Refelections at Ullswater

Ullswater this morning, I love the leaves in the water.

Which way up?

This is the right way up, totally AMAZING reflections I could have stayed all day photographing around the lake, but the top of the hill on the left was to be climbed.

1st icy tarn this Autumn/Winter

Angle Tarn with Angle Tarn Pikes in the background.

 I couldn't wait to get out on the hills.Waking to a frosty morning and pure blue skies perfect walking conditions .Armed with my trusty buffalo jacket and Seal skin socks guaranteed to keep you warm and dry on a Winters day.Driving along the shores of Ullswater I was itching to find a place to park, to capture the perfect reflections on the calm glass like lake.With Sandwiches, flask of tea and camera in hand. Leaving a frosty Hartsop we set off up the steep accent towards Angle Tarn Pikes,heading up the fell and into the warm sunshine. I  feel inspired when out walking and love painting wild mountainous scenery so the two compliment each other. Today was so peaceful, the light fantastic and colourful Autumn hues.On the descent  we were lucky to see a small herd of deer and only just made it back to the car before sunset.

 

1st stage of Ennerdale painting Acrylic on Fisher 400 paper, pastel on top tomorrow

Art on a bike.

Been self employed, you can pick your weekends when you want, even though today is a weekend I'd decided to do some work on my website. I've had a website for about 10 years which I manage myself with help from friends. But with the sun beckoning I decided to go round Derwentwater on my bike, I'm trying to get fitter and have set myself stupidly a goal of under 1 hour round the lake. Why: I ask myself when peddling with legs of jelly round the catbells bends, but then on the marvellous decent I catch a glimpse of sunshine warming the trees below Causey Pike and suddenly legs of jelly are forgotten. Speeding past tourists with sticks, walkers with muddy dogs and pheasants squawking, I make it back home with seconds to spare.
Tomorrow is promising a day of frost and sunshine, fingers crossed.

1st snow reported in Keswick

I've spent most of the day getting ready to paint, with an exhibition in December the pressure is on. So finally sitting down with paper and pencil ready to go, I' didn't know what to paint. It's rained most of the day in fact all week!so I haven't been able to get out and feel inspired by all those wonderful Autumn hues. So at 3,30 finally gave in to a non painting day, and decided to make a 'Shepherds pie' and so with hat, gloves and waterproof jacket, off I walked to the Butcher's. We can see Skiddaw from the house and walking down the drive wow! The mist  was breaking open and there on the top was a tiny patch of snow. I suddenly felt inspired. Must now decide where to go tomorrow.

Which dog are you?

Ashness bridge yesterday, low cloud and raindrops

I got a call this week from Cumbria Radio, asking if I would do a 'week in the life' I was major excited, what it involves is writing down in 130 words what I do in a 'Normal' day, so I've 5 of these to do and then go and read it in a studio in Carlisle. Now I've realised over the last few years that I  can run around like an headless chicken! and if asked what breed of dog does my personality resemble? it would be a bounding golden mad labrador, that runs around excited searching here and there for a ball that probably doesn't exist and eventually after lots of calling comes back to it's master, knackered! which dog breed are you?

So I've sat down this morning after

getting paper and studio ready for painting

cleaning the Kitchen

stopping myself from baking a cake

lighting the woodburner

answering emails

this was done all at once!

all the time thinking what shall I write about? what do I do!

So I Started and thought I'll count up the words I've put down already, 278!! I'm only allowed 130

So I've now realised my next 5 days are going to be short and sweet, and I must concentrate on one thing at a time and not get too excited or I will be hit round the back of the head with a frying pan like in the Tom and Jerry clips.

Christmas card workshop

I often get asked about my paintings of snowy scapes did you go there? They look with disbelief, sometimes awe, sometimes, with that look that just says WHY. So here is proof that yes I do go to these places and  you can see I'm smiling infact for me this is heaven, the sun is shinning, the scenery is spectacular,

a painting everywhere you turn and seen as we are at the top LUNCH!

Autumn officially ends Dec 1st but as I look out onto a wet, chilly grey day with all leaves nearly blown away till another year I think Winter is here, so bring on the snow, frosty mornings, Keswick shop windows are full of Christmas goodies and so for me this morning I have organised my Christmas card workshop. I've popped a few details below for those who live in or near Keswick.

 The date is THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER

The place is UNDERSKIDDAW VILLAGE HALL in the hamlet of Millbeck

The time is 12.30pm to 3.30pm so you might need a light lunch before but Tea, Coffee and of course Mince pies will be included

The Price is £20 this includes 5 of your own personal Christmas cards.

What do you need to bring Stretched watercolour paper, paints, brushes there is a kitchen sink!

so you won't need that.

So to book your place either send me back an email janeward@ukonline.co.uk

or give me a ring 017687 72471

Places are limited so get in touch sooner rather than later.

Wastwater Demonstration

Can't believe it's nearly a week since my last blog! What have I been up to? I did go over to Yorkshire to my cousins wedding on Halloween, the weather was fantastic thank goodness especially with it been in a marque near to the top of Brimham Rocks. It was quite a different affair, the tables named after Ghoulish things, chocolate mice with jelly tails served with the sweets and puddings,a photo booth with fancy dress for different guest photo's and a table full of old fashioned sweets which went down well with the kids from the 70's and 80's. So back to work, I've my Wednesday monthly class tomorrow and they asked to paint snow!! It was fun getting some of my winter sketches and images out even more so sitting in front of a warm wood burner.I used a limited palette of Ultramarine, Winsor blue, Permanent Rose of course and a touch of Burnt Sienna.

This painting of Wastwater is featured in my six projects for Improvers in Watercolour see

http://www.watercolourcourse.co.uk/ for more details or to enrol, you will be amazed how easy it is to paint stunning snowscenes.

Painting titles

I think I'm nearly finished, but will have a another look tomorrow, I'm chuffed that it's all painted in watercolours and sticking again with a limited palette. The dog caused a bit of a commotion this afternoon, when it resembled a chimp on a lead, you don't get many of those to the pound up here in the woods in Keswick.So I'm thinking of a title:

 'A Walk in the wood' maybe 'Walking the dog' I quite like

'The falling leaves of red and gold' from and Eva Cassidy record

'Forever Autumn' I like this!

Or I could go for a classic U2 HIT 'October'

Definitly not going for 'Funky Gibbon'

'Ooo, ooo, ooo

Ooo, ooo, ooo, the funky gibbon'

Sorry for getting you to sing along!!!

I won't have too much Cadmium red tomorrow.