BABY FACE - Pencil Study 101 Invited Artists Exhibition at the Maclaurin

Baby Face 15cm x 20cm

copyright 2009 Elizabeth McCrindle

As I said in a previous post I'll be exhibiting in the 101 Invited Artists at the Maclaurin this month. As well as exhibiting our two paintings we were asked if each of the artists taking part would also do a thumbnail which would be sold to help with the continuing refurbishment and upgrading of the Galleries. This little pencil study is my contribution, had a lovely afternoon and I have to say theraputic one. It's been a long time since I've done any pencil work and I think the change did me a bit of good.....might do some more. By the way the card was supplied by the Maclaurin I would have done it on the reverse side which was white but there was mark on it so that put paid to that. All the pieces are being placed on a board and those attending the opening will have to guess who the artist is........as we were asked to sign them on the back. Think I might be a dead give away as I'm probably the only artist taking part who paints horses :))

FOR JANE AUGENSTEIN.......sorry not Tom

Sorry Jane haven't been able to find Tom....yet......swoon. But if I remember correctly from your Blog Seabiscuit is one of your favourite films. This is a photo of Seabiscuit with Red Pollard up before a work out. It was a gift from a friend not sure if it's original but it is on photo paper....no matter I love it and I'm sure it will give you some pleasure as well :)

101 INVITED ARTISTS EXHIBITION AT THE MACLAURIN GALLERIES

Snow on Rough Grasses Acrylic 8x8 £250- SOLD

Flowers in the Meadow Acrylic 8x8 £250- SOLD

These are the two paintings that I will be exhibiting in the 101 Invited Artists Exhibition at the Maclaurin Galleries the exhibition is being presented by The Friends of the Maclaurin. I will be very honoured to be exhibiting in amongst some of Scotlands finest artists including Murial Barclay, George Birrell, Pam Carter, George Devlin RSW RGI RBA ROI ARWS FRSA, Marion Drummond, Peter Howson, Charles Jamieson MFA PAI PPAI, James Orr, Jacqueline Orr RSW, Glen Scouller RSW RGI, Helen Turner PAI PPAI and Jim Wylie. It promises to be an excellant exhibition and will run from the 21st March till the 19th April. The Gallery sits in Rozelle Park in a beautiful setting and is well worth a visit. You can have a stroll through the parkland, view the art and finish off in the tearoom which serves delicious home made baking.....just great for the waistline :))

IT'S IN THE EYES..........mark two

Ok first image was really bugging me so had another shot at it and this is much closer in colour, not perfect but closer.......feel better now lol

IT'S IN THE EYES....

Sorry but at the moment this looks more like a blue Labrador than a black one combination of my camera and monitor I think.....well actually I know cos it don't look that blue on the easel. This is the one that I had hoped to have on Monday but scrapped as it wasn't doing anything for me, this one is different knew the minute the eyes went in that things were going to go well...off course there's time yet :). Getting back to the eyes its what appealed to me right from the start about this young Lab she has the most soulful eyes, for everyone not just her owner. Met her last year at a local show where she and some other gundogs were giving a demonstration. When I'm painting portraits eyes are the first thing I do....I go back to them as the portrait developes but if I've cracked the eyes it becomes personal to me and then everything else just seems to fall into place. Hopefully will get a bit more done this evening but probably won't finish it........I do so envy those who can consistantly finish a painting a day.

Hope your having fun with your art whereever you are :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk

NOTHING NEW TODAY

Shadows on the Corn Acrylic 8x8 SOLD

Overgrown Acrylic 16x16 SOLD


Blanket of Bluebells Acrylic 16x16 SOLD

Was hoping to post a new painting today but sadly wasn't to be. Had everything prepared sat myself down to do a small painting of a Labrador but it seemed the more I tried the worse it got. So finally admited defeat and called it a day........some days it just ain't there :(

Had a look at some of my favourite blogs and enjoyed looking at the new photograph's that Jane Augenstein has posted today. Jane is getting weary for Spring so I've posted some paintings I did couple of years back....just for Jane and everyone else who is looking in :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

