Where Did 2012 Go? - A Year in Retrospect

Here I am on the first few days of 2013 and I sit and ponder where on earth 2012 disappeared to.  We did an enormous amount of travelling admittedly, and unfortunately this does take its toll on my ability to get into some real big messy painting as I intended. I've been pleased to continue on with my Art Weekly though, and am hoping to continue on with these, perhaps in a somewhat looser way in the coming year.

So, now in this blog, I feel the need to run back through the year 'in retrospect', mark the highlights and comment upon things creatively - any time apart from this is probably spent either sitting on the beach, or in a taverna/restaurant/cafe somewhere...... Its a fairly long blog (well, it is a whole year after all), so perhaps grab and coffee, or a glass of wine and enjoy.

January - we returned overland from France to Greece following a great visit to Sydney and New Zealand, with stopovers both ways in Los Angeles, and even though I shouldn't include it, as it was technically not 2012 (between Xmas and New Year), a few days visiting San Francisco, which was brilliant.

February - wintering down in Koroni gave me a chance to continue exploring with collage

 and different mixed media techniques. 

I also came up with some ideas for cards using some of my hundreds of Koroni photos...

March

With the weather warming up a little, it was great to get outdoors to sketch, something I did more of in 2012 than ever before.

I also started sketching daily, admittedly, something that fell into a heap once we started travelling again, but I did really enjoy it and am promising myself to get back into the whole daily thing in 2013.

April - Lots more sketching.

May - off again to France, this time to meet up with Aussie friend, Rita in Nice, before heading to Venice, the Italian Lakes and Switzerland.

We then rendezvoused with another Sydney friend, Peter, and spent a couple of nights in Moneglia, our favourite stop-off spot for visiting Cinque Terre.....

and then, into Tuscany, for a week in a great house in Barga, just north of Lucca. Whilst we were staying there, we were able to re-explore some of our favourite places, Lucca, Sienna, Florence, Pisa.

 Despite all the travelling, talking, eating and drinking, some sketches did actually arise from this whole trip and I am still working on getting the full Sketchbook completed.

June - still with our travelling companions, a few days in Koroni, then a great week cruising around Crete.

July - after another short stint in Koroni, to catch our breaths, I spent a wonderful week at Villa Nicara in Skiathos with my lovely friend, Yvonne, who always inspires me with her wonderful paintings http://paintingskiathos.wordpress.com/.

We both worked hard with lots of different creative stuff happening, as well as plenty of eating, talking and relaxation.

Peter came to meet me and we spent a few days on the island of Skopelos, before heading up to northern Greece to spend some time with his Mum. The only vaguely creative thing I can claim from the stay in Northern Greece is photographs - I was fascinated by the plastic boxes at the Kavala market!

August - mostly spent on the beach in Koroni, or possibly having a siesta to escape the relentless heat during our hottest month.  Despite this though, I joined Gill and her fellow On Location Sketchers for weekly jaunts to all sorts of lovely local spots.

September - more On Location Sketching

October -  back overland through Italy to France, this time with my eldest son, James, in tow. We travelled in my little 'cabrolet', which although fairly tight for space, but was lots of fun, particularly as the weather in Italy was brilliant.  I did get a little sketching done along the way, but should have done a whole lot more.

November - despite various car problems, we made it back, and settled yet again into Koroni, more sketching and also my very exciting foray into 'teaching' Acrylic Painting.
http://artistswindow.com/new/2012/12/acrylic-paintingweek-four/.  Considering these girls only had 3 or 4 morning sessions, they did brilliantly.

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December - once again, back to France for visa stuff, this time we flew into Barcelona and spent some time there. What an amazing place to be just prior to Christmas, so busy and lively, despite the cold.

Phew - as I said it's been a busy year! No wonder I feel exhausted and that it flew by. I guess as far as creativity throughout the year goes, I can at least say I worked hard on my sketching, continued with my collages, and managed to keep up with the weekly art.  2013 will be the start of a whole new creative journey, and I'm determined to continue exploring new techniques, including collage, and more impasto style painting.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. Here's to even more fun, laughter and creativity in 2013 for each and everyone of you.

A Painting A Week No 109 - Kolios Beach, Skiathos

For Sale - 21st August 2012
Kolios Beach, Skiathos
Size: 21 x 15cm
Price A$90
(Postage and handling included)

Kolios Beach is a lovely spot just near where I spend my time on the beautiful Greek island of Skiathos. There's been many a time when I've sat at this table, or one nearby, sipping an ouzo, or perhaps having an evening snack. Sadly, the taverna there didn't seem to be operating this year, but I guess there's always hope for next year.

