VARNISHING DAY

 
I love varnishing day. I choose a time when no-one coming and going and no pets are waiting to donate fur to the finished piece. It's better if I also plan to go out, so I don't waft dust over the drying pieces. 

Today I was off to town to enjoy the buzz of locals coming in for market day. Many of the shoppers are farmers and their wives, who are allowing themselves a short break from chores. It's a bubbling atmosphere with tea shops teeming with friends sharing gossip and a tasty cake or two. The shops are full of people clutching lists of "things to do" and patiently waiting their turn. Market day has always been an important time for country folk and I'm glad the tradition still survives here.

As far as I'm concerned varnishing is a crucial part of the professional painting cycle. Varnish gives a clear top  coat to the work and is designed to fill any dips and crevices and protect the painting from smoke, damp, insects and other hazards. Wherever possible, I use UV protective, non yellowing varnish with a "paint-able" surface. Placing any Art in direct sunlight should be avoided, but UV coating adds extra protection from fading, cracking, melting, humidity etc. I prefer paint-able because it allows me to retouch without the need to remove the varnish and then re-coat when done. I also like gloss because it gives a lovely sheen to the painting. 

I love Acrylics for their resilience and archival quality, which brings owning original Art to the easy care, contemporary world. In the past only the very wealthy could afford the initial cost and upkeep of an oil collection, so the general population settled for low quality, mass produced prints, but with the quality Acrylics now available, anyone can own an original. The professional Acrylics I use, are formulated to look beautiful for hundreds of years. Just wipe occasionally with a slightly damp (not wet) soft cloth and your painting will continue to look just as bright and beautiful as the day it was made.  

So here are 33 fresh and sparkling paintings, waiting to be whisked to their new home. If any of the above paintings catch your eye, most can be found on my blog and are available on Daily Paintworks. If you have trouble locating one please contact me.