Looking for your wings?

Bet you're glad you're not a Goldfinch. Imagine having to cling precariously to a prickly teasel stem while trying to fish out a seed. I hope it's worth all the effort!

Pushed myself a bit this week for Take a Word's 'wings'challenge and moved away from painting poppies to tackle a feathered friend.

I just started thinking about Angry Birds and so now have an image of me pulling back this stem and sending him somersaulting into piles of piggies... Waheeeeee...........

I've been buying up piles of beautiful nature books from charity shops with the intention of painting the subjects within, but up to now all I've done is look at the pictures! Thank goodness for these art challenges around blogland that often give you the little push you need to try something a bit different!

I'm also joining in with Gritty Jane's 'painting a day for 10 days'. It's been easy so far with it being the weekend... I'm not too sure that I'll find much time tomorrow - might have to be a quick finger painting!

While we're on the subject of wings... I wanted to share with you a special something.

Find your Wings - an Art eCourse with a difference

Last year I ran an art course that changed lives. The feedback I received from some of my students literally brought tears to my eyes. It's time to run it again.

This isn't a course where I'll teach you to paint like me. Instead it's a series of exercises that encourage you to find your own style - to play and delve deep into the recesses of the imagination that may have got a bit dusty over the years.

What happens?

We have five weeks of lessons via a private blog and Facebook Group where you can share your work and hang out with other students.

Lessons start on Monday 1st April - an auspicious date if ever I saw one - and run for 5 consecutive weeks, but the classroom will remain open for another few weeks afterwards so you can work at your own pace.

Cost is just £35 - that's £7 per week if my maths is correct. However, get in early and you can take advantage of my early bird discount and pay just £30. You'll need to register by Monday 4th March 5pm GMT to take advantage of this special price though.

Places are strictly limited so I'm able to give everyone my attention - so sign up now before they disappear in a cloud of magic fairy dust!

Find out more and sign up over here at my new sparkling website which I made last week!

Wings? Eh?

It's not as easy as it looks this collage malarky. I was inspired by my experimental art course and the work of Derek Gores to create this wild Scottish beachscape. I was also doing some serious 'out-of-the-box' thinking with regards to the creative prompt at Inspirational Avenue - Wings.

I mean it would just be too easy to think birds, butterflies and bumble bees wouldn't it? Maybe I should go down the man-made aeronautical route instead? But then a song crept into the depths of my imagination and an idea was born.

This particular song was the first in the UK to ever sell more than two million copies. It was number 1 for 9 weeks and is probably sung by every tourist visiting this distant outpost of the British Isles. It is of course Mull of Kintyre by the group 'Wings' - see, I told you I wasn't thinking along normal lines!!

My collage sort of looks like a photograph I saw of the mist rolling in through the sea.. my desire is always to be here oh Mull of Kintyre....I'm sure the house may be a slight exaggeration to the one owned by Mr McCartney though. I doubt even he would have been granted planning permission (he has made his mark in the clouds though... look closely!).

This definitely looks better when viewed from a distance. I might paint over part of it to help with the illusion of distance. Lots of fun though.