All the World's a Stage...

There are the players who love performing and there are those who prefer to be part of the audience. Which one are you?

I love people who are comfortable in their own skin, or other skins even - animal prints included! I love the fact that they enjoy being themselves and perhaps that is because I am one of them.
Here are 3 of my new botanical buddies on our last day. We were asked to display our work so everyone could see what we'd achieved. This was our 'show and tell' session where we realised what a staggering amount of talent there was in the room. I would never have imagined that 8 'budding' botanical artists could produce paintings to such a high standard. Every painting says something different about it's artist.
Here's the lovely Marie with her stunning red flower and her orange. I have managed to miss off her gorgeous green kiwi dissection, which believe me, looked so juicy you could eat it!
Here is the effervescent and bubbly Sarah with her 'bloom-ing' grapes, her orange dissection and last but not least, that shiny apple! You can see just how proud of it she is. It's so realistic it literally rolls off the page. I'm hoping I can be as good as these two one day!

So what have I learnt...?
1. I have learnt how to paint a Viola and a Fuchsia leaf. I admit that doesn't sound much but believe me, there's a lot of technique involved in those two small paintings.This is the start of a new adventure and I've learnt that it will be a long road to perfection. As Susan Hillier, our tutor would say, practice, practice, practice... !
2. I learnt that veggie isn't always best - I will always be thankful that I chose the pork over the oh so charmingly wrapped cabbage parcel! It must have been chef's night off!
3. I also learnt that I don't want to be a Hardy-ite - not today, not tomorrow, not ever! More on that later...
4. That I love writing, particularly when it's to someone who inspires me... x