Sophie Ploeg

2 Days of Open Studio done and dusted. I am pretty tired but they were great days! The sun was shining and there were plenty of visitors! I sold lots, and lots, of greeting cards and received endless compliments. All very lovely. Here are some pictures of the Open Studio. I am doing one more day ....Sunday 12th May, 10am - 5pm. Let me know if you'd like to come and I'll send you details of where and how to get there. Thank you so much to all the visitors who visited - you all made the Open Studio a success this year, and it has not even ended yet. Update and final thanks on my Open Studio page

I finally decided how to finish this painting! Wings, oil, 60x50cm This is a work in progress, currently on the easel and being slightly ignored as I am too busy preparing for the Open Studio Days! detail of work in progress And the local newspaper, the Gazette, wrote a lovely piece about my inclusion in the BP Portrait Award: http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/10387278.Thornbury_artist_s_self_portrait_to_be_exhibited_at_the_National_Portrait_Gallery/ I hope to see lots of visitors this Bank-Holiday weekend during my Open Studio Days! photo: S. Portal

I am gearing up for the Open Studio Days! If you like vintage lace and art.....do pop in!  

This painting is finished. It is 28x48" or 70x120cm. This is the top bit, if you want to see the rest of the painting, then please come to my Open Studio Days where it will be on display! Eurydice Enters the Underworld, oil on canvas

My Open Studio and Painting Exhibition is in early May. It is part of the Severn Vale Art Trail where local artists and crafters open their doors for the public. I hope you can come and visit. Drop me a line and I'll send you a map and directions (I'd rather not put my address here online) There will be lots of original paintings to see, most for sale, greeting cards (hand drawn and printed), prints, and plenty of little lace goodies. You can can come and have a chat, see my materials (paints, lace and fabrics etc). I will also have some portraits on show. If you are interested in commissioning a portrait, do not hesitate to ask how, how much, when etc. Pop in, any time between 10 and 5 on Sunday 5 May, 6 May (Bank Holiday Monday) or Sunday 12 May (last day). Be early if you want choice!

I've been fairly busy with creating small drawings for my greeting cards, and making small reproductions of my paintings. The initial cause of this was my upcoming Open Studio Days (where cards are always popular) but I have now opened an Etsy online shop where you can buy cards, prints and other goodies (see in the right side bar). Of course you can still get those direct from me as well. For my Open Studio (5,6 and 12 May) I enjoy the preparations of providing something new, something affordable and something enjoyable for visitors, besides my paintings of course! I am making all sorts of little goodies for lace lovers and art lovers alike. Can't possibly show them all here - it will have to remain a bit of a surprise until the Open Days. Suffice to say it is all lace related. I am really diving into the history and variety of antique lace at the moment. Browsing the internet, reading books etc. Victorian and Edwardian lace is still very much around these days, but the...

Although it is not May yet, I have already started planning for the Open Studio Days ! Making sure I have enough greeting cards, prints and other goodies. Besides my original oil paintings, there will be a lot of lace, fabrics, portraits, reproductions, greeting cards, notebooks, sketches and drawings. You can see me at work and ask any and all questions! Do let me know if you can come and visit - and I'll let you know how to get here. 5, 6, and 12 May. 10am - 5pm South Gloucestershire

Dates for your Diary: Open Studio will be 5,6 and 12 May 2013, 10am-5pm Please email or sign up to my mailing list to stay up dated!

The Art Trail has finished and I am back in the studio and behind the easel. If you missed the trail or want another peek, feel free to contact me to arrange a time. The trail has been very succesful for me. I have sold 4 paintings (incl. Yellow Scarf II in the picture which will be collected at a later date) and lots of cards, prints and sketches. I am grateful for all the wonderful comments from all those lovely visitors and I really hope I will see them (you) all again next year. Next year might be in my studio or elsewhere, it has not been decided yet.

The local Art Trail is still on until Sunday. Its been good and interesting to not be in my own studio this year, but in a shared venue with lots of other artists at the Pound Barn Gallery in Wickwar. Here are some images:

Just a little reminder..... Friday (this Friday!) the Severn Vale Art Trail starts! I will have 11 paintings exhibited at the Pound Barn in Wickwar. Please come visit. There are 6 other artists exhibiting with me and the Pound Barn Gallery has its own exhibition going on. Plenty of art - and tea and cake too. Saturday 5 May, 10-11am PAINTING DEMO ! I hope you can can make it. Pound Barn, West End, Wickwar, GL12 8LB. Pound Barn is situated in the hamlet of West End at the Wickwar end of the road from Cromhall to Wickwar. Phone 01454 299058 for further help with directions.