Purpletreebird

Illustration Friday: Forward

2012-01-27T19:01:00.001Z

Facing forward, greeting the day face to face.

Looking forward, not back.

Stream

2012-01-26T20:22:00.000Z

Stream of Consciousness

As I painted I let the picture tell me what to do.

I pour myself onto the page and wait until tomorrow for the answer.

Insanity

2012-01-26T10:51:00.000Z

(click for bigger)

Melody Beattie wrote
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Insanity is feeling like we can't choose, or can't choose anything but the one thing that doesn't work."

My own definition is having totally lost control of your own thoughts.

Do you have your own definition?

Illustration Friday and Micki's Art Swap

2012-01-24T08:30:00.000Z

First of all let me show you my illustration for this week.

'Twirl' for Illustration Friday.

****

Look what arrived in my letterbox this morning. My parcel from Micki has arrived!

Micki Wilde from the Secret Hermit has been running an art swap this month

and today her painting arrived at my house!

Do you remember last week I told you about the one I was working on to send to her?

I hope she likes it.

I love hers!

Around the edge of the painting it says,

'She had a deep desire to unleash her imagination for the all the world to see.'

Thankyou Micki, I am now the happy owner of 2 of your lovely paintings! :)) The one on the left I bought myself for a treat a few weeks ago. It's called

'Fly Free'.

Two lovely ladies to watch me as I paint! :)

Awareness

2012-01-23T10:29:00.000Z

Awareness is a choice.

I'm still enjoying a more subdued pallette of colours (for me.) I did limit this to two but I think another one wanted to get in on the act, must be a couple of accidental splashes of paint from an earlier drawing. The little splash peeping from behind the tree looks like a pink heart doesn't it?!

I wish I'd noticed it before, I could have put a sweet little face on it.

Illustration Friday: Prepare

2012-01-19T10:22:00.004Z

Prepare yourself for the Spring to come.

Have love taking up all the space in your heart. If you dwell in the negative, it will always continue to blind you to the happy places that are there within your reach.

When you hurt other people, you hurt yourself more.

****

What's Hidden Beneath

2012-01-18T15:01:00.000Z

An art journal page from this morning.

It's difficult to know what's going on inside myself sometimes let alone other people. Sometimes I find it helps to write down my feelings. It helps me to answer my own questions. It's as though I knew the answers all along, like the 'silent' inner voice that knows what's best for us. It's good to listen to it in times of confusion isn't it?

My youngest loves to draw and most of her art is 'cartoon' style using gel pens or Sharpies, so when I saw these paintings she gave me for my birthday a couple of weeks ago, I was very surprised. I had no idea she could produce something so very different to what I've seen her do before. She must have been more visually aware of the places we often visit than I thought.

I love the way she's written 'mummy' on the frame too!

Meanwhile 'mummy' is doing some crochet therapy in the evenings.

I made a cushion cover a few weeks ago. You can see it by clicking here.

It started off ok but what with being put through its paces of family life of being thrown, and laid upon, pulled and pumelled, the cover grew bigger and bigger until it stretched so much I decided enough was enough and it needed a new lease of life.....

As a blanket!

So each evening you'll now find me buried beneath the ever-increasing blanket of rainbow. It's nice and warm under here!

Winter Sun

2012-01-15T16:54:00.001Z

I've been making a painting for the art swap that Micki Wilde is organising over at The Secret Hermit. I'm not going to show the whole picture yet until she's received it because I want it to be a surprise. I'll reveal all in a few days!

Why do some people not like January? I love January! It's like a new beginning, a new page, the start of fresh ideas and a brand new year.

Today the sun has shone all day. Packed lunch and camera in hand there were some lovely sights to behold on this sunny January day.

The first robin I've seen this year sitting confidantly close to the path, all puffed up like a woolly pom-pom to keep warm.

The first bulbs emerging from the ground. I think I've seen more snowdrops today than I've ever done.

Trees of different sizes

and shapes.

Glorious colour

and trees with a heart.

See?

January is a beautiful month.

: )

Illustration Friday: Grounded

2012-01-06T20:24:00.001Z

I used a limited colour range of pencils for this, purples, golds and pinks. The shapes drew themselves if you know what I mean.
What do you think they mean?

Gentle

2012-01-05T16:13:00.000Z

You might have noticed I've had a blog make-over. I've been craving gentle colours.
Mauves, soft pinks, gentle ochres and fawns. I felt I wanted to use a soft medium too, so I dug out the old pencil crayons that had been long neglected and spent time playing with them to produce the picture above. I feel the need to be kind to myself, to surround myself with softness.

This is the scarf I've just made using the softest wool I could find. Its called Wendy Merino Bliss. I found myself choosing gentle colours, earthy colours.

I want to be surrounded with gentle.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012 :o)

2012-01-01T13:17:00.000Z

I had a lovely birthday yesterday and returning home to read your lovely messages made it even better! :) Thankyou so much for each of your sweet comments, you are all amazing people. xx
The photo above is the view down the street in Moretonhampstead. I love how the little villages around Dartmoor are so close to nature, just look what's at the end of the street!

