Since open studios I've had plenty of time to focus on my work without the pressure of an exhibition! I also made it to Rhossili when I was in Wales recently, and was very inspired to paint the delicate hues of the sea.

Painting outdoors has been great for me to put a lot of technique and observation into my practice. The sunlight does shift and change throughout my sessions, which I initially found quite a pain, but through some determination and battles with the great British weather, I've got rather fond of it! This painting below was achieved by going back to the same place at the same time of day. (I did two sessions of this painting so far, painted between 11am and 1pm). I was very focussed on getting the right tone and colour of the rooftops, experimenting with architecture in the landscape, in preparation for the 'Pintar Rapido' competition in London. I will have Saturday the 29th July from 9-5 to create a painting, which will displayed for an exhibition on the Sunday from 11am in Chelsea Old town hall. I've not done it before and imagine it to be quite a big competition, but I like a challenge and meeting lots of artists! Canvasses are stretched, primed, and frame has arrived so only the day needs to arrive…

Sometimes the subject matter I choose often feels very eclectic, and recently I've been writing in my sketchbooks what I've been trying to achieve, understand or investigate. Flicking through Instagram one morning I found a quote by Francis Bacon, where he states 'the job of the painter is to deepen the mystery.' I can sit and think about those words a lot of the time, which is why I like them. Painting is certainly an emotional experience for me, both to capture the expression of the subject and complicate it with my own emotions. Painting is a mysterious entanglement of intense observation soaking in visual information and conveying it backwards onto a surface. The artist mirrors the world to an extent, through a complex and interesting surface of their personality. Sometimes the weight of pressure I give myself to produce something ideally beautiful makes me stop and think at the canvas sometimes too often. I often just paint scenes from everyday life to keep me painting, to keep my practice moving and interesting.

Actually, despite all the conceptual side I have buzzing in my head, wandering around the garden has been my main interest. I've seen so many changes, colours and shapes I am in fact full to the brim with ideas, just not enough canvasses and space! This painting above, was inspired by the evening colours and light upon the roses. I left many of the shapes and details left loose and expressive, as I notice more and more that paint often naturally speaks for the subject untouched. I now find some of my portfolio of work since leaving University has moments of coherence, so I expand and develop my work using the brush marks I liked on a previous piece. This painting of roses has left me interested in more shapes and colours around the garden, particularly shadows. It has been a bright and sunny day today so I've been drawing around shadow shapes, making some interesting patterns.

Another shadow study, painted outdoors.

The cows were initially very polite when I started painting on location here, but actually became rather too friendly and started nibbling at my canvasses and painting box! Artists quality indeed!

Something I hadn't done in quite a while, was life drawing, so I was quite keen to give it a go after so many years. Fortunately the techniques and hand eye coordination hadn't all been quite lost! (And hopefully aided by painting outdoors) Working on toned paper is my preferred way to draw during a life class, as it helps to express the mid tones without too much effort and wasted scribbling. These were conte crayons on a pad of earthy toned papers that I bought in Pegasus art supplies (an excellent art shop to use, even if you're not nearby they do deliver). Conte crayons are notoriously difficult because they can be unforgivingly hard and reluctant to be rubbed out, but if you apply delicate pressure they achieve similar effects to charcoal.

These two -unusual- paintings were a commission I have been working on for quite a while. I was given the topic of 'cells and dna' and given the opportunity to produce two paintings that will be going to the new office buildings of Akesogen in Atlanta, which has been super exciting! They are a biotechnology company who provide research services in genomic data – really interesting, and quite a hot topic in science, and their research has been featured in National Geographic magazine. My biology knowledge only extends to GCSE…My science interests were mostly in physics and astronomy, which I took to A level! So I began looking at images of plant cells under the microscope, bizarre images of different cells clustered together and came up with two abstracts. One of my artists friends said he was often irritated by the people who claim that abstract art is 'easy' and 'so relaxing..!' I almost want to agree with him, as the amount of thought, layers, re-thinking, second opinions and colour choices that went into this was tremendous! I began with a simple sketch and one black and white electron microscope photo, but that was it. Exploring these abstract shapes really opened up another part of my brain and got me focussed on the canvas. These are only photos of the pieces taken in my studio, but now they've arrived in Atlanta I'll be looking forward to some images of the works in situ.

