mandyevansartist.com

05/06/2026

One of the studies from last weeks workshop -

I used a packet of watercolour paper I had bought that was supposedly 300gsm .. it was not ..

So we did a stack of practice backgrounds - and this one got painted on a folded piece that I will use to cover a notebook

But the colours were so vibrant I had to play on them

And I am super happy with how it all came out

03/06/2026

This is one of the exercises from Big Watercolour done on a small scale - I’m very happy with how it turned out

So I have come down south, which I haven’t done in ages, and immediately after driving four hours I get to clean a fridge and a freezer

No wonder it’s been an age

There has been a 3 day power outage on the road where my dad lives because of a storm

Which I reckon is pretty extreme in this day and age

Especially for a 93 year old , but he doesn’t seem bothered by it at all

And as I’m writing this I’m thinking it looks like I’m some sort of martyr who has travelled this far to help someone out

But it’s really just a coincidence…lol

You should see the crazy amount of food we are throwing out though … it’s like an Armageddon supply

Lucky chooks

01/06/2026

A super simple warmup painting ❤️❤️❤️❤️ best way to start the day

30/05/2026

Today I have been working on a less is more , thoughtful, focal point type of approach

This is not one of those paintings … lol

I left them down at the gallery - and once again forgot to take photos of a wonderful productive day

I suppose this one definitely nails ‘directional line’

28/05/2026

In my latest newsletter email I talk about using pattern and colour to make things sink back and other things come forward

so I had to go at doing it in this mark making

and I’m not sure if I’ve achieved it incredibly well

but I certainly do like the picture

and I love the colours of the paint that we made ❤️❤️❤️🩵💜

25/05/2026

Today is Monday , and I try to take mondays off, what I’m doing instead is binge watching the Gilmore girls while I clean … and I am surprised by how much I am enjoying it

It’s like a classic feel good everybody’s kind to each other nothing bad ever happens show ….

I tried to watch ‘ the studio’ but it was so stressful

… I tried to watch a British detective show with a deaf lip reader as the star , but because I draw and clean while shows are on - I couldn’t follow the plot because she kept using sign language

I tried to start the latest season of ‘the boys’ but there was too much bold and guts

So I went to ai and told them about my troubles finding something decent to watch and it suggested the Gilmore girls

It said I would like it because Between each scene there is a clear guitar riff designating the scene change

And they speak clearly - with the humour being all in the talking, not so much relying on the visuals

So just in case your looking for hours of entertainment in the background while you make art

I recommend this show

22/05/2026

I just got a new set of paint pens in the mail….see final photo…and this is fun

I bought them for the workshop season , but they got here late - but I’ve still got one more workshop to run where we will use these pens…every colour ❤️

21/05/2026

This is one of the little paintings that I did during the Simple Sketchbooks workshop

I’ve only got one more workshop to go of the season and no one had booked in so I thought I might cancel it and go down south earlier

but the other day someone booked in so there’s only her and me at the moment

which is highly unusual but it’s awesome fun and I don’t mind it at all

but if there is anyone out there who wants to come to a live workshop at the art garden it’s not this weekend. It’s next weekend

just follow the links to find out more

20/05/2026

This is one of the little pictures that I did during the acrylic painting workshop

I had my first go with a needle tipped bottle to try to make a three dimensional surface

In the spirit of whose art is awesome

so I put the dots down with a thick acrylic paint and they dried very flat

So still something to learn there

I’ve got some close-up photos in there of the flat dots ….

and I’ve also got some photos of the little needle tipped tube things that I bought to do it

19/05/2026

The Art of Looking -

Last week we talked about looking at other peoples work - and how fun and inspirational that is - This week we are talking about looking at your own work - and different ways that it can help make your own art better