"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

Pre-selected for the RI. . . .

Pre-selected for the RI. . . . 

Thrilled to get this painting "Behind the eyes" pre-selected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours 206th Exhibition . Feel so honoured to even get it this far, fingers crossed for the next stage

With special thanks to the photographer for the use of his photo:  Donald Teel on Unsplash

Charity Raffle . . . win an original watercolour

DONATE &WIN ONE OF MY ORIGINAL WATERCOLOURS

I am fundraising to support GOAL for The Gambia and the work they do to improve the lives of others, by raffling one of my original watercolours. The winner gets to choose from the paintings below.

From my first visit to the Gambia I had decided I wanted to sponsor a child and spent a long time researching for the right Charity. All my searches came back to one charity, Goal for The Gambia. We got in touch with Sandy, Founder and Trustee GOAL for The Gambia, who on our next visit, took us out for the day to show us the work they do, where they are now supporting five schools and a health clinic which serves more than 10,000 people.

We were taken aback by how far our mere £5.00 went, which is all it costs to sponsor a child to go to school, including uniform and books. And were consulted on what would happen if any was let over. I know, hard to believe that there would be anything left. 

We were particularly struck by the work being done in the clinic. What has already been achieved since they started helping the clinic is astounding. When I first entered the building I felt I was in a time zone, that of a wartime hospital, images you I would have seen on old TV films, I found it hard to imagine what it was like when they started, knowing the amount of work that had already been achieved. Please take a few minutes to read about what this charity does HERE  We decided then that we wanted to do what we could to help, which is where raffling one of my paintings came in. 

Amongst so many emotions we felt throughout that day, one of the things that struck was the transparency of how the charity is run and seeing that for ourselves first hand. 100% of every donation goes where it is supposed to. They do not fundraise for administration costs, instead relying on Gift Aid to fund these essential overheads. You can read more about them and the work they do by visiting their website Goal for The Gambia

You can donate and be in with a chance of winning one of my paintings with as little as £5.00 and know that it will go a long way to helping the children and the people there .   

If you donate, please make sure to either add your email to the message box as it will be needed if you win. If you would rather it didn't show on the charity page, please send it to me by email: contact@stephiebutler.com. I will also post the winners name on all social media, along with my website and blog. Thank you in advance for all those who donate and know how much it's truly appreciated. I thank you on their behalf. 

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

New paintings....

In between doing a workshop in Holland and demos for art clubs I've also been working on some new paintings. This one was a little different to my usual stuff and a bit of a challenge as well.

On a recent trip to "The Gambia" I managed to collect lots of reference material and am eager to work from them, this one was taken at Serekunda Market. Sure bought you back to the real world when you see how some people live from day to day. This lady was selling soap powder for washing clothes, little bags of it. Each day the people go to the market to sell whatever they can make or acquire hoping to make enough to feed their families for that day.

There were lots of times along the way I wasn't sure it was going to work, it is true that it makes a difference if you work from your own reference, it has a different meaning to it . I think it all came together in the end.

The Little Ballerina

After not wetting my brushes for almost 2 months over Christmas and the New Year, I was getting desperate to get painting again.


When you think you might be a bit rusty, try and relax and enjoy it. Tell yourself it doesn't matter if it doesn't turn out, after all you don't have to show anyone if you don't want to, you're doing it for you.

Free Demonstration at Hobbycraft Store . . .

I will also be having a clearance sale of Prints and Originals as well as Greetings Cards.

Ideal for Christmas presents if you are looking for something different and special.

Santa Ho, ho ho... Voted Best painting

Voted Best painting by members.....

I've just got back from the AGM and Christmas bash of one of the Art Societies I belong too, and am so thrilled that Ho, ho, ho... was voted Best Painting by the members.

I hadn't got quite caught up to sharing this painting on my blog yet, I was saving it until I had got the cards and everything ready so I didn't bore you with too many posts about it. Anyway, I painted this Santa with special thanks and much gratitude to the photographer Julia Freeman-Woolpertfor allowing the use of her photo. I did plump the face up a bit and round the nose off as I wanted it to look like a real old fashioned Santa.

I have just had this printed onto cards and will hopefully have them up on here and my website tomorrow for sale. All profits will be going to a special children's fund, but that deserves a post of it's own so i'll tell you more about that in the next post when the cards are packaged and ready to go... 


Thank you so much to all my friends at the Ilford Art Society and all my friends that continually support me, it's been a great year :) ........

SAVE...SAVE...SAVE...

£7 OFF 1st BOOK...50% OFF 2nd BOOK

 

 

Not sure how long these offers will last, so don't leave it too long before you order. 

 

Save £7 off the price of a printed book of my paintings

follow the link and enter SAVE7 at checkout on the "payment options" page!..