The next village for my birthday outing was the village of Chagford. I love it here and it was made even more special when I sat amongst the beautiful paintings of Rima Staines while drinking my delicious mug of tea in the Courtyard cafe.

Her paintings are even more beautiful in real life!

I had to cut the bottom part of these photos because there were people sitting at the table right by them.

And if you haven't already discovered her wonderful blog, click here to experience her magical world! :)

~~~~

After having the big christmas binge and then my birthday on new years eve, each year I get the urge to make the new year, a new start. The usual thing I do is to make a list of resolutions and never keep to them so this year for a change, I've listed ones that I know will be achievable, even for me with my procrastinating tendencies!
Here's a snippet...

It's only a snippet because the other items are private. I'm sure you don't mind. :o)

The sun going down on 2011 in Lyme Regis.

Goodbye 2011, you have been a major year of learning for me in life and love

and in art. You've brought some wonderful unforgettable moments with special people, big ups and big downs but without the downs, the 'ups' aren't up are they? ;o)

I appreciate all that's happened this year and hope that this new year will bring joy to all.

I wish us all a very happy, healthy and loving 2012,

where wishes and happy dreams come true.♥

Jess xx

Illustration Friday: Highlight

2011-12-30T20:27:00.000Z

This is the last of my posts for 2011 and the word this week is 'Highlight'. My youngest daughter saw me drawing this and asked me why I had to draw 'creepy' pictures.

It's not creepy is it?? It wasn't my intention!

I've had many highlights this year but if I'm to recall the highest highlights of this year it would be moments when I've felt love.

♥ Because love is the most important thing of all. :) ♥

I'm off to celebrate my birthday and I'll be back soon with my new year's resolutions.

See you then!

Jess xox

Reclining

2011-12-27T20:12:00.000Z

I feel a bit like the girl in my picture, semi-reclining! It's been a mad whirl of visitors and lots of sleep-inducing food.

My birthday's in a few days too so this time of year feels particularly indulgent to me.

(I could never do moderation anyway!)

I hope you're all having a nice christmas week where ever you are. :)

HAPPY CHRISTMAS! xxx

2011-12-23T17:52:00.001Z

I've finished the last of the christmas shopping, my cold is slowly getting better, more visitors arrive tomorrow and everything is now ready for christmas 2011.

Thankyou to each one of you for your support and lovely messages. :)

This blogging world is truly like no other and has changed all sorts of aspects of my life.

It's helped my artwork become closer to how I want it to be, (even though I feel I still have a long way to go!)

It's opened my eyes to different ways of communication between artists and friends.

But best of all

it's introduced me to amazing and wonderful people such as yourself!

I'm off now to open some treats....

I wish each of you a very happy christmas filled with

lots of fun! :o)

See you very soon!

Jess xoxoxox

Immersed in Colour

2011-12-22T17:00:00.000Z

I'm in the depths of a cold right now but surrounding myself with collage, colour, and ladies with their birds. Can't be bad can it? ;o)

I'm having a cosy day.

The sort of day when I stumble upon the selection of children's christmas story books that have accumulated over the years. They've brought magic to my children's christmasses and will perhaps be passed on to the next generation.

Or maybe I'll just want to keep them for myself!

The Fairy Can Fly

2011-12-19T19:25:00.000Z

My fairy on top the christmas tree from the post below was having trouble flying and was sinking into the tree.
It was my fault, How can I have forgotten to give her wings?! She's looking a whole lot happier about things now.

And talking of happy,
I am so happy (yAy!) to be chosen by Allison Marie to be included in her beautiful treasury 'Colour Frenzy'!
(click HERE to take you to see it.)

I'd do a screenshot of the web page but my computer doesn't have that option in the drop down menu. Does anyone have an idea how I might do it another way?
Answers gratefully received! :)

Illustration Friday: Sink

2011-12-17T16:16:00.000Z

My youngest son with his little niece Lexie, before the pantomime.

It's that time of year, pantomines, decorations, christmas trees.

This week's Illustration Friday is the word 'sink'.

The christmas fairy on top of the tree started to sink....

oh dear!

Illustration Friday: Separated

2011-12-12T14:37:00.000Z

My illustration for this week is in watercolour but after seeing my girls cutting up magazines at the weekend I thought I'd like a go too, so here I've combined a watercolour painting with a little bit of collage!

Talking of 'my girls'and 'separation' (not for long though, going to see them soon!) my eldest sent me this picture of her with her own little girl getting ready for christmas. A little angel, just like the one below.

Not really.

(!)

Paper Chains

2011-12-10T13:39:00.000Z

I have my middle daughter from Cornwall staying this weekend and together with my youngest, they made paper chains for christmas. This has turned into an annual tradition!

They ran out of coloured paper so I gave them some colourful glossy pages from magazines to use..

Actually better I think. :)

Her carpet is a luscious red and I had reservations about it when she first chose it but I lOVe it and it's such a christmassy colour isn't it?

Hmm..youngest not keen on having her picture taken! She said I can put these pictures on my blog but not Facebook... ;o)

....I didn't! (in case you were wondering!)

