paintings Archives - Kerry Newell

Posted on 05/09/2022 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Creativity takes courage.’ – Henri Matisse

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Eagle Owl currently on my easel and the new subject for this month’s pastel workshop.

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well. Sorry that there’s been a break in my weekly newsletters, hopefully I’m back on schedule now.

I’m pleased to say that the wildlife-inspired workshops at Martin Mere Wetland Centre are becoming more and more popular with each passing month. I’ve been meeting such wonderful people, participants that are enjoying growing on their individual artistic journeys.

As I said in my previous newsletter, with the economy as it is at the moment, myself and the management of Martin Mere have been in agreement to lower the workshop prices from £80 to £60 per person 😊

Additional dates have been added to the table below 🔽

Wildlife Art Workshops New for 2022

Date	Medium	Subject
January 22nd	Watercolour	European Robin
February 26th	Acrylic	postponed due to Covid
March 26th	Pastel	Red Squirrel
April 30th	Watercolour	Kingfisher
May 28th	Acrylic	Puffin
June 25th	Pastel	Fallow Deer
August 27th	Watercolour	Bee Eater
September 17th	Pastel	Eagle Owl
October 29th	Watercolour	TBC
November 26th	Pastel	TBC

A total of ten dates have now been confirmed over at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. One running each month, with the exception of July and December. January to June the mediums will alternate between Watercolour, Acrylic and Pastel, August through to November the mediums will be Watercolour or Pastel, and all workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love oil painting then just let me know.

Workshop Information

Diary Dates

Patching’s Art Festival	14th – 17th July 2022
Exhibition of Wildlife Art	29th – 31st July 2022
North West Birdwatching Festival	15th & 16th October 2022
Art Safari in Uganda	16th February – 3rd March 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’ I’ll be demonstrating whilst exhibiting there this year and would love for you to drop by and say hello.

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Art Safari in Uganda – a two week tour taking in some of Uganda’s best national parks, optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, visiting a rhino sanctuary and so much more. With a maximum of 6 participants this art based safari ensures you’ll have all the natural world of Uganda has to offer, plus plenty of 1 to 1 guidance from me when you need it to enable you to capture all that you want on paper or canvas. More information below.

Latest News

Well it is well and truly official – I’m now a Derwent Ambassador! 😃 For those of you who don’t know, Derwent is a branded company here in the UK dating back to 1832. This proud heritage comes from a deep understanding of artists, and with this in mind has produced a range of art materials that span from the first colouring pencil to the highest professional quality products – the majority of which are still manufactured in their British plant in the Lake District in Cumbria but sold worldwide.

And so my journey with Derwent begins – last Sunday I received a parcel from Derwent, the contents of which I shall be reviewing 😊 So without hesitation I set my phone on record so that you could all share in my excitement. I’m feeling very blessed indeed.

I’ll supply links to the content of the package, (below the video) so if you want to be as surprised by the contents as I was, watch the video first before scrolling down the page 😉

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🎨 Supplies in this video:

Derwent Graphitint Paint Pan Set – https://amzn.to/3R2usYu

Derwent Coloursoft 24 Pencil Set – https://amzn.to/3Rnlq8a

Derwent Watercolour 36 Pencil Set – https://amzn.to/3R2uC22

Derwent Inktense Paper 140lb – https://amzn.to/3ToNom3

Derwent Inktense Pencils 72 Set – https://amzn.to/3pVrngZ

Derwent Inktense Blocks 72 Set – https://amzn.to/3AYNGZq

Derwent Black Mixed Media Paper 140lb

On My Easel

Having finished the little Bee Eater in watercolour (which was also last month’s workshop subject) I’ve begun on this Eagle Owl portrait in readiness for this month’s pastel workshop.

There’s nothing more relaxing than settling down at my easel, a fresh cup of coffee to one side, and just creating.

For the love of Uganda

Calling all artists, would you like to take your love for art and wildlife one step further? Then why not join me on safari in Uganda this coming September? There’s so much to see and do on this adventure of a lifetime; safari drives, boat cruises, gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking so much more… Any questions? Then contact Lesley who’s looking forward to hearing from you.

