"Somebody Cares"

NEW WORK

"Somebody Cares.........#Watercolour on Arches papers

This recently completed  painting was from a photo I took earlier this year in The Gambia.  We were on a day out with Sandy, who founded and runs Goal For The Gambia, visiting the school in Somita. Sandy took along some blankets that Maggie and the scouts had made for the sick and elderly in the village. She handed one of the blankets to the headteachers mother and I was lucky to capture the moment. Such simple, but much needed things give so much joy to the people of The Gambia.

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 Goal for The Gambia needs your help

June 27th

Disaster in Somita today. Huge winds and rain today has taken the roof off at both Bantangba nursery and the new school we built earlier this year. I am told at least 10 families have lost their roof too. We need to raise funds urgently to fix the two schools. I am waiting for estimates but on past experience it will be no less than £2000 each. Maybe more. Please, if you were thinking about donating anything to the charity can you do it now. Quickest way is through virgin money giving , donate now button at the top of the page. If you prefer to donate through out bank account please let me know and I will send you the details. Let’s get these schools fixed before more heavy rain comes and does even more damage. The students will also not be able to attend classes or do their end of year exams. Every pound donated will help. Thank you
In the photos below you can see Bantangba nursery on the left and Somita Arabic school on the left

July 1st

Update on the roof situation. The carpenter/roofer who we have used with great success in Kitty has been to Somita to assess the damage. Both roofs have to be completely replaced including the wood structure. Bantangba quote us D150000 ( £2500 roughly). And Somita Arabic school is d170000 ( £2750 ish) so we are looking for £5250. Thanks to Alison who did the Thames Walk and raised £500 for us and has agreed it can be used towards the repairs. We have also had some generous donations from supporters who saw the original post. We now have around £1000 in total, so still a way to go. Please share, donate if you and if anyone has any ideas for fundraising please let me know. We have to do these repairs urgently, both schools are our responsibility and if they are not done it will be the students who suffer. Many of them are due to sit national exams very soon. Thank you to everyone who has already donated. We will get this done but only with your help! Thanks xx

July 10th

Work has started on the two roofs despite heavy rain at times. We are still a long way short of the money we need to complete this work , we have raised £1125.74 so far, thank you to everyone who has donated so far. We still need another £4K and at the moment I am using money for other projects which of course means we need to replace that to continue with promised work. I just can’t leave the schools with no roofs! If you can spare a pound or two it will help! Never think your donation is too small to make a difference. Virgin money giving link to donate at the top of the page or if you prefer bank transfer send me a message and I will give you the details. Thank you very much x

July 24th 

Work has gone ahead , despite not having the money we need to do the work yet! We are borrowing money from our other projects while we continue to seek donations. We really had no choice but to go ahead. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far! 

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If you would like to either, donate to the urgent work needed, sponsor a child/student or find out more about what the charity does. 

Please visit their website

GOAL for The Gambia

You can also help by shopping online through easyfundraising and Amazon Smile

and it won't cost you a penny. 

Find out more

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are now registered for Amazon Smile. If you are purchasing anything through Amazon please click on our link. You then click on us by searching for Giving Opportunities to Achieve and Learn ( our registered name) and remember to shop on smile amazon each time. Your choice of charity only needs to be done once. It costs you nothing but could be amazing for us! Thank you x

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1125489-0

Netherlands 2 DAY Workshop 2017 . . . Portraits in Watercolour

This year my Dutch workshop will be further south in the town of Breda.

I will show you how I build up the face with gentle shapes of colour, working instinctively to make your work unique each time you paint.

 There are still a few spaces available, so if you would like to join me and learn how I paint portraits in watercolour, just drop me a line HERE

Portraits in Watercolour - 2 Day workshop UK

I had such a wonderful afternoon demonstrating at the Babylon Gallery in Ely a couple of weeks back, while stewarding at the Society of East Anglian Watercolourists Selected Exhibition.

It's a beautiful gallery in a lovely setting on the river, lots of light and a charming area. 

