#I wanted to include it in the caption to reference his four wings but it was too long

[what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me]

💫 Comet: a small celestial object with a core of ice, a leftover from the formation of a star.

Seeing one is historically considered a bad omen—inspiring fear, awe, and dread in those who witness it.

[whittlebaggett8]

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The 19 biggest ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ villains, Defence Online

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Arie Luyendyk Jr. became one of the most hated men in “Bachelor” history after his season.

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ABC/Paul Hebert

ABC’s “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” have given viewers quite a few stars who have been labeled as villains based over the years based on their actions.

People like Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Chad Johnson became unlikable on the reality TV shows.

Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.

Every good show has a villain, and that goes for reality TV as well.

On ABC’s “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” someone can be pegged as a “villain” thanks to editing. But one has to give the editors the footage too. And it’s clear that many contestants have earned the title. Sometimes, the leading man turns out to be unlikable, which was the case for season 22 of “The Bachelor.”

With the “Bachelorette” reunion special on Monday at 8 p.m. ET and return of “The Bachelorette” on Monday, May 13 at 8 p.m. ET, its a good time to revisit 19 of the biggest villains from the “Bachelor” franchise.

Brad Womack didn’t pick anyone on season 11 of “The Bachelor.”

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Brad Womack starred on season 11 “The Bachelor” in 2007.

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ABC

Womack narrowed down his 25 women to the final two and ultimately picked neither of the two women after they professed their love for him. Fans of the series were mad at him for walking away.

Where is he now? He got a second shot at love when he was the bachelor once again for its 15th season. He chose a winner then, but the two are no longer together. Womack doesn’t have any social media accounts, so he’s stayed relatively quiet. He reportedly opened up four bars in Austin, Texas. It looks like two, The Dizzy Rooster and The Dogwood, are still open.

Jason Mesnick, from season 13 of “The Bachelor,” shocked fans when he changed his mind.

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Jason Mesnick starred on season 13 of “The Bachelor” in 2009.

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ABC

After becoming a runner-up on “The Bachelorette” season four, Mesnick became the 13th bachelor.

Mesnick finished the season engaged to Melissa Rycroft. But in a surprising twist, he changed his mind and dumped her on live TV during the “After the Final Rose” special. He then asked runner-up Molly Malaney if she wanted to give him another try.

Where is he now? Malaney said yes and the couple has now been married since 2010. They have a daughter, in addition to Mesnick’s son from a previous marriage. He’s a consultant at NWG Real Estate.

Season five “Bachelorette” contestant Wes Hayden was only interested in getting his music exposure.

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Wes Hayden appeared on season five of “The Bachelorette” in 2009.

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ABC

Hayden went on Jillian Harris’ season of “The Bachelorette” with nothing but the worst intentions – he wanted to promote his music career. He also made it to the top four and bragged about having a girlfriend the entire time as the limo was taking him away.

“I’m going down in flames,” he said. “The first guy on ‘The Bachelorette’ to ever make it to the top four with a girlfriend.”

Where is he now? Hayden tried his hand on “Bachelor Pad” and has released an album and a few singles, which have received little commercial success. In 2019, he released a self-titled album with 11 tracks.

Jake Pavelka, star of season 14 of “The Bachelor,” was not well-liked.

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Jake Pavelka starred on season 14 of “The Bachelor” in 2010.

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ABC

Pavelka’s “On the Wings of Love” season took a nosedive as fans got to know him. He had been introduced on the fifth season of “The Bachelorette,” but on his own season, he was condescending to the women and arrogant. After he chose the season’s “villain,” Girardi, as his winner, things continued to go downhill for the couple. There were cheating reports and the couple was in the tabloids. The breakup aired on TV and did nothing to quell the dislike.

Where is he now? He has made a few television appearances, including appearing on JoJo Fletcher’s season of “The Bachelorette” and “Dancing With the Stars.” In May 2018, he sat down for a podcast with Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti (called “The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast”) and spoke about his time on the reality TV show. He’s still a pilot.

“The Bachelor” season 14 contestant Vienna Girardi was always fighting with Jake.

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Vienna Girardi appeared on season 14 of “The Bachelor” in 2010.

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ABC

Girardi spent much of her time fighting for bachelor Jake Pavelka’s heart by undermining, taunting, and manipulating the other women, particularly Ali Fedotowsky.

Pavelka still chose her in the end, but their relationship imploded and their “official” breakup was featured as a “Bachelor” special.

Where is she now? Girardi was pregnant with twins but lost them at 18 weeks in August 2017. She revealed the news in an emotional post on her Facebook page.

Justin Rego, from season six of “The Bachelorette,” competed even though he had a girlfriend.

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Justin Rego appeared on season six of “The Bachelorette” in 2010.

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ABC

Rego went down in infamy for competing on “The Bachelorette” while having a secret girlfriend back home. When confronted by Ali Fedotowsky, he walked out. He later denied that he came on the show for fame. He also denied that he called his girlfriend, but the show played back voice mails as he left. Rego took other guys’ chances when he wasn’t even in love with her.

Where is he now? He later tried his hand at “Bachelor Pad,” but was eliminated on the first episode. He’s still not a fan of the show and is convinced that the producers made him look worse than he is.

Michelle Money, from “The Bachelor” season 15, was known for her aggressive tactics to try and win over bachelor Brad Womack.

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Michelle Money competed on season 15 of “The Bachelor” in 2011.

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ABC

She was slightly whiny, sarcastic, and not a friend to the ladies. She somehow ended up with a black eye, too. She was later redeemed thanks to appearances on other reality shows.

Where is she now? She went on “Bachelor Pad” and “Bachelor in Paradise” hoping to find love. After “Paradise,” she was dating fellow Bachelor Nation member Cody Sattler. Since 2016, she has been dating golfer Mike Weir. She’s an actress, hairstylist, and beauty guru. In March 2019, she addressed her “villain” label in a lengthy Instagram post.

“She was brave and bold and confident,” Money said of her younger self. “She was also incredibly naive and easily manipulated. She was just trying to figure herself out. She was a ham, yes. But she was fierce and funny.”

Bentley Williams was a jerk on season seven of “The Bachelorette.”

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Bentley Williams competed on season seven of “The Bachelorette” in 2011.

