florida exhibition and catching up

The annual exhibition of the Miniature Art Society of Florida (MASF) opens on January 15th at the Dunedin Fine Art Center and I am delighted that my five paintings (above) were juried into this huge show. It was also lovely to learn that my painting of The Ross Fountain in Edinburgh received first place in the opaque watercolour category (I took a few pictures as I painted this one which you can see again here). I completed this painting at the end of last year but this is the first time its been exhibited.

If you have the chance to visit this show I'm sure you will not be disappointed - along with literally hundreds of miniature paintings for sale, from many of the best artists in the field, there are also painting demonstrations and the chance to view the Society's own collection.

The Ross Fountain © Tracy Hall 2010

3.25" x 2.25" watercolour on board

I have been really busy lately and below are some snippets of recent paintings for jigsaw companies - I'll show them in full once they have been released next year.

The final two paintings from the latest group going to the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in London have just left and are shown below framed -contact me or the gallery for purchase information.

Its been tricky to find enough time for my miniatures lately, but I have an amur leopard in progress just now (below). We were lucky enough to see them at Marwell Zoo a few weeks ago and I have been trying to get it finished ever since. These beautiful cats are critically endangered and its sobering to learn that there are only around 35 individuals left in the wild. If you would like to find out more please visit Amur Leopard Conservation or the WWF.

On the same note, I've also been doing some drawing by the fire in the evenings and was really enjoying this study of the amur leopard...until the cat decided to make herself comfortable and rolled all over it. Serves me right for leaving the sketchbook open on the chair I guess....here's the abandoned, totally smudged, result!

Finally, I doubt I will be posting again before the holidays so I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy new year!

two new miniature paintings

Steps at North Queensferry © Tracy Hall 2011

3.5" x 1.75" watercolour

Black headed gulls © Tracy Hall 2011

2" x 4" watercolour

Two new miniature paintings completed since my last post and part of a fresh consignment of paintings for the Llewellyn Alexander Gallery in central London. The cat on the steps is already there actually, and the birds will follow just as soon as their frames arrive from Brampton Framing.

I couldn't resist the steps with all the pretty plant pots as we were walking through North Queensferry last year (en route to swimming with sharks) and managed to take a few photos before I was forced to move on by restless shark-loving smaller people. No such problem with the black headed gulls of course.

a new miniature and mpsgs exhibition

(as yet untitled) © Tracy Hall 2011

2" x 4" Watercolour on board

A new shore painting in miniature completed, this time with oyster catchers. On the big easel its been quite festive lately and I've just finished a christmas scene. I'm now back in the kitchen for some baking in the latest piece - I'll show them next year after they've been released as jigsaws.

The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington DC (MPSGS) will be holding their annual exhibition of miniature art at Strathmore Mansion, North Bethesda, MD, USA from November 21st - Dec 30th and I'll have three pieces in the show. I was delighted to learn 'Socorro Dove' (bottom right in the above photo) received second place in the International awards. This is one of the largest miniature art exhibitions in the US and I do hope you will be able to visit if you are in the area!

new miniature painting and pocket bird book

(as yet untitled) © Tracy Hall 2011

2" x 4" watercolour on board

I realised recently that the shore doesn't feature in my work very often given the fact that I live right next to it and walk on it most days. Perhaps it is too familiar, but there's certainly no lack of inspiration. Its a constant source of peace and enjoyment, even on wild days, and nothing clears the cobwebs or puts things in perspective quite so well as a wander along the beach. Anyway to make amends above is my latest miniature painting - which I enjoyed so much I am already planning the next seaside one!

The (much more practical!) pocket edition of the Orkney Book of Birds has just been published and we have signed copies available to purchase safely from the website. Special thanks from Tim Dean and I to Drew at the publishers (The Orcadian) for doing such a brilliant job of fitting everything from the original hardback edition into the slimline pocket version, which really can't have been easy, and also to Paul Higson for updating the Orkney List. The pocket edition is £9.99 & p&p and can be shipped worldwide. If you would like to order your signed copy please click here - Orkney Book of Birds - Pocket Edition

The Artistic Designs Miniature Show is underway in Brownsburg, IN, USA and you can see the exhibition online at their website. I have four paintings in the exhibition (above) which was postponed from earlier in the year following a fire at the gallery. The show runs until November 22nd so I hope you will be able to get along to see it if you are in the area!

Finally, I was really sorry this year not to be able to submit work to the Society of Wildlife Artists exhibition, I just basically ran out of time. But hopefully next year I will be better organised again. Big congratulations to fellow Orkney artist Tim Wootton who won the Birdwatch Artist of the Year award! If you haven't managed to get along to the Mall Galleries in London to see the show yet, it runs until this sunday (Nov 6th) and you can get a wonderful taster at Making a Mark where Katherine has reviewed the exhibition.