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my  Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

A Painting A Week No 106

For Sale - 16th July 2012
Skiathos, Greece 2
Size: 21 x 15cm
Price A$90
(Postage and handling included)

I’m currently in northern Greece, and on the way here spent 9 days on the lovely island of Skiathos, hence this week’s painting. This is my 3rd year visiting Skiathos and each time I seem to slip easily into ‘creative mode’. I put this down to Yvonne’s inspiring company, and cool relaxing studio! Once again I've fallen for a view over the water but there’s so much to paint there that I’m always spoilt for choice. I do love the contrast of the sea, white houses and the orange roofs.  Needless to say there are more Skiathos paintings in the pipeline, and some from Skopelos as well, where we spent a couple of days exploring once Peter joined me.

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on this link to my Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

A Painting A Week No 88

For Sale - 13th July 2011

Skiathos, Greece

Size: 21 x 15cm

Price A$90

(Postage and handling included)

What a lucky one I am – here in Skiathos, I wake up in the morning and jump into the pool, then after my favourite Greek yoghurt and fruit, I take a wander over to the adjacent beach bar for a coffee, and perhaps another dip, then it’s into the studio for a few hours of creativity, followed by more swims, perhaps a siesta.... well it has been extremely hot, and painting is such hard work!  This is a truly beautiful spot – I doubt I’ll ever manage to do it justice in my paintings – you’ll have to come and see it yourself! .........

If you would like to buy this painting, please click on the following link to my Art Weekly Online Shop, or if you'd rather deal with me direct, please email me at either jackiesinfrance@hotmail.com or jackie@jackiesherwood.com.

Painting in Skiathos... and other things

I am a little slow getting this blog written, and we're now settled back in Koroni after a 2 week stint up in northern Greece. On the way there I spent a wonderful and hectic week on the island of Skiathos attending a painting workshop. Yvonne has written an excellent blog on her site, with lots of photos, which does a brilliant job of describing my week there with her, far better than I could put together, so if you haven't already seen it, take a look http://paintingskiathos.wordpress.com/

I usually illustrate my blogs with the relevant photos, but there are just far too many, so I've put a selection of them them on my Picasaweb site - so click on this link for some visuals to go with these words http://picasaweb.google.com.au/jackiesinfrance

If anyone wants a week away painting and exploring a beautiful Greek island I can thoroughly recommend it. Villa Nicara is a beautiful and stylish spot with soothing rooms and a wonderful studio to work in (giving even more fuel to my dream of having my own studio one day!)

We spent our days (apart from studio painting time) exploring the island; we had a day wandering around Skiathos town sketching (and eating and drinking). For what must be the very first time in my life I forgot to take my camera that day - must have been the heat!

I joined in on a day’s Greek icon painting which was amazing, but sadly I couldn’t make the time to finish off my angel. Sorry Despina – I did love being one of 'your ladies' and if I don’t manage to finish it myself, I’ll bring it back next year! Its a very different way of painting using egg tempra with tiny wispy brushes and tiny wispy hand movements (unlike my usual strokes!) and comes together beautifully, especially once the gold leaf is added.

One memorable and very hot day we took a boat trip to the two neighbouring islands of Skopelos and Alonnissos, being invited by the captain (yet another a friend of Yvonne's!) to travel on the fly-bridge, frappes included too! The islands were lovely, particularly Skopelos with its masses of churches tumbling down the hillside. My camera worked overtime..... On the way back we passed the tiny church on the top of the large rock that featured in the Mama Mia wedding... and over the speaker system of the boat came Abba singing 'The Winner Takes it All' - absolutely perfect! We also passed pods of dolphins (pods?..... well at least I know its not flocks!) who were leaping out of the water and giving a real show - almost impossible to click the button at the right time though.

We spent many evenings in the buzzing Skiathos town where everything came alive at night – shops all open until around midnight – needless to say we had many late nights and many wonderful dinners and many hours chatting and laughing!

We also had the most wonderful day on Kastro Beach in the north of the island, after stopping off to visit the Evangelistria monastary and another two tiny churches, one where we drank water from the natural fountain to ensure we’d return to the island time and time again (yay). The trek to the beach with our painting gear was a challenging one down a goat track but well worth it to get to the stunning little cove below (trying not to think about the return trip). We set up camp for the day amidst long pieces of driftwood and rocks, having constructed the most ingenious 'chick shelter' with brightly coloured sarongs, all held together multicoloured and jewelled hair ties – boy scouts eat your hearts out! (tho I do have to give credit where its due to Yvonne for starting the building process!) Just above the beach was the taverna – the only other shade apart from our stunning sarong hung structure!! We stayed at the beach until around 8pm – almost the last ones to leave. A big day of painting en plein air - nothing beats having one’s easel perched up above the beach in the taverna, run by friendly hosts, and great food and drinks on tap – now that IS the way to paint!

So it was one very big memorable week for me after our quiet life in Koroni. Yvonne was a generous and entertaining host and the other guest Meli, from California, joined in on all the fun. Sarah from the UK arrived the day before I left and was getting all ready to teach creative writing, jewellery and silk scarf dying, and seeing her samples I was almost ready to stay another week!

I doubt I've covered everything, but don't forget to check out the photos - they say it all really. I must apologise though for my over-abundant use of adjectives. /http://picasaweb.google.com.au/jackiesinfrance