~~~~~~~~

I've been working on some new paintings.

I had a blissful time getting my watercolours out again. I love loading the brush with the washy colour and watching the paint as it travels across the paper, so satisfying!

I don't think I have a favourite medium as such, I seem to go through phases and I've tried just about every medium you can think of! If I had to say my least favourite, that would be pastels and charcoal. I'm quite a messy painter and these just multiply that fact!

I go through phases with colours too but purple has always been my favourite,

since the beginning of time. :)

Little Maisy and Some Trees

2011-12-07T20:43:00.000Z

This is my granddaughter Maisy.

She has a very big smile just like her mother did when she was a baby! This is taken in my daughter's flat but they're coming to stay for christmas and I'm looking forward to that. This will be Maisy's first ever christmas and I'm so pleased she's going to be here!

I managed to get out for a quick walk at the weekend for some much needed tree therapy. I love trees, whatever time of year.

They look like two people holding on to eachother

don't they?

Christmas is Coming

2011-12-05T12:08:00.002Z

I want to show you my christmas cards I've designed for this year. I'm offering them for sale to you on Etsy.

Each card is individually finished by me with shiny silver!
They come in a set of 4, each with their own envelope, wrapped with a pretty ribbon and measure approx 15 x 11 cm (approx. 6 x 4 ins.)

I'd like the photos to be clearer to show you but my youngest is going to a Jedward concert tonight and took my camera! I hope the pictures I took on my humble phone show you enough of the colours and detailing!

Inside each card says....

Merry Christmas!

Thankyou for your kind comments. I realise this is a difficult time of year for lots of people, so much to do and when life's problems rear their heads it makes the whole mix a little tricky.

I'd also like to say

Welcome to my new followers!

I'm so happy you pressed my 'follow' button, I hope you enjoy your visits. :o)

Yesterday

2011-12-02T13:38:00.000Z

Each day has good and bad, easy and difficult but yesterday it weighed more on the difficult side. I played in my art journal and that always makes me feel a bit better.

This page had a lot of wrting underneath the things you see here. I write out things that are worrying me and read them back to myself later in the day to get some kind of perspective. Once I've done that, I half obliterate the words with doodles and collage until I feel the page doesn't need me any more.

Today is a new day. The worrying things of yesterday and today will dim in time when other things step to the forefront because life is forever changing.

Illustration Friday and Journal Pages

2011-11-30T19:31:00.005Z

This is my picture for Illustration Friday 'Round'

(click on the picture to see more detail)

I've been painting pages of my art journal. Some are too personal to post here, thoughts and images that should stay inside my head really in case they are seen by someone who doesn't understand their real meaning.

I can safely show this one below because it does what it says on the tin.

As they say.

The Right Time

2011-11-28T15:23:00.000Z

This started off as an old watercolour painting of mine that I'd given up on a while ago. For some reason I didn't want to throw it away. Today I added a few lines of dark sepia ink and gave it a new lease of life.

Don't you think some things just need to wait for the right time?

Tired

2011-11-23T11:54:00.000Z

I started this page by writing "I want to sleep"

and the layers of collage and paint evolved from there.

I'm tired..can you tell?

Bright Orange

2011-11-17T16:45:00.001Z

Is it these dark days that make me want to see a page spread with bright orange?

I bought some clementines the other day and they weren't very sweet. In fact they were so bitter I'm not going to eat them any more. I think I shall buy satsumas next time. Do you think they'll be any sweeter?

(close up detail)

"Open up to the best."

I read this quote yesterday

and I liked it.

Experiments With a Pillowcase

2011-11-16T12:05:00.000Z

I have a redundant pillowcase that my youngest says isn't quite her style any more. It's too girly.
I was going to take it to the charity shop but then I thought it might still be useful to me but in another way...

It has little mauve flowers as a design and I thought I could cut them out
and use them in a painting..

It's not much good as a pillowcase any more

but now I know the possibilities of fabric!

Illustration Friday: Silent

2011-11-11T19:47:00.000Z

Silent

for Illustration Friday.

Eleven Eleven Eleven.

2011-11-09T10:54:00.000Z

Blue Fire

It's the full moon this Thursday evening. I don't know what this will signify but I hope it brings peace and love to all those affected by last weekend's fire disaster on the M5. A road I travel really frequently, luckily not that night.

Another important day this week, this Friday is 11.11.11.

What does that mean to you?
Amongst other things, it means to me that my first baby will turn 33!

11+11+11 = 33!

Numberphobes please forgive my excitement. I have a 'thing' about numbers!

Yes, I'm old enough to be her mum (just!) I was a child bride...

Crikey what an outfit! Oh well, it was 1978 after all!

Can I say a big thankyou to new followers and of course precious 'old' ones too! :) I appreciate♥ so much that you come to visit me here on my blog. I love your comments and so grateful that you've taken the time to write to me. I try to answer every single one but I'm sorry if I miss one, it's usually because Blogger's occasional technical problems won't let me post and it's so frustrating!