This was the painting I did for the demonstration. Today it sits in my studio while I decided, what and if it needs more. I have to thank Frans Devriese for the kind use of his photograph.

I have been invited to teach at the East Devon Art Academy on the 13th and 14th October this year, so if you would like to come join me and learn how I paint just get in touch with me or the Academy. www.eastdevonart.co.uk

©Stephie Butler

©Stephie Butler

"In this exciting, informative workshop, Stephie will show you how to paint portraits in watercolour full of colour with an impressionistic feel. Suitable for all abilities. Stephie will share how to portray feelings and emotions in your work making it unique."

 . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Portraits in watercolour

2 Day WORKSHOP

13th & 14th OCT 2016

Contact

East Devon Art Academy

Old Fore Street

Sidmouth

EX10 8LS
 
Tel: +44 1395 516284

E-mail: info@eastdevonart.co.uk

DEVON UK . . . 2 DAY WORKSHOP

DEVON UK 2 DAY WORKSHOP

Watercolour Portraits

13th & 14th October 2016

Delighted to be asked to give a workshop at the East Devon Art Academy

www.eastdevonart.co.uk

 Limited places available

Please contact me and I will send you the relevant info or visit their website

France Painting Holiday 2016

Come join me in their final year of doing Art Holidays at Bandouille, France

www.francepaintingholiday.com

Almost . . . In Despair . . .

In Despair . . . 

Have really got to like this square format for paintings, so tried it out recently on a couple of portraits in watercolour. This is named In Despair and is based on a ref with many thanks to Steve Evans. I do find this format gives even more focus into what's really important in the painting. The eyes . . . . The soul . . . . Your feelings . . .  

Almost . . . 

This one was painting just prior to "In Despair" and another ref thanks to Steve Evans.

Both paintings measure approx 20 x 20 cm and 34 x 34 cm Including Mount (Matt). Originals are without any words or large signatures, these are merely for display purposes. Both are available to purchase by contacting me at info@stephiebutler.com

Two paintings Selected ...... Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2013

Two paintings Selected......

I am absolutely thrilled to have had two of my paintings selected for the

 Society of Women Artists 

152nd Annual Exhibition 2013 at the Mall Galleries, London. 

 This is the 3rd year in a row I have had work selected by the SWA and it still can't believe it's happening to me. If ever you are in doubt about entering your work anywhere, just follow your dream, it does come true.

One of the two paintings that were selected for Exhibition.

Special thanks to Steve Evans for the use of his photo as ref for this painting. 

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Society of Women Artists 

Founded in 1855, the society has had a unique history dedicated to promoting art by women. The Annual Exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries, The Mall, London, SW1, showcases a stunning and eclectic mix of artwork in all media. The Society encourages variety and versatility and features some of the finest contemporary women artists from all over the world, thus sustaining a reputation for excellence.

152nd ANNUAL EXHIBITION
2013

MALL GALLERIES

The Mall, London SW1

27^th June Thursday – Saturday 6^th July
  Daily 10 am – 5pm
(3pm close) on last day

HRH Princess Michael of Kent is the SWA Patron, and will open the exhibition at the private view to be held on Wednesday 26th June. www.society-women-artists.org.uk

Be Happy...

Finally got round to completing this one just before Xmas. Had a few suggestions for titles from friends, but loved Kevin Fowler's  suggestion best of all, thanks Kev...

  In answer to some of the questions I've been asked about how I paint portraits. I finally remembered to take a few photos along the way when I started this one a few weeks ago, so i'll try to explain as I go.....

     I painted this as I fancied a change from painting children and couldn't resist this photo of Steve Evans, with so much thanks to him for sharing this. The pure joy on this woman's face kept me smiling all the way through it.

I usually start with a very rough sketch to get the feel of the person, sometimes little sketches of the features, then another, hopefully more accurate drawing on the watercolour paper. I can never emphasize enough the importance of drawing as a way of getting to know your subject, especially so in portrait work. It also helps with getting features placed properly. It doesn't matter if a petal is a bit out of place on a flower, but it does matter if an eye is.

