Tuesday 31 December 2013

Happy New Year


What an incredible year 2013 has been and I am sitting here already looking forward to 2014. My Christmas wasn't what I expected as we were hit by the recent storms in UK and had to vacate our cottage early morning on Christmas Eve. Having said that the days that followed gave me time to reflect on how lucky I am in my life. We moved to a hotel where many could not. Temperatures dropped severely and I thought of the homeless across the world. When we have so much it is far too easy to often forget about those who do not. So my New Years Eve resolutions involve helping others in any way possible throughout the year, more so than in 2013.

Many of my friends know that I broke my ankle badly whilst taking workshops in Australia, going from a wheelchair to crutches and finally having the last surgery to fully recover has taught me to appreciate my health. And empathise with those who live with disabilities permanently. I'm not the same person leaving 2013 as the artist who leapt eagerly into it and that's a good thing.  I'm having such a great life in so many ways that feeling humbled has helped my spirit grow in a positive direction .

I have so much to share, so much to look forward to and so many to thank for making my 2013 so fantastically exciting. Over the last few days I have read touching emails from people who have received copies of my latest book as Christmas gifts.  Comments that have touched my heart in a way that I am now determined to make my next book inspirational on many levels. I am loving writing it so promise to put my "all" into it!

On my 2013 international workshops I have met wonderful Australians, fantastic artists from USA and Mexico. Each country has welcomed me with open arms and eagerly invited me back. Thank you to everyone all over the world who has shown so much support and enthusiasm for my way with watercolour .

In 2014 I will complete my new book, hold workshops in Italy, Sydney, Tasmania and Adelaide for the first time and run my fully booked UK courses. I will delightedly be a Celebrity Guest Artist at Patchings Art Festival and I will have several features published in the Artist Magazine. I have also accepted invitations to hold solo exhibitions in established art galleries.

My wish for everyone is that in the New Year you see all your dreams come true no matter what size they are. I wish you a year full of colour, brush strokes full of passion and the  joy found in creating as I feel each time I paint.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Monday 23 December 2013

Sydney Art School, Australia ,Watercolour Workshops 2014


Sydney, Australia
Jean Haines Watercolour Workshops 
2014


For full details of my exciting watercolour workshops in Sydney, Australia next year please contact the Sydney Art School via this link.

 


Happy Christmas from Bailey 2013!

 Bailey in his antlers 
Christmas 2013

Many artists attending my workshops this year have met my loveable nutcase of a dog, Bailey who is a Bearded Collie. Today he went to the groomers and I thought it would be terrific to get a new Christmas photo of him as soon as he got home. But unfortunately he had other plans and ruined his beautiful groomed look before I even had a chance! Here are the two new photos that I took this morning. One in antlers, one in a Santa hat.

After the first shot with the antlers, above,  I looked for a Santa hat for a second pose. Sadly for me in between photos Bailey happily emersed his face in his huge water bowl so he looks "drippy" in the image below!  He proves life isn't perfect and its' more fun when it isn't!


 The Santa hat pose! 2013


 My husband has booked Bailey into the groomers just before my first UK workshops in 2014 so hopefully  he will be seen then in a prettier state! 


And for those of you who have not seen Bailey when he was younger, and easier to keep clean, here  he is in his antlers the first year he had them!



HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Shocks, The Rescue Donkey

"Shocks", the rescue donkey on my easel 
Christmas 2013

"Shocks"  won Rescue Animal of the Year Award 2013

Having surgery just before Christmas and being unable to walk or drive was no fun but I am back on my feet now and desperately trying to catch up. I am ready for Christmas but my email inbox is full and I will be replying  as soon as I can, next week, after the holiday season.

I am sat in the warmth of my studio typing in comfort whilst listening to a storm raging outside. I have so much to celebrate this year and feel so blessed. Next year is already looking so exciting with so much news to share that I will need to write individual blog posts.

But for now I thought you might like to meet "Shocks" who won the Rescue Animal of the Year Award 2013. You can read his story on the Birmingham Donkey Sanctuary web site via this link.


I loved painting him and I thought of the donkey in the Christmas story while I worked.

I hope you like him!

For now have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season!


Tuesday 17 December 2013

The Christmas Story : Donkey

Donkey coming to life in the early stages of a first wash

At this time of year it is so easy to get completely involved in Christmas. There are get togethers to organise, gifts for loved ones to buy and of course food shopping where we plan "feasts" for the special few days that we celebrate this time of year.