Enjoy the beauty of the full moon and let's hope 11.11.11 brings special wishes for us all!
xxx

Illustration Friday: Stripes

2011-11-07T15:01:00.002Z

Life is like stripes

but none of them are the same.

***

The page started like this,words poured out onto the page, words for my eyes only. ;o)

The painting grew from this underlying layer, it might even continue to grow.
I'll keep you posted. :)

Underneath I saw a Gentle Hand

2011-11-03T16:27:00.001Z

Does this look familiar?

This painting started life as my 'Scary Bird' painting I did for Illustration Friday. You might see little glimpses from the old painting underneath, the bird's feathers just behind her right shoulder and the leaves in the background.

Here's how my sketchbook looked before this morning's painting.

And below you can see the finished pages.

I've finished the painting on the other page too. I could almost see the girl emerging on her own so I didn't need to add very much.

click on image to see larger

You can also see the trace of a gentle hand from the painting that was underneath them all.

Scary Birds

2011-11-01T12:21:00.001Z

That's better!

I wasn't very comfortable with that last image from yesterday staring at me. I have a tendency to draw birds quite often, you might have noticed but would it surprise you to know I actually have a fear of them?!

I love to see them outside and I'm fascinated by how they look, especially owls. It's a rare thing to see an owl in the wild but the last time I saw one flying in the countryside was Swindon of all places! Such magical creatures.

I'm going to be painting over my scary bird in the same way I've started to paint over the left hand page of the sketchbook. I'll keep you posted with the results.

In case you thought Halloween was over in this house, you and I thought wrong! She couldn't resist dressing up as an 'undead Alice-in-Wonderland' and the pumpkin soup was delicious although I say so myself!

Illustration Friday for Halloween: Scary

2011-10-31T13:30:00.000Z

I need to post this quickly so that I don't have to look at this picture again.

It's scaring me !!!

Halloween today and the first one in (how many years?) I haven't been requested to make bats out of black paper or pumpkins, or drinks made out of 'blood'. No costumes to dream up.
I have a huge box of Halloween paraphenalia collected that my children have worn over the years, fake teeth, nails, black capes, witches hats. Last year the youngest looked more like a Goth than a sweet baby girl dressed for trick or treating, I might have guessed then that things were changing around here!
So in memory of those bygone years, here are a couple of photos from my photo album...

My two eldest when they were 11 and 10. Eldest looks a lot older than 11 in this picture, it's all that make-up!

This is my eldest and middle son when they were 11 and 8.
No, that's not me stood behind, I have a lot more meat on me than that.

So it's pumpkin soup for tea tonight and blood jelly. What are you having?

Room 'Progress' and Old Books

2011-10-27T15:26:00.000Z

I'm feeling inspired by the lovely golden yellows that are around at the moment but I've yet to go on a nice autumn walk, I've been so busy lately.

I'm still in the process of sorting out and redecorating bedrooms. I've finished the decorating in my youngest daughter's room and she's already covering the walls in posters!

It is her room after all so I don't mind too much how she adds to it.

So far.

In between room sorting I've been making paintings using old books as collage materials. This is something I've never done before because I've felt uncomfortable tearing up pages from books. There's been a lot of sorting and discovering going on in my house recently and I came across a stack of old books that were going to be thrown away anyway, so I rescued them from the recycling box to use for my painting!
I love to see paintings made from all kinds of materials and for many years have kept a tin with bits and bobs, sequins and glitter. They don't see the light of day very often but I enjoyed doing this technique so much....
I think I shall do some more.

Illustration Friday: Scattered

2011-10-19T14:55:00.000Z

The word for Illustration Friday is 'scattered'.

Has autumn finally arrived?

Guessing so with all these leaves a-fallin'.

A Visit to Perranporth

2011-10-17T13:19:00.001Z

My middle daughter and her boyfriend moved to Perranporth earlier this year and this weekend was spent having a lovely time with them there. We were so very lucky with the weather!

It was warm and sunny with flowers still in bloom,

with dappled light through sunlit trees.

We visited the nearby St Agnes beach. Can you see how my painting was inspired by her hairstyle?

The rock textures reminded me of Lego.

I love to be by the sea-side :)

and I think someone else does too, although she wouldn't admit it!

Such treasures,

and I couldn't resisit drawing in that smooth sand!

The day ended with a long walk along Perranporth beach.

It was like a dream.

Alone but not Lonely

2011-10-12T19:30:00.000Z

It's ok, I'm not alone, or lonely.
I was thinking about how we artists are most often completely alone when we're making our art. I've taken part in groups where we've worked together but my best creative thoughts arrive when I'm completely on my own, immersed in my own thoughts. I know some people can bounce ideas off eachother and have amazing times at arty workshops but although I've enjoyed things like this, I tend to get distracted by other people and don't produce anything that I feel is my own, something that expresses just me.
While I was expecting my youngest child, I came across the book by Julia Cameron 'The Artist's Way.' I'd taken a couple of years out of my art degree to have the baby and I felt in desperate need of some creative input. One of the things she advises is to take yourself on an 'Artist Date'. This is a date with yourself, alone, visiting somewhere that makes your heart skip, that feasts your eyes. The idea is to feed your creative consciousness, your inner artist.
It's easy to forget how important it is to spend 'quality time' with ourselves. A lot is said about spending quality time with loved ones and of course this is true but when you're trying to get back in touch with what really makes you feel happy to be alive and inspired by the quirky things that are unique to you, then you need to spend some time nurturing your own inner artist.
I haven't done this for a very long time until today.

