting may take any number of directions yet still! 

Close up of the moorland painting created using Derwent XL Charcoal. A beautiful, quick and responsive medium that works brilliantly when dry or wet for expressive drawing and painting techniques.

The Derwent Academy shows many different artists demonstrating different techniques so well worth exploring. All featured artists using Derwent's high quality art products are at the top of their game so it was a real honour to be filmed showing my techniques to inspire you all.

During the full days filming shoot at Derwent's studio close to Keswick (the lovely and historic Lakeland market town in the Western Fells), we covered lots of interesting techniques featuring exciting and expressive drawing subjects covering landscape and seascape compositions.

Two of the films help beginners understand the fundamental creative techniques possible using the unique Derwent XL Blocks (Graphite and Charcoal XL Blocks) whilst the other two short dvd's cover more advanced techniques (again with Graphite and Charcoal XL Blocks) showing the full versatility of these exciting, art products.

To discover just how easy and exciting these amazing art products are to use (especially for expressive drawing and painting) you just have to try them for yourselves!

For further details about XL Graphite and Charcoal Blocks visit 

http://www.pencils.co.uk/en/gb/4424/xl-graphite-blocks

http://www.pencils.co.uk/en/gb/4425/xl-charcoal-blocks

The XL Charcoal and XL Graphite Block inspirational dvd's will be released soon on Derwent's website. Keep you posted!

XL Charcoal and XL Graphite Blocks available form leading art supplies.

For more information about John Hamlett and his company 'Lunar' please visit www.lunar.co.uk

A full year...in just 6 minutes!

Whenever I get the opportunity to paint outdoors I head for the hills - well the Pennine fells to be precise, particularly those in the south Pennines in the areas around Kirklees near Huddersfield - whatever the season!

This amazing, atmospheric and dramatic location has been the inspiration for a film we have recently created celebrating the beauty of the South Pennines with me painting with pastel and paint in all four seasons, rain, wind, sun, snow and of course 'mizzle'!

There are so many inspirational painting subjects in the south pennines we were hard pushed to select just the few for our 6 minute film packing all four seasons into 6 minutes of compelling watching as I 'worked my magic' across the Canson watercolour and pastel papers. 

Graphite was chosen for the Winter work high above Diggle and close to Milnsbridge in Huddersfield creating en plein air studies for the exciting studio paintings (featured) dripping tipping and pouring paint - Jackson Pollock most certainly influential!

The Pennine hills hold a major attraction - old abandoned farms and hamlets and weathered ruins that stand sentinel over the landscape as the harsh weather year by year batters away at the very fabric of each - but still they remain, never giving up. For that alone they just have to be painted!

Pennine gritstone walls that intertwine and stretch for miles across the landscape up and down dale but all too often feel the force of nature until they eventually collapse and are absorbed by nature once more. 

It is through these gaps I found a place to shelter to paint my view high above the Pennine village of Diggle nestling in the Valley with huge fells towering above with names such as 'The Big Rough'. How Northern is that!

Deep in the Pennines valleys the mill towns fare better. The old mills still remain but many have lost their industrial voices only to become all spruced up and made into new and modern apartments. Modern and old side by side - another visual feast for the artist as cubic and linear forms interlace in all directions. Yet more great and fascinating drawing and painting subjects!

I feel really connected to the land here  - not least because I have northern routes and feel I really do know it. My drawings and paintings created in the Pennines outside within this landscape make me explore and understand to an even greater depth this landscape I'm so compelled to work with as you'll see in the film.

Other artists I've had the absolute privilege to work with include David Blackburn O.B.E. (from Huddersfield) from whom I learnt a great deal. For his vision, creative wisdom and encouragement I will be forever indebted. Many of the places I have revisited in this film were places I went to with him.

Fellow artisan Richard Littlewood (a very gifted photographer from Huddersfield and personal friend of both of us) also knew David well. Richard has branched out into film making and knows the South Pennines really well. it was a real privilege to work with him on this film.

Richard grew up in Huddersfield so his knowledge of the area made the film even better and extra special! 

Richard and I feel the South Pennine landscape is one to spend time within, absorb, admire, respect, listen too and really 'feel' - hence the need to express all of this in our film celebrating the beauty of this amazing landscape.

So here it is, our creative vision of the Pennines - grab the popcorn, sit back and enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_WUKgjEUpk

For more information about Richard Littlewood's creative photography and film making visit http://www.richard-littlewood.com/

To see David Blackburn's amazing pastel paintings and creativity visit http://www.davidblackburn.org/

Popular Canson paper at Patchings

Drawing into wet ink with Derwent XL Graphite Blocks

Just returned from Patchings Art, Craft and Photography Show near Calverton, Nottingham and had four excellent days demonstrating for Canson and Tindells art Shops with Jamie and his lovely wife and all the other collegues in this friendly and really professional team. A really rewarding experience for all!