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ABC

Bachelorette Ashley Hebert was falling for Williams. But in his interviews, he made it clear he didn’t care about her. He said she wasn’t attractive. His most infamous line? “I’m going to make Ashley cry, but I hope my hair looks OK.”

He later came back and strung her along briefly, but Hebert got rid of him.

Where is he now? The father and former Goldman Sachs analyst has since kept a low profile, which is probably for the best. He married travel and beauty blogger Meg in March 2018.

Kalon McMahon from season eight of “The Bachelorette” said some things he shouldn’t have.

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Kalon McMahon appeared on season eight of “The Bachelorette” in 2012.

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ABC

Emily Maynard, the bachelorette McMahon was trying to win over, was a mother to a then 7-year-old daughter. While the group was in London, McMahon referred to her daughter as “baggage.” One of the men went straight to Maynard to let her know and she promptly told McMahon off. She finished by telling him to “get the f— out.” To make matters worse, during the “After the Final Rose” special, the arrogant jerk made it clear that he wasn’t sorry.

Where is he now? He tried to find love on “Bachelor in Paradise,” but his reputation preceded him and no one wanted to date him. According to his Twitter, he’s an entrepreneur and financial wellness strategist for Financial Finesse.

Courtney Robertson from season 16 of “The Bachelor” was not there to make friends.

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Courtney Robertson competed on season 16 of “The Bachelor” in 2012.

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ABC

Robertson was not a house favorite during her time on Ben Flajnik’s season. She was brash and is most remembered for the time she convinced Flajnik to skinny-dip in the ocean.

Flajnik picked Robertson in the end. But after breaking up and getting back together, the couple finally split for good a few months later. Like Robertson said, “I didn’t come here to make friends.” Incidentally, that’s also the title of her tell-all book.

Where is she now? She’s a model and realtor.

Tierra LiCausi’s attitude on season 17 of “The Bachelor” made the women in the house dislike her.

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Tierra LiCausi appeared on season 17 of “The Bachelor” in 2013.

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ABC

LiCausi’s attitude made the women in the house dislike her. She would get angry and yell, but bachelor Sean Lowe was unaware of her behavior until a massive argument brought it to his attention.

Where is she now? LiCausi keeps her life private, but people can still follow her on Twitter.

Juan Pablo Galavis, star of “The Bachelor” season 18 in 2014, was controversial.

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Juan Pablo Galavis starred on season 18 of “The Bachelor” in 2014.

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ABC

Galavis, a former professional soccer player, first won hearts when he was a contestant on “The Bachelorette’s” ninth season. Bachelorette Desiree Hartsock sent him away during week six.

But he’s better known now for his own “Bachelor” season where he was shown as a self-centered jerk. He didn’t treat the women with respect, dismissed their concerns and emotions, and blamed them for problems. He refused to even tell the season’s winner that he loved her. He also had to apologize for homophobic comments he made about a gay or bisexual bachelor not being a good example for kids.

Where is he now? Galavis’ Instagram says he’s a “music and sports consultant,” and he married Venezuelan TV host and model Osmariel Villalobos in August 2017. In March 2019, he told Us Weekly that he’s “trying to find a way to trick [Villalobos] into getting pregnant” because he wants more children” (he has a daughter with ex-girlfriend Carla Rodriguez).

Nick Viall from season 10 of “The Bachelorette” was a jerk on “After the Final Rose.”

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Nick Viall appeared on season 10 the “The Bachelorette” in 2014.

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ABC

Viall wasn’t liked by many of the guys when he competed for Andy Dorfman’s heart, but none of that mattered as he made it to the top two. Dorfman ultimately broke his heart.

On the “After the Final Rose” special, Viall confronted Dorfman about their fantasy suite night, exposing their night on live TV and slut-shaming her in the process. A broken heart is no excuse for that sort of behavior.

Where is he now? After placing second on the 10th season of “The Bachelorette,” Viall returned midway through “The Bachelorette’s” 11th season to try and win Kaitlyn Bristowe’s heart. He ended up as a runner-up again.

Viall went on to “Bachelor in Paradise.” But once that didn’t work out, he was finally picked as the bachelor. He and his winner, Vanessa Grimaldi, split nine months after getting engaged.

He seems to like his fame and pops up on TV every once in a while, like when he competed on “Dancing With the Stars” following his season’s end. He also started a men’s grooming business and launched a podcast in 2019 called “The Viall Files.”

On season 19 of “The Bachelor,” Kelsey Poe didn’t get along well with the other women.

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Kelsey Poe appeared on season 19 of “The Bachelor” in 2015.

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ABC

Poe had some creative schemes that she tried to use to win over bachelor Chris Soules, but her behavior and attitude rubbed the other women in the house the wrong way. She also boasted about “an amazing story” she had, which happened to be a depressing story about being widowed. Her phrasing didn’t sit well with fans.

The particular problems between Poe and contestant Ashley Iaconetti resulted in both women being sent home.

Where is she now? Poe quit posting on social media in 2016. But prior to that, she was updating a blog and moved to Paris. She was in a relationship.

Olivia Caridi, from “The Bachelor” season 20, didn’t arrive at the mansion looking for friends.

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Olivia Caridi competed on season 20 of “The Bachelor” in 2016.

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ABC

Caridi wanted to win Ben Higgins’ heart. But her attitude towards the other women made her standoffish, and she often appeared conceited. She was sent home after the other housemates told Higgins that she was insensitive to them.

Where is she now? Caridi is a podcast host and television personality.

Chad Johnson was the clear villain from season 12 of “The Bachelorette.”

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Chad will also be remembered for biting into this sweet potato.

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ABC

From the very first moment Johnson stepped into the mansion, he established himself as an alpha male with a bad temper and aggressive behavior. He was eventually booted from the show after making his roommate Derek Peth feel uncomfortable, punching a door, and ripping contestant Evan Bass’ shirt, among other things. He has also made sexist comments, like calling bachelorette JoJo Fletcher “naggy.”

He later went on to “Bachelor in Paradise,” where he got incredibly drunk, called Lace Morris a b—- multiple times, and was kicked off after one night. He was arrogant and proud of it.