Evolving Paintings and My Cushions

2011-10-07T11:32:00.000Z

Here's the latest page from my sketchbook. I didn't have a plan for this image, I let it happen and evolve as I was painting. It started with layers of collage and acrylic paint, putting clingfilm onto the wet paint to create texture, (removing it when the paint's dry.) I drew the fish with a silver pen and had at first, a wishy washy watery scene. I felt as though it needed a person in the picture and before I knew it, this lady appeared under my brush! I wasn't sure what to do with her other hand so I tucked it behind her back.

When we work in this way, letting the image evolve, perhaps our unconconscious is revealed and looking at it now, several hours after I painted it, I'm quite suprised by her expression. At the moment, even I'm not sure what she was thinking! What does it say to you?

Click on the image of the painting if you'd like to see more of the detail.

~~~~~~~~

I've finished my granny-square cushion! (middle one below)

I love doing the crochet part but I do get bored when sewing the squares together, so I tried a new method (to me) of crocheting them with a 'single crochet' stitch. It took no time at all and quite satisfying to do. I'm tempted to do more now....

but no!

Do you remember the fabric I bought a while ago? It's waited very patiently for me and now it's time for it to see the limelight at last.

I shall keep you posted :)

The Winds of Change

2011-10-05T13:21:00.001Z

Just when I thought I had some time to get on with some painting, not decorating painting but real painting ;) the carpet was delivered for the bedroom.
So I've been heaving and hoeing furniture from one room to the next, it's going to be lovely when it's all finished but I'm too impatient to wait until then to show you,
so here's a little peep of it so far...

Like her older sister she asked for black walls. I do encourage self expression but I draw the line at black walls I'm afraid. (No, her sister didn't get black walls either!) I am nudged once again by the distant memory of having to paint over a dark colour. Not to be repeated!

In between my bouts of furniture removal, I've been sploshing and stamping and doing all kinds of things with paint in my sketchbook...

Yes I've been using my acrylics again. I'm hoping to do some more once things have settled down here. The house feels so different with just the three of us. I've had a houseful of people for many years so it feels strange and is going to take some getting used to. It does have its advantages though, less washing, less washing up, less cleaning to do, fewer to cook for. In theory I should have more time on my hands shouldn't I?
I'm just off to finish hanging the curtains then....

Hanging Up

2011-09-28T14:16:00.000Z

Nearly October and it is hotter today than I remember in the summer!

I thought this new post would be of an autumnal theme but instead I'm going to show you a tree I saw a couple of weeks ago near Lulworth Cove.

I like to see objects used in unusual ways and I love that things can have more than one use. I wonder if the owner found all these on the beach after the holiday makers had gone home?

They look pretty don't they?

Or have they been taken hostage and are calling to their owners to reclaim them?!

I was feeling so hot I needed something to keep my hair out of my eyes and the first thing I found was a peg.

There's a lot to be said

Of a peg atop the head

......it's the heat.......

All Change

2011-09-23T07:45:00.000Z

That's what they used to call out on the bus after it had broken down, "All change!" and then my heart would sink as I realised I'd have to wake up from my daydream and comfortable position, to shuffle along the aisle of the bus with all the other people then stand in yet another cold queue for the next one, knowing there'd be a fuss with the new driver over whether my ticket was valid ot not.
"Where is my ticket??!!"

There's been a lot of change in my house this week. Now my son's left for Uni, his younger sister has her beady eye on his old bedroom!

There's been sanding and sweeping and scraping and cleaning.

And lots and lots of painting as it begins its journey to a new personality. I shall keep you posted with the results!

Flying Away

2011-09-18T18:52:00.000Z

One minute they're small and with you all the time.

Then they're big and with you some of the time.

Then they leave to discover what life has in store.

I have only one left in my nest now.

Home Goings-on and a FREE treat for you

2011-09-14T10:43:00.000Z

There has been quite a long gap since my last post (for me anyway!) but you may have noticed I've had a bit of a tidy up around my blog. I hope you didn't think you'd come to the wrong place! ;)

The reason for my absence is that I've been busy with family things. My eldest and her baby girl came to stay for a few days (see pic above). It's been lovely catching up and in the evenings I've had the chance to finish my new cushion cover.

It's the same colour scheme as the last one to match the newly decorated room.

But there's no stopping me!

Yes! Yet another is forming from my crochet hook. This time, no particular plan, just random colours from my left overs stash. I couldn't let it go to waste now could I?

While I've been away, I found these beautiful pebbles on a beach. I think they're limestone.

I have plans for these!

Now for the free part.

I've decided to give away a free A4 poster of my painting that used to be my blog header with every purchase from my Etsy shop.

Yes, I said FREE. :) and to remind you how it looks, here it is....

Illustration Friday: Mysterious

2011-09-03T16:15:00.000Z

There's nothing more mysterious than the human mind!

❀

Can I just say, thankyou for your lovely comments and for your visits to me here and big welcome to new followers! You're very much appreciated. :)