On this occasion though I went with the initial drawing. I knew where I needed to change bits, but being able to do this when painting becomes easier with practice. I don't worry too much on the likeness as this isn't a commission, and i'm always more interested in capturing their soul...     

The iris on the right eye as we look at it is a little larger than it should be, and slightly off shape, but that doesn't matter, I can bring that back in when painting. You can change this before if you feel more comfortable doing that, but I don't like to erase on the paper too much if I can help it. This is also where the practice of drawing features comes in, your knowledge of them allows you to not have to do that. I'm still far from an expert at drawing portraits, but a couple of years ago I couldn't have done it to this level, well not so quickly anyway, and a couple of years before that it wouldn't even have look human, so practice, practice, practice...The drawing is done in a very soft pencil and I do erase some guide lines and soften any heavy ones. 

Next I painted some areas with water, then put in the first wash of colours. If you want to see how I do this, pop over to YouTube and watch my video.  As the first was was drying I started in some areas with the nextwash. I don't tend to paint in any sort of order, just what takes my interest at the time. Often I just from one place to another, maybe because one is dry enough or even still wet enough to work on, other times purely  as I see something I want to capture, a colour I want to get down. Because I paint this in this way of what inspires me I also don't tend to go with painting in tones, light mid then darks, I really do jump about. I believe if you go with heart when painting it takes on a whole new level.

     I carry on in this way painting areas of colour as I see them. No rigid technique, softening edges here and there as I feel it needs them. I tend to get to a stage where I'm unsure if it needs more, this is the time to stop. Youwill see it so differently once you've walked away and left it for a few hours. You've been painting different parts, concentrating in areas so you don't see the painting as a whole. And as we know watercolour dries lighter, this can give us a whole different look sometimes.  There are some things you cannot be taught, it's purely a love for what you do which comes from the heart and good old fashioned practice. I think to paint in this way you really have to let go, be prepared for some things not too work, it's the only way you will learn what does. 

I may need to do this painting again as there seems to be something on the paper. Top right it has gone bobbly for some reason.. Not sure why as the paint was laid straight on,  no scrubbing, lifting etc, so I'm putting this down to a fault in the paper. I may just try and wet it, then lay some kitchen towel on it to see if I can soak up the bits. If not it's back to the easel for this one and fingers crossed I can capture some of the things I really liked in this one.               

This is one of those paintings that makes you smile when you look at it, you can't help it, it was also a pleasure to paint.

Steve Evans captures so much in his photos and I hope I do the same when I paint them.

Little Africa...

                This is one I started towards the end of 2012 only just getting the first wash down, then not picking it up again until 2013. The object of painting then was not only of course portrait practice, but more so to get the brushes wet again after the Christmas holidays. 

I'm not sure if it always works, leaving it so long. Sometimes the moment has gone from the painting, the inspiring thoughts you first had when wanting to get it onto the paper. I find I'm usually better to start it again with renewed freshness.

Pure Watercolour
140lb Arches NOT Paper
Mostly W/N paints
Ref photo courtesy of WetCanvas

Best in Show.......

"Best in Show"

I was both shocked and elated recently when I was asked to go to attend a presentation and meeting, as one of my paintings, "Make a Wish", had won Best in Show at the Redbridge Arts Association summer exhibition. 

Make a Wish

 This is a first for me at an exhibition so it still hasn't sunk in and i'm so very proud.. To cap it all off I was also awarded with this beautiful fine wooden box of 120 Derwent Colour Pencils, kindly donated by the Derwent Cumberland Pencil Company, thank you so so much to Derwent for your generosity. 

Redbridge Arts Association consists of six groups: 

Ilford Art Society
The photographers 
U3A Art group at St. Theresa’s 
U3A Fullwell Cross Art Group
Redbridge Marquetry Group
The Redbridge Art Group. 

