New Work

Finally, after how long? I’ve broken the back of my creative drought! It’s taken long enough and i have had to battle long and hard to break through but I’ve actually made new work. Mind you it was a battle to get the camera out, so i have been leaving my bag by the side of my chair in the hopes that it would make me go out. It has kind of worked, i have sat and watched countless sunsets while wishing i had the energy to move and when i have moved the sunsets been terrible! Murphy’s law i suppose. I’ve taken to walking the dog with my camera, he still uses his lead 😉 and the camera gets in the way but i HAVE used it and have started to experiment with filters too.

Fort Perch Lighthouse

The craft fairs are starting again now, I’ve a bit of a conundrum as i’m in a bit of a catch 22 situation, I need money to make money and unfortunately have missed out on a three day fair over the Bank holiday due to lack of funds. It is so very frustrating! I also need to print new work as I’m fast selling out of the old stuff which is exciting as it will be great to see customers reactions to my new work. Looks like i will have to start skimming off the housekeeping money!

Just a reminder that the VAA International Open Exhibition is on until June 30th and there is still plenty of time to visit the exhibition and voting is still open on the peoples choice award. My photograph ‘Formby Beach Pathway to the Sea’ is receiving plenty of views and hopefully plenty of votes, use the link to visit the exhibition and visit the Peoples Choice Award page here. There are over 250 amazing artists showing there work from all over the world and i am very proud to have a photograph in the exhibition.

Rule of Thirds anybody?

You know when you look at other peoples photos and you think ‘oh That’s Nice!’ And then you start to actually ‘read’ the photograph and you know they have nailed it, well have you ever wondered ‘Why’? Yes you probably have and then read it a little more and figured out why its so good, your not stupid! So this is for the ‘new to photography’ person and just so i can show off my photograph 😉

Rule of Thirds, probably one of the first things we learn in photography other than learning to take the lens cap off first! The art of breaking up your image into bite sized chunks three across and three down, like this.

Formby Beach Pathway to the Sea

The rule of thirds is the most well-known composition guideline. It helps draw the viewer’s eye into the image and places more emphasis on the subject. Ideally, the empty space that’s left should be in the direction the subject is looking or heading into and as you can see from my photograph, this draws your eye down the sand dune towards the water and creates a balanced image. You might like to activate the grid on the view finder of your camera to start with, many have it in the settings. Don’t forget you have the option to crop an image to position the important subject where you find it most pleasing. The Digital Photography School has a great tutorial which goes, step by step, through the Rule of Thirds and is well worth a read.

If you have made it through the babble this far, thank you! I would just like to tell you about the Visual Artists Association (VAA) International Open Exhibition which runs from April 12th 2021 until June 30th 2021, it goes live at 6pm. You will get the chance to see the work of over 250 international artists, myself included. I do hope you will click the link and brows through the art, there is a ‘Peoples Choice’ award where you can vote on your favorite piece. The photograph above ‘Formby Beach Pathway to the Sea’ was chosen to be included. Many thanks for making it this far, stay safe and wear a mask!

https://visual-artists.org/

Peoples Choice Award

The VAA International Open Exhibition has a PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD!

Will you vote for my photograph please? Its easy enough to do all you need to do is go to the website here and scroll down the page to the Peoples Choice Awards vote button, click the button and follow the page 3/4’s of the way down to KAREN LAWRENCE and click on my name, easy. It will also mean a lot to me, i am growing my ‘Tribe’ slowly, why not become a member and follow me on facebook, instagram linkedin. Be the first to know what i’m doing, where i’m going, what i’m publishing, where i’m selling, become a ‘Spike’ and share my journey and perhaps pick up a new piece of art on the way. Thank you.

Formby Beach, pathway to the sea.

VAA Online Art Exhibition

I finally found out which photograph has been accepted into the VAA Online Art Exhibition! Its only one of my most favorite images and just happens to hang on my living room wall! ‘Formby beach, pathway to the sea’. Taken back in 2012/3 i think, on a days respite with my husband Chris when we just got into our car and drove, something we love to do. We were wandering the sand dunes and happened on a gap down to the beach, so we went down it. It was quite a steep incline which was easy to get down and we were able to explore the beach taking numerous photos as we went. Upon closer inspection we realised the tide was actually coming in and quite quickly too so there was a bit of a mad dash back to where we had entered the beach, only to find it was easier to go down than it was to get up. Especially when your laughing at each other, it was literally two steps forward, one step back as the sand shifted under our feet but we made it in the end and i managed to capture this lovely image.

Formby Beach Pathway to the Sea

The exhibition is online and free, you just need to register here for your ticket and you should receive updates etc until the start of the exhibition on April 12th until June 30th 2021. All the work is for sale and is an opportunity to purchase art from up and coming artists and photographers.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-vaa-international-online-spring-exhibition-tickets-148780200585

Well its Good News……..

I wouldn’t say that this year (2021) was off to a good start with Covid and all, but and there is always a but, i have managed to do some pretty amazing things so far. So i had a look at the organisations who have been helping me business wise over the last 12 months and i have become a member of the Visual Artists Association and entered work into their International Art Exhibition which was accepted. It runs from 12th April until 30th June 2021 and i am so thrilled. I have also become a member of Independent Wirral, a chamber of commerce initiative to help small businesses on the Wirral and been awarded the ‘Good to go’ industry standard from Visit England which means i am now Covid friendly when i attend events. All i need are the events and we are good!

I’ve also managed to successfully go out photographing the shore line and i have made several new Polaroid images which i am very pleased about and maybe the best bit is, im going to be a granny again and its a boy! So with all that excitement i have also been able to book several new events over the next few months starting in April where i am going to be selling my art locally in Chemist and Co Hoylake, Wirral on Saturday the 17th. I also have several dates in May and June so far, i hope as we come out of lockdown there will be many more events to participate in, fingers crossed.