Where is he now? He was in a brief relationship with model Zoe Baron and appeared on the reality show “Famously Single.” He joined the “Celebrity Big Brother” cast in the United Kingdom and ended in fifth place. According to his Instagram, the real estate agent was hired by HÔM Sotheby’s in Newport Beach, California in 2017, but now, he’s promoting himself as an actor and has made diet and fitness plans for people to purchase.

Corinne Olympios was in it to win it on season 21 of “The Bachelor.”

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Corinne Olympios competed on season 21 of “The Bachelor” in 2017.

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ABC

Olympios will forever be remembered for her memorable one-liners, frequent napping, and her “nanny,” Raquel, during her tenure on Nick Viall’s season. But she was initially painted as the season’s villain thanks to her disregard for the other women, sexual advances, and entitled behavior. Ultimately, Olympios just wanted to find love and she’s still friends with many of the women.

Where is she now? She was supposed to appear on the fourth season of “Bachelor in Paradise.” But following a sexual misconduct scandal that briefly shut the production down, she left the show. She’s modeled and is an Instagram influencer.

Krystal Nielson established herself as one of the most hated women on season 22 of “The Bachelor.”

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Krystal Nielson at the “Women Tell All.”

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Paul Hebert/ABC

This was due to her condescending treatment of the other women in the house, her fake soft voice, and her bad attitude.

During the “Women Tell All,” she referred to the other women as “c—s” and called Arie Luyendyk Jr. “needledick.” She also refused to apologize, adding that she didn’t bully anyone.

“I didn’t bully anyone on the season,” she said. “I was bold and abrasive in my actions – I was very assertive and the boldest, but I wasn’t a bully. When did I talk down to someone, or hurt someone? I never, ever maliciously hurt someone or sought that out.”

Where is she now? She’s a fitness coach and is very active on social media. She got engaged to Chris Randone during the season five finale of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

Arie Luyendyk Jr. became one of the most despised men in “Bachelor” history for what he did after the season 22 “Bachelor” finale.

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Arie Luyendyk Jr. from season 22 of “The Bachelor” (2018) is now despised.

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ABC/Paul Hebert

The leading man dumped Lauren Burnham and proposed to Rebecca Kufrin (known as Becca K.) in Peru. But just weeks after getting engaged, Luyendyk went to Los Angeles to break things off with Kufrin so he could be with Burnham.

ABC chose to air the entire, unedited breakup, and fans reacted angrily. Kufrin was sobbing for minutes at a time and told Luyendyk repeatedly to leave and he didn’t listen.

His treatment of Kufrin has labeled him a “Bachelor” villain.

Where is he now? He and Burnham are still together and have been traveling around the world. They’re expecting a baby girl, too. He’s also still racing.

The post WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The 19 biggest ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ villains, Defence Online appeared first on Defence Online.

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[rafaelscientificknowhow-blog]

The jasmine tookes instagram Awards: The Best, Worst, and Weirdest Things We've Seen

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[doodlewash]

Hi everyone! First of all, I would like to thank Charlie for inviting me to be a guest artist. I’m very honored to be among all the wonderful artists featured here. Thank you!

Background

My name is Krzysztof Kowalski. I’m a self-taught watercolorist based in Poland. My background is not connected with art. I have a master’s degree in Social Readaptation and in 2018, I’m finishing my second master’s degree in Indonesian and Malay Philology. I have never attended an art school. I’ve been painting since I can remember and it’s always been my hobby. I used to paint with oils and draw with graphite pencils.

There was also an episode with soft pastels too. But it was watercolors that I fell in love with. I discovered them in 2012, and since then, watercolor painting became my great passion.

The Voice Of The Garden, 5″ x 5″

Realism

I like to paint in a realistic style. Sometimes I read comments like “At first I thought it was a photo!”. That’s nice, because it means that my paintings are realistic enough to say exactly what they depict. On the other hand, people sometimes exaggerate saying that it’s like photorealism. It is not and I don’t even try to paint photorealistically. I like to call my style just realism with a touch of my spirit. In my paintings, I try to be precise and capture the essence of the subjects, which are usually flowers.

Why do I paint mostly flowers? I think it has something to do with my childhood. My father was an alcoholic (he stopped drinking a few years ago) and art was some kind of a shelter from problems. I very often visited my grandparents who grew beautiful flowers in the garden.

I still remember the smell of huge peonies, lilies and tulips. It was like an escape to a different, colorful world where everything was beautiful, sincere and innocent. Also my mom has always loved flowers and, many times, I painted them for her to make her happy. I still do.

Pink Lilies, 14.5″ x 11″

Floral style

I can paint flowers for hours. Each of them is different and tells a different story. The shapes of the petals, their colors and patterns always amaze me. In my paintings, I try to depict flowers realistically, trying to capture the incredible shapes of nature, but leaving some space for my interpretation. There is always that more creative part of the painting process than just reproducing the picture. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m not a hyperrealist. I always try to put in something of myself. My paintings always have a bit of my spirit.

Spirit of Hope, 20.5″ x 12.2″

My journey with painting flowers started with Janet Whittle’s Painting Flowers and Plants. When I first saw that book it was like magic came into my life. I saw how beautiful watercolor floral paintings can be. I read this book during one evening and I think it has influenced me and my style a lot. I wanted to paint like Janet. Her negative painting technique was completely abstract for me at that time, but I couldn’t stop looking at her paintings. I wanted to know how she did that, how to achieve similar effects. I started to absorb everything about watercolor painting from the Internet and books.

Botanical style

In 2014, I discovered a botanical style of painting and fell in love immediately. It turned out that I have enough patience to paint all the details. I started to read books about it, mostly from abroad, because here botanical style is not popular at all.

My first book about it was Billy Showell’s A-Z of Flower Portraits. It was the only book about this style in the Polish language (it is still the only one!). I was hooked. From my usual, floral style of painting, I went to another direction, which required even more precision. I really like to gradually build up something bigger from tiny bits and pieces. In 2016, a series of my botanical paintings was exhibited during the Museums at Night event in Gdańsk.

Botanical painting is very exciting, because I always learn something new about the subject I’m painting. In order to paint something correctly, you have to get to know the subject better. Here’s an example. When I was asked to paint 5 illustration for the Museums at Night event, the paintings had to refer to Maria Sibylla Merian’s artworks. My process of creating those five illustrations lasted about a year.