September Beginnings

2011-09-01T10:30:00.002Z

Here we find ourselves at the beginning of September. Have you had a nice summer? I hope so. :)

Mine's been with a summer filled with outings,

such as Wallsworth Hall in Gloucestershire. The house is a gallery of 'Nature in Art' with a garden of interesting sculpture at every turn...

All these were made from pieces of old metal parts, a great way to recycle!

and a couple of made from wood too.

This lovely carriage I saw at Snowshill Manor. I could have taken a hundred photos and still wouldn't be able to show the extent of the amazing collection inside the house and the lovely gardens so this is the only one I have to show! I think it was all a bit overwhelming for me. :)

In rare still moments I've been finishing my patchwork cushion,

using up scraps of fabric along with a very old bed sheet!

I've also made a crocheted cushion cover to match my newly decorated sitting room.

and in the process of starting another!

The beginning of the new school term, a new moon and lots of new projects on the horizon and I'm looking forward to it all!
:)

The Joy of Acrylics

2011-08-20T15:27:00.000Z

(click on pictures to see more detail)

I love watercolour but recently I've been inspired to get my acrylics out again. I've been playing in my sketchbook journal with layers of texture and paint and having fun with silver acrylic! Silver acrylic, where have you been all my life?!

I'm really enjoying layering and acrylic is great for this because it dries so quickly and lends itself to holding a texture too. Each page goes on its own journey from the first layer to the last. Like a real journey, there are moments when it's possible to make mistakes in direction and other moments when the route is smooth and pleasing. One of these days I'll remember to record it so that I can show you the process.

Some of the layers have writing, pourings from my heart and quite private so I cover them with a layer of paint. Still there, still felt.

These pages above are scanned so they don't show the shininess of the metallic paint but if you imagine the light areas are shiny you get the idea.

Now where are my pots of glitter?.....

Illustration Friday: Swell

2011-08-15T13:04:00.000Z

Here's my picture for Illustration Friday 'Swell'.

I've been away from Blogland recently.

My reasons?

A week in my favourite place of them all, St Ives. I overheard the crows saying how much they enjoyed the view too!

and a visit to Perranporth to see my older children.

I never thought I'd see them playing with the sand together after all this time. :))

This Week

2011-08-04T16:57:00.000Z

I've been away for the early part of this week and visited a place called Torcross in Devon. There was lots to inspire me there such as

seabirds to draw,

and lovely patterns on the rocks. Some with stripes,

some with wavy lines,

shady trees

and sparkling flowers!

As soon as I'd got home I went out to a life drawing evening that was unlike any I'd been to before. A burlesque one no less!

While I've been away, I've been painting in my sketchbook too. One of them you can see in my Illustration Friday post and here are 2 pages I did before drawing the final one.

I hope you're all enjoying the summer.xx

Illustration Friday: Obsession

2011-08-04T10:28:00.000Z

This week at Illustration Friday, the word is 'obsession.'

Sketchbooks

2011-07-29T14:37:00.000Z

(click on the pictures to see bigger)

Ever since I first started art college I've kept a sketchbook. At first I found it laborious and self conscious but after time I grew to enjoy it and eventually to actually need it! My favourite size is A5 with a hard cover. I think this is because it reminds me of a normal sized book and although I don't read novels very often, I can relate to the excitement of looking at the cover and wondering what's lurking inside!

I tend to use it as a visual diary and among the pages are fragments of my inner life. Sometimes the pictures are easy to interpret and with others I don't even know what the pictures are about until I go back and look again and the passage of time reveals the answers to me.
I love to look at other people's sketchbooks too and at a recent visit to the Beryl Cook exhibition I enjoyed her little sketches on scraps of paper as much as the finished paintings themselves!
All the pages shown here in this post are from my current sketchbook

and I like the pages to be strong enough to withstand acrylic paint or watercolour washes.

In my last post I spoke of how my muse had elluded me. My sketchbook once again came to my rescue. This is the most recent page, I can't say what it means just yet but I'm sure after a couple of days it shall dawn on me! :)

Where is my Muse?

2011-07-27T13:48:00.000Z

Do you ever have a time set aside for making art and for some inexplicable reason, you feel stuck and can't paint? Well that's been me. My muse appears to have gone on holiday! While I await the return, I've been doing other creative-type things to help me keep sane.

'Sane' you ask? Yes and I know I'm not alone in this. I've spoken to other painters who feel the need to be in the creative process otherwise they get a little difficult to be around (to put it politely!)

So,

I've redecorated the sitting room and bought a lovely garland to hang on the wall. I love it!
(click on the photos to see them bigger.)

It makes me happy just to look at it. :)

I've bought a new frame for the etching I won in a recent giveway and now it looks just right.

When you feel unable to paint or create in your usual way, what do you do to stay in the creative mode?

My Weekend Activities

2011-07-23T16:38:00.001Z

Here is my very first Youtube video. I've always wanted to make one and it's only a minute long if you'd like to have a watch. :)