One more thing I must mention, is that I will be doing a solo show of my work at the end of this year..! Save the dates Monday 27th to the 3rd of December, with a private view evening of the 27th, because you're very welcome! It will be at Lansdown gallery, Stroud, and will roughly hang about 20 paintings, so I envision a lot of work and thought to be going into it.

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!

Thanks to all my visitors that came over the last two weekends to my open studio. The sunlight was out for most of the two weekends, which was a real blessing! Tea and biscuits in the sunshine, greeting my visitors in a studio crammed full of work…perfect.

It was great to hear so much positive feedback on my work. Even if you’re visiting an artists studio and never picked up a paintbrush, you can get an idea of how lonely it can be sometimes. There are many ups and downs of working full time at your passion – some days I’ll have painted all day in my studio until the light fades away and the next day I’ll come in and be frustrated with my previous efforts! My paintings are definitely produced with my utmost enthusiasm and energy, but still aiming to capture the immediate energy or response from my subject, right through to the very last layer of paint.

My bluebells received the most praise during the open studios, and its quite a favourite of mine too! I was focussed on creating the depth and drama of the trees and the bluebells. Building layers of brush marks in a variety of sizes and directions is an effective way to add personality and atmosphere to a painting.

To those who missed the open studios, my exhibition also featured a large oil painting of roses. I’ve been working on another project alongside the landscapes and the collections of objects from my travels and walks, which is of movement in nature. From drawing the outlines of shadows and plotting the tremble of petals in the wind, I found myself drawn to a photograph I’d taken a while back of two roses, one fading away and petals beginning to fall, and the other in rich, luscious bloom.

I used the interest of movement in these delicate forms to explore that in the movement of my paintbrush. Throughout my degree, I was fascinated by the use of very thin oil paint for its similarity to watercolour. I experimented with building up very delicate layers, with expressive marks, so there was a glimpse of the layer of paint before the next one. There was a lot for my eye to explore in this painting of the roses, from the rich encircling layers of tone in the blooming centre of a rose, to the drifting and fading petals.

I also made a visit to the ‘Fresh Art Fair’ at Cheltenham racecourse this Friday, and it was fantastic! It was great to see such a variety of galleries, and some quite prestigious ones too, altogether in a jam packed venue. I’m definitely inspired to visit more art fairs in the future. Some years ago I made a visit to ‘Art in Action,’ which sadly no longer exists, but it was great as I managed to squeeze in some taster courses pre-booked in advance, including egg tempera painting and Islamic geometry. At the Fresh art fair you could also watch some artist demos and ask a few questions, which was rather exciting.

Chatting to a few galleries, I felt inspired to pick their brains. What makes a good artist? I asked ‘Beside the Wave’ gallery. What makes a successful, established artist sing out to you? The reply was; An established, successful artist has a strong, personal style that speaks out to you from a distance. Not only does that artist have a clean, distinguishable style, but an ability to adapt and experiment, for example, change their palette of colours, and remain consistent.

Wow. I felt really inspired. I looked again at that artists work on the wall and thought…one day…I’ll be that artist!

May is a fantastic time of year for painting outdoors. By June and July, I get followed by the mosquitoes and the horseflies, and the heat gets a but much painting for long hours outdoors, but May often has a bright sunlight during the day. Being so close to April there is sometimes the unexpected rain cloud or thunderstorm, so I find lots of changeable subject matter to work from. Artists’ weather forecast is looking good!

I also got asked a few technical painting questions during the open studios, so in response, I might just share a few of my own techniques here on my blog, so stay tuned! Over time I have made my own preferences towards painting supports, mediums, etc, and through experimentation have found things that have worked/not worked. They are of course, personal to the way that I work but I can offer some tried and tested advice on beginning a painting and technical issues with oil painting. Any suggestions on topics would be received and answered with great contemplation!

Thanks for having a read, I’m hoping to update my blog a little more often as I paint more frequently these days as we draw into summer..and the days are longer…hurrah! I’m about to begin two huge canvasses as a commission, which is going all the way to America once completed (exciting). Also, a while ago I had artwork in the Doctors surgeries of St. Briavels and Trellech, which was a great success and they have invited me to exhibit with them again. So in a couple of weeks I shall be hanging quite a bit of work for them. I would love my paintings to find some good homes!