Attacus Atlas And Rambutan Tree, Detail, 16″ x 12″

I wanted to know who exactly Maria was, how she was painting, what subjects she included in her paintings, how she made her compositions and so on. Later, when I tried to figure out what to paint, I did some research on each subject from my illustrations. And that was a very educational process! Did you know, that in China the Giant Atlas Moth (Attacus Atlas), which is the largest moth in the world, is called “snake’s head moth”? The name refers to the outer tips of the wings that look very similar to the head of a snake. That’s fascinating!

Patience

Patience is always my golden rule. Watercolor painting has taught me to be patient. When I started painting with watercolors, I had to finish a painting in one sitting. Now I can paint something even for a month, because I know that patience pays off. I’m often asked about how long it takes me to paint a painting. Of course it depends on how big and detailed the painting is. Here are some examples:

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3 Hours

10 Hours

40 hours

Materials

I think that the paper is the most important in watercolor painting. I always use 100% cotton paper, because other papers will not allow me to achieve similar results. I use both cold press and hot press papers, depending on what I’m painting. If it’s something in a botanical style, I always use hot press. My favorite hot press papers are Fabriano Artistico and Saunders Waterford (I’m planning to test Canson Heritage soon). My favorite cold press papers are Arches and Canson Fontenay.

There are several brushes which I use most frequently: Escoda Reserva #10 round, Raphael series 8408 #6 and #4 round, Winsor & Newton One Stroke 1” flat. Raphael brushes have an excellent point. They are very good brushes for fine details. I always use professional watercolor paints and I carefully choose colors.

I’m a color junky and I try to be very conscious about the characteristics of paints. I always take a closer look at the pigments, not the brand, because I think the particular brand is not important when you use professional paints. All of them are excellent. What counts is the characteristic of the particular color. Most of my paints are Winsor & Newton, some colors are from Daniel Smith and one is from Schmincke Horadam.

There are four main steps in choosing the colors for my palette:

 Six basic colors (yellows: warm and cool, blues: warm and cool, reds: warm and cool)

Earth tones, which are three shades of brown: yellowish brown, reddish brown and some dark brown

Frequently used colors, like Permanent Rose or Quinacridone Gold

Additional colors.

I love colors. My palette has never been limited. Nature creates so many beautiful colors, why should we restrain ourselves from experimenting with them.

Big Porcelain Palette With 30 Wells

At the moment I have three main palettes. One is a big porcelain one with 30 big wells. I think that porcelain/ceramic is the best surface for mixing watercolors. I very often use dishes, saucers or I have even found a ceramic candle stand which works excellent. I also have a metal box for 24 half pans. And my latest purchase is a Mijello palette with 33 wells.

At my Teachable, you can find a detail lesson on materials I use. There is also a free short e-book about the colors on my palette and how to choose colors in general.

Preview of my e-book. Everything you need to know about my watercolor palette

Process

I don’t like the stage of making a sketch. I like to use colors, I love colors and I want to paint straightaway. It happened many times that I avoided painting only because I knew I had to make a sketch. Not long ago, I finally bought a light pad (Huion, size A3) and my life is now much easier. I usually paint from photos, so I print out the photo, place it on the light pad, then watercolor paper on top and I just trace. It is so much faster and easier.

Painting from photos and using a light pad may be controversial for some, but in my opinion there is nothing wrong about it. I always say that if something can help you, just use it. I paint mostly from my own photos. In many cases it’s just not possible to paint from a real object. When I travel I take hundreds of photos, why shouldn’t I use them? There are also many websites and groups where people share their wonderful photos under CC0 license or similar (for example Paint My Photo or Pixabay).

I share my process of painting on my YouTube and my blog. You can find many photos from works in progress where I explain what colors I use and I show how I apply them in layers.

Example: Melitaea Didyma Butterfly

I always start from the lightest parts of a subject. In this case the butterfly’s wings have three main colors: very pale creamy color, orange and black. Keeping in mind that it’s impossible to apply a lighter color on top of the darker one, I started with a very pale wash of Naples Yellow Deep PBr24. When this layer dried, I added the orange parts on top.

The next step was to add some shadows, before adding the darkest darks. A mix of Naples Yellow Deep PBr24 with French Ultramarine PB29 worked here as my shadow color. Instead of Naples Yellow Deep, I could have used Burnt Sienna (which makes a grey with French Ultramarine), but I like to keep within my color scheme. If I know that I can create a color with the colors I have already used, I’m not looking for a different one.

Before adding blacks, I painted the head and the body of the butterfly. I used white tempera with a touch of blue watercolor to paint the hairs. At the bottom part of the body I used a beautiful mix of Phthalo Blue Green Shade PB15 with Cobalt Turquoise Light PG50.

Finally, I used black to paint dark patterns. My favorite black is a mix of Perylene Green PBk31 and Pyrrol Crimson PR264.

Layers

I apply many layers of paint. Usually the first one is applied wet-on-wet to map in the colors and leave the highlights. The next layers are wet-on-wet or wet-on-dry depending on the particular area. At the end, I usually take a look at a whole piece and I add shadows, unifying glazes or additional layers of stronger colors.

I like to build up the shapes by slowly adding one layer on top of another. This way we can achieve realistic results. The layers are very thin, otherwise it’s easy to overwork. And the golden rule is always the same: allow each layer to dry completely before adding another one. This is very important.

The Big Broth Lily and Swallowtail Butterfly, Work In Progress, 16″ x 12″

Sketchbook

I also have a sketchbook. The one I’m currently using is a Stillman & Birn Zeta series with hot press paper. I bought it with the idea of urban sketching in my mind, but it quickly became a sketchbook for everything. I genuinely admire watercolor sketches of others. I have always been in awe with Brenda Swenson’s sketchbooks. Absolutely gorgeous sketches. I use my sketchbook for sketching obviously, but also for color testing. If I’m working on something complex, it happens that I first make some color tests in my sketchbook, to see if the colors are correct.

Teaching

I’ve always loved to share my experience and knowledge. On my blog I’m posting photos of works in progress explaining what I’m doing. I also upload tutorials and demos on my YouTube channel (most of them with captions as English is not my native language).

My followers have also encouraged me to set up my lessons at Teachable, which I did at the beginning of 2017. Teachable is a very user-friendly platform. The lessons are more organized, detailed and I somehow found courage to record my voiceover, so it’s easier to follow the videos.