In other news...

I've been busy making more patchwork. I found an old sheet that was just asking to have a new lease of life. It did a very good job as a bed sheet for many years but now it can have its moment of glory as part of a cushion cover.
Here's a close-up. Sorry about the picture quality, I took it with my phone camera but I think you get the jist. :)

I've also been gardening and found an old yukky coloured pot that was a nice big size but eww what a disgraceful colour it was. I got out my trusty can of lilac aerosol paint spray and now it is a delight to my eye!

I know I haven't yet finished the patchwork cushion cover I'm making at the moment and I really shouldn't even be thinking about buying new pieces of material when I've just boasted about recycling old ones but.

What can you do when you pass a shop with treats like this inside?

That orange coloured fabric was made for me wasn't it?

I snatched a quick break too

but I've got one thing to say about this panini,

I'm afraid I can't eat food that looks like a shoe now can I.

Shy

2011-07-21T08:21:00.001Z

Since I wrote the last post, (which I've now made private so it looks as though it's not here), I've been feeling uncomfortable with the personal revelations that I wrote in it. Maybe I'm now unveiling something else about me by saying that sometimes I feel relaxed and happy to share anything and everything about me and at other times, like now, a little self conscious about it.

I hope you don't mind, especially those of you who were kind enough to write lovely comments. I haven't deleted the post, I've kept it because I treasure the time people take to write to me. :)

Thankyou for understanding. xx

I hope you're all having a lovely week despite the rain!

The Winner! :)

2011-07-12T12:53:00.001Z

(click on picture to see much larger)

The day has dawned for me to announce the winner of my recent giveaway. Thankyou so much for following me, and a big thankyou and welcome to my new followers!

So, the winner of my watercolour painting is

Cynthia of Gallerie 46 !!

Congratulations Cynnie! Could you please send me your address so that I can send it to you?

********

Do you remember I was making some patchwork a few weeks ago? Well I've finished my cushion but now I have the patchwork bug! I can't stop and I've started yet another one!

I might have gone a bit mad with the very bright primary colours of this one but I think it looks just right amongst the paler colours of the room don't you? But what else can a colour junkie say?! ;-)

The blue patchwork cushion is one I made before and the table is of course painted by me. :)

Blogger is still having a few problems with allowing comments on some people's blogs. Please know I have been leaving comments but sometimes I'm asked to sign in again, which I do, but then I'm back on the same page once more!

You might be able to get over this problem by changing your comments settings to a 'pop-out' box and then lots more of us will be able to comment - yay! :)

Giveaway News

2011-07-12T10:33:00.001Z

Hello!
Just a quick note to tell you I'm going to be posting the winner of the giveaway later today. My computer is being very s-l-o-w today, other wise I would have done it sooner.

Thanks so much to my followers of this blog and welcome to you new ones. It's so lovely to have you here! For the very last chance to win, please CLICK HERE. :))

See ya later!xx

Down on the Allotment

2011-07-09T16:04:00.000Z

I'd like to tell you that this is my allotment but it isn't. A very kind friend had surplus fruit and veg and said come along and help yourself! This morning in the pouring rain I rang to ask if it was still ok to come over and she said yes but come dressed for the mud! It turned out to be a lovely hot sunny afternoon though and with the faint noise of the local Festival in the next field, it was very therapeutic being out in amongst all that green.

Talking of which, here is a page from my sketchbook using lots of green ink with just a few tiny touches of pink.

Can you see her scarecrow peeping? I wish I'd taken a closer up view of him now!

I've now got a very healthy supply of garlic. I love garlic and would have it in every meal that I ever cooked if I could.

Oh I do already!
Some people, well most that I come across, don't like the smell but I lOVe the smell. Am I alone in this??

Let me finish this post by showing you another page from my sketchbook.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend! :)

Illustration Friday: Remedy

2011-07-03T18:04:00.000Z

A shoulder to lean on is a good remedy when you're feeling down.

The Sun Goes Down in Style.

2011-07-02T13:42:00.001Z

Each year around the summer solstice, brings a walk at Barbury Castle to watch the sun go down.

The sky started to get prepared for its evening performance.

My brother gets ready to take some pictures

and the show begins.

I haven't changed the settings on the camera or the computer, this is for real!

The end of the show and my youngest daughter takes the last bow.

An amazing sight was had by all.

********

I'm holding a Give-away to say thankyou to my blog visitors.Have a look at the previous post to see! :)

300 Followers! A Giveaway Thankyou :)

2011-07-01T14:48:00.001Z

This morning I noticed to my delight that I have reached 300 followers! Thankyou all so much for your visits and for your wonderful words. I very much appreciate your visits and love to read your messages. In my last post I showed you a painting that I'd almost finished, ready to sell on Ebay. Instead of doing this, I've decided to give it away as a gift to one of you out there in the Bloggesphere! To win this all you need to do is to become a follower (if you haven't already) and to leave a comment on this post. :))

