Toska

My latest painting:

Toska

Thanks to Lynne for the use of her photo, which was taken in a wildlife park in the UK.

Because of this Siberian Tiger's surroundings, I named the painting "Toska" - which means a yearning, a melancholy, a homesickness. (My O level Russian, taken some 25 years ago!)

I hope I've caught that feeling in the painting.

(In the wildlife park, he wasn't on a stone altar, he was on a raised wooden platform.
A stone altar suited my painting purpose better.)


More recently, some five years back - I embarked upon a two year City and Guilds course "Creative Watercolour Techniques"
I have used quite a few techniques in this painting, from cling film, to pouring, to blowing paint through a straw!

I enjoyed painting Toska - I hope you've enjoyed looking at him.

Pointillism, art technique

When I went to college for an art course, in my City and Guilds class we learned Creative techniques with Watercolour.
One of my favourite techniques I learned was pointillism - and here are a few examples which I painted:

Painting is fun!

Painting is great fun!

I was sent a photo which made me smile - it almost looked like a living American Gothic. So I asked permission to paint it, which was granted - and the painting above is the result.

Quite a few of my paintings are very symbolic and this one is no exception.
Lots of hidden meanings in here, should you care to search.
Nice image to look at should you not care to search!

This painting was also part of my portfolio when I took my City & Guilds art exam., and I am sure it contributed to my success.

Adult learner

I enjoyed art at primary school, open evenings found me demonstrating my drawing ability. When it came to the serious business of exam study, art was left behind when I went to secondary school and concentrated on academic study.

I returned to art some 25 years later, when self employed, mainly as a hobby. Then the local college offered an evening course for adults, giving a City & Guilds qualification in art. The course lasted two years, culminating in the presentation of three folders of work and three framed paintings. I am proud to say I passed with flying colours.

Theatrical Halloween - the painting above, was one of my three framed pieces.

So, never too late to learn.