Each year with the hard work, planning and dedication, and of one particular lady, Nora, and the generosity of Redbridge Council kindly allowing us the use of the wonderful listed building, we are able to put on a Summer Exhibition in the old Dovecote in Valentines park, Redbridge. As we didn't have so much space this year in the Dovecote, the art was displayed over three months in total, with each two groups showing their work for one month. As a member of the Ilford Art Society, I was part of the exhibition showing in July. Visitors to the exhibition each got the chance to vote for their favourite  painting if they wished to do so. Apparently because of length of time and the numbers who voted it has taken this long to sort out the winner. My thanks again to Nora for all her hard work, it's very much appreciated. 

This is a wonderful building and location to hold an exhibition and I hope to be part of it again and for some years to come. I will post the dates later in 2013 for the next one and hope you may be able to join us there. 

Special thanks to Steve Evans for the use of his photo as ref to the painting.

Princess Zahrah ....

I can't believe it is so long since I last updated my blog, and just when I promised myself I would post more often. I have a number of things on my easels, and they tend to stay there until I am happy that I want to do no more to them. This portrait of my granddaughter is one of them, and as I started this some time ago you may have already seen this on my facebook pages. I'll still post it here as I know not everyone goes to Fb and i'm often asked to share how I paint portraits. The trouble is I get so engrossed in painting them I forget to stop and take photos of the different stages, so there are not too many photos of this one.

This is Princess Zahrah and came about as I was sorting and filing photos. I have so many of  my little princess, but just had to stop and have a go at this one... Not quite so orange looking in real life, or maybe it's just my monitor. 

This was the stage after the initial washes were done.

For some reason I find it a bit more difficult to get a likeness with the grandchildren. I wonder when we are painting someone so close to us we know them too well. It's not so much a problem with drawing them out, but when it comes to painting and choosing colours that's where I tend to lose it a little.  

I have decided as much as I can, to start using more of my own references. I'm so grateful to generous photographers for sharing photos, but I recently found I couldn't enter into a competition as the ref used wasn't my own.

Before I start I usually block out the background in photoshop so i'm not distracted by it, then I print it. I'm finding as I'm getting more experienced with drawing portraits I don't worry about the need of the ref to be the same size and can draw it in a different size if needed. I can never emphasize enough how important drawing practice is, I know how valuable I have found it to be and when I actually started to listen to others telling me so and doing it, I'm amazed how much i've improved.
 

Here is where it still sits. Some opinions are, that it is done, i'm not to sure on that yet. I know I still have to darken a few touches here and there, like the inner mouth area. Although it doesn't show to well in this photo, some of the areas in the hair are a touch darker and probably not quite so orangy. I do need to add some more wispy bits to the hair as well. It also need warming and more variation in the skin tones. I often see skin painted with the same colour but in different tints, you need to use colour as tone as well and that is what this is lacking at the moment.  It's also on hold at the moment as with Christmas almost here I have lots of other things on the list to finish. 

Africa in my Soul....

New painting.....

 I've been working on a few new ideas that i'll share as soon as i'm finished, if they work of course. Meantime have been fitting in new paintings as well. Just can't tear myself away from painting portraits and more so from those of African children. They just have something that really grabs your heart. This is one that was finished late this week and has just come off of Exhibition and will be on sale on my website shortly.

With thanks to Steve Evans for the use of his photograph as ref.

One thing I've been working on are new greetings cards as they seem to be getting quite popular and am almost sold out. I will be putting those on my new website too soon, so they will be available direct, in either singles or as part of a collection, I'll update here as soon as they are ready.

SOLD...SOLD...SOLD...

......and just when I though it couldn't get any better...

..Having just spent a lovely long weekend staying with my dear friend Jaytee in the gorgeous market town of Kington in Herefordshire, where we went 3 days on a life workshop which had a wonderful teacher who was extremely inspiring...I come back to the news that I'd sold the remaining paintings that were selected into the Essex in Mayfair Exhibition. Well what a phone call that was, I'm still taken aback by it. I've never sold all work in an exhibition before so needless to say, am thrilled to bits. 

For the first this year, if we had work selected , we were also able to sell our cards as well. Apparently I sold quite a few, so another added bonus.

