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).

An Exhibitionist? Me?

After a delivering three pictures to be submitted to the York Art Society Spring Exhibition, and a tense few hours, I found out that the pictures are in and I am officially exhibiting for the first time! I went along to the opening night of the exhibition last night, there are some really beautiful pictures and it's amazing to have my pics hanging alongside them. The three I've submitted are Daffodils, York Minster in Silhouette and a new one of Bamburgh Castle (you can see them all on my on-line gallery). Anyway, it's all dead exciting, even more so because my lovely co-artist Celia Q has three of her beautiful pictures in the exhibition as well. So if you're meandering past the Merchant Adventurer's Hall in York this week, wander in and take a look. In other news, I've just started twittering - more out of a sense of curiosity rather than a need to tell everyone what I'm having for my tea (and also because I thought it might be a good way to spread the news about my Moonwalk and perhaps raise some more money). Anyway, if you're twittering too you can follow me at www.twitter.com/moonwalkinglady - plus my twitter updates are now available on this page. How very 21st century.

I'm Moonwalking

If you have met me in the past few weeks you will no doubt have heard me talking about the Edinburgh Moonwalk - I have signed up to do the 26 mile walk around Edinburgh in June in aid of breast cancer charities. It's for a great cause and I'm trying to raise as much money as possible, so if you would like to sponsor me please follow this link www.bmycharity.com/v2/pennyfoster. Anyway my training for the event has officially begun, I am getting out as much as possible and trying to work on my walking technique (why does no-one ever tell you there's a 'proper' way of walking?). I have discovered a great site called mapmywalk.com which records the walks that I do, and you can see my progress on the right in terms of distance travelled so far - hmmm some way to go I think.

I wish I'd paid more attention in Maths lessons..

Yesterday I went to my first York Art Society event - a demonstration on the principles of composition by Reuban Mayne. It was very interesting and nice to meet some of the other YAS members. I haven't consciously thought a great deal about composition before, and was interested to hear that in classical painting (and in some contemporary art such as pop art) composition has its roots in geometry - so artists use concepts like armature and root rectangles, spirals and s shape curves to make the picture more interesting to the eye or, as Reuban put it, to use the space you have to create a 'visual rhythm'. Very interesting and something I am going to experiment with. I am also thinking of submitting a couple of works to the York Art Society Spring Exhibition coming up in March - in any case I have volunteered to be a steward on the afternoon of Saturday 28th March so come along to the Merchant Adventurer's Hall in York and say hello!

Painting news

After a slightly shaky start things are now coming together for 2009.  I am painting again - I'm currently working on a commission for a friend of Mljet, a beautiful island in Croatia.  Next I'm returning to Venice for another commission, this time a picture of Venetian Palazzo.  With all those windows I foresee fiddly bits.  Also exciting is that I've signed up to do the Moonwalk in Edinburgh in June - a 26 mile walk in aid of breast cancer charities.  My friend Susan and I have a plan of action, and we've already completed two 3 mile walks (it's a start, OK)?  I've had the urge to get walking more for some time now and this is the reason I needed - bring it on!!