999....But No Emergency!

This is my 999th post...which means the next one will be 1000 and contain a giveaway - hope you return and enter the draw!

This week I received a large envelope from Derwent containing three sets of the re-launched Academy watercolour pencils, each with my illustration on it. I never get tired of seeing my work on their packaging, especially with my name printed down the side.   It never feels quite real - after years of plugging away at painting and drawing to now be seeing some return is still exciting!

On the needles this week, dogs have been the subject.  The Alsatian is due to make his movie debut and the girly fluffy pup will be in my shop just as soon as I make her a food bowl. 

There has been more painting going on too - I'm thoroughly enjoying this acrylic of snow which contains no white whatsoever.  What attracted me here was the light coming through the trees and across the snow as dawn breaks.  There will be a great deal more detail in the foreground by the time it is finished, but I am quite liking it as it is too.

Can I be serious here for a moment?  With the global reach of the internet, I get quite a lot of requests to use  my work (free) for charity purposes.  I'm not one to blow my own trumpet, but in the past I have given pieces of art work, knitted dog sets and allowed the use of my images for appeals.  The charities I have donated to  have been ones I feel an affinity towards and also have come to me with credentials in hand - links to their websites and details of their proposed useage of my work.  Being a well-brought up lady, I hate to say no to anyone, but sometimes it is necessary - if I give all my work away or allow it's use willy-nilly for no financial return (and no guarantee copyright will not be infringed), I will be the one needing charity!  Particularly when someone comes to me with no credentials other than just saying they represent a charity - let's face it, I wouldn't hand over a painting to some stranger who knocked at my door wearing a face-mask, having no ID and just telling me that they represent this or that organisation!  So, please by all means feel free to ask me to donate my work and time, but please don't get offended if sometimes I say no.  It's nothing personal, I just have a living to make and need to protect copyright of my work.  Thank you for reading this far, I hope you understand the point I am making.