‘Capture some of Africa’s finest wildlife in art that will help your memories last forever. We are very excited about our new partnership with wildlife artist Kerry Newell and hope this art safari – based on one of our classic wildlife safaris – will become an annual feature in our tour calendar.’

Ugandan Art-based Safari

16th February – 3rd March 2023

Limited Places

Amazing price of £4,775

For more information please contact Lesley Harris Lesley@ventureuganda.org

WhatsApp: +256 782 735 309

Lesley Harris, owner of Venture Uganda, is more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this adventure. Please take a few minutes to read the amazing itinerary Lesley and her team, over in Uganda, have put together (you wont be disappointed). Lesley is currently building a new and exclusive page to add to her, already wonderful, website. I’ll be sure to let you all know when that goes live, but for now sit back and enjoy all the amazing details of this new and exciting diary of events planned for 15th – 30th September 2022!

Ugandan Art Safari Information

Venture Uganda Travel

Subscriber Question

With this month’s pastel workshop just two weeks away I’m going to leave this section just as it is for a couple more weeks, so if you have any art related questions pop them in the comments box at the end of the page and I may choose your question as the next one xXx

Q. My pastel pencils keep breaking in my pencil sharpener. How do you sharpen yours?

A. Now this is a question that I get asked a lot, and the answer is a simple one – I don’t use a traditional pencil sharpener for my pastel pencils. Instead I use a knife and sandpaper. The easiest way for me to explain this was to do a simple and quick video demonstration: How I Sharpen Pastel Pencils

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Okay folks that’s it for me today, I’m off to grab a quick shower and then to relax for the rest of the evening 😊

Thank you once again, as always my friends, for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

cup of hot tea on wooden windowsill during sundown

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

Posted on 22/05/2022 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘In the mind of every artist there is a masterpiece’ Kai Green

Please note: some items are repeated for the benefit of new subscribers. Thank you 😊

Pied Wagtail in Acrylic completed 14.05.2022

Hey there my friends I hope you’re all keeping well and enjoying the occasional bursts of sunshine we seem to be getting at the moment here in the UK. Finally had time to finish off my Pied Wagtail acrylic painting, and I’m pleased with the results. I have to admit that I had lots of fun playing with the lighting on this one. In many cases the lighting and contrast within a project can make or break a painting, much more than colour can. So something to keep in mind if you’re planning your next project (no matter what the size or subject make sure to get some punchy contrast going to make your piece pop).

Just 6 sleeps to go until my Puffin in Acrylic workshop. There’s still a few places left, so if you’ve been wanting to try your hand at acrylics this would be a perfect opportunity to do so. This subject really is suitable for beginners, so don’t be put off if it looks a little intimidating 😉 For more information: Martin Mere Wetland Centre

Wildlife Art Workshops New for 2022

Date	Medium	Subject
January 22nd	Watercolour	European Robin
February 26th	Acrylic	postponed due to Covid
March 26th	Pastel	Red Squirrel
April 30th	Watercolour	Kingfisher
May 28th	Acrylic	Puffin
June 25th	Pastel	T.B.C

Six dates have now been confirmed over at Martin Mere Wetland Centre. One running each month until, and including, June. The mediums alternate between Watercolour, Acrylic and Pastel, and all workshops are suitable for beginners. More information can be found over on our exclusive Art Workshop page on the Martin Mere website as well as on the Workshop page of my website. If participants would like further mediums added then extra dates can be slotted in to suit. So if your passion is coloured pencil or you love oil painting then just let me know.

