Olympic spirit swimmers

In 2012 I developed a set of Olympic spirit cards for running, cycling and rowing. The idea for the cards came from developing a couple of paintings for the 2012 open studios banner project. I experimented quite a bit with different colours and ideas until I arrived at these using the ring colours. The cards have proved to be very popular especially the Olympic spirit rowers and cyclists.

Since 2012 I have also added the Olympic swimmers card for triathletes.

Olympic Spirit Swimmers

The original Olympic spirit cards are shown below:-

Olympic Spirit Cyclists

Olympic Spirit Rowers

Olympic Spirit Runners

If you are interested to purchase Olympic Spirit cards or related paintings, please get in touch via email liz@lizmilburn.co.uk

Venice gondolier sketches

Spring time makes me think about visiting Venice. It never fails to inspire me. I love the fact that you really feel like you have stepped back in time when you visit. The water everywhere appears to bathe the buildings in wonderful light. These reflections give such a jewel like quality to the place. The late afternoon light is especially magical with the long shadows. But it is possibly still the people that fascinate me most, going about their everyday lives.

I can see from my sketches that I was particularly fascinated by the Venice gondoliers. I was keen to capture their posture and their techniques with the pole. Here are a collection of my pencil and watercolour sketches:-

Sketch book Gondoliers in a row

More pencil sketches

Gondolas on the Grand canal

Bobbing gondolas

Gondolier sketch

Gondoliers in a row

I will be exhibiting some Venice paintings at Artex later this month.

All in a days Life Drawing

I have been looking through my life drawing from last term, autumn 2015, and was amazed at the drawings I produced in one day by going to two sessions, morning and afternoon. Some days you can be inspired and really connect with the what you are drawing. You can see that I used my purple and yellow pastels quite a bit. Some of the paper has been treated with paint and college first. See what you think below:-

Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year. The later half of last year went in a complete blur and apologies for not posting anything since July. Much of my painting was curtailed from late August through to October due to my son being injured in the Shoreham Air Disaster. Thankfully he has made a good recovery.

In December, I had an exhibition at the Watermill theatre restaurant in Bagnor, Newbury entitled "Venice at the Watermill". See photos below including a Gondolas painting finished since Open studios.

Venice at the Watermill

Gondola's in the late afternoon light

Amazing light in Rome

It is amazing what wonderful sunlight can do to your mood. I really loved the light in this market square, Campo de' Fiori in Rome. There were lovely shadows in the market place from the stalls and the people. I can still imagine just sitting down for lunch or a coffee.

Sunlight and shadows, Campo de'Fiori 

I managed to finish it just in time for open studios. It was much admired!

Open studio final update

Thanks to everyone who visited my open studios during May. The last day was very busy! I had lovely comments in my visitors book, the demonstrations were very popular.

I have included more stages of the painting I started at the beginning of the open studio - see below. Will post the final version in my blog when it is finished.

Painting after first weekend

Friday 15th May

Saturday 16th May

Sunday 17th May

Open studios update and photos

Thanks to all the visitors who came to visit me over the first weekend. I have been delighted by the lovely comments about my artwork and also about what people learned behind the scenes. I am open for a further weekend on Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th, 11am-5pm. I am also happy to open at any time by appointment in May.

I have included a few photos of the studio and paintings on walls for those who are not able to visit.

As part of the open studio I have started a new large painting, below are some photos of the progress at different stages. I will also be demonstrating my paper preparation techniques as detailed in a previous blog entry.

Large canvas with sienna ground

First stage sketch to get an idea of composition

First colours on canvas