Very best wishes for 2015

I hope many good things are ahead for everyone in 2015, and I hope to see you all in the New Year. 

Snow and Trees.  Oil on canvas board

White Flowers

 

A few of my favourite pots and a few white flowers! I am trying out a new canvas board that has a lovely texture.

 

White Flowers. Oil on canvas board

Last of the Roses

It has been such a long time since I had time to paint and share the results of my labours!
I don't know where the time has gone, and I was lucky to catch these roses just in time before the frost turned them crispy! They are in one of my favourite vases.

Last of the Roses.  Oil on canvas board.

Sketching & painting from sketches

This sketch was from a couple of weeks ago, in the Botanic Garden with a little light drizzle. However it was lovely and peaceful, and some gorgeous colours.  All Summer there has been an outdoor exhibition of sculptures.  All very different and interesting.  These were of two men in amour.  The oil painting was done from another watercolour sketch done on the same day.

sculptures in the rain. sketch.
 

Autumn colours.  oil on linen board.

Japanese Maples in the Leicester Botanic Garden

I have been painting this larger canvas from a painting I did a while ago en plein air in the Botanic Garden.  I haven't done this before and enjoyed doing it, but I did find it quite difficult to start with, trying to paint with freedom by not copying the original too closely!! I am sure practise will help! I was back in gardens sketching last Saturday and the colours were amazing.

Japanese Maples.  oil on canvas  40cm * 50cm

The Walled Garden, Kelmarsh

At long last I have finished this painting started several weeks ago at Kelmarsh in the lovely Walled Garden.  The large greenhouse was the thing that really attracted me to the painting. During the afternoon it became very cold and stormy after a lovely morning. Since that time I found many other paintings to do, but at last here it is finished!



The Walled Garden, Kelmarsh.  oil on board



Autumn Hydrangeas

Yesterday was a great day at a Network Arts workshop with tutor Penny German. We started with a very interesting demonstration in oils and then we did our own thing with our still life.  Lots of lovely work was produced all very different.  Here is my own effort!

Autumn Hydrangeas. oil on board

Back to the Botanic Gardens in Leicester for the Autumn Colours

The wonderful weather means you just have to get out there and paint! Back to the Botanic Gardens and the lovely colours.  They were quite hard to find actually, it would seem that the very dry weather has meant that many leaves have fallen before they have had a chance to give a colourful display.  Luckily it was back to the Limestone Garden and some beautiful colours. In fact the tree with the lovely colours of fire, was a magic shade of green in one of my other paintings!

Limestone Pond.  oil on board. 

Leicester Guildhall and Cathedral.

We spent the morning painting and talking to passers by in front of the Guildhall and Cathedral in Leicester, and beside the very interesting monument to Richard III. We were accompanied by the sounds of the traffic, the work going on in the garden and the Organ playing in the Cathedral. Wonderful!!

Leicester Sketch Club is holding its Exhibition in the Guildhall, and there are two days left if you want to see some lovely art!!

Leicester Guildhall and Cathedral.  oil on board.

Reflections from the Shore. Staithes

This is a view of the boats with all gorgeous reflections, and the village of Staithes from the Shore. This is the second larger canvas currently hanging in the exhibition at the Alfred East Gallery, Kettering. The Exhibition is open until the 11th October. 

We were very lucky with the tides when we were there, lots of mud and puddles and colours! It could have all been under water! I wouldn't have thought of such things before my visit!! 

Reflections from the Shore. oil on canvas. 66*56 cms

Staithes, A View from the Shore

I have recently been working on a larger canvas from my stay in Staithes on the Yorkshire coast a few months ago.  This was a really lovely view on the shore with lots of colour and light in the sea.

This work is now exhibited in The Alfred East Art Gallery in Kettering. Pop along if you live this way there is some lovely work on display. 

Staithes shoreline. oil on canvas. 66*56cms

Japanese Maples, Leicester Botanic Garden

These Japanese Maples are in the Sandstone Garden, with some beautiful moss covered rocks, providing some lovely contrasts.  The sun came and went, but stayed out long enough to bring out the gorgeous colours....I shall have to go back, I think they have only just got to the point of beginning to turn!

Japanese Maples.  oil on board.

Another day painting on the Canal

This is a really lovely view to paint where the light on the water and on the trees keeps on changing and presenting great challenges to capture that one moment!! Standing there on the bank there is a constant flow of canal boats going back and forth towards Market Harborough.  Plus walkers and cyclists along the bank. There was also a very perky looking cat sat up in the basket of one biker! I couldn't believe my eyes! 

Old Saunts Bridge.  oil on board.

A visit to the Leicester Botanic Garden

I have to report with a little bit of sun, and absolutely no rain thankfully!! There are so many lovely corners in the Garden, which also has some wonderful outdoor sculptures. I found myself in the Sunken Garden with the rocks, and some gorgeous light mauve flowers catching the sunlight to give a lovely focal point.

Leicester Botanic Garden.  oil on board.

And it rained and stopped and rained and stopped!!