Workshop Information

Diary Dates

Patching’s Art Festival	14th – 17th July 2022
Exhibition of Wildlife Art	29th – 31st July 2022
Art Safari in Uganda	15th – 30th September 2022
North West Birdwatching Festival	15th & 16th October 2022
Art Safari in Uganda	16th February – 3rd March 2023

Patching’s Art Festival – an international four day art event celebrating the best in art & craft. Open to all there’s something for everyone, the chance to meet over 250 artists, a lot of which will be demonstrating (including me demonstrating for Caran d’Ache). Plus ‘hands-on’ workshops and art material offers all set in 60 acres of beautiful Nottinghamshire countryside.

Exhibition of Wildlife Art – ‘an exciting three day show featuring the work of some of the world’s most talented wildlife artists. The biggest and most successful, open selling, exhibition of Wildlife Art outside of London. All exhibited work is for sale and many artist demonstrate whilst there.’ I’ll be demonstrating whilst exhibiting there this year and would love for you to drop by and say hello.

Art Safari in Uganda – a two week tour taking in some of Uganda’s best national parks, optional gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, visiting a rhino sanctuary and so much more. With a maximum of 6 participants this art based safari ensures you’ll have all the natural world of Uganda has to offer, plus plenty of 1 to 1 guidance from me when you need it to enable you to capture all that you want on paper or canvas. More information below.

North West Birdwatching Festival – Open at 8am, start your day by watching the spectacle of thousands of wild geese leave the roost before heading for breakfast in the Martin Mere restaurant. Over the two day there will be an array of guest speakers and exhibitors, artists and photographers including photography workshops, guided reserve walks, and more. I’ll be exhibiting and demonstrating throughout the weekend and would love you to drop by and say hello.

Latest News

Okay my latest news is….. well I don’t have much to tell this week. I’m now awaiting a reply from Derwent regarding an offer of ambassadorship (if that’s a real word lol) and to write for their blog. More news on this as I find out 😉

I’m currently staying with my mum for a few days, so my ‘art life’ is taking the back seat, should be able to get back to my easel on Tuesday.

A visit to the Welsh Mountain Zoo last Wednesday has left me with another plethora of images to go through. Oh one thing that did happen is that my beloved Canon 60d decided to become temperamental while photographing European Brown bears, urgh, nothing like choosing the most inconvenient time to do so. Needless to say my Canon 60d is being put into retirement, not bad after 11yrs faithful service, and a replacement camera body will soon be making its home here with me.

On My Easel

a canvas on a wooden easel with yellow background

Today the canvas resting on my easel is bare as I’m currently deciding on the composition for my next painting, all being well it will be a Ring-tailed Lemur study in acrylic. Hopefully I’ll have something a little more interesting to show you in my next newsletter lol.

For the love of Uganda

Ugandan Art-based Safaris

15th – 30th September 2022

16th February – 3rd March 2023

Limited Places

Amazing price of £4,775

For more information please contact Lesley Harris Lesley@ventureuganda.org

WhatsApp: +256 782 735 309

Ugandan Art Safari Information

Venture Uganda Travel

Subscriber Question

Q. How can I speed up when working with coloured pencils?

A. Working with coloured pencils is always slow compared to working with paint. Let’s face it trying to cover a piece of paper with a tiny sharpened piece of pigment is always going to have time related issues. Having said that, there are a few things you could try to speed the process along. Think about using a toned paper, this takes away the need for a background and lets you begin with a midtone. You could try adding base coats with alcohol pens, watercolours or gouache. You could even apply a background/subject base coats with pastel and leave your coloured pencil for the finer details. Obviously all of the above would be mixed media paintings when finished. In the following video Coloured Pencil on Toned Paper I show the benefits of working with a toned base and also the advantages of using a softer drawing pencil and odourless mineral spirits – techniques that can cut down on the amount of layering required whilst speeding up the process of completing a project too.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it.

Well it’s that time again to sign off for now, a quick cuppa with my husband before heading back round to my mum’s for the evening.

I hope that you’re weekend is a lovely one and that you’re able to spend it with the ones you love.

Thank you once again as always my friends for spending some time with me today, and please feel free to leave a question or suggestion in the contact form below.