SNOW ON ROUGH GRASSES ACRYLIC 8X8 £250-

Snow on Rough Grasses Acrylic 8x8 £250-

will be on exhibition at next months 101 Exhibition at the Maclaurin Galleries

Straight from the easel I spent a relaxing couple of hours this morning painting this little snow scape. Really enjoy doing these small impressionistic paintings, it's not that I don't enjoy doing the commissions of horses, dog's e.t.c but these feel a little like playing hookie. Took the reference photos on the country walk that I take my dogs in the morning and I didn't really think they were that good, but then they don't have to be. It is amazing what your brain remembers. It was the way the snow was hanging on the the rough grass and brambles that grow alongside the path the caught my imagination. I haven't quite managed to catch the sparkle it gave off but every painting is a learning curve and the promise that maybe next time you'll find the way to capture it.
Enjoy your painting where ever you are :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

MEMORIES......

The Old Boys 8x8 Acrylic sold

This is a study of Clydesdales I painted few years ago....I was reminded of it this morning after reading Judy Woods wonderful art photograhy blog and seeing her lovely photographs of this breed of heavy horse which orginated from Clydeside in Scotland. Sadly we don't see too many of them in the fields these days. I remember when I was a little girl and my parents used to take my brother and I to Barassie beach in the summer evenings. On the way home he always came back through Gailes so that I could see the fields of Clydesdales and their foals. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the Stud Farm but it was a treat just to stand at the gate and watch them. Before long curiosity would get the better of them and they would amble over dropping their huge heads to my level........ahh those were the days.

The study itself was done at one of the Ploughing Competitions that still goes on with enthusiasts of the breed....if my memory is right this was at Mossgiel Farm outside Mauchline where the poet Robert Burns once lived and if memory also serves me he wrote the poem 'To a Mouse' after turning over a mouse nest with his plough. Thanks for the memories Judy :))

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THE OPENING 8X8 ACRYLIC £250- SOLD

The Opening 8x8 Acrylic £250- includes s/h worldwide

Available from my website SOLD

Really enjoyed working on this one capturing the play of light on the snow and the shadows caused by the rutted ground in the gateway. It was quite precarious getting the reference photos because the gritters hadn't been out and the road was sheet ice. It's quite a sharp bend and it slopes in towards the gate, was fun...NOT...lol. Added some colour with the strands of grass peeping out that and gate and fence posts adds a little interest. Snow's all gone now apart from the odd smattering but still have a few ideas so you probably haven't seen the end of the white stuff on this blog :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

EXHIBITS FOR ABERFELDY GALLERY SPRING EXHIBITION

These are the paintings I've decided to exhibit at the Spring Exhibition in the Aberfeldy Gallery. It's a lovely gallery in the beautiful Perthshire countryside. The exhibition doesn't open until 4th April but they need to know whats coming so that it can be cataloged and they need images for their website and the invitations. I'm hoping for a lovely sunny spring day for the drive up. They call it the Gateway to the Highlands and on a good day it's breathtaking but then even on a bad day it still catches your breath :))

Hidden Post 12x12 Acrylic £350- SOLD

Summer Haze 6x6 £120-


Summer Flourish 16x16 £500-

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THE OPENING......

The Opening 8x8 Acrylic

I know promised a snow scene today but as usual things happen outwith your control and I only managed to sit at the easel for about half an hour. So sorry but another work in progress but it is a snow scene...sheepish grin. Ain't promising...I've learnt my lesson but fingers crossed it'll be finished tomorrow :))


http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

LEMONADE AWARD

Must be my lucky week another award this time from Gail Ragsdale too whom I am very grateful I have to pass this on to 10 deserving bloggers so at the moment I have my thinking cap on as there are so many deserving of it.

