A Summertime Project

A few weeks ago I treated myself to a Modern Watercolour workshop with Emma Block, a Saturday filled with inspiration - from the stunning surroundings of The Forge in Bristol where it was held, to the sumptuous shared lunch and of course the teaching.

I'd had my eye on a workshop with Emma for some time but living in Cardiff, the usual location in London just seemed too far. So when a date came up in Bristol I had my fingers crossed that we'd be free (and that Sam would say yes to going solo for the day!)

I'm a huge fan of Emma's work and style of Watercolour and loved her natural, laid back teaching and encouragement as we all got to grips with it. As only a professional can, she made it look so effortlessly easy to do, needless to say even after a day I was only JUST getting to grips with colour mixing!

With the Summer holidays upon us and a busy/questioning/time demanding/fun seeking four year old on my hands everyday, I've decided to start 'a summertime project' to help me practice what I leant that day and find moments of calm that are just for me. The garden is BLOOMING at the moment and my project is simply to paint one flower every day (read, as many days as possible.) Whether that's painting it picked and sitting pretty in a stem vase or sat on the grass next to a towering bush of dahlias.

Last night after our first day of the school holidays, just after bedtime I snipped a pale pink and pistachio hued hydrangea from a pot on our patio. I sat at the desk in my room, warm from the day's sunshine, opened up a brand new sketch book and tried to remember the tips Emma had given us.

I've already forgotten so much of what I learnt that day but I'm hoping that with daily practice I can hone some Watercolour skills and enjoy a few mindful moments to myself.

I don't want to be too precious about the pages in my book (easier said than done for a perfectionist) and will give myself a chance to make mistakes, find my own style and find out what works for me. As you can see from my attempts below, some things have worked out better than others - the painting bottom left looks more like an abstract bunch of nipples than delicate hydrangea blooms (hence the Instagram cover up!)

The slower pace of summer months give us a great chance to turn attention to things we otherwise don't have time for. Whether that's painting the shed, starting a book that's been gathering dust on the shelf, making jam, planning a special celebration or perfecting the art of tomato growing.

Do you have a summertime project you're already working on or would like to start? I'd love it if you joined me in sharing what you're up to. I'll be sharing my watercolour progress on Instagram using the hashtag #asummertimeproject, please do feel free to tag your posts too. Let's find time in these halcyon days to celebrate creativity, learn a new skill or two and inspire one another in the glorious summertime ahead (rain or shine!)

As always, thanks for reading. X