It has been a week that has seen me  fly with happiness over good news and then crash suddenly over hearing sad news. Realising it is too late to get the card back that I had sent to a friend who has just lost her husband. How she will feel opening an envelope addressed "Mr and Mrs"  I cannot imagine.

Then this afternoon I sat writing my own personal family cards and, as always, I wrote one to my husband. A man who has cared for me since we met in a way that I am so grateful for. I am so lucky to be wrapped in the safety and warmth of his love.

I have watched commercials on television advertising gifts and Christmas dinners that I know many people in the world will not be able to afford. And I can't help think of those who will be spending Christmas alone. 

I remember being told as a child  that it is not what you recieve but what you give in life that is so important. When I was asked this year what I would like for Christmas I know it isn't anything that money can buy. I would like peace in the world.  I would love to hear that all children are loved and wanted. I wish that all animals on this planet could be safe from extinction and unharmed. I would love everyone to experience the happiness that I have in my life.  My wishes are impossible I know.

As a tiny girl I always wanted to hear the Christmas story. I marvelled at the gifts given at the manger and I loved the part about the poor little shepherd boy whose gift could not compare with that of the wise men. Gold for me is the love in our hearts and I have met many people this year who truly are rich for that reason.

 I miss the woman who gave me so much sound advise as a child. My stepmother who passed away some time ago. And I do miss my closest friend who is probably driving everyone nuts upstairs in heaven with her cheerfulness. But I am buying them each a gift this year by donations to several charities and there are so many to choose from.

For Pauline I am going to donate to the Birmingham Donkey Sanctuary, because she has two adorable grandchildren that she has never seen and she always made me smile.


And I will be buying a few other gifts for my friends who are no longer with us by choosing other charities also. This is my way of remembering very special people who have enriched my life in so many ways.

Please don't get so lost in the season that you forget about the meaning behind Christmas. 

We can all make a difference no matter how small it is!

***********************



Monday 16 December 2013

Footloose

"Footloose"
( Sold )

I am over the moon!  I have just seen my specialist and and thrilled to share the news that I am now able to walk minus crutches and have seen the last of the surgery on my ankle following my accident earlier this year. In fact I may even be dancing on New Years Eve and in heels!

The above skating penguin seemed a delightful little watercolour to share to show my happiness.

Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me such kind messages to cheer me through the whole process. I am really so happy and will be bouncing all over the palce on my workshops in 2014!

Have a great time leading up to your own Christmas and I will be sharing back to normal on my blog as often as I can now. Getting to my studio hasn't alwas been easy whilst I have been recovering but life is about to get better!

**************


Robins in Watercolour


 
Christmas Card 2012
Original painting  (Sold )

Christmas Inspiration

It is wonderful at this time of year to enjoy recieving Christmas Cards from friends.  Snowy landscapes, angels, Santas and of course my favourite robins are finding their way through my letter box  in beautiful card designs. the above painting was one of my previous Christmas card designs.

I have been watching the birds on the bird feeder in my cottage garden and having looked through my files found various stages of robin paintings which I thought could be fun to share on my blog.

I have started with the eye for the below painting and built the robin up by working away from its 'face. Softly and gradually building up colour in sections where I enjoyed the results of my first brush strokes.

 Early robin stages in watercolour 

Building up colour.

Christmas is a wonderful time to take a break from painting and enjoy family life. But it is also a fantastic time to recharge your mental batteries and gain inspiration for paintings in the New Year. So please enjoy every sngle part of the season and observe beauty in every way that you can from Christmas decorations to wildlife and nature around you. 

 Enjoy the  exciting seasonal colours and subject of life!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Frogs Hollow Artists : Brisbane 2014



FROGS HOLLOW
Brisbane 2014

 This is just a reminder to all artists who missed this years' workshop due to my accident.  There will be a special, free, three day workshop for you at Frogs Hollow on November 26/27/28th November 2014.

I have sent an email to everyone who missed this course but in case you haven't recieved it I thought it would be wise to share the news here as well.

Please confirm with me if you will be attending. I cannot wait to return!

jeanhaines@hotmail.com

*************

Please note: The weekend course at Frogs Hollow for new artists is currently fully booked but I am considering extending my stay, if possible, to open doors for the artists who are disappointed at missing a chance to book in Brisbane next year. 

Thank you so much for all the lovely messages this year, this is one of the reasons I was determined to return to Australia next year and I am thrilled to be able to do so.


Anenome in Watercolour 2013

Anenome make beautiful subjects.

 This week I have some gorgeous anenome flowers which are begging to be painted.  Observing their petals, form and texture really has tempted my paint brushes this week. The above image is one of the red flowers in my mixed bouquet and I also have a beautiful purple blooms as well. I must admit these flowers were not at their best when they arrived in my cottage so the only way to make them last longer is to paint them.

