the video of the portrait demonstration  for the MacquarieTowns Arts Society on Maarch 13th at the Deerrubbin Centre .in Windsor has now been posted on YouTube

On Tuesday April 13th I did a portrait demonstration for the Macquarie Towns Arts Society. These demonstrations are always a learning experience for me too. Painting a portrait under the pressure of expectation is different to the relaxed informal group setting where the outcome doesn't really matter, and there is the added burden of trying to verbally explain and give something of value to the audience watching.
The time is limited, should I say a lot and then get stuck into the painting? or say less and try to feed information as the painting progresses?..I tried to take the second approach.  With the portrait groups there is usually a break every 20 minutes, which gives the sitter a rest, and the artist a change of concentration and the chance of a fresh look, which doesn't happen with a demonstration, so an information exchange is another way of doing that.
The group watching seemed to really enjoy it and I'm told there will be a YouTube  video of this demonstrationavailable,so I  may be able to see for myself!

At our monthly portrait group  this  time we a mother and son sit together.

As a part of the celebration of 100 years of the RAAF, local artists were invited to participate in an open day of plein air painting on the Richmnd RAAF Base. A  C130J Hercules aircraft was parked on the runway as an option  to paint witha backdropo of buildings and mountains.
The weather had been threatening rain, but the day turned out to be ideal...   at 33 degrees it was a little warm on the runway, and the RAAF officers were exceptionally friendly and helpful, which made the day a great success.
This was our regular scheduled portrait day at the Art Shop in Richmond, which was cancelled in order to participate here, and for most of us, including myself it was the first time ever for painting an aeroplane!

The Combined Art Societies of Sydney (CASS) were invited to spend the day plein air painting in the grounds of Government House in Sydney, with 2 members from each Society going. I went as a part of the Macquarie Towns Arts Society.

I joined in the recent annual portrait swap in the Portraiture Forum of 'WetCanvas.com' and Sandy called round to swap her portrait with mine

this month's portrait session at the Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop, 20 x 16 oil sketch of Shane, about 100 minutes.