What competition can feel like

Time limit? Check.
At the mercy of the elements? Check.
Slightly pressurised environment in the form of a competition? Check.

Numbered 'gloves' and "insert bee". 

LE Community Garden

On the last day of May 2025, Long Eaton Community Garden hosted Artist of the Year - and I was lucky to be a part of the competition!
4 hours to paint a piece inspired by the surroundings of this wonderful space teeming with plants, flowers and wildlife.
The community garden contains a lovely pond (which usually hosts ducks), a greenhouse strung with colourful bunting and even a row boat surfing the waves of grass. They host 'Little Foresters' and you can get involved as a volunteer on Mondays and Thursdays. Check the link above or look them up on Facebook.

The Competition Day

​Hour one and two were pretty blissful. Smiling along. 60's tunes. Chats with fellow artists. Literally went for a walk around the spaces. Ate some cake. Drank some tea.
​Honestly very chill and a swell time.
​
Hour three - I was already listening to much heavier music to try and make friends with my painting again and convince myself it was going to work out. I allowed myself some short wanders of about a minute at a time to try and reset. Glugged some more tea. Locked in a little more.
​
Hour four I had moved onto my angry gym playlist and there was paint in my hair and I actively jumped at one point when someone tried to talk to me.
​I had major empathy for the Bake Off contestants when Noel or Sandi or Alison yells:
"15 minutes Bakers, you have 15 minutes."
And they all yelp and scatter like ants.

I have watched landscape artist of the year.
But I feel like Bake Off somehow encapsulated the fire hearing that lit under me better.
​

Truly my creative process every single time James.

Here's a photo I accidentally took of my face when I was trying to take the one of the foxglove up close because I think I need glasses.

The weather was idyllic - not too hot but warm.
Little bit too windy for trying to hold down sketches so my equipment and my easel made a break for it a few times.
Actually my finished piece leapt from the judging zone at least twice in a big gust just face planting the concrete. 
Just to the distant sound of me going "oh no".
I think she was nervous.
I am going to buy some easel clips - thank you to Martin for trying to lend me yours - you are a star.

I think my Bake Off feeling probably mostly came from the homemade cakes, scones and flagons of tea. If I hadn't needed to lock in after hour 2 I think I'd have happily just drank tea and chatted all day.
Many thanks to the ladies for having the Fuel of Artists readily available.

I decided to paint the first plant I saw upon entering the Community Garden - the bright pink foxglove. I watched a bee nestling in his lunch and I thought - yep. Trying to keep it simple and focus in on this little tableau. (I have at least learnt in my years that 4 hours is not actually that long for a canvas this size!). I love that shade of pink - it features a lot in my pieces - and over the process blues, browns, blacks and purples made their way onto the canvas too.

I planned to document the entire thing in time lapses - and I mostly achieved this!
It turns out its really hard to multitask two full time tasks during a competition.
​And to do without a phone tripod (it will fall over mid video).
Lesson learned.

So I leave this short post to say there will be a behind the scenes/speed paint video.
I'm so glad that this event happened!
Thank you for organising it!
Well done Martin and Alix for achieving first and runner up!
​
Artists happily painting and sketching away amongst the flowers and  grasses.
Chatting with fellow creatives and making new connections.
​The added fun of a competitive edge and plenty of caffeine.


Well done everyone who showed up and created a piece - you're awesome,

​What a perfect day.

Hit the 🔔 to be notified when it premieres.

If you're reading beyond Friday 6th June at 6pm UK time - watch away!

Hitting SUBSCRIBE really helps me keep doing this.
​Thank you.

Possibly the moment before I jumped out of my skin.
Thank you for capturing me in the zone!