Future

In August 2017, I’m going to Indonesia for a one year scholarship. This will be the last year of my studies and after coming back, I am planning to dedicate myself to art much more than now and create more classes. I will have more time for art and I can’t wait for that! I want to share my joy of watercolors with others!

Happy painting!

Krzysztof Kowalski Website Botanical Painting Blog Online Classes Facebook YouTube Instagram Polish Website

GUEST ARTIST: Nature-Inspired Watercolors by Krzysztof Kowalski -#WorldWatercolorGroup #Poland Hi everyone! First of all, I would like to thank Charlie for inviting me to be a guest artist.

[tonganjoe]

Where do you go for beer and bar food? A bar or maybe your kitchen if you have a great spinach-artichoke dip recipe (which, if so, please send it my way). Where do you go when you want over 80 beers on tap? When you are craving huge portions of cheese fries, nachos, burgers, and spanakopita? Where a famous thriller author has written about the location and people in many of his books? I can think of only one place that checks all of those boxes: The Great Lost Bear in Portland, Maine. Easily the best bar I have ever been to and one that I constantly talk about going back to should I ever find myself in Maine again.

What makes it so special? Let’s start with the obvious, beer. According to the current draught list, there are 83 beers on tap today. 83 ON TAP! Every variety you can think of is available- Pale Ale, IPA, Double IPA, Lager, Pilsner, Stout, Belgian, Belgian Inspired, Wheat, White, English Bitter, Kolsch, Gose, Blonde Ale, Scottish Ale, Red Ale, Golden Ale, Rye, Cask, Sour, Fruit, Cider, and Mead. Yes, even the beer of the gods, delicious mead. It is almost too much to choose from. Or is it? For $6 you can receive five ounces of five different selections. I recommend trying the locals- Shipyard, Gritty McDuff’s, Geary’s, Sea Dog. All are amazing.

Imagine a tall, cold glass of this liquid gold.

The Bear (as my friends and I have always lovingly referred to it) has really embraced its role as a beer bar. Monday and Tuesday are “Short” Beer Nights where you pay the price of a pint and receive 24 ounces. Wednesdays usually feature a national brand (last Wednesday was Absolut Vodka and next is Tecate). Thursday nights are my favorite, The All-American Microbrew Showcase. Portland alone has 17 microbreweries with almost a dozen more in the surrounding towns. Each Thursday different beers are featured depending on the theme of the night (sometimes a particular brewery, sometimes a style of beer, and sometimes a showdown between rivals). There is swag to be had and if you are lucky you will come down on a night when a guest bartender is in the house. Add in the annual events- Brew Pub Cup, Industrial Park Challenge, Octoberfest, Black Thursday, The Twelve Beers of Christmas- and you have a true beer venue.

Let’s say you’re a teetotaler. No beer for you! Have you ever heard the phrase “Something for everyone”? I have not found a menu to which that phrase applies more. As a long time vegetarian it is usually salads only when it comes to dining out. Not here. Veggies like me have 17 choices without even glancing at the ruffage. My personal favorite is the Grizzly Burrito (or Bearrito as I call it). It is as big as my head and packed with spiced rice and beans, vegan chili, and ooey-gooey cheese. I might love it more than my husband. For all of you carnivores out there, the world is your oyster. You have five glorious pages of burgers, sandwiches, fish, chicken, nachos, wings, cheesesteaks, roll ups, and fajitas to drool over. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself.

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At this point you might remember that I mentioned a famous thriller author in my intro. If you have not heard of John Connolly or the Charlie Parker series, stop everything you are doing, head down to the nearest bookstore and purchase Every Dead Thing. It is haunting, unexpected, and incredibly well-written. I love this book so much that I have had to buy four copies because I keep lending mine out to friends and never get them back. It is truly that good.

This is not even the entire collection.

How does this connect to the Bear? John Connolly is an Irishman who just happens to frequent Portland, and The Great Lost Bear in particular. He loves it so much that he wrote it into his books. Charlie Parker, the main character, is a private investigator who spends some of his time tending bar at the Bear. When I first read it, I literally squealed with delight. The books seem so real to me because I can picture Charlie tending bar there and interacting with the characters. I can even picture the characters because they are real people! David is actually the owner and some of the waitresses have really worked there. It’s a special touch for the folks that read the books and frequent the bar.

I hope that one day I will make it back to The Great Lost Bear. I have so many wonderful memories there- dates, birthday parties, office Christmas parties- that it would be tragic to never go back again. I hope that you will make a visit too if you ever find yourself in that neck of the woods. It is certainly a place that every one should experience for themselves.

-Mama Maggie

Places Everyone Should Know: The Great Lost Bear Where do you go for beer and bar food? A bar or maybe your kitchen if you have a great spinach-artichoke dip recipe (which, if so, please send it my way).

[meeshes-on-tour-blog]

Envelopes 1-3

Standing in Heathrow Terminal 2 we found Andrew. We stopped to say hello and he asked us where we are going. We gave our standard reply to date. We don’t actually know. Then we explained the Blind Experience concept and asked Andrew if he’d be happy to film us whilst we opened our first envelope. He agreed. Full of unanticipated nerves we began to open the envelope and as I pulled the paper out I saw the image of Christ The Redeemer statue and started jumping around. Jules pulled the rest of the paper out and we saw a caption that read “Christmas in Rio”. I felt so happy and excited, as Rio has been my dream destination for a long time. Jules was thrilled too that we were going to such a fun-filled, hot, colourful place for Christmas, that neither of us had ever visited, that we could both explore together.

So, we set off on the first leg of our journey. First stop Lisbon. Where Jules thought he saw Mo Farah. He didn’t. Then a 10 hour overnight flight to Rio de Janeiro. Which literally translates as January River. I woke up as the plane was descending over the most beautiful hill tops covered in morning mist and little hats of white cloud. I had no idea the geography of the country was so undulating and mountainous. This birds eye view was truly breathtaking, exotic, but tranquil in the pink and golden sunrise. You could see settlements nestled between the valleys and orange dirt tracks snaking between them. This rural landscape then morphed into an urban one, as ramshackle flat-roofed, pastel coloured buildings and high rises, as well as dusty, soon-to-be traffic-laden roads, came into view. Even more impressive was the Atlantic Ocean and coastline that suddenly appeared. Broken up with jungle-covered headlands and bays, with sandy sweeps of beaches. A huge rocky peak of granite and quartz loomed out of the dark blue sea above the harbour, on a peninsula of Guanarabara Bay. It’s name is “Sugarloaf Mountain”, coined by the Portuguese in the 16th century, who named it so in reference to the important sugar cane trade of Brazil.

