‘Moving On’ completed. 6 April 2016

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4 different images were involved in this piece and then I used my imagination to work out what I wanted to portray. For me it is a woman kicking up a splash as she metaphorically moves on from some situation in her life, be it a relationship issue, a job situation, or perhaps kicking back against ageing; as always the viewer can make up his or her mind. The painting of the shadows in the background was deliberate, as was the light shining on the water. I had originally wanted to paint another swimming pool scene, but as the painting evolved, decided there was more depth (!) in a sea water painting than in a swimming pool, which is man made. Having said that, I wonder if the ‘man made’ idea would have worked better for a relationship issue of Moving On. Ah well, too late. I have started my next painting, which is going to be a blonde woman brushing her hair set in half light. I want this to complement my ‘Waiting, Wishing ‘Wanting’ work as I think a pair of women, one with dark hair, one with light, would work well – and the dark frame on…

‘Moving On’ Week Two. 30 March 2016

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So, Week two of this piece and I am thinking more about the story behind this painting. What started as a bit of fun, leading on from my last first attempt at water, ‘Dolce Vita’ (on the website Recent Work) has begun to develop a bit of a story and got legs, as it were (!). The sky is darkening, which is emphasising the light on the water. I can’t wait to put more detail into this light, but have to be patient and wait for the paint to dry. This could be a metaphor for the woman’s life, emerging from a troubled past into a bright future, hence her kicking up the splashes of water, which will add vivacity to the work. Again, I have to wait to paint these essential dashes of white to the water, so hopefully next week will see this sorted. Alternatively, it could just be a woman enjoying being by the water, showing off her shoes – you the viewer can decide. I am a great advocate of strong women, happy in their own skin. I am working up the water now and should be able to give it more definition by next week,…

‘Moving On’ Week 1, 23 March 2016

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Last week a small painting of a pair of legs set over swimming pool water featured in the Blog and received a very positive response. I feel I want to paint more along these lines, hence the new work above, which is a little larger. I loved painting the water and as followers of my Blog will know, I always like painting female legs, but would like to have a bit more of a narrative theme to this piece. The title ‘Moving On’ is because I feel this woman wants to move on, start again, possibly from a failed relationship and she is going to kick up the water – making a bigger splash. There will be much more light to this painting as I work it up, more white highlights to make the splashing etc. There will be more light on the horizon, shimmering on the water, which looks a bit obvious, but I would like this to be a positive painting. There is darkness on the horizon as well, but the light is breaking through and the woman is, I think, happy to kick up the water. There will be more lighter tones on the water, but I…

‘La Dolce Vita’ 16 March 2016

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This is a relatively small piece, oil on block canvas, 8 x 10 x 1.5 inches (20 x 25 x 4 cm) One of my followers on Twitter sent me a link to a competition in The Hamptons, NY where water was the theme. I was interested until I saw I only had about two weeks till the deadline and had decided this was impossible. However I thought to myself, are you man or mouse? You CAN do this, so I did, hence the smaller than usual size. I have really enjoyed painting water, a first for me, and with the little time available, I realised I could not put a whole figure into the piece as flesh tones are notoriously difficult to get right (for me at least), so decided on legs only. Add the trademark red shoes in, and I am very pleased with the result. Even I do not get into the competition, it has pointed me in a new direction as I now want to paint a larger piece involving water and a whole female figure, with or without the red shoes…. Please have a look at www.opperandwebb.com to see more of my work. I shall…

‘That Friday Feeling’ completed and available to buy. 9 March 2016

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‘Art is not what you see, but what you make others see’. Edgar Degas This is one of my favourite quotes and what I am always trying to achieve with these narrative, figurative works. I am painting what I personally see, but I know and hope you, the viewer, will make up your own mind as to what is happening in the painting. I used to paint solely portrait commissions, but discovered I was more interested in painting a story with my own interpretation stamped on it. I have finished the above piece with some alterations in the final week. I have simplified the area around the three glasses, painting out the purse and a glass to the left of the painting, both of which I felt added nothing to the overall composition. Best of all, for me, is adding what my tutor used to call ‘spirited touches’, my own additions of colour right at the end; so a touch of the orange here and there and splashes of the turquoise on the leather jacket, the table and in the hair etc, all of which pull the composition together. Next week I shall be putting up a small piece I…