I have started creating a composition with some simple watery shapes to  capture the bowl shape of each flower. Next I will add the dark centres and green stems. Artists on my workshops know I rarely stay with one red pigment so this effect has been created by several shades from the red section of my palette. Alizarin Crimson is my favourite for pigment interaction and for allowing me to gain watermarks which represent light hitting sections of each petal


 Petal shapes for a floral composition of anenome.

 At the moment, these floral shapes are at the top of a beautiful new white piece of paper, leaving space for the stems to be added at a later stage. There is a beautiful atmosphere in my studio whilst I am working on these gorgeous flowers. One of relaxation and peace. Just what every artist needs!


Anenome waiting for the centres and stems to be added in the next stage of this  flower painting.

************

N.B. By the way I rarely demonstrate these gorgeous flowers in workshops as I find their name quite a tounge twister to say! 
Anenenenmome!

Saturday 7 December 2013

Brisbane Workshops 2014 FULLY BOOKED

Brisbane Workshops 2014
FULLY BOOKED

I am really sorry to share the news that even though I have only just released the dates for my 2014  Australia Tour my workshops in Brisbane are already fully booked.


Please contact me as soon as possble if you are interested in a workshop place in Sydney, Adelaide or Tasmania where places at the moment are still available.

jeanhaines@hotmail.com

Friday 6 December 2013

Australia Tour 2014 : Update

"Koala Kalm"

I only posted dates of my Australia 2014 tour yesterday and have spent most of this afternoon forwarding emails to my contacts in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Tasmania for my workshops there next year.  Thank you so much to everyone who has, so very quickly, got in touch with me.

Can I remind everyone that I do not personally handle the bookings but once you let me know by email which destination suits you best I then forward your email and connect  you with the appropriate organiser.

I have to say that looking at todays response some sessions are going to be fully booked very quickly. So please, if you are interested in a place could you contact me as soon as possible. 

jeanhaines@hotmail.com

And add the destination of your  prefered choice in the email heading.

I just couldn't resist painting a Koala as my mind is obviously already in Australia!

Casting a Shadow : Cockerel

New Cockerel coming to life in an exciting first wash

On my recent tour of USA and Mexico I gave many demonstrations on how to paint a wide variety  of subjects. But my beloved cockerels , or roosters as I now call them thanks to my American friends, always make an appearance.

I think on this tour, the excitement in the workshop rooms that grew from  gorgeous colour discussions and my now very popular colour exercises was so much fun. Seeing a room full of artists absorbed in a challenge is really a fantastic experience. As ever, is it always artists attending a workshop that leave feeling inspired? Whilst I am teaching there always comes a point where I feel really envious of everyone painting rather than teaching.  Because everyone looks as though they are having such a great time. Please don't get me wrong as I adore teaching my workshops and everyone who attends knows that I do.  I love that heady high when the atmosphere has taken the whole room to that point of  connection between artist and paper, when you can hear a pin drop due to the silence and yet know by facial expressions that everyone is having a great time.

Well I am now home in my studio and it is my turn to paint. And oh boy, I am having a great time. So my first news is I have even more exciting new shades to  share and even more exciting techniques.The more we grow as artists the further we seem to need to travel. My experiments today have been brilliant. I have had a ball. 


Artists Tip.
Shadow Wash : The above cockerel has been painted on a salt wash, with the head in full sunlight in this image. The shadow created by placing the paper on my easel at mid day was deliberate. By playing with sun shadows I can see where I might add my darks or varying background wash. This is a great technique so please experiment with it. It saves wasting time  thinking about where your darks should be and also stops you from ruining a painting by being over zealous with colour.

The simplest tricks and tips are the best! Oh and you should see all the wonderful tips flowing into my new book! I wish I could share them now but they will be worth waiting for.

Happy painting!

**********

Thursday 5 December 2013

Australia Tour 2014 Adelaide, Sydney, Tasmania and Brisbane

Australia Watercolour Tour 2014

I can now share dates of my Australia Workshop Tour 2014.  I am really excited as I will be on tour in four locations in Australia next year meeting wonderful artists who, like me, love working in watercolour.  On this tour I will also be sharing new techniques and subjects from my new book which will be launched in 2015.  Due to popular demand I will be holding two, two day workshops in each location. The goal of each workshop is to be highly inspirational on many levels. 

