First up is Carolyn, with a sketch of hydrangeas that were at wonderful at the time of being photographed, but have suffered since from the heat - as have we all.  She has captured their lush best though.

Next is Penny, who says, 'Shame about the weather. It is very hot!!
I've recently been experimenting with bees and irises - here are 2 attempts for the blog. '

Diana said, 'Learnt a lot from doing the fireplace screen, mainly not to fiddle.Lovely to get going again with painting after months of no inspiration.' She also pointed out that it’s amazing that 400 years ago they new how to build houses that stayed cool with wattle and daub... She then warmed up the yellow of the pansies in her painting and sent me the end product, so here are both.

Frances has sent a miscellany, clockwise from top right, first a sketch done last Friday sitting on the seafront at Southwold



Revisiting and reflecting on all my Hockney books.😟


A drawing I came across amongst stuff done in my schooldays.

Avril's work was sent in, with plenty of time, but unfortunately to an email address that I occasionally forget to look at (apologies, Avril!) so I am now including her work, which is very interesting. 
She said, 'My pottery class was cancelled today so I did some early drawings.  I did them with the same pilot progress pen come pencil. They are both from a book called ancient and medieval history I have chosen it because there are some great illustrations.
The first one is a wooden statue of a memphite official and his wife and the second one is a parasite, a common stock figure in early comedy.'

And I have been working on a painting for the Holton Barns exhibition in August - provisionally titled 'The Storm Before the Calm', not finished yet.

Carolyn, who is our stalwart when it comes to submitting work from home, had already sent in this lovely study of a clematis before the cancellation.  I hope this flower was not too damaged by the rain.

From Lesley; 'The plein air session having been cancelled, I ‘m spending the morning looking through my pile of unfinished/abandoned paintings.
I took the photograph on a section of the  coastal path on Anglesey. My watercolour below doesn’t quite do it justice- do I work into it or leave it for fear of overworking it?  Always a conundrum. It will probably go straight back on the pile!'

Avril said, 'It took me back to Covid today to try and think of something around the house to sketch. 
This is a selection of things, being my pottery head with wool headdress and a wooden monkey that Richard made on his lathe, and a small pot I made.
I used chroma colour paints which are like poster paints.'

Harriet has been busy at home. 'In between walking the dogs and tidying up (and following the news!), I've been painting, mostly getting ready for the EAG exhibition. I've also been working on a painting from last year's chairman's project ' On the edge'. 
Ynys Enlli, Bardsey Island, which is on the end of the Llyn Peninsula.
The difference is quite subtle, but most of it has been repainted e.g. different blues.'

 Sally P said, 'Bit of an effort to get going but was inspired by my lovely lilies. Think I should have gone for a green wash behind, darkening to indigo in places. All good practice though.'

What a challenging day!
After much deliberation and many distractions I decided to draw the delightful Blue Tits that are raising young just outside the upstairs window.
Problem is. when they do appear they just whizz in and out in a split second furiously feeding their young so there is not much time to study them.
This is such a precious moment in our garden that these sketches are now an historical record of the wildlife we see as the seasons progress.

I've been doing more collaging, using gelli prints and scraps, with bits of ink and pastel.  This is a finished piece, now mounted and framed, that I rather like, 'Lost at Sea'.  The titles usually come later! [Hannah]

I [Hannah] failed this year to put anything together, but was put on the spot by Maggie-Anne. I explained that I had thought of bringing an old painting to demonstrate the effect I have achieved in the past by saturating a photograph, to make a subject for a painting.  Here it is, so that those who were there now see what I tried to describe - but this is terrible cheating, so I apologise!

For everyone who admired Sally L's picture stands, she has sent a photo of a template to make one, for anyone who is interested.

No news at the moment on who will be blogging next, as the rota is not yet complete. Look at the bottom of this post next week, as I will add the name.  Have a good week!