I’ve been busy with a number of things this last month, particularly with balancing my studio life with getting my artwork out there into new exhibitions and opportunities. Luckily, this month has been a success for me getting my work into a few places!

Firstly, I must mention my new easel. I absolutely love it.  I bought it on eBay for £37 and I should have invested in one much earlier! Previously I used a box easel or a sketch easel for plein air painting, but my box easel didn’t have legs, and the sketch easel blew over with even the most gentle gust of wind! I’d read various articles on how to make your own plein air easel from a pochade box and a camera tripod, which would actually be quite light and transportable, but this easel has lots of storage space, including a palette, and a pull out drawer.

On a sunny afternoon I spent the afternoon testing out my new equipment painting in the fields I take regular walks through, and came out with an expressive little painting that really captured the atmosphere and spirit of painting outdoors. After applying for the ‘Fresh Paint’ competition in Pembrokeshire, I was delighted to hear that it had made the first round of judging and was selected for the exhibition! The exhibition is open to the public from the 1st-29th July and you can find more details about it here: http://www.pictoncastle.co.uk/fresh-paint-painting-competition-selling-exhibition

Picton Castle is a beautiful place to make a visit to, with huge gardens and stately rooms, and they have recently started art classes and workshops in the studio, so worth a visit!

I’ve also taken the advantage of painting in the garden, and the Irises were particularly amazing for about a couple of weeks. This was an afternoon study that I later finished off in the studio, which was also selected for the ‘Passion’ group exhibition at the Old passage, Arlingham. There are 34 artists contributing in this exhibition, and there are some wonderfully varied and expressive responses to the theme of ‘Passion.’ You can view the event here: http://www.theoldpassage.com/art.events.html which will also bring you to an online catalogue of the exhibiting artists here: http://www.theoldpassage.com/art.events.html

I was recently offered the opportunity to exhibit again at the GP surgeries of Trellech and St. Briavels, in the Wye Valley. I did this a number of years ago with some of my A level and Foundation work, and since the organiser loved my work asked me back since I had finished my degree. So all my work from Open studios has made it there (some 20 odd paintings) – giving me some much needed studio space- and its great to have my work seen there again! Hanging my work there reminded me of how much my style has changed, but how I also kept an innate feeling for the landscape and a freedom of paint that is inherent to my technique. To make a return to certain subject matter or compositions, is often important to push the boundaries of interpreting subject matter and to explore the nature of the paint upon repetition.

This is another large roses painting that I spent quite some time working on, in-between the two large commissions I am producing to be shipped to America. I was playing between the background and the object, and until I had completed it, realised that it related quite well to my paintings of fragments and collected things. I’m also digesting the visual information taken in from my visit to Rome, particularly the fragments of murals and the spaces between form and detail. I always feel there is an abstract connection in my work sometimes, and this often just comes out of intuition. I favour a feeling of freedom and expression in paint, and letting the medium do a lot of speaking for itself.

Drawing and painting outdoors for a portion of my time these days does make me notice and influence the atmosphere and weather into my work. This month I am doing 10,000 steps a day for Cancer Research, and this is quite a challenge! I am often out walking the dogs anyway, but this challenge requires me to walk nearly 8km a day, so I have been pushing myself to venture out beyond my usual fields and I’ve taken to walking the canal towpath. There is a huge diversity of life, nature, flowers and landscape on this simple walk. I’ve been out and about in all weather conditions, and this is my little study I made from memory after coming back from a walk absolutely drenched. I painted out my frustrations with this little study, and let the oil paint drip, run, spill and layer up to evoke the rain and wind. You can visit my fundraising page here: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/georgina-bouzyk

Have a great weekend everybody! Here’s a plein air study from a couple of weeks ago, reminding me of sunnier days. I shall be devoting my weekend to viola practice for the Stroud Symphony Orchestra’s summer concert, this Saturday at 7.30pm, Holy Trinity Church, Stroud. Looking forward to a performing at a great evening of music after lots of hard work!