Wishing you all the best, until next time, as always, stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

brown cookies — Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

Posted on 24/12/2021 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘I make art to show my soul I’m listening’ – Pat Wiederspan

Seasons Greetings my friends! I trust you’re all keeping well and getting ready to relax and recharge your creative batteries during the festive break. For those of you, whom like myself, celebrate Christmas, I hope you’ll have some arty goodies to unwrap tomorrow. Something you’ve put on your Christmas list or maybe something you’ve treated yourself to? No doubt I’ll be browsing art materials online tomorrow and seeing if anything sparks my interest. If it doesn’t then not to worry as I’ve plenty to keep me entertained for now. Have enjoyed flexing my digital art muscles for a change whilst creating this little Christmassy Frogs picture, I hope you like him.

Well as much as I’ve wished for snow, the cold weather hasn’t arrived yet. Actually it’s quite mild at the moment, so my dreams of a white Christmas are looking less likely by the hour. No worries, I’ve still made myself a warm drink so that at least I’ll feel cosy on the inside whilst catching up with you all.

I’m pleased to say that last week’s addition of ‘subscriber question’ and ‘contact form’ sections have been successful, so they’ll be staying put. No new addition suggestions as yet, but keep your ideas coming and who knows what the New Year will hold. Okay, now things of an arty nature:

Update on Ugandan Art-based Safari – I’ve now received the full itinerary and dates!

I haven’t been given the go-ahead to share everything with you yet, as flight details are, at the moment, being confirmed. What I can say is that this is going to be an amazing 15 day safari in Uganda, 15th – 30th September 2022, the trip of a lifetime.

Reading through the itinerary alone gave me goose bumps, not to mention the butterflies the size of Monarchs in my stomach from excitement lol. But I do keep reminding myself that it’s still early days. So watch this space and hopefully come January all will be revealed.

With just four weeks to go until my new and exclusive workshops begin at WWF Martin Mere Wetland Centre, I’m getting pretty excited about this too. Teaching is always a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and share an interest or two, an opportunity that I never take for granted. I love to see individuals taking ‘the next step’ on their artistic journey, whether it be their first initial steps or leaps and bounds later on, the fact that we’re on this never ending journey of discovery together is what makes sharing it even more special.

All of my courses are beginner friendly, with each participant encouraged to work at their own pace however steady or speedy that my be. Each workshop has a set (limited) number of places so that everyone can get the extra help and words of encouragement should they need it. Plus 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation via the WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust).

We’re starting off the workshops with a watercolour one. Beginner friendly of course, and not too heavy on the wallet material wise. After that I’ll tailor workshops to whatever participants want, different mediums and different flora & fauna subjects. Interested? For more Information on these Workshops

Subscriber Question – what water based medium can I use to compliment my watercolours but that has more vibrancy?

A. Achieving vibrancy in watercolour can be achieved but it isn’t always easy, especially if you’re new to the medium. Gouache (opaque watercolour) can be used. But if you want colour with a visual kick then I’d recommend giving Derwent’s Inktense a try. It’s a water-soluble ink that is permanent and mat when dry. It can be used on paper, canvas and even fabric and works wonderfully well alongside watercolours in mixed media projects.

I may not always have a video on my YouTube channel to go alongside a subscriber’s question, but when I do I’ll be sure to add it. Here’s a link for the Iguana in Inktense if you’d like to take a look.

Thank you once again for taking a few minutes out of your day to join me, I promised myself that I’d keep my rambling short this time as I’m sure you’ve plenty to do, so with that said I’ll say farewell for now by wishing you all a huge MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

Posted on 18/12/2021 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

“Inhale possibility, exhale creativity.” – Laura Jaworski

Hey there my friends I hope everyone is keeping well and looking forward to the festive celebrations, or just a break from work. The weather here is getting slightly cooler but still no sign of snow, just seven sleeps until Christmas so there’s still the chance though – yep that’s me wishful thinking again. Okay I have a mug of coffee at hand, I hope you have a warm drink too. Time to catch up. Oh before I forget – my newsletters, although mobile friendly, are best viewed on a tablet, laptop or PC.

