Have I ever mentioned I teach art in my studio at home?

I love teaching art to small groups of adults in my own home because:

1. I don't have to go anywhere

2. We can change whatever we are doing at the drop of a hat because I do not have to cart art materials anywhere

3. Adults are lovely to teach and they want to learn - and I get paid for it

4. My students can choose what they learn

During the pandemic I had to stop teaching at home; although I moved the sessions online it was never the same as my students did not all have the same materials, colours and makes of watercolour paint etc. We struggled on for a year before finally stopping.

I have 2 new groups now and I am really enjoying the teaching again. So far this term we have experimented with paint, made a landscape painting and both groups are now tackling portraits - one of the most difficult subjects to teach in art. But they are all doing brilliantly and I am really looking forward to the rest of the term.

And if any of my students see this, a big thank you for all the hard work you put in and your enthusiasm.

I am 'SUPER EXCITED'!!!

My exhibition with Melanie Max will take place 28 November to 10 December at Michaelhouse Cafe, Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1SU. Open 9-5pm Monday to Saturday and 12 - 4pm Sundays.

This exhibition is a classic case of opposites attract.

Paintings by Melanie and me are the complete antithesis of each of other yet it serves to emphasis the distinctness of their own work as well as inviting visitors to be mindful of the huge range of ways that landscape is used as a vehicle for self expression and creativity.

Melanie Max paints quiet, reflective, seemingly almost empty cloudscapes/seascapes which invites the viewer to find a space to rest within the landscape. In complete contrast Maureen Mace paints busy, colourful, illustrative scenes using objects and illumination to build an other-worldly creation that asks you to make connections between familiar references in unusual contexts to encourage the viewer to engage in a land of stories.

The show is sure to provoke lively discussion between the visitors to the cafe in Trinity Street. Melanie or Maureen will be in the café most mornings to talk about their work with visitors. If you would like to meet Maureen or Melanie there please contact them. My details are on this websites contact page.

After a rather long break due to the Covid pandemic, I restarted my classes in October. It is lovely to have people come to my house again and experiment with different materials and learn new techniques. I have 2 classes, one on Wednesday morning and one on Friday morning. My students have a big say in what they want to do and learn and my Friday group choose to draw faces.

After an initial session on learning the proportions of a face, we all made a self-portrait. It is quite challenging to do this but I was very impressed by my students' attitude as well as their results. I will publish all their drawings on my Facebook page when they are complete, link below.

Drawing is one of the activities I can join in whereas painting I am busy offering advice, changing the water and drying the paintings ready for the next stage.

So here is my self-portrait. Drawing oneself takes a lot of concentration so there are no smiles and the resulting portraits can be rather harsh. I do look very intense but then that is what the challenge makes you do. Someone I know well said to me that she could see it is me but it doesn't look like me as I am always smiling. I thought that was lovely.

https://www.facebook.com/cambridgeartclass/