The not so isolated artist. Part of the Friends Friday posts.

Meet my friend Anne Blankson-Hemans.

I took this when we were allowed to meet up outside in a socially distanced way. It was a boiling hot day and we both suffered a bit!

I first ‘met’ Anne when I saw her on the BBC programme The Big Painting Challenge. I thought this woman lives in Northampton and is a brilliant artist. I must meet her. I was struck by her vibrant use of colour and lovely brushwork.

After that I really don’t remember how we eventually came to meet for the first time but we both got to know one another more when we took part in the Urban Sketchers Group.

Anne is passionate about her art and lives and breathes it. She has exhibited at the Mall Galleries in London and has a string of successful accolades which you can read about on her website, I’ll pop the link at the bottom.

Anne is one of those humble people that is full of kindness and encouragement. From our first meetings at the Urban Sketchers, Anne and I then began to meet up regularly to draw Northampton, sometimes finding a pub to discuss art over lunch, working alongside one another. We were hoping to exhibit together this year but that thing called Covid 19 sent us in different directions but one day I’m sure that will happen.

Having a friend like in Anne really brightened my isolated artist’s life! To share time together in this way really helped with motivation, encouragement and overcoming the fears that one can have when working in a public space. Anne is also a much more established artist than myself and I’ve learnt a lot from her work ethic. I guess you could say I look up to her like a big art sister!

There’s really too much to say about Anne, I think you should really go and take a look at what she does for yourself.

annebh-art.com

We had just arrived to draw outside and the heavens opened, so we had to pack up quickly and retreat. The downfalls of the good old British weather.