Thank you to everyone who’s contacted me this past week, brilliant comments and questions too. A big thank you to Pat King who asked if I could include a contact form at the bottom of my newsletters, and to Kieran Taylor who asked if I could add a ‘subscriber question’ section to each newsletter too. Both great ideas, so these additions will begin today.

Update on Uganda – after sharing last week’s exciting news with you all regarding Uganda (and sharing on social media too) I was so grateful with how many of you took the time to congratulate me on this new adventure in the making. I keep having to remind myself that it’s still early days yet, and I don’t want to take anything for granted. Having said that, my second meeting, via Zoom, went swimmingly well last Sunday. Everything seems to be going as planned and the final details are now being added into the 15/16 day itinerary. I’m now waiting again to hear from the Ugandan team but will keep you all updated as new developments arise.

With my ‘Christmas due’ commissions now completed and delivered, I’ve been able to spend some time making plans for the coming year, updates for my website and YouTube channel being amongst them. I now have notepads brimming with ideas as well as scribblings on how best to manage the time I have available, whilst not letting anything else fall by the wayside. For more Information of Commissions

I’ve also completed my last personal tuition booking for this year, which was a wonderful day spent in Wales with three ambitious artistic people. For more Information on Private Tuition

A few weeks ago I began the task of adding small contact forms to my Gallery Shop pages, enabling visitors to contact me directly should they be interested in knowing when a particular painting is available for purchase in print form. The feedback was almost immediate, and therefore I’m pleased to say that a majority of the paintings have now been scanned/professionally photographed and all being well prints can begin to be made available in January 2022.

Just five weeks to go until my Wildlife Art Workshops begin at Martin Mere Wetland Centre (mentioned in my previous two newsletters). If you’re interested in knowing more but haven’t had the time to take a look here’s a little link for you: Watercolour Workshop at Martin Mere

While on the subject of watercolour, I’ve a lovely little video over on my YouTube channel that’s suitable for beginners and enthusiasts alike. This Red Squirrel takes you through the process of working with watercolour pencils, but you could also apply the techniques to normal pan or tube watercolours, gouache or even acrylics should you wish. Red Squirrel Video

Okay tying in nicely whilst on a watercolour theme is the first of our two new newsletter additions:

Subscriber Question – what is the difference between watercolour and gouache, and do I need both?

A. Okay this one is quite simple to explain – watercolour, as the name suggests, is a water based paint which is translucent when dry. Whereas gouache, whilst also being water based, is opaque when dry. Pigments in either medium can be staining or non-staining and both mediums dry to a mat finish. Gouache has a tendency to dry with a slightly rough texture (ideal if wanting to apply coloured pencil on top for a mixed media project). I personally love having both mediums at hand, but no you don’t need both as each medium works perfectly well on it’s own as intended.

So there we have it, another newsletter in the bag lol. I hope you’ve enjoyed your time here with me today, thank you for keeping me company. As promised I’ll pop the aforementioned contact form at the end of the newsletter, so please feel free to use it to send YouTube, website or newsletter suggestions and general art questions too.

Signing off for now and wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

Questions & Suggestions welcomed

Posted on 11/12/2021 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Creativity takes courage’ – Henri Matisse

Hey there my friends, I hope you’re all keeping well and warm. Wow has it really been two weeks already since my last letter? Time flies or so the saying goes. I’ve a large mug of coffee and a couple of those fancy biscuits (Lotus Biscoff) so I’m all comfy and cosy for our catch up.

Firstly I’d like to say thank you for the feedback now I have my email newsletters rolling out again, it’s great to hear from you all and I hope you’ve all found my replies satisfactory 😊 Last night I added a couple more items to my website ‘sidebar widget area’, I’ll see if you can spot them… okay a couple of clues – ‘he flaunts the front of many Christmas cards’ and ‘you already have, but it may prompt more to do likewise’. If anyone has further suggestions for additions to my
website please let me know.