As we stepped off the plane I side-stepped a giant moth. Marco and us have a running joke about big moths, so that caused us much amusement. I wanted to move the moth to safety, but Jules said it would hurt her, so we left her sitting there. As we walked through the airport the first thing we noticed was the smell of humidity, wet and tropical, just like the Amazon rainforest we imagined. In our excitement to explore Brazil immediately, the long wait at customs was quite challenging, and I did lots of loud British sighing in my boredom. We entered the arrival terminal with our luggage, eyes peeled for a man with a sign.

The sign read “Julian Gallagher” so I jokingly waved goodbye to Jules and the man, and wished them a happy honeymoon whilst I looked for a sign with my own name on. But this didn’t exist. Jules therefore kindly let me come in his and Pedro’s taxi to the hotel. We drove past the oldest and most dangerous favella in Rio, and became immediately aware of the very real poverty that exists in Brazil today. No one from outside the more dangerous favelas are advised to enter or visit them. You may remember a recent news story of a tourist being shot in front of her family by members of a drug cartel whilst looking for water. I’m sure her lesson has been firmly learnt. There are tours of favelas operating, but these come with the obvious ethical dilemmas inherent in “poverty tourism”.

It was an exciting ride through the streets of Rio, and our knuckles turned white in moments as the taxi joined the highway crossing all four lanes following a casual, solo glance in the wing mirror. We began to climb through the beautiful cobbled streets towards Saint Therese, thankful for their speed-reducing function. Many of the taxi drivers won’t actually take people to this area due to the damage done to their tyres and suspension we learned in due course. We admired the graffiti and street art adorning so many of the city’s walls as we entered this affluent area of the city, sitting above Rio laid out below. Our hotel was a stunning oasis of calm in this crazy place. Palm and mango trees, vibrant flower beds, and a beautiful fountain with carp surrounded the old colonial style ex coffee plantation buildings, now converted into a hotel. The place smelled amazing as you walked in, and immediately we were reminded of Anran where we got married, due to the wooden, sculptural decor and white-washed walls. We were given a tour of the hotel which sits over several levels and had a lovely restaurant and bar on a terrace. Jules was particularly pleased with the timing of our arrival, as we arrived in the middle of a professional photo shoot by the pool involving lots of young Brazilian models in swimsuits and bikinis posing for the camera.

We were shown to our room which was very spacious with the biggest four poster bed we’ve ever seen, and a beautifully converted dark grey slate bathroom. The view over the hills from our white-shuttered bedroom windows and bathroom was gorgeous too, and the colonial Portuguese influence was clear to see in the other buildings around. We got the giggles soon after entering our bedroom when it became clear the couple in the room next to us may well be on their honeymoon too. We’ll let you guess as to why we thought this!

Soon after arriving and showering we decided to get out and see Rio. We therefore headed down to Copacabana Beach to see its famous sands. It was extremely hot and we soon stopped for a drink on the beach, only after seeing a man dressed as Santa with a full white beard cycling past on a bike. It was pretty touristy, so after more Santa spotting, which seemed very funny in 30 degree heat amongst tanned Brazilians playing volleyball and running along the promenade, we searched for a lunch spot. We used Trip Advisor to find a more traditional place selling seafood, and found a lovely place a 10 minute walk from the beach. It was small and cool with fans going full blast. The whole menu was in Portuguese so we used trusty Google translate to work out what we wanted to order. An old couple on the table next to us offered their assistance in helping us to order. The man spoke really good English and had lived in London in the 1960s. They had been married for over 50 years and stole a few cheeky kisses over the table. We explained we haven’t yet made a whole year of marriage, but are hoping for 49 more like them. We cheersed our cold beers, which are always served in ice buckets in Brazil…perfect. We chose a couple of delicious piles of fried fish on platters garnished with lime and red onion, and covered in hot sauce. Yum. And by the time we left the bar, we were hugging and kissing each other goodbye like old friends. The Brazilians we met were all so warm and friendly, with a chilled vibe, and fun sense of humour. They make you feel so welcome wherever you go.

Feeling refreshed from sitting in the cool, and energetic after our delicious meal, we ventured to “Sugar Loaf” mountain and went up by cable car. At the top there are the most stunning views of Rio and its beautiful bays. It was a real tourist trap, but was listed as the number one thing to do in Rio, so we couldn’t miss it. As the heat only seemed to increase, soaking the back of her clothes whenever we sat down, we decided the pool was beckoning. So back to the hotel we went, and dived, quite literally, into the pool. After a refreshing dip we lounged on the sun beds, me in the shade as usual, Jules in the sun, as always, and enjoyed some ice cold coconut water straight from a real coconut. After some sun, reading, and snoozing, we headed out for our evening meal in a treetop restaurant, where we opened our second envelope! We learned we would be going on a walking tour of Rio’s street art. This was right up Julio’s street, and he was really looking forward to it, as was I! Jules had done a similar activity in Buenos Aires and loved it.

So we were up early the next day for an amazing brekky at the hotel. Its contemporary dining room had stunning smooth concrete floors, and single-paned industrial steel windows over-looking the local area and its European style buildings. All of the food, including some very exotic fruits, was beautifully displayed, and coffee and tea was served from elegant silver pots and trays. I noticed that bowls and cups were particularly tiny, not sure why. I think we ate the world’s tiniest pancake there!