It's very hard to describe the feeling you get when you sell a painting, and the inspiration that brings with it, to want to grab your brushes and paint more, there really is nothing like it.  Now I need to get working on the next collection amongst other things. We have the Ilford Art Society "Art on the Railings" on September 15th, so lots to do.

I really would like to say a very big thank you to all the people who have purchased any of my work, and to my partner for the support in allowing me the time to live my dream.

Hidden Tears ...SOLD

SOLD at PV of Essex in Mayfair...

Monday I spent a most wonderful evening at the opening preview of the Essex in Mayfair Exhibition. I really enjoy these occasions as it's a chance to chat with lots of other fellow artists, catch up on what they've been doing and how they are getting on. There is such a wide variety of artists working in various mediums and subjects, means the work is so interestingly different, always making for great topics of discussions. 

The exhibition was opened by Tom Coates, as our president Ken Howard is away. Tom is a wonderful artist and a very entertaining gentleman all round. He chose a wonderful landscape painting of London which was awarded the Ken Howard prize, and the rest of the evening we tested the wine of course and admired the art work on display. 

I was thrilled towards the end of the evening to have sold one of my paintings. The highlight for me being to actually meet the buyer. I'm always intrigued to know where the paintings are going, what appeals to them about it, why they want to buy it. On this occasions I chatted with the lovely young lady for quite some time which was thoroughly enjoyable. We talked about the collection I was working on "Children of the World", what grabbed me to paint these children in the first place,  the emotions I was trying to get across to the viewer and why, which she totally understand having the same love for Africa. It was really so wonderful to talk with her.

 "Hidden Tears" part of the Children of the World collection

 The Exhibition is still open until Sunday

54 The Gallery

Shepherd's Market

London

W1J 7QX

In Silence Shortlisted......

.... for Ken Bromleys Cover Competition 2012.

Am absolutely thrilled to have made the shortlist of Ken Bromleys Cover Competition 2012.

This painting seems to be bringing me lots of luck.

Please take time to visit Ken Bromley's page to view the wonderful display of art where you can vote for your 3 favourite  paintings. 

  *** Voting closes on Monday 13th August at 3pm ***    

Prints, canvas & cards of

"In Silence"

 now available from both

 

 

Society of Women Artists .....

I am honoured to have had a painting selected again this year:

***The 2012 SWA 151st Annual Exhibition***

 28th June to the 7th July

The Exhibition was opened yesterday at a private preview by

HRH Princess Michael of Kent

 ***

 

 Society of Women Artists

Mall Galleries

Ilford Art Society Summer Exhibition in the Dovecote

Make A Wish...

  It's not often I redo a painting or even use the same ref photo. I find I almost never get that same inspiration as the first desire to paint it, but this one was different. There was something about this little boy, original photograph taken by and kindly shared by Steve Evans. I had also lost concentration for a moment while painting the original for my video on YouTube, so I needed to repaint it...

Hence ...

"Make a Wish" repainted and on show at the

Summer Exhibition at the 

Dovecote Gallery

Valentines Mansion & Gardens
Emerson Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4XA,UK.

1st-29th July
Open from 11am-4pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays

Free entry and suitable for all ages.

Available for sale through the Dovecote Gallery Exhibition...Contact me for further information.

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  I have 4 painting included in this Exhibition as part of the Ilford Art Society. The Exhibition goes on for 3 months in all, showing work from 4 different Art Societies, a photography club and a marquetry group. There will be 2 groups showing each month from July through September, sharing a wide range of style and media. 

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The gallery is in the grounds of the Valentines park, mansion & gardens. A lovely day out for all the family.

The house was built in around 1696 for Elizabeth Tillotson and her family, after the death of her husband, the Archbishop of Canterbury and has since changed hands many times. The Council acquired the house in 1912. Since then it has been home to wartime refugees, a hospital, a public health centre, and a council housing department. After sitting empty for around 15 years the house and gardens have been restored with Redbridge council and Heritage Lottery funds . 