New and exciting news – I’m currently in talks with a Ugandan-based company who would like me to run an art-based safari over there. We’ve had one informal meeting, over the phone of course, and we’re scheduled to have our next meeting this coming Sunday via Zoom. Initial itinerary plans have been put together which I’ve now received via email. It’s very exciting, even though development is in the early stages at the moment. As the plans for this adventure unfold I’ll be sure to share them all with you.

The past couple of weeks have been busy, as you’d expect in the lead up to Christmas. Anyone working with commissions at this time of the year knows the pressure of deadlines, and no matter how far in advance we try to plan, time has a way of creeping up on us. I’m not complaining though as I seem to work more efficiently with deadlines in place, an impending target date putting an abrupt end to my procrastination tendencies 😉

The hard work has payed off yet again and two more commissions have been delivered with time to spare. Another commission has been scheduled for the new year and I’ve already taken a large amount of reference images for this, so let’s just say I’m ahead of schedule in the commission area of my life right now. For more Information on Commissions

I don’t know about you but it always feels weird when I begin filling dates in my calendar for the following year. I’m looking forward to new and exciting journeys, one of them being Wildlife Art Workshops at WWF Martin Mere Wetland Centre as mentioned in my last newsletter.

Places are filling up nicely apparently, which is great for me and the centre alike. But if you would like to give it a go don’t leave it too late to book, I’ve restricted the amount of places so that all attendees get plenty of attention should the require it on the day. One thing I meant to mention is that 50% of all proceeds go straight back into conservation via the WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust).

I’m pleased to say I’ve now over 2k subscribers on my YouTube channel. I haven’t posted for a while as I’ve been fulfilling commissioned works, but over the Christmas period I’ll be able to get back on track. Its looking like the ‘Black Fur in Pastel’ has been a favourite with viewers so far.
Here’s a link if you’d like to take a look 👀 Black Fur in Pastel video

Okay I’ve rambled enough for one afternoon and my easel’s calling me lol. Don’t forget if there’s anything you’d like me to cover in these newsletters or things you’d like to see added to my website let me know.

I’ll sign off for now but thank you for spending some time with me.

Stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

Posted on 25/11/2021 by Kerry Newell

Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

‘Practise makes progress, not perfection.’ – Me

From my sofa to yours…

Hey there my friends I hope you’re keeping well. It’s been a while since I last put pen to paper, well fingers to keypad to be exact. So we’ve plenty to catch up on. I’ll go and grab a coffee, if you want to do likewise, then we can relax and have a catch up.

Well I don’t know about you but I’ve heard enough about a certain virus that’s been doing the rounds this past 18 months or so, and I want to keep these newsletters upbeat so wont be mentioning it again… apart from saying that I quite enjoyed the first lockdown – plenty of guilt-free studio time.

Okay, so what’s been happening this end, and I apologise in advance as I doubt that my ramblings will be in any particular order (especially chronological).

In short, I’ve been a busy bee lol. Completing more drawings, paintings, commissions and YouTube videos than ever before, within the same timeframe of course. I’ve been inspired by inks, allured again by acrylics and played with my pencils, not to mention the occasional flexing of my digital art muscles lol. I’ve also been busy the past few weeks giving my website some much needed TLC.

So where has all this ‘playing with my art materials’ taken me? Well, I enjoyed a wonderful weekend exhibiting at the EWA (Exhibition of Wildlife Art) back in July, wow is it really that long ago. It’s a brilliant weekend if you’re into wildlife and art, takes place at the same venue each year – Gordale Garden Centre on the Wirral.

Then in October, last month, I was invited to exhibit at the North West Birdwatching Festival. It’s an event that’s held annually at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Lancashire. Hadn’t been to this event before, let alone exhibited there. On arrival, it turned out that I was the only artist there which was surprising but lovely at the same time.

