Metal salt and pepper shakers on orange

Another early piece, completed before heading to Scotland in Summer 2025. Took it with me and gave it to mum, and only recently brought it home after her passing. 

Hung it on my art wall - love the way the metallic shakers reflect the orange around them, and am pleased with the strokes visible in the background. So easy to see flaws in my work at this early stage, but also lets me know how much I have learned throughout this first year of painting - I still enjoy painting metal.

 

Going through older paintings

As I look back on the start of my oil painting journey just over a year ago, I realize how far I have come over that time. Often, we can get caught up in how much we still do not know, when in actuality, we continue to improve (albeit slowly in my case) over time, while we continue to practice. 

I was so proud of this painting at the time, and still love it, even though I know there are many things I would do differently if repeating the painting now. I have also improved in how I take photos of my paintings and try to avoid shadows :)

    Two plums    July 2025