Yesterday I was moaning that I had to look out old reference photos so I would be able to start work on a snow scene. Well sadly the snow scene didn't materialise as when I work this morning we were covered by a blanket of snow, so I've been out with the camera getting new images.....and having just a little bit of fun with the white stuff. Board is primed sitting on the easel to start tomorrow.

http://e-mccrindleart.co.uk

WHAT A SURPRISE

What a surprise it was yesterday to come on and discover that Jane Augenstein had nominated me as one of her seven favourite art blogs. When I see some of the wonderful art that bloggers are doing I feel very honoured to be singled out in this way especially as I feel I've only been here five minutes and have a long ways to go too catch up. Thank you Jane :-)
Sadly haven't managed much painting done well none that I can publish, I am working on the brother of Silver By Nature (an earlier posting), another grey called Hurricane Jack. But as it's a commission it's only fair that Mr B should get first look. Hopefully will have something to publish tomorrow planning a snow scene from earlier reference photos as this little corner of the UK seems to have been the only area not to get snow.......sad thing when you live in the frozen North and you have to conjour up snow paintings with the help of old reference photos lol.
Well as I understand I now have to name seven things I love and then name seven favourite blogs so here goes....in no particular order.......
1. My family sadly more have gone on than are here but I love them dearly.
2. My close friends who I also love dearly and are the family I got to pick...smile.
3. My horses the beautiful Tara who greets me with a warm hello every day, her side kick Dougal who more than most goes under the name of the Devil Incarnate constantly causes havoc but can e so sweet butter wouldn't melt.
4. Rio or to give her her proper title Classy Lady my first horse who has crossed the Rainbow Bridge but remains in my heart.
5. Joshua and Spike my dogs two tiny fur balls with the hearts of a Lion Rampant.
6. The countryside which is my inspiration if I have artist block.
7. My art, I couldn't function with out it.

Favourite Blogs.....there are so much more than seven...
1. JUDE BATES
2. ANIMAL ART ADVENTURES
3. LINDA SHANTZ EQUINE AND ANIMAL ART
4. IN PLEIN AIR
5. BLACK ON GREY ON WHITE
6. DAILY ART WEST
7. DAILY PAINTINGS

Where ever you are enjoy your art :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

EAGER - Portrait of a Foxhound 12 x 10 Oil on Board SOLD

Eager - portrait of a Foxhound 12 x 10 oil on board £350- SOLD

Finished at last....I think :). Sometimes think you could go on and on and it would never be done, so at times you just have to say that's it. Sadly no matter how I try I can't get the colours exact to the original don't know whether that's the camera or the photographer.

Now you would think that with Scotland being in the North we would be knee deep in snow today but no, while the rest of the country is shovelling the white stuff we got a flurry of the stuff. There was me this morning all set after listening to weather forecast last night telling us the whole of the UK would a white out. Looks like I'm going to have to look through my photo archives for the snow scene I was eager to start.

Happy paintings where ever you are :))

http://e-mccrindleart.co.uk/

PATH OF THE STREAM - ACRYLIC 6X6

Path of the Stream 6x6 Acrylic £120- includes s/h

Available from my website

I painted 'The Path of the Stream' after my walk with the dogs this morning so it couldn't be more freshly off the easel. Although I hasten too add it's from photographs taken in the summer of last year (still feels odd saying last year) it looks nothing like that in this morning's freezing temperature. The stream or burn as we call them here in Scotland flows under an old railway bridge, its been many years since a train has crossed it and is now re-surfaced and is used by walkers, runners, people on bicycles and riders. I usually have a little stop here much to the annoyance of the dogs, not because I've stopped walking but because they can't see what I'm looking at lol. What I'm looking at varies from day to day and season to season this morning it was a heron who startled me as much I him. He had been standing in close to the bridge and when my head and shoulders appeared over the side he took off in quite a flurry of activity. He landed quite a bit away but even at the distance I could feel his beady eye fixed on me. Anyway for some reason that reminded me of these photographs and I have to say I turned back to get to the easel when it was fresh in my mind.....that also annoyed the dogs lol.

Have had three invitations for Spring Exhibitions so really is time to buckle down and create new work. The first opens on the 21st March at the Maclaurin Galleries and is an exhibtion of 101 Scottish artists, then its the Torrance Gallery in Edinburgh on 27th March and then The Aberfeldy Gallery on the 4th April so the new year has started.

Happy paintings where ever you are :))

http://www.e-mccrindleart.co.uk