One of the advantages of exhibiting, apart from selling and meeting such wonderful people, is the chance of being asked to do something that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Well, okay it could but the possibilities are less I would think. Anyway, before I completely loose my thread and have to go and grab another coffee, I’m so very pleased to let you know that I’ve been invited to run Art Workshops at Martin Mere Wetland Centre! Exciting times ahead, even if I say so myself lol. So the first date has been set for Saturday 22nd January 2022 and it’s going to be a watercolour workshop. For beginners and the more experienced alike.

Here’s a link if you want to go and have a look at what’s on offer, as long as you promise to come back to read the rest of my ramblings of course – Information on these Workshops

So where did I get to? Oh yes ‘workshops’ – great news eh. Can’t think of anything better than starting a new hobby or brushing the cobwebs off an old one, and a lovely way of easing into a brand new year 🙂

Anyway as I was saying, before my mind jumped ahead of itself and my ‘fingers hitting the keyboard’ had to follow. I’ve been applying my tech savvy brain cell to the task of tweaking my website. While some people like the idea of a simple to use website where you just ‘drag & drop’ so to speak, I like to challenge myself once in a while with my homemade style WordPress website, one step away from the aforementioned drag & drop but not quite in the realm of coding where I wouldn’t stand a chance lol.

To my website I’ve added ‘Supply Lists’ seven brand new pages showing some of the products I use and can therefore recommend. There’s Graphite & Charcoal, Coloured Pencil, Watercolour & Gouache, Acrylic, Oils, Pastels and Studio Accessories.

Along with a little description and the supply listings, I’ve also included an image on each section showing my recommendations for someone wanting to get started in each medium. Something that I would have found useful when starting out.

On the subject of all things ‘tech savvy’ (well we weren’t but we can pretend can’t we lol) I now have 23 YouTube videos, have plenty more planned too. Here’s a link if you’d like to take a look 👀 My YouTube Channel

I’ve also updated my ‘Commissions’ page which now includes pricing examples and more information than before.

For more Information on Commissions

Those of you who know me well know that I could ramble on for hours, but those of you who don’t know me so well… I’ll spare you that ordeal for now 😉

I’ve so much more to share with you all but I’ll save it for my next newsletters to you.

If there’s anything you’d like me to chat about in particular just let me know. If there’s any subject or mediums that you’d like to see me cover in a YouTube video just let me know too.

So I’ll sign off now, thank you for spending some time with me.

Stay safe and stay creative, Kerry xXx

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Posted on 27/06/2018 by Kerry Newell

Good afternoon folks I hope this blog update finds you all well.

Perfect weather here in the UK again, that is if all you have to do is sit on a lounger being served pink gin cocktails, whilst being wafted with palm fronds before taking a dip in an olympic size swimming pool lol. Unfortunately reality at the minute is a hot & humid art studio with a plentiful supply of chilled water as apposed to pink gin or any other alcoholic beverage for that matter, but I’m not complaining … honest lol.

While the world seems to have gone football mad, every four years birthing a whole new generation of wannabe professional referees shouting at the tv and declaring the ‘I could do better’ chant (yep my husband included lol), I plod on with commissions and filming for my YouTube channel amongst other art related tasks.

After a decluttering session I decided to add some ‘green’ to my working space, by that I mean plant life and not wallpaper made up of £5 notes lol. Now I’ve never been one for ‘collecting’ but oh my … what started out as a single cacti, which I named Cuthbert, sitting on my studio windowsill has now blossomed (pardon the pun) into an ever-expanding plethora of plants! lol Loving it so much I may just have to let my greenery extend to the rest of the house lol. I’m sure many photos will follow in future social media posts …. you’ve been warned lol.

Okay, that’s enough of the waffling for for now, lets see what news I have for you my glorious readers:

First and foremost I’m truly thankful to say that this month’s first Wildlife Art Workshop over at Knowsley Safari Park here in Cheshire was a wonderful success, so much so that they’ve booked me in for Workshop number two. If you’d like additional information …

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Posted on 21/07/2017 by Kerry Newell

Hi there folks I hope that this Blog post finds you all happy healthy and enjoying the beginning of the school holidays.