 

Buy another book the same 

and get

50% off the 2nd one.
Look for this image at the bottom of the

"place the order page",

before you enter your card details.

Watercolour Dreams by Stephie Butler |

 

 

Make Your Own Book

Make sure any offer are showing in balance before you confirm payment, they will not adjust it after the order has been placed.

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. 

Portfolio book published and on sale....

          So..yet again I haven't kept up with posting here, but I have been busy painting and stuff, along with daily life, adding the bonus of the arrival of another gorgeous new grandson into that as well.

                Self publishing a portfolio of works......This is something like lots of other projects that is still on the to do list. Until recently that is, well actually like only a few days prior to publishing this on Blurb, talk about last  minute. It started when a good friend of mine Ruth Harris, pointed out that I may have missed a great offer on RedBubble. Seems they had teamed up with Blurb to give away a chance for you to publish you own book, and all for free other than P&P and any extras you decide on, which is where you have to restrain yourself. It's only a small 7 x 7inch, but still, it's free, so who's gonna not do it. 

 Watercolour Dreams, a creative journey.....

        

Watercolour Dreams by Stephie Butler | Make Your Own Book

I spent a few days and late nights getting this put together and only just made the deadline. I have to thank Ruth so much for being at the other end of the email system. She was answering questions non stop as I was working on it, saving me so much time, as she had all ready been through it all and finished hers. You can see Ruth's book Here. please take a look, it's full of her gorgeous floral paintings.......

 It covers some of my work over the last couple of years, just a little part of the journey so far and I've tried best to incorporate everyone's  favorite pieces. Once I started on this project I must admit I did get a little hooked. I've always loved playing around with design, setting things out etc, and soon found I had to stop myself and get back to the basics of this as I was running out of time. Maybe I won't leave the next one until the last minute, that way I get to enjoy playing with it more, probably won't but the thought is there anyway.....

For Sale...

          The initial reason for having a portfolio is to be able to share your with others, especially those paintings that have already sold. It will come in especially useful when showing prospective clients looking to commission work, and having it sitting on the table at Exhibitions for everyone to browse would be very nice as well, so I may think about a larger version. 

Using these self publishing companies  online gives you the opportunities to be able to sell your books as well. although you do have to purchase one yourself before being able to do this, but who wouldn't want one after all the hard work that you put into doing it, and it is your work after all. 

I have made it available for sale if anyone is interested and it's also available as an ebook HERE too. Would love to know what you think of it if you have the time to leave a comment or email me it would be very much appreciated. 

I really did get so much enjoyment out of putting this together, and even if it is only for me, I'm still proud of it. It gives me a real sense of what I have achieved over the time it covers , so it really doesn't matter if I don't sell any to anyone else, I really don't mind at all, what I do hope though is that you enjoy browsing through it.

Now to achieve something else from the long To Do list :)

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

 

 

SOLD at the Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition

"In Silence" SOLD......

 Having a painting selected by this prestigious Society is in itself a great honour, to have someone admire your work enough to buy it as well is just overwhelming.

It had been a very hectic week in many ways, which meant I sadly missed both the private preview and seeing the demo by Caroline de Peyrecave at the Mall Galleries, a demo I had been looking forward to so much ......But I did arrive home from being away, to hear a wonderful message on my answer phone from the president of the SWA Sue Jelley, informing me that my painting "In Silence" had SOLD...... It couldn't have been a better ending to the week.

* * * * *

  

I would like to say a big thank you both to the 

Society of Women Artists for selecting my work.
And to the wonderful person who bought it. 

Thank you so much.

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, 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.

  * * * * *
 I did manage to get to the Exhibition on the final day, although my painting had already been collected by the buyer. I knew before I set out that it wouldn't be on display but I didn't mind, I was on such a high having sold it, and it is one exhibition I now look forward to seeing so much. The exhibition shows such a wide variety of talent in so many different styles and mediums that it cannot fail to inspire any artist, and is probably why it is one of mine and countless other peoples favourites. It should be a must see on any one's list of exhibitions to see.

My favourite overall exhibiting artist has to to be Ann Blockley. who had this year won the HRH Princess Michael of Kent award for 'most outstanding watercolour'. I have always admired Anne's work but more so how her work constantly moves forward while she continually develops her style, this alone is a big inspiration to any artist on their own journey.. 

The individual artist who's work I chose for my favourite painting was of an African woman, "Mirror, Mirror" by Annabel Thornton. I was in awe the moment I saw the painting and wasn't surprised to find that is was the same artist work I have loved on my last two visits to the David Shepherd Wildlife Exhibition. Even so, there is so much to admire in this exhibition it's hard to single out the outstanding ones.

