Sophie Ploeg

A new year, new plans, cleaning up, sorting out... As soon as the new year starts I usually get the bug and can’t wait to throw out the Christmas decorations, tidy up and go for minimalist instead of cozy and full. I have been researching a new easel for a long time now and although not totally decided or ordered I wanted to make more space in my small studio. So out with the big (-ish) old desk and in with a new smaller one! A few shelves and a new desk chair (still to be covered with some nice fabric) and some re-organising later I am very happy with a new, more organised, space saving corner in my studio.  I used  Pinterest  for some interior design ideas...  There is more space to set up models and still lives, more space to hold Open Studios and most importantly there is space for the longed for big easel. But that is another story. Ten Best Facebook Pages on Art The New Year was off to a good start by a post by the Making a Mark Blog about the 10 ...

If you are interested in having a browse or seeing a particular painting ‘in the flesh’ you are more than welcome in my studio. Just contact me first to set a time and date. Looking Back (oil) Left to right: Paper Bag & Lace (pastel), portrait study (graphite), Petals & Lace (graphite)

Two recent framed paintings in my studio. The drawing on the right is sold.

As usual....I am painting lace...in a box...

Why not share some pictures of my studio?  Here is a bit of my wall of inspiration - just added the Veronese pictures after seeing the exhibition at the National Gallery last week. If you make things Black/White it looks less messy! Of course there are secret stacks of fabrics, books, ribbons, lace and antique clothing elsewhere in the house...as if that would all fit in a studio.... ;)

My palette is starting to look rather, eh, creative... A thorough clean with a paint scraper and ready for an underpainting! Colours laid out for the next stage.

Detail (about 2 inches wide) of a portrait in progress...Flemish lace. Am afraid I can't show you much more at the moment....

I am finally getting to where I want to be with my ruff-making skills. It is far from perfect, I am no seamstress after all, but at least I can work with this one....Hopefully you'll see it again in one of my paintings....

Working pictures.... ruffs, patterns, lace....

Working on new painting, working on new ideas..... painting, sewing, thinking

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...

Me in the studio. Quick webcam picture from yesterday.

Another self portrait.... Self Portrait Looking Down oil on panel, 18x24cm There's a lot of 'me' in the studio. A big ego trip? Time to go back to painting lace! On my facebook friends page I am posting the progress of my largest work ever, in the main header image. You don't need to be my friend to see it, but in case you want to follow.... Have a look here . Every time I work on it I will update this image (which is just a detail of the larger painting). This is the latest instalment, painted yesterday.

Here's my latest. Another self portrait. It is really interesting to do self portraits. Initially it is awkward; feelings of vanity, embarrassment etc get into the mix. Its weird staring at yourself and it is easy to see all the beauty flaws. But after a while you put that to one side. I mean, it's not like I didn't know what I look like before, is it?! So when I am painting 'me' I don't have to worry so much about getting the likeness, because I know my own face. I get a likeness much quicker, its not even something I need to strive for or think about. That means I can focus much, much more on expressions, colours, compositions and just have a play. That's why I haven't been painting one self portrait but I am still working on them. I'm just not very good at coming up with titles.... Here is a pic of one side of my studio. As you can see its a right mess as I am doing too many things at the same time! Painting frames, working on self portra...

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!

Photo by Gareth Iwan Jones Taken for the article in Artists & Illustrators Magazine, August 2012 about painting drapery. See this blog post about the article in Artists & Illustrator’s Magazine. Artists & Illustrator’s Magazine also published the article as a four-part series on their website . 

I am working on a triple portrait (a commission) with the client’s permission, here are some teaser pictures....   

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.

Folded Lace has gained a frame The two lace ‘piles’ work nicely together.

A studio clear-out and tidy-up deserves a photo...doesn’t happen that often...