 ***

 A wonderful day out for all the family.

Visit the Gallery, Mansion & Gardens and the new Gardener’s Cottage Café.

Please visit the website for more information:

Valentines Mansion & Gardens

Emerson Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4XA
E-mail: valentines@redbridge.gov.uk
Bookings and general enquiries: 020 8708 8100

***

The Portrait Journey

The eyes shown in this post are from new collection of watercolour portraits I've been working on.

The eyes are almost always the first part I paint in any portrait. They are the soul of each person and the life of a painting, if I don't capture the feelings behind them, then I don't carry on with the painting, I start a fresh.

Whilst working on this new collection I knew I needed to push myself to achieve that extra something i'm always looking for each time I pick up my brush. This is part of the inspiration that keeps me painting.

As artists we need to grow continuously and we can only do this by experimenting and practice. It doesn't always result in a beautifully executed paintings, but that's the way we learn, and it all becomes part of the journey. No painting is ever a waste of time, quite the opposite, as we often learn more from our so called mistakes.  

For a long while I painted a variety of subjects, very often avoiding portraits, with an impression they were much to difficult for me, although I tried the occasional sketch from time to time.  It was mainly after the birth of my first  grandchild that I had the real desire to paint them. As artists we often change direction on our journey, enjoying various subjects along the way. Somewhere along that road most of us get drawn to a particular subject, one we really enjoy painting more than any other, one we feel more passionate about and become more inspired by, for me that subject is portraits.

As I have never had any formal training and am entirely self taught when it comes to portraits, it really has been down to lots of practice and experimenting, and most importantly the desire to paint them. I have however watched the endless free videos on Youtube that are so generously given by artists of all levels and will always be grateful for those who share them.

I would say the biggest help to me has been the studying of features done mostly by pencil artists.I can't stress enough how drawing skills comes in to play.  Becoming more comfortable with the understanding of a feature such as the eyes, along with being able to draw them reasonably well each time, leaves your mind free to paint and bring them to life. 

Practice painting just the features on scrap paper until you become more familiar with them, you'll be surprised the benefit of this when it comes to painting a complete portrait. Draw daily, even 5 min sketches and doodles, it all helps. I know I have a long way to go still and probably always will, but whenever possible I practice daily, even if only a quick sketch, and I can't tell you how much this has helped me. ....

I've written this partly as i've been asked many times how I got started in portraits, along with hearing so many other artists say, as I once did, how scared they were to attempt them and how difficult they are. They are no different to any other subject. All you need is the desire to paint them along with the discipline to practice. I don't think there is any subject more rewarding than this to paint.

"Face of Africa"...SOLD.....

Face of Africa

 

    "Face of Africa"

 

Selected & Exhibited at the Mall Galleries by the  

Society of Women Artists

Shortlisted for the

Ken Bromley 

Cover Competition 2011

 

I was very fortunate last year to have had two of my paintings selected by the Society of Women Artists for their 150th celebratory exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries. One of the paintings "Wistful" sold at the exhibition. The other "Face of Africa" Sold last week as a result of the exhibition. I would like to say a special thanks to the Society for giving me the chance to be a part of the exhibition.

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Loved and Lost......

I started a painting some time ago of my finance's sisters, first posted HERE.....

The youngest sister in the painting was sadly lost to the family at a very young age.As a mother myself I couldn't begin to know how that must feel for the family and especially to a mother. This is most certainly one of the reasons reasons I needed to paint this photo so much and wanted to finish this as a present for the older sister in the painting, it was a special birthday for her, her 65th.

 The nose shadow on the elder sister on the previous painting was still giving me trouble. I had washed this back, which is something I almost never do, and hate doing, it just wasn't happening. 

I decided to get out a fresh clean piece of paper and start again......

  

There are parts I still like on the first painting, but overall I was so much happier with this one...  The nose still gave me problems though. It was an old black & white photo with little detail. On this version I deliberately played down the shadow on that area, this way it would be less noticeable, and works better for it I think.