Adelaide
5/6th November and 8/9th November 2014
Workshop 1:  Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th November, 2014
Weekend Workshop  Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November 2014

Sydney
12/13th November and 15/16th November 2014
 Workshop 1: Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th  November, 2014
Weekend Workshop Saturday 15th and Sunday16 th November 2014


Tasmania
19/20th November and 22/23rd November 2014
Workshop 1: Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th November 2014
Weekend Workshop : Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November 2014


 Brisbane
26/27/28th November and 29/30th November 2014
Workshop 1: Wednesday- Friday 26/27/28th November 2014
N.B This is a special three day workshop for artists already booked from my workshop in 2013.

 Weekend Workshop  Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th November 2014


*********************

Please note I will not personally be taking bookings for any of the above locations but I will happily put artists in touch with the organisers . As my previous workshop tours have sold out  very quickly please contact me on jeanhaines@hotmail.com as soon as possible if you would like a place.

This will be a very exciting tour and I will be holding very memorable sessions.

Happy painting!

 


Wednesday 4 December 2013

Jean Haines Personalised Brush Range NEW Size 12

 NEW!  Jean Haines personalised range addition
Size 12 Gorgeous  Kolinsky Sable Brush

 I have a confession. I have a gorgeous new brush which was launched on my tour in USA and I have been so busy that I haven't had time to launch it in UK. To make matters worse I sold out immediately so there wasn't any stock for me to promote or sell! But now I am about to put this fantastic brush in my online shop range.


Why a new brush and why personalised? Well over the last few years I have been invited to have my own watercolour product range. You name it, I have been offered it. From my own watercolour paper to my own palette and even my own watercolours. But I already used the very best products possible so putting my name on anything at all seemed a waste of time. And anyway who is "Jean Haines" that she warrants her own art range! Truthfully I am just someone who adores working in watercolour. That idea just simply wasn't me.

But having said that there was an area I wasn't happy with, purely because of my time studying brushwork in China. I was taught by the most amazing mentor when it came to how I hold and use my brushes.My Asian mentor came from Shanghai and I talk about their techniques frequently in my workshops.  In fact it is my workshops that started my quest to search for the possibility of my own brush range. There seemed to be a gap in the market for brushes of an expensive quality but at a reasonable price. I meet people on my workshops  worldwide who don't invest in good brushes because of their high cost.  The main problem is that using cheap brushes does not give you the same effect as using those of a higher quality. Which puts professional artist at an advantage. An artist tried my old brush on one workshop and said " No wonder your work is so beautiful, how much did that brush cost?"   I had to admit the price of that particular brush was over £200. It had been given to me by the manufacturer and it has been constantly used in my demonstrations over the years. Many people who paint cannot afford to pay that much for a brush. This expensve brush it is heaven to use. It glides over the paper so well but it is missing a point as that was not the design of it. It made me think and I did  research into what I wanted from a brush. One that I might put my name on. I knew what I wanted design wise. A mix of East meets West. A point, full barrel and excellent performance.

I decided to research to see if it was possible to produce a highly expensve product but  one that could retail at an affordable price. It had to have the best qualities to not only load with pigment but it had to release well.  The sable had to glide over paper.  As my subject work is often created with a size 10 and I load my rigger with tiny particles of pigment to drop into sections I needed an initial set. This needed to be for sale at a reasonable cost so artists who wanted to try sable could. My first brush sets were launched and have become so popular that even my professional artist friends have raved over them. Th efeedback has been incredible worldwide.


Jean Haines Size 10 and Rigger personlised Brush Sets

But of course I now needed a wash brush for my larger work and this was far harder to create. I don't enjoy cheap brushes and a sable at this size could cost a fortune.  A wonderful blend of hair has made this a fabulous brush to use and it is one of its kind. I love it! And luckily this too has quickly sold out at each workshop session.


 
 My wonderful wash brush with the sable brush set, fabulous to use and my favourite!

So now my personalised brush range consisted of my brush sets and a wash brush. But one more brush was missing. And this, of course, was the one I put off designing until last because it needed to be really high quality and I knew it would be very expensive. I was comparing it with my £200+ brush. I wanted it to be designed at the same quality but sell at under £100.  For me this is the icing on the cake in my brush range. I would be lost without it.  I did it!

My new Size 12!



I wasn't going to launch my new Size 12 until later in the year or at least when my next book is launched but I couldn't wait. I love it so I kno w other artists will too.  I had stock sent ahead for  my USA tour and a mistake was made in that my Size 12 came too. The new brush launch was initially going to be in UK and USA at the same time.   So there was more than great excitement when we all realised what had happened. When I showed artists my new brush, in New York, Texas and Mexico everyone immediately loved it. I sold out  at every location. I even ordered new USA stock as needed during my trip. What happened was,  once one artist used my brushes and loved them everyone else wanted to buy them.