After three years of verbal nudging from family and friends the time has finally arrived – yes my new YouTube channel has finally gone live with my first video now showing!!! Thank you all for your patience and encouragement it truly has made a difference and is appreciated more than you know.

So here goes:

https://www.youtube.com/c/kerrynewellprofessionalwildlifeartist

I’ve also added a brand new page to my website too that is linked to my YouTube channel:

YouTube Channel

This new page is set up to include interactive ‘video thumbnails’ that when clicked will direct you to the appropriate video on my YouTube channel:

If you’d like to see a video covering a specific subject or medium just let me know by dropping me an email at:

kerrynewell1@gmail.com

And I’ll do my best to oblige

Moving on I’d like to announce that I have been invited to exhibit at this years EWA (Exhibition of Wildlife Art) due to run next weekend Friday 28th July – Sunday 30th July at Gordale Garden Centre, Burton, S Wirral, CH648TF. Here I’ll be not only exhibiting my work but demonstrating too. I’d love to see you over there, don’t forget to drop by and say hi if you can 🙂

www.gordale.co.uk

Moving onwards into August – usually one of the busiest months in my calendar and yep this year’s August is no exception, and as if I’m not busy enough already I’ve added, in conjunction with ‘Wildlife Art Experiences’, a series of ‘Tuesday Taster ART Workshops’ commencing on Tuesday (there’s a surprise lol) 8th August! These taster workshops are primarily for those of you wishing to dip your toe into the waters of the art world without having to take on a whole day or weekend workshop (although they’re not as testing as you might think). Due to run from the Shropshire Falconry centre set in the glorious surrounds of the Shropshire countryside these workshops have something to offer everyone. A 4 hr timetable will enable you to really get to grips with the materials and subject, the tuition and materials needed are supplied so that all you will need to bring with you is a smile and a willingness to learn. It’s here that I hope to ignite, encourage and inspire you creative flame 😉

If you’d like to know more or reserve a place on this ‘Tuesday Taster’ or one or more of the subsequent dates please drop me an email and I’ll be more than happy to help: kerrynewell1@gmail.com

Forthcoming Tuesday Tasters:

Tuesday 5th September 2017

Tuesday 3th October 2017

Tuesday 7th November 2017

Tuesday 9th January 2018

Venue details:

Shropshire Falconry
Holly Bank The Foxholes, Shrewsbury SY4 5UJ
+44 1939 236541

Moving on to the highlight of my year every year (and actually the place where I met my aforementioned Mr Wonderful lol) – the biggest date for my diary the BIRDFAIR in Rutland! ‘Birdfair’ is one of it’s kind and attracts in excess of 124,000 people over three days, now that amount of visitors can’t be wrong. It boasts art marquees, photography marquees, optics marquees (binoculars and telescopes not the alcoholic kind lol) but before you say argh! There is a marquee with a full licensed bar and restaurant lol, as well as lecture marquees, marquees hosting wildlife and birding holiday stands, books, collectables, yep it goes on and on …. There’s even a huge charity auction …..

Last year Birdfair raised a colossal £350,000 for conservation via Birdlife International (and no I haven’t put the decimal point in the wrong place lol) proving that when people stand together things can really happen! This year ‘Saving Paradise in the Pacific’ is the project for Birdlife International and I’m so proud to be a part of this event again.

If you’ve never been then please check out the Birdfair website: www.birdfair.org.uk

‘BIRDFAIR 2017’ Egleton Nature Reserve, Rutland Water, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8BT.

Just 36 days to go and counting …..

Okay I think that’s enough for you all to be getting on with for today.

So it’s over and out from me for now

Be blessed and thank you once again for following my endeavours.

Looking forward to chatting with you all again soon, love & hugs Kerry x

p.s If you would like me to add anything in particular to my weekly blogs then please pop your ideas in an email and forward them to me at kerrynewell1@gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do.

Tag: paintings

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Here to Ignite, Encourage and Inspire your Creative Flame

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NEW WORKSHOP DATES, YOUTUBE & MORE …

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