Lion Demonstration in watercolour

Was lovely to be invited to the Ilford Art Society to give a demonstration. A local society that I joined and gave my first UK demo too, some years back. Very friendly society, always on the lookout for new members to join them. 

They requested a wildlife demo so I decided on one of my favourite animals, a lion in watercolours. 

Photo ref with thanks to  Pete Lambert on Unsplash

llford Art Society is highly respected in the local art community, with a history going back to 1925. Members range from beginners to experienced artists. The atmosphere at classes is informal, and there is a substantial social element to the Society's activities and committee life. We hold weekly classes on Wednesday evenings run by an experienced Tutor and exhibit regularly at a range of venues.

Once a month they host a painting demonstration, showing artists' materials and techniques. These are well supported and are always introducing new and exciting ideas. During the year a series of life classes are also arranged. Their online gallery showcases Members' work. Paintings are available for sale, and commissions can be undertaken by individual artists upon request. They have regular life and costume models. 

Members are free to either work from the model if they wish or to work on landscapes, still life or simply their own imagination - in a variety of materials of their choice.

HOW TO JOIN 

#lion #bigcats #lioness #africa #african #wildlife #art #watercolour #wildlifeartists #lionpainting #wildlifeart #instagood #instagram

"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

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. 

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

Derwent Art Supplies Award 2015

Absolutely thrilled to be awarded the Derwent Art Materials Award 2015 at the Society of Women Artists 154th Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London for my painting "Why". The award was presented to me by the Patron, HRH Princess Michael of Kent. To have my parents there with me to see me receive my award made it a very special day, I can’t tell you how proud I felt.  

A very special thanks to Frank Janssens for the use of his photo.

Essex in Mayfair 2015

Thrilled to have all 3 paintings selected by Essex Art Club for their Mayfair Exhibition. PV to be opened by Ken Howard OBE.

I'm using Green . . .

Most people know my phobia of greens lol, but every so often you feel like you need to push into something new, so I just had to go for it and i'm quite pleased with this one. Haven't come up with a title yet, something I really struggle with, so at the moment it's "Untitled"

The greens are mixed from some new paints I got while in the US. These were the American Joe paints, mixtures of Skips green and Sky Blue...





Some progress pics along the way.  Sorry about the quality but these were taken with my new iPad and haven't got used to editing with it yet.

First wash of blue and pink mixes.
Cerulean
Permanent Rose
Colbalt Blue

Nest adding in some flesh tones.
Aureloin and Permanent Rose
A touch of Burnt Sienna

Still too cold so strengthened up the flesh tones, even a touch of Cadmium Red used in very dilute washes, really warms  it up.

















Next the greens, The green in the face is showing a little stronger than it actually is.
















A big thank you to Gunnar Salvarsson for allowing me to use his photo. 

  

"Believe" in Artist & Illustrator Magazine

How thrilled was I to see my watercolour portrait painting "Believe" in this months issue of Artists And Illustrators Magazine as part of the Portfolio Plus selection.. 


This painting was original started at my New York workshop back in late August and the final finishing touches put in back in my studio. The original is currently on exhibition and for sale at the Picturecraft Gallery in Holt, Norfolk.

© Stephie Butler
With special thanks to Steve Evans for the use of his photo as ref. 

Exhibiting at the Picturecraft Art Gallery in Norfolk . . . .

After a lovely visit to Holt in Norfolk today I'm happy to tell you I will be Exhibiting at the Picturecraft Gallery later this year.

Email	info@picturecraftgallery.com
Website	http://www.picturecraftgallery.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

Watercolour & Ink Tiger . . . " Panthera "

I've often used ink on watercolour paintings in the past , although I also love it just as it is, especially when used for architecture. Not having used it for some time I got started on it again recently after seeing a wonderful pen and wash "Helping Hands" by a member of Painting Friends forum, Sharon Williams. which you can see by following the links in the text.

What grabbed me most about Sharon's painting was how it wasn't the typical "Ink & Wash" that is too often a watercolour painting outlined neatly with an Ink pen. While there is nothing wrong with that, I just loved the way the wash overran the lines into other areas and how that gave Sharon's work that painterly look that really appeals to me.

 This is my attempt at a different take on "pen & wash"
 "Panthera"

So out came the ink ... and a straw....
                                      The initial attempts resulted in the painting "I belong to Africa" which you can see in an older post by clicking on the linked title. Although I loved that painitng and thoroughly enjoyed painting it, I still wanted a more randomness to the ink work. This is where those odd workshops and lessons come into use, the ones you don't always immediately use afterwards, but the parts that appealed and inspired seem to sit in the back of your mind just waiting.

 I had taken a short watercolour and Ink course at the local adult education center a few years back, a very enjoyable course run by a talented teacher, but never really used much of what I had learnt. The one thing I enjoyed the most was the use of other implements for the ink work, giving up a bit of control may be scary sometimes but it can have some wonderful effects and becomes part of what goes towards making a painting "yours".
 

  *** The Original painting will be on Exhibition and for sale at the  ***

  * Redbridge Arts Association Summer Exhibition  *

  *  at the Dovecote Gallery  *

* Valentines Mansion, Emerson Road, Ilford, Essex.  IG1 4XA  *

* from 2nd Jul-30th Jul  *

  ***   

Selected for Society of Women Artists Annual Exhibition 2013

Looking to the Future

This is the 2nd painting that I had selected by the Society of Women Artists for their 52nd Annual Exhibition 2013 at the Mall Galleries.

I grabbed a quick photo before it went off to the framers so not a brilliant shot.
 

I would also like to say a very big thank you to Karl Lindsay for allowing me to use photo as ref for this painting. Please visit his website and see his amazing photography at his website. www.karllindsayphotography.com and also on his Fb page HERE