We are having such a lovely Summer, however I seem to be always reporting wind and rain! But it did keep on starting and stopping, and I kept moving under the trees for shelter and back to my view. In the end even the trees couldn't shelter us anymore, so I had to finish it off at home.

Great Bowden Hall Bridge.  oil on board.

Naseby Reservoir

We have had so much beautiful warm weather lately.  Yesterday I set off with some good friends to paint at Naseby Reservoir, and yes I didn't know there was one either!!  When we arrived it was grey, overcast with a very chilly wind!  Gradually it cleared up to be a lovely day with warmth and a sparkle on the water.  I really liked the tree which must have been there before the reservoir was constructed.

Nearly finished!!
 

Naseby Reservoir.  oil on board.


 

Another lovely garden in the pouring rain!!

The weather forecast did promise us some intermittent showers in the day. It poured and poured in the morning but by mid afternoon the sun shone. We were very lucky, this garden had lots of places to hide from the elements and still have a great view to paint.  I was sheltering in a gazebo!  Luckily we were spared the thunder and lightening!



Janet's garden.  oil on board
 



A Beautiful Garden!

Yesterday our art group had a lovely day sketching and painting in Helen and Geoff's lovely garden. I painted their greenhouse from the shade of the old apple tree!



Greenhouse. oil on board.

The colourful Basket Seller!

It was an extremely hot day in Marrakesh when we arrived in the main Square.  This lovely basket seller was dressed in wonderful colours, all reflected her gorgeous baskets.  I had the  time to set up and do a quick sketch when the police arrived to move her on.  I guess she had the wrong kind of permit.  I had enough information to create this painting on canvas.

The basket seller

Stormy Staithes, North Yorkshire

I was in Staithes for a few days last weekend.  This quick painting was done in the cold, wind and for a while the rain! My hand was shaking because it was so chilly.  In the end we had to give up and retire to the Cod & Lobster for shelter and some welcome food!

Stormy Staithes!

The Port Town of Essaouira

The lovely old town of Essaouira in Morocco is definitely seen best from the sea, with the beautifully coloured walls and the crashing waves on the rocks.  The wind whipped up the sea which constantly changed colour from green to deep blue and then reflecting the sand that was stirred up.

Essaouira.  oil on canvas 55 * 45cm

Beautiful Old Fashioned Roses

These lovely pink roses are really the old fashioned kind, with a glorious perfume.  However they are very fragile and only flower once in the season at this time of year.  I am sorry you can not smell how lovely they are!!  They even have a wonderful name 'Fantin Latour'

Old fashioned roses

More Moroccan adventures!

I have gone back to my sketches and photos and all the colours of the market.  The beautiful carpets and fabrics shine against the lovely stone in the old town of Essaouira.  I have also gone back to one of my lovely canvases.  My next project is to do a studio painting of the walls of the town.  Watch this space!

The Carpet Seller.  oil on canvas.  40*50cms

Gorgeous tree peony

From the heat and colour of Morocco to an English Spring garden. These beautiful flowers bloomed whilst I was away and a friend took the photo for me. It is never easy painting from a photo, attempting to capture the beauty of the flowers. They are larger than a hand and look as fragile as tissue paper. 

Tree peony. Oil on paper

My website

I have finally done a little bit of updating on my website!! It was well overdue!! To include some more recent work, including some you have seen here on my Blog. 

Check it out on www.sheilamanwaring.co.uk.  Click here

Moroccan Aventure!

I have used one of the painted sketches done on my holiday in Essaouira to work up into a studio painting.. The carpet seller at the end of the square was the focus then, but there was so much more going on around me.  Full of light and the amazing colours in the carpets and many things on sale.  Plus of course the lovely blue doors!

The Hat Seller.  oil on canvas.  40*50 cms



Exhibition. JGallery Moulton, Northamptonshire

I was lucky enough to be selected for the exhibition 'Garden Perspectives' at the JGallery in Moulton, Northamptonshire. The exhibition lasts from 15th May until 15th June, please check the website for opening times.  

I painted these pots from the patio doors, luckily the sun was shining for a few days!

Click on the link to go to the website www.jgallery.org.uk



Shadows and pots. oil on canvas

Last of the Apple Blossom

On my return from Morocco I had missed most of the apple blossom. The wind and the rain having blown it away,  so the few sprigs here took some finding and I nearly gave up! Luckily just a few flowers left to paint. 

Last of the Apple Blossom. Oil on paper. 

Storks and a Brass Seller

There were a great many Storks nesting above the shops on the old walls of Marrakech, every now and then we could see a couple of little heads popping up above the nest for a feed. They were guarded and protected from the sun by the adult birds.  I am back from Marrakech feeling quite chilly after the heat!!

Brass seller

Pots galore in The Majorelle Gardens

These gardens are famous for their deep blue pots based on the colour of Lapis. Set off by acid yellow and hot orange pots. A feast of colour!! :-)

Majorelle  Pots

A view of Essaouira

I haven't gone back to the coast, but hadn't quite finished this painting of the walls of the town. Again it was incredibly windy with sand blowing into your face and onto the painting. Definitely making it very authentic!!!