‘That Friday Feeling’ week 3. 2 March 2016

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The first thing I see as I look at this photographic image of my painting is that the girl looks as if she has a beard, something I didn’t notice from looking at the actual painting, and which will be sorted by next week 🙂 As an artist, I get so absorbed in the painting of the piece that sometimes I just do not see the wood from the trees as I am too involved in the creating of the work and I am sure other artists will identify with this. This is when the camera is such a good tool. Taking a photo of the work will show up any areas that need resolving and which have not been noticed before. Strange how this works, but it just does. It’s the same when I hold up the painting to a mirror or just hold it upside down, any points needing to be sorted out are shown up instantly. I hesitate to use the word ‘mistakes’ as that involves negative connotations and I have had enough of negativity… We artists are sensitive souls at the best of times, so we don’t need negativity thrown at us! Looking forward to getting…

‘That Friday Feeling’ Week 2. 17 Feb 2016

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I am beginning to add depth to the painting starting with changing the green shade of the walls subtly and then incorporating that shade into all the other colours; in the flesh of the girl’s arm in the foreground, in the glasses for the Margaritas ( or are they Mojitos ) and in the wood of the background seating, etc. It is amazing how, by doing that, the whole painting starts to come together, unifying the composition. I spent years painting individual parts of a painting separately, compartmentalising them, and the end result was a piece that to me, lacked form and seemed static. I always seem to find my way the long way round, but I am getting there with this work and I particularly like the vibrant colours in this scene. Most people will identify with that Friday feeling, of finishing work and sitting in a bar, restaurant etc., with friends relaxing over a glass of wine and looking forward to the weekend ahead. Next week the detail starts; in the meantime if you would like to be kept up to date with what I am up to in the future, please sign up for my Newsletter at…

‘That Friday Feeling Again’ New Work week 1. 10 Feb 2016

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I lived in Cape Town for five years until fairly recently and one of my favourite haunts was a Mexican restaurant called Panchos in Observatory’ where I discovered the pleasure of Margaritas big time. It was, and still is, a vibrant area and this restaurant is right in the middle of it. I saw these two girls there one Friday night, enjoying their evening, eating their Tacos, drinking Margaritas and I just thought it would make a great painting. I have kept this photo till now and am ready, hopefully to do it justice. I am not a fan of the colour green usually, for some reason, but this vibrant shade on the wall just has to be kept in, as it touches and adds colour to so much around it, the glasses, the jacket, the hair and even the flesh. The painting would lose a lot and become boring without this rich colour. So be it! Do sign up for my Newsletter at the top of the Home Page if you would like to be kept up to date with what I am up to. I will be showing my work at the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead, London…

‘Christmas is SO over’ completed. 3 Feb 2016

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Completed and happy at last…. I have so enjoyed the composition of this piece. It is a restful pose, very peaceful, although I am not sure how many women keep their shoes on to read their book. My shoes are the first thing to come off when I come home – it must be an enthralling novel. I was going to leave out the Christmas tree initially, not being sure if it helped the composition, but in the end I decided it added to it, hence the title of the work. Christmas is such a busy time and sometimes one just wants to escape it all and settle down with a totally absorbing book. The red hair has been a real bonus to paint and I am very happy with how this has turned out. So next in my head is a scene in a Mexican bar with some Mojitos to hand, girls having fun on a Friday night. More next week! Keep up to date with what I am up to by signing up for my Newsletter on the Home page of my website. www.michewatkins.com

‘Christmas is SO over’, week 4, 27 Jan 2016

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“I dream my painting and I paint my dream”, Van Gogh. I get so excited when I start a new painting, because it is an idea I have had germinating in my mind for a while and I can’t wait to put paint on the canvas and paint my dream, exactly as Van Gogh said. The photo for this work was kindly given to me by one of my Twitter friends, Tom Boulton (@snowglobeman on Twitter) who writes wonderfully evocative sensual poetry. The photo is of his beautiful wife Natalie. It is a great photo, but has presented me with a few problems. Normally, I don’t necessarily concentrate on getting a likeness (I was a portrait painter in a former life) as I want to get on with the narrative side of my work. However……I DO want to get a likeness this time for both Tom and Nat’s sake, so will be doing one more week’s work on the detail! I am nearly there, but as with every artist I have ever known, we are always, always, trying to reach perfection and never seem to attain it… I was so pleased to be part of Manhattan Arts International’s Featured Artist…

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