I've met and made so many friends and acquaintances in one way or another over the past few years due to art, so it was such a pleasure to be able to see some of their work that had also been selected for the exhibition as well.

I would urge any women artist, if you haven't already, to submit your work next year. This really is a wonderful Society that gives us such an opportunity. And if by any chance you don't get selected, or perhaps you don't feel ready yet, still go along to the exhibition, it will inspire you and show you the goal you need to head towards. 

SAA It's all about Art - Bristol

I was fortunate a couple of weeks ago to be able to attend the “SAA It's all about Art” at Bristol. I went along with a special friend Ruth Harris.  

Ruth Harris.."Cosmic Poppies"... SAA Amateur Artist of the Year 2012

Ruth has recently been awarded the 

“SAA Amateur Artist of the Year2012” 

with her stunning painting, titled “Cosmic Poppies”. This was the first time that Ruth had entered anything let alone win, so you can only imagine her joy. It made it even more of a special occasion to be able to attend the show, as fortunately it was within traveling distance for her this year.

As they had moved the show this year, and one was to be held in Bristol, this gave me the chance to combine catching up with some dear friends along with attending a fun packed day doing what we both love best.

 The only disappointing thing, especially for Ruth as a winner, as well as for both of us as we love to view the work of other artists, was that this year there would be no exhibition, it would have been so encouraging to Ruth to see her work hanging there along with the other winners. We all often doubt ourselves as artists along the way and something like this gives an artist so much reassurance and encouragement, as well as the inspiration to head further along that road. There were other much admired artist friends who also received awards, so it would have made the day even more special to have been able to view their work in real life.

 

Although initially, when I first walked in, I was a bit disappointed at the size of the show, especially having been to the London one in the past. I soon realised it was as full of the same excitement and inspiration as the London venue. From demo's, to mini workshops, to lots of tempting goodies to spend your pennies on, and lets face it, we artists don't need much encouragement to do that now, do we.

As there was only a certain amount of time to fit everything in, we chose carefully. We went for opting out of the comfort zone of watercolours which is the preferred medium for both Ruth and I, instead for the chance to try a different media, which after all is the aim of it. 

 This was from one of the workshops on offer. A quick try at pastels following along with tutor and demonstrator Vic Bearcroft.... I have tried pastels a few times but never really persevered with it. Being asked often to do pet portraits along with having a love of both pets and wildlife, I thought this would be a good choice, and Ruth relished the challenge as well. 

I found pastels work well for this subject, it creates a certain softness for animals especially when done on velour. It really is amazing how much these professional artists pack into these workshops, and I have much admiration for the amount they teach you in such a small time. Thank you Vic for a very enriching if not quick workshop, I really learned so much from it.

 

The SAA show really does have a lot to offer other than the obvious of being a great day out with friends. It gives you a chance to try something different, along with being able to get some sound advice from both the professional artist on technique along with expert knowledge on buying whats needed afterwards from the shop. We also had the chance to try other items , then purchase them if desired . Thank you SAA, I will certainly do my best to get there again next year. 

Please go take a look at the SAA website and the work of all the others winners. You won't be disappointing at the wonderful variety of art on display.

Artist of the Year 2012

 

Robin Berry's new book "Compendium of Watercolour Techniques"

Catching up.....

I've had a few people ask what I've been up to as I've not updated my blog for a long time. I do update my Facebook page as much as I can and on a more regular basis than here, and am embarrassed to say I sometimes forget about my blog and the fact that of course not everyone is on Fb.

......So please accept my apologies for, lack of posts and acknowledgments and answering the comments that people have kindly left on other posts. I'll add some of the posts I have put on my Fb page, so if you've already read them there, please ignore the duplicating.....

Now where to start....When I look back, although I get frustrated at times, I've had a really good year so far. It started with the surprise inclusion of three of my paintings into American artist Robin Berry's new book "Compendium of Watercolour Techniques"

I had been approached along with many other artists by a publisher. They had seen my work on another site and "Would be delighted if i would contribute some examples of my work for possible inclusion in the book". Of course I was the delighted one and sent them off. I was absolutely thrilled around a year later to find my work had indeed been included, 3 paintings in all.

The book is published under different titles in the USA and UK, "Watercolor Secrets" is the USA version, but as I understand is the same on the inside.

   I couldn't feel more proud to see my work in this book, let alone be included along side award winning artists such artists as Robin, herself of course , Ruth Harris, David Poxon, Paul Jackson, Gerad Hendriks to name but a few. There has obviously been a lot of hard work put into this book and it's one I would highly recommend.

I will do a  more detailed write up on this book later, but will end this post with a very big

*THANK YOU* to Robin. 

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.