A very hot day in Marrakech

Sometimes hard to concentrate, we were in the old town The Médina. Full of people selling their wares. Horse drawn carriages, motor bikes etc!!! I painted this after lunch from a more shady place. 

Morocco. Essaouira

There is so much colour and things to paint. It's quite overwhelming!! I painted this carpet stall this morning. It is extremely windy so the painting has a light dusting of sand!! This is the first time I have used my phone to post so the photo may not be too good!!

Cherry tree blossom

Just a few sprigs from a tree that is covered in beautiful pink blossom.  The leaves are such a lovely colour as well, and set off the tint of the flowers. 

I am off on a painting holiday in Morocco, so there will be a lot of colour to capture!! A lot of blue doors and boats I think!! I hope I will be able to show you one or two bits when I get back. 

Cherry tree blossom.  Oil on paper. 

Single Camellia

My camellia bush has been covered in flowers this year, usually the frost and wind manage to damage these delicate flowers. So I had the opportunity to pinch one to paint! 

Single camellia. Oil on paper. 

Reflections in the Canal near Market Harborough

Yes I have shown you this view before!! However I have repainted the scene on one of my lovely larger canvases. Painting on a larger scale allows you to be looser and put paint on in a different way.  Because of this I feel the painting has a more lively feel to it.....

Reflections in the Canal. Oil on canvas. 15" * 18"

Beautiful tulips

There are so many lovely tulips around at the moment, I like them best when they are all flopping around like these beautiful pink ones!

Pink tulips.  Oil on paper.

Spring has really arrived, in my kitchen!!

These beautiful narcissi were in my local supermarket, and as you know I can never resist!! They are destined for a place in my garden so I will be able to see them every year and remember the painting. I still have some lovely canvases and am enjoying painting in a larger format at the moment!

Two pots in a window.  Oil on canvas

Portrait of the owner of The Sparkly Shoe!

I painted this portrait of the gorgeous owner of the pink Sparkly Shoe a few months ago.  In fact she has two sparkly shoes!! It was the first portrait I had painted and I enjoyed doing it.

Alex.  Oil on board. 

Sparkly shoe!!!

I thought this shoe was gorgeous, and needed to be painted! And no I'm not the owner! 

Sparkly shoe. Oil on paper. 

One tangerine

A whole load of pots, I do have quite a collection plus a lonely tangerine. Providing a lovely accent of colour. 

A lonely tangerine. Oil on board. 

Last of the Azalea

I had a lovely white azalea plant in a pot which had been really beautiful, however there were just a few flowers hanging on and having picked them and put them in a vase they looked pretty good.  Good enough to paint!!

White azalea flowers.  oil on paper

Back to Dedham Hall and Breakfast!

I painted this from a photo taken when I stayed at Dedham Hall a couple of weeks ago.  It was beautiful weather and the sun streamed in the windows at Breakfast time.  Every table had one of  these wonderful arrangements of forsythia and daffodils.  I made sure I got up early enough to grab this photo before the hungry hordes arrived!



Ready for Breakfast!  Oil on canvas

To my friends who have commented on my Blog

I was using Google+ for the comments, and had had problems. I have gone back to the usual Blogger comments, unfortunately any previous comments disappear!! If you were kind enough to redo that would be lovely!!!

Sunshine and a view of the canal

We have had some lovely sunshine once the mist lifted, and I thought it was time to paint a view of the local canal which I am able to walk to. A quick painting to try and capture the colours and the light.

sunny canal. oil on board

Beautifully fragranced hyacinths

A while ago I painted some hyacinths in a pot, sadly as they grew they fell about all over the place!  So back to the supermarket for some gorgeous blue ones, and they were well behaved, firmly controlled the vase, so a little easier to paint!!



Blue hyacinths.  oil on board. SOLD.

Strange green flowers!!

I have no idea what these unusual flowers are, I borrowed them from a lovely bouquet of flowers!  They are a really beautiful pale green shade. Happily there are definitely some more varieties of flowers to borrow!  Any excuse to paint flowers!!

Unusual green flowers!

Back to Dedham Hall

Here is another painting from my days at Dedham Hall, done mostly in acrylic inks and acrylics, plus some oil pastels.  I am not quite sure what effect I was trying to achieve but to me it seems like a bit of a fantasy!

If you were interested in reading about courses at Dedham Hall click here.

Dusk.  Mixed media

Three lovely red onions in oil!

These beautiful onions were in the supermarket just calling out to me to be painted!  I hope I have managed to capture all the lovely colours.

Three red onions. Oil on paper

A field of poppies

I had four lovely days at Dedham Hall doing a mixed media course using media such as inks, acrylics, oil and soft pastels.  You have seen from my previous posts my first love is oil, so I was a little out of my comfort zone!! Here are the poppies painted on the first day, mostly from acrylic inks.

poppies