A big thank you of course to the Canson team I had the pleasure to work with once again - Alexa and Christophe Renard for their hospitality and support in every way during this great event  and a chance to work with pastelist and fellow UK Ambassador Les Darlow on the Canson stand too.

Team Canson at Patchings

Patchings provided a wonderful opportunity as well to share my skills with budding artists, fellow professional artists and art club members from all over the country showing lots of new and exciting techniques in my demonstrations on the Canson stand using several of their top class fine art papers. 

Explaining why and showing how Canson Moulin du Roy 300gsm (140lb) 'Hot Pressed' (smooth) 100% rag content watercolour paper works brilliantly for both drawing, with graphite, charcoal, inks, pastel and gouache because all those things were used in the painting!

Cutting deep into the paper surface with heavy 'sgraffito' techniques on Canson Moulin du Roy 300gsm (140lb) 'Hot Pressed' (smooth) 100% rag content watercolour paper. Try that with wood pulp papers...if you dare!

Ink washes applied over all those lovely drawn and scratched marks and explaining why. The perfect foundation for expressive painting and drawing

As a UK Ambassador for Canson it was a real privilege to show just how versatile Canson Mi-Tientes 'Touch', Moulin du Roy 300 gsm/140lb 'not', 'rough' and 'hot pressed' can be for all sorts of creative explorations. 

In my continual demos I used  coloured mixed media, black and white mixed media, pastel and watercolour techniques and so much more on these wonderful papers. They really do inspire confidence for all with an expressive painterly approach to include the brand new Amsterdam Acrylic aerosol paints  - really exciting to use and reviewed in use by me in full later in the year for in 'The Artist' magazine. Look out for that!

The Canson stand at Patchings

Above is the last pastel painting (one of 3 major show pieces I did that day) presented on the easel. A few quiet moment to add those finishing touches at the end of our first very busy day. That's just how popular Canson papers are folks! 

The perfect choice - Canson papers, every time!

Another happy customer on the Canson paper stand

Try before you buy...and buy they do!

Canson MI-Tientes 'Touch' 350gsm is one of my favourite papers - its just so versatile! This particular painting 'Last light, Wastwater, Cumbria' was a real thrill to demonstrate on the Canson stand on day 1. 

Close up of the woodland tree study - such great paper, so many layers are truly possible on this versatile paper.

Almost there...and because I was I know how it 'felt', not just 'looked' in such 

an inspirational woodland setting at Rydal Hall, this mixed media painting was all the better for it!

Thanks to all who came and watched me work and for the genuine interest in my art classes, workshops, art holidays in the UK and Spain (to include 'Paint Andalucia and Dalvaro Art) and thanks too for the interest from all the art clubs and individuals who came to see us and watch me demonstrate for future bookings for your next programmes. I'll be thrilled to come and meet you all again and teach you where you are.

One seascape mixed media done (and on display in the browser file)...another just started. They sure are a keen audience at Patchings to learn new things!

The audience has me on my knees again - and it's only day two! 

Mixed media was used during the event so, in my typical layering and expressive painting fashion, the audience had me on my knees once again as you can see!

Typical black and white mixed media art materials to include XL Derwent Charcoal Blocks, Rembrandt pastels, Compressed Charcoal, Nitram Charcoal, Liquitex ink applied with big and long haired brushes

Nitam charcoal, Derwent XL Graphite and Charcoal Blocks, Liquitex Acrylic black and white Inks, Unison Colour pastels, Rembrandt pastels...and so much more were used in the black and white paintings and then when coloured mixed media was put into action too...well, there was so much buzz then on the Canson stand it was almost palatable!

Here's a couple of those mixed media paintings created at different stages of development for everyone.  Sorry they are not finished as I'm not a '3 paintings in 2 hours kind of guy'. But, look out for them in future issues of 'The artist' magazine (since I regularly contribute to this great magazine) featuring lots of different creative approaches, subjects and so on as they are bound to feature.

I managed to have a bit of a break on occasion during the show and have the thrill to hold and admire this beautiful Eagle Owl on my arm in a moment of calm. Thanks to the lady who took the photo and thanks to 'Falcons at Laxton' too for that wonderful experience. 
(falconsatlaxton@yahoo.co.uk Tel:01623 824020).

Just brilliant! Another real highlight of the show for me and a perfect reminder of the expressive mixed media wildlife work I have yet to finish for another future article for 'The Artist' magazine.

The next big major art event is 'Art in Action' in Oxford 14 - 17 July '16 and l will be demonstrating for Canson once again at this exciting art event. 

Come on down and I will show you lots more new and exciting ways of painting on the Canson papers. It's going to be another fabulous experience for those who come and visit us! See you there!

http://www.artinaction.org.uk/