After our breakfast we set off on our 4 hour walking tour of Rio’s graffiti scene. We met Edmundo our guide for the day at a hotel by Copacabana Beach. He is from Rio and was very knowledgeable about all aspects of life from the favelas, where he runs tours, to politics. We saw a huge array of street art during our time with Edmundo. It was really encouraging to see that there are a significant number of female street artists creating work all over Rio. Graffiti and street art does not have the reputation it has in the UK, and is respected by people and commissioned by organisations and the government. A particularly incredible piece we saw in Downtown Rio was commissioned by the Olympic Committee of 2016, when Rio hosted the Olympics. It consists of faces of people from the five continents, but on a huge scale, in the most vibrant colours (see our Instagram). The talent of these artists is completely mind-blowing and it would be a challenge for anyone not to find beauty in it, and to be impressed by it. There were lots of political messages of peace and equality symbolised in the art, and told within their stories, such as empowerment of Black Africans, revealing these young Brazilian creatives’ social conscience and fight for justice.

Despite Edmundo’s best attempts to preserve our health by standing in the shade as much as possible whilst showing us the art, by the end of the 4 hour tour in the scorching heat, we were gasping for water and desperate for a cold shower, and I had a banging headache. We took a taxi and found refuge in a small restaurant in Saint Therese near our hotel run by a lovely couple. We ate the Brazilian version of fried chicken and salt cod fritter, both delicious, and walked back to the hotel. Jules opened a little extra Christmas envelope from me after we had cooled down with a shower, and learned he would be paragliding on Christmas morning! That evening we went for a delicious cocktail in the bar and then over to the restaurant for our Christmas meal, which Brazilians have on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. We agreed have never felt less Christmassy, but were so happy to already have had such an amazing 2 days.

We arrived at Pepino Beach the next morning after a mini Christmas present opening session and a particularly terrifying taxi journey. Whilst waiting for Flávio to take us to the take off point we received the most wonderful news. My friend Georgie’s daughter Tansy had arrived safely on Christmas morning weighing 7.5lb after a long slog. What Happy Christmas news indeed, welcome to the world little Tansy, I can’t wait to meet you!

We were driven up Pedra Bonita mountain at breakneck speed, and were strapped into our paragliding harnesses. We watched several paragliders and hang gliders launch themselves off the take off pad, one not very successfully, which was rather terrifying, and then it was Jules’s turn. I filmed his launch which was pretty smooth and watched as the winds pushed him and his pilot up and away into the skies. Then it was my turn. Me and my pilot were strapped together, and I was told just to keep walking, and to keep my ankles crossed in flight, and legs relaxed. I wasn’t quite prepared for the strong force that lifted us quicker than expected into the air, and the pilot later explained back on the ground, that he hadn’t been either. I’m glad I didn know that at the time. It all felt pretty safe though, and it was amazing looking down over the mountains and buildings below, and seeing the sparkling ocean in all its glory from above. It was still and quiet up there, and as close to flying like a bird as either of us have ever been. It was quite challenging to let go of the Go Pro and open my arms “like a bird” as instructed, and I quickly grabbed back onto the harness. I also experienced a nausea akin to the feeling of seasickness, as did Jules, and was very grateful to land smoothly on the beach after a series of vomit-inducing circles as we came down from the sky, but what an experience for Christmas Day 2017, and we were both very pleased to have done it. Our pilots kindly uploaded all the Go Pro videos and pictures onto Jules’s phone for us to remember our flights for years to come. Lunchtime, and off for some food and a Coca Cola to soothe our dizzy tummies, as well as some delicious ice cream. Then we went back to the hotel to lie on loungers in the shade drinking ice cold coconut water. What a perfect Christmas!

In the evening we cracked open a bottle of bubbly and spokes to our families who were very much missed. It was wonderful to see their smiling faces round the Christmas dinner table, and we decided to open our third envelope whilst on FaceTime speaking to my family. And it revealed that we would be off to Lima, Peru, in the wee hours of the next morning! We were totally thrilled, and I immediately thought of how much our friend Poppy would enjoy that we were going to Paddington Bear’s birthplace! Stay tuned for our next update from country number 2!!!…….

[mavwrekmarketing]

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Media captionKezia Dugdale said she was leaving with her “head held high”

Kezia Dugdale has resigned as leader of Scottish Labour, saying it is time to “pass on the baton” to someone else.

The Lothians MSP has previously criticised UK leader Jeremy Corbyn, and has faced criticism from left-wing members of her own party.

She insisted she was leaving the party in a much better state than she had found it.

But she said a new leader was needed with “fresh energy, drive and a new mandate”.

Ms Dugdale is the third Scottish Labour leader to have resigned since the 2014 independence referendum, with predecessors Johann Lamont and Jim Murphy both having stood down.

She said she wanted to give her successor the “space and time” to prepare for the next Scottish Parliament election in 2021.

Who could replace Kezia Dugdale as Scottish Labour leader

And she strongly denied suggestions that she was leaving now in order to avoid being pushed out by supporters of Mr Corbyn.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Scotland’s political editor, Brian Taylor, she said she had taken over the leadership when the party was “on its knees” in Scotland.

Ms Dugdale, who is leaving with immediate effect, said she had devoted “every waking moment of my life” to improving Labour’s fortunes in Scotland, with a lot of progress being made and the party now ready for someone else to take it on the next stage of its journey.

‘Precious thing’

She added: “I have thought long and hard about this. I care deeply about the Labour Party – I love it and I have devoted my adult life to serving it in a number of different capacities.

“And I have just come to the conclusion that the best thing for it, the Labour Party, this precious, precious thing that has done so much good in our country, and indeed for me, is to pass that baton on.”

Mr Corbyn thanked Ms Dugdale for “the important role she has played in rebuilding the party in Scotland”.

“Kezia became Scottish leader at one of the most difficult times in the history of the Scottish Labour Party, and the party’s revival is now fully under way, with six new MPs and many more to come,” he said.

“I want to thank Kez for her tireless service to our party and movement.”

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Ms Dugdale and Mr Corbyn appeared together in Glasgow last week

Ms Dugdale’s deputy, Alex Rowley, has become interim leader, with Scottish Labour’s executive committee due to meet on Saturday 9 September to agree the timetable and process for a leadership election.

Former Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted that Ms Dugdale had given her “heart and soul to leading Scottish Labour”.

He added: “Thank You. You deserve to get your life back. Enjoy.”

SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was among political rivals to pay tribute to Ms Dugdale

She wrote on Twitter: “We may be opponents, but @kezdugdale led her party with guts and determination and I admired her for that.

“I wish her well for the future.”

And Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson tweeted: “Leadership can be tough and @kezdugdale deserves the thanks of her party for putting in the hard yards. I wish her well.”

