Exhibiting again

The lovely people at the National Trust cafe in Goodramgate, York, are currently displaying three of my pictures - daffodils, a picture of York Minster at dusk and a new picture of Dunstanburgh castle in Northumberland. As well as exhibiting the work of local artists they run regular 'York's Got Talent' evenings, featuring not just paintings but photography, jewellery and other crafts. Something worth supporting (plus if you pop in, they serve lovely coffee, cakes and yummy homemade soup).

I've now also finished my sunflowers picture, and am quite pleased with the result - now on my webpage http://sunriseblueskies.com/Gallery.html. I'll be entering this picture into the York Art Society exhibition at the Merchant Adventurer's Hall from 27th March - 2nd April.

I'm having a break from painting now for a month or two while I work on 'other projects' (namely decorating my house and playing the guitar...). I'm also branching out into sewing, after my lovely mum-in-law bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. This is helping to banish my demons from needlework class at school (brought on by events such as stiching my finger with the sewing machine and meticulously cutting out all the pieces of a pattern, but the wrong way round). With some gentle coaxing and a lot of help I'm now half way to making a bag...OK so it's a slow process but this time next year perhaps I'll be making my Spring capsule wardrobe?.....

Old London Town

I've decided that I'm definitely a fairweather blogger - in that I only seem to post something when exciting things are happening. Still, it would be rubbish just to post what I'm having for my tea and musing about the latest X-factor reject. So, I have the urge to block again about a recent trip to London, which was totally fab.

The main purpose of my visit was to go to the Investors in People conference, but I won't talk about that here (this blog isn't about work-work). As well as the conference, I meandered around Westminster, came across a mouse in my hotel room (leading to an upgrade, thanks Mr Mouse) and went to see Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Haymarket theatre starring the lovely Anna Friel. Other highlights included visiting Shakepeare's Globe theatre and the Miroslaw Balka 'How It Is' piece at the Tate Modern. The latter is a large steel structure in the Turbine Hall - walking into it is like going into pitch black nothingness, and then suddenly you see the figures of other visitors coming towards you in the darkness, like ghosts - very eerie. That was until I broke the spell by walking straight into the back wall and swearing loudly.

On my final night in London I went to the Royal Albert Hall to see 'A Not So Silent Night', a folk Christmas spectacular with the lovely and amazing Rufus and Martha Wainwright and family, plus other brilliant artists like Guy Garvey and Ed Harcourt, performing Christmas songs. Other than just being in the Royal Albert Hall, which is beautiful, it was a wonderfully uplifting and inspiring concert - an eclectic mix of performers and instruments, and Christmas songs both well known and more obscure. A fantastic end to a brill few days.

As this blog is about painting I should also probably mention where I'm at with that at the moment. I'm just finishing my picture of some sunflowers - yes it's taken ages but I'm quite happy with the result. After that, and inspired by my recent visit to Holgate, I am going to have a go at painting a windmill. Yes, weird I know. But hey, that's art, right?

The nights are drawing in...

Heck, where did the summer go? It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was collapsed in a heap in Edinburgh after doing the Moonwalk, and now autumn is nearly upon us. Since my last posting I haven't been exactly industrious with my painting, but I have decided for now that quality is definitely more important than quantity. I am working on three very different pictures at the moment - the first, a landscape of Dunstanburgh castle in Northumberland, which I'm intending on finishing when I return there in October. The second is a picture of some sunflowers, inspired by a beautiful bunch bought by a friend. Finally, I've started (horror of horrors) a self-portrait. While it seems rather narcissistic I thought it might be quite a challenge and it's definitely shaping up to be...I suspect it may never see the light of day, but hopefully the landscape and sunflower pictures will be on the website fairly soon.

I did it!

That's right, I made it round in a not too shabby 8 hours 10 minutes. While I had been feeling quite anxious about it in the days leading up to the event, the walk itself was lovely and not actually as hard as I'd feared. Don't get me wrong, by the last couple of miles I did feel like someone had been smacking my legs with planks of wood - but there was no point during the 26 miles when I felt like giving up. Part of that was due to the beauty of the city itself - and even though I've visited Edinburgh many times I saw it from a different perspective completely (witnessing dawn break over the Firth of Forth was magical). I also hadn't expected there to be so much support during the walk - from passers by (even cheerful drunks), fellow walkers and from the wonderful stewards who, despite standing in the cold for hours, still managed to smile and shout encouraging words as we walked past. Those people definitely deserve a medal. So, after crossing the finishing line and drinking the best cup of tea I think I've ever had - when someone asked me if I would do it again next year, despite my throbbing feet and sleep-deprived brain there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be getting my feather and sequinned bra out again in 12 months time.

Is it too late to back out....?

Well, I'm on the train to Edinburgh, trainers and decorated bra packed. I can't believe how quickly the Moonwalk has come around, and I don't think I've done nearly enough training. Still, I have some secret weapons, namely some walking socks that promise 'no blisters - guaranteed' (my solicitor is on stand-by if I need to sue later) and an ipod playlist with some inspirational songs including 'Eye of the Tiger' and the theme from Flashdance. If that doesn't get me round I don't know what will. Am now just praying that the rain will hold off....

Three weeks to go....

Well, I can't believe how quickly the Moonwalk is coming around - in three weeks and just under three hours I'll be setting off for a 26 mile walk around Edinburgh - woo hoo. Am very excited about it but have not done nearly as much training as the Moonwalk plan suggests. Still, as long as I crawl past the finish line at some point on Sunday I'll be happy. The little walking I have done of late has been around the lovely Hagg Wood near Dunnington. It's a beautiful walk through woodland and fields, and on my last walk I even came across a deer in the middle of the wood. Between walking, and playing the uke and guitar, I haven't had much time for painting of late. But I'm getting back into it now and have nearly finished a painting of a Venetian palazzo for my friend Les - it's been a hard slog, with a lot of detail of windows and doors, but I am hoping he'll like it. I also just finished reading a great book about a painter, called Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale. It's a fascinating study of a family affected by manic depression - sounds a bit grim I know but is beautifully written. It's also set in one of my favourite parts of the world, Penzance. Tomorrow night we're off to see Scott Matthews in concert at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds which should be fantastic, if the last time we saw him is anything to go by.

Blogs ahoy

Things have been a little quiet on the painting front of late, what with training for the Moonwalk, although I have been working on a picture for a friend of a venetian palazzo - it's coming together slowly, mainly because it's very different to anything I've worked on before. Training wise, as you can see from my stats on the right of the page I have already completed well over a marathon - just over a month instead of 8 hours. Well it makes me feel better anyway. Did an 11 mile walk yesterday which was lovely, and I'm not feeling too achy today, so moonwalk here I come. I've also just started a new blog, http://penelopefoster.blogspot.com/ (yes, that's my Sunday name) on leadership - my area of professional interest. I'll be posting news, reflections and links on here in coming months on all aspects of leadership and leadership development (although often with a light-hearted slant, as you can see from the first posting on the Apprentice).