I Hate Holidays by Neil Davies

A lovely scene. I love the look on your daughter's face. You made me laugh. Well done.

Her face says it all, very good.

Thanks for your comments. I like the scene, but I've never been entirely happy about the way I have painted it. I have a tendency to alter my style while working on a piece. The face of my daughter to the right was painted quite freely, a brush stroke here, a dab of paint there. Although I wanted her face to stand out - it doesn't work with the rest of the painting. My daughter in the middle, her top was painted wet on wet, and is quite thick in its application. Her purple velvet dress, on the other hand, was painted using subtle shades. Maybe I need to be more disciplined.

The way you have done this works Neil, yes her face is in a different more free style but it works, she is the one telling the story, she is the focus in the painting, your eye travels around the scene then comes back to her, plus how you have done the other daughter is perfect, it truly is a fantasic painting, don,t change a thing.

Neil, I understand completely where you are coming from but don't you think that this is what makes you different from other people. It is just your style which you will cultivate as you progress. I cannot believe you have only been painting for a short while and producing lovely paintings. You obviously had it in you. Best wishes Jeannette

by the way it is fantastic, it looks a great place to visit, This painting has it all.

Thanks to Jennifer and Jeannette for your inspiring comments. I hadn't previously received much feedback on my work, apart from family and a few friends. I don't mind having my paintings scrutinised and judged, spat at or stamped on - it's what I want. Most of my family dislike the painting of my nephew 'Aussie Mark'. But my brother, Mark's father, loves it. Mark is a hard working, sociable, likeable young man with sun bleached hair that is as spikey, dry and as sharp as a prickly Australian bush in a drought. Mark's painting isn't quite finished, as it needs to dry, but I don't think it will be changing that much.

Ha ha, I love this one, particularly as my 3-year old is very similar, We have just had a weeks "holiday", and that face sums it all up - wish I could capture that moment - really well done.