‘Mounting pressure’

Ms Dugdale replaced Jim Murphy as Scottish Labour leader in August 2015, after the party lost all but one of its Westminster seats in Scotland to the SNP.

Under her leadership, Labour finished third behind the SNP and Scottish Conservatives in last year’s Scottish Parliament election – but went on to win seven seats in the snap general election in June.

Ms Dugdale backed Owen Smith to replace Mr Corbyn in last year’s leadership contest, arguing at the time that: “I don’t think Jeremy can unite our party and lead us into government.”

Labour’s stronger-than-expected performance in June’s election has seen pressure mount on her from supporters of Mr Corbyn, who believe the party’s improvement in Scotland was down to him rather than Ms Dugdale.

Mr Corbyn recently completed a five-day tour of Scotland, when he appeared alongside Ms Dugdale at events in Glasgow.

Analysis by Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland political editor

Kezia Dugdale was elected to Holyrood in 2011, after working for the former Labour MSP Lord Foulkes.

She was Jim Murphy’s deputy as Scottish party leader – and replaced him in the top job when he stood down after the party’s calamitous defeat in the 2015 UK general election which left Labour with only one Westminster seat in Scotland.

Initially highly critical of Jeremy Corbyn, she has since argued for party unity. However, that has not prevented elements of the left in Scotland from arguing that she should stand down or face a challenge.

There is no recrimination or name-calling in her departure. Rather, she pledges to continue to work for Labour as a list MSP.

But there is an oblique reference in her resignation letter to the tensions at the top, when she says that “being leader has always been a difficult but fulfilling challenge”.

She adds it was a challenge that “until now” she had enjoyed.

Speculation will now centre upon her likely replacement. Contenders on the left might be Neil Findlay, Richard Leonard and the current deputy Alex Rowley. Other names mentioned include Anas Sarwar, Jackie Baillie, Jenny Marra and James Kelly.

Ms Dugdale’s resignation takes immediate effect. Her deputy, Alex Rowley, will serve as acting leader – unless he decides to resign from his post to contest the leadership himself.

Ms Dugdale insisted she was not leaving now in order to avoid a possible challenge to her leadership from a more left-wing rival.

And she said Mr Corbyn has her full support, and that she expects him to become prime minister.

She said: “On a personal level we continue to get on extremely well, and I wish him every success for the future”.

In her resignation letter, Ms Dugdale also referred to the death earlier this year of her close friend Gordon Aikman, a Labour Party activist who died at the age of 31 after a battle with Motor Neurone Disease.

Ms Dugdale – who celebrated her 36th birthday this week – said his example taught her “how precious and short life was and never to waste a moment.”

Image copyright Scottish Labour

Image caption Ms Dugdale announced earlier this year that she was in a relationship with SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth

Ms Dugdale recently announced that she was dating SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth after splitting with her long-term partner Louise Riddell.

She said she had thoroughly enjoyed her time as party leader, and believes she still has a lot to offer public life in Scotland – but stressed that would not always be in the Scottish Parliament, although she will remain as a backbench MSP for now.

And she admitted that the “immense” period in Scottish politics over the past three years, which has included the independence and EU referendums alongside two general elections and a Holyrood election, had taken its toll on her.

Ms Dugdale added: “Of course it is tough – it should be tough. It is important decisions you are taking all of the time, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I have taken on some of the big battles of our time, whether that be around the constitution or making the case for progressive taxes.

“I have delivered two sets of diverse candidates, 50% men and 50% women, and I have guaranteed the autonomy of the Scottish Labour Party.

“Nobody has ever told me what to do in this job – it is not something dictated from London any more, that is beyond all doubt.”

Full text of Kezia Dugdale’s resignation letter:

Dear Linda,

As Chair of the party, I am writing to you today to resign as Leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

It has been an honour and a privilege to have served this party in a leadership position for the last two and a half years, covering four national elections and one referendum.

I have worked with many great people, not least the staff in our HQ led by Brian Roy and those in the Scottish Parliament, whose boundless energy, expertise and good humour has guided our party through some dark hours and difficult times.

I’d like to thank my shadow cabinet for their efforts, and in particular Iain Gray for his unflinching love and support and James Kelly for the thankless but crucial job he does so well as our Business Manager.

Earlier this year I lost a dear friend who taught me a lot about how to live. His terminal illness forced him to identify what he really wanted from life, how to make the most of it and how to make a difference. He taught me how precious and short life was and never to waste a moment.

Being leader has always been a difficult but fulfilling challenge. One that until now I have enjoyed, driven by a clear guiding purpose and goals, many of which I have achieved.

I am proud of the fact that I’ve demonstrated how the parliament’s powers can be used to stop austerity with progressive taxes and the creation of new benefits. Proud to have advanced the call for federalism across the UK. Proud to have delivered real autonomy for the Scottish Labour Party and a guaranteed voice for Scotland and Wales on the NEC.

Educational inequality is the number one issue in Scottish politics after the constitution because Scottish Labour under my leadership put it there.

I am proud to have delivered 50/50 slates of amazing and diverse candidates in both the Scottish and U.K. Elections and equally proud to have invested in the next generation of labour activists and parliamentarians with leadership programmes. These have already furnished us with two of our magnificent seven MPs. With that re-established Scottish Labour group at Westminster, and a talented and effective group in Holyrood, Scottish Labour has a bright future.

A marker of success for me was to leave as leader with the party in better shape than I found it and I have done that.

Emerging from the challenging times following the 2014 referendum, and the 2015 UK election, we now have a solid platform on which to build towards success, and government.

I have given the task of achieving this all that I have. But with nearly four years now until the next Scottish Parliament elections, I am convinced that the party needs a new leader with fresh energy, drive and a new mandate to take the party into that contest.

I will continue as a Labour MSP for the Lothians and am already looking forward to spending more time with constituents and on constituency issues.

Too often our leaders leave in a crisis, with scores to settle. I love this party too much for that to be my way. There will be no press conference and no off the record briefing in my name. I choose to stand down because I believe it is best for me and best for Scottish Labour, at a time when we can be positive and optimistic about our future.

I remain in awe of all those party activists who devote their time to this movement without pay or reward. I thank them for their belief in me.

Yours in solidarity,

Kez Dugdale

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