The Size 12 is not a cheap brush. This is a high quality watercolour brush that could easily be on sale for far more. But the idea of  my personalised range is to get the best possible brushes out there so that every artist, every single person who loves painting can buy the best possible brushes and enjoy using them. As one artist told me, once tried you can never go back to your old ones!

So I will now race to my web site and add my new size 12 brush  and apologise that it has taken me so long to update everyone on its' existence.

One tip. Please. please please! If you DO invest in fabulous brushes  never leave them in water whilst you are working.  Look after them by simply rinsing in water and they will last a long time!

Happy painting!


***************



.









"Atmospheric Watercolours" Another Reprint!

 "Atmospheric Watercolours"
International best selling book on watercolour

 I am thrilled to hear the news from my publisher that "Atmospheric Watercolours" my latest book is so popular that it has had to go for reprint yet again!  If I wasn't on crutches at the moment following last weeks surgery I would be doing a happy dance.  As I can't I'm hoping you won't mind my celebrating on my blog and inviting you to celebrate with me.

Thank you SO much to everyone who has bought a copy . I promise the new book I am working on at the moment will be filled with as many tips and techniques as possible.

A HUGE thank you to my publishers for making my dream of becoming an author come true!
I am a very happy artist!


Books awaiting my signature before being sent, for online orders.

Christmas Gifts 2013

.
Christmas Gift Collection 2013

My online shop is really busy at the moment with wonderful orders flooding in for Christmas Gifts. Please can I remind everyone that if you want any of my products in time for Christmas orders need to be in this week and for overseas please order straight away.

 
"Atmospheric Watercolours"
 
I have signed copies of my books available "Atmospheric Watercolours" and " How to paint Colour and Light in Watercolour"


 
 "How to Paint Colour and Light in Watercolour"


I have two DVDS available. "Amazing Ways With Watercolour" and " Watercolour Passion"



"Amazing Ways with Watercolour"



 "Watercolour Passion"


Finally I have a wonderful collection of  personalised watercolour brushes including my new Size 12 that was launched and loved in USA on my current tour.



 Gorgeous Wash Brush in a superb mix  that is  incredible to work with.

 
 My watercolour brush sets. Size 10 and a rigger

The wonderful new size 12. This is sheer joy to work with and well worth waiting for!


To purchase please order online via


Happy Christmas!

Tuesday 3 December 2013

It May Be Winter Outside ( But in my heart its Spring )

Spring Collection .

It may be Winter outside but in my heart it is definitely Spring. I decided to work on my Spring 2014 collection today so my easel is full of wonderfully exciting Spring flowers in watercolour. I have new green pigments that I am exploring and thrilling new techniques, which have evolved over the last few months. It really is fascinating working in watercolour because you can never become tired of the medium. Each time you pick up your brush something new happens which takes your breath away. I am also aware that I haven't a single painting of primroses or daffodils in my cottage because each year that I exhibit them these cheerful subjects sell out.

Looking outside my studio window at  cold winter weather is not a problem with these gorgeous  creations coming to life inside.

I am loving painting and being back where I belong.
In my studio!


************

Monday 2 December 2013

Pheasant in Snow :Wey Gallery, Godalming


"Christmas Snow"
Christmas Cards 2013
Original Watercolour at the Wey Gallery in Godalming

Christmas Snow, a colourful country scene is at the Wey Gallery in Godlaming for their fabulous Christmas Exhibition 2013

For full details of this painting, my horesracing scenes, sheep, hedgehogs and kingfishers in the show please contact them directly on



Hospital Again! December 2013

Broken Ankle Surgery 
April 2013

Last week I had surgery to remove the metal work in my ankle following my accident in Australia earlier this year. I must admit I knew this needed to happen as I had postponed my hospital visit until after my USA and Mexico Tour. I know in some cases the metal work can be left in after this kind of fall. Unfortunately in my case that wasn't to be, so last Thursday saw me make my way to a hospital in UK for the final stage of the healing process.

This is where I have to admit I was fairly relaxed at the time because I  believed the process would be simple, painless and easy. To be fair it was simple!  It took until Saturday morning for me to fully take in that I would need a few weeks to recover fully and get back on my feet again so for now I am resting at home and, for once this year, actually taking it easy. Very unusual for me and also very difficult as it isn't in my nature to sit still for long.

But I do have lots of exciting news to share so hope to catch up on my blog gradually!

********************