It measures 12 by 9 inches and is painted with watercolours with added touches of gold and silver. The scan doesn't pick up the metallic shiny bits very well, so here are a couple of photos too.

I hope it will find a nice new kindly home!

Now that I've got my camera out, I thought I'd snap a few flowers in my garden.

I like deeply coloured ones.

and brightly coloured ones.

(click on photo to see much bigger)

and then I heard a buzzing noise and quickly took this one before the little bee flew away.

Happy weekend to you, it looks as though we might actually get some sunshine this time!xx

Illustration Friday: Midsummer Night

2011-06-27T15:00:00.000Z

I've finished my painting of a magic garden.
This week's theme for Illustration Friday is 'Midsummer Night' so I thought I'd put it together with a night background to produce a midsummer night!

Shall I show you the original painting I made?
It has a very different feel to it and I've used gold and silver pens on the watercolour - great fun to do!

I'm thinking of offering it for sale on Ebay.
I'll let you know when I do. :)

New Things

2011-06-23T14:39:00.003Z

You might have noticed I have a brand new header on my blog. It's been adapted from an original painting that I'm going to offer for sale on Etsy.
Here's the painting as it looks in real life before I did the computer fiddling.....

It measures 9ins x 8¾ins (which is 22cm x 23cm.) and is painted in watercolour.

It's for sale on Etsy at $40 (approx. £25.50)

Please CLICK HERE if you'd like more information. :)

(close-up detail)

(close-up detail)

Latest News.....
Aprocot has chosen me for her lovely Etsy treasury 'Resplendent',
You can view it HERE !

I've nearly finished another...

(click on the photo to see much bigger)

Here's a little sneak preview.I'll post the finished one in all its glory very soon. :)

Illustration Friday: Launch

2011-06-20T14:31:00.001Z

Illustration Friday: 'Launch',
taking a brave step into the unkown.

'Yet each man kills the thing he loves,
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword.’

- Oscar Wilde.

Visiting Your Blog

2011-06-17T10:00:00.002Z

This is a painting in my sketchbook I made yesterday. It was really just an excuse to try out that particular colour combo! I've used watercolours here but I think it could work in acrylic too. I do tend to paint different subject matter depending on which medium I use. My acrylic work is more abstract and experimental but the watercolour work figurative and more 'precise'. I'd like to combine the two but still they remain separate.

Do other artists do this too? If you are an artist, have you found this with your own work?

********

Could I just say, if you think I haven't been visiting your blog recently when I usually do, I have! :) It's just that in the last couple of weeks Blogger won't let me leave comments on the posts where I have to choose my profile from a drop-down menu. I expect other people might have had the same problem? Please could you change your settings if yours is one of the blogs that do this. I miss commenting! :)

EXCITING UPDATE !!!

Robin from Wiccan Writes has changed her settings and it works!

This is what you do:

1. Go to your dashboard page.

2. Click on 'Settings', then choose 'Comments'.

3. Change the option to 'pop-up box' and voila!

PASS THIS ON! :))

Illustration Friday: Swept

2011-06-12T13:30:00.000Z

I don't know whether it's all this heavy rain pouring down today that influenced me but I originally painted this illustration with very bright warm colours!
I quite like the effect the of the monochrome. It gives it a different atmosphere doesn't it?

Here's the original colourful version. Which do you prefer?

I'm going to be listing this on Ebay later if you'd like to buy the original. The bidding will start at just 99p so it's a chance to snap up a bargain!

(detail)

********

I had a lovely surprise in the post yesterday. A parcel arrived from my talented blogging friend Pati. I was a winner in her recent giveaway and won a lovely etching print!

Thankyou Pati! :))

You can see more of her lovely artwork here.

Ways of Seeing

2011-06-02T10:38:00.000Z

When I was at art college there was a book we were recommended to read called 'Ways of Seeing' by John Berger. People on my course would rave over how interesting it was but back then I couldn't engage with it myself. Looking back I can see that my life of juggling a large family with small children plus trying to fit in time to study for a degree didn't give me the energy or time to do any extra reading!
Our circumstances can change over time, along with our perceptions, so looking at it now I can see why it became so popular.
To quote from the book:

"The relation between what we see and what we know is never settled."

With that thought in mind, let me show you some landscapes I recently painted...

- a brooding sky over a sunlit hill?

- the bank of a river?

- looking out to sea from a grassy hilltop?

Each of the paintings above could be seen as complete but each one is really just a tiny glimpse of this one!

When I'm working on paper I like to chop down paintings to find the best composition. It means I can cut out the bits I don't like and concentrate on the beautiful part.

And that is one of the joys of being an artist. :)

Perranporth

2011-06-01T17:16:00.000Z

(acrylic ink on paper)

Just after I'd finished painting this, I was going to change the sky in Photoshop but after a visit to Perranporth yesterday, it now reminds me of the sea there, so it's now going to stay au naturel !

Raw nature, nothing like it is there?

Illustration Friday: Asleep

2011-05-30T09:59:00.000Z

The word for Illustration Friday this week is 'asleep.' Here's me with Maisy, snug and very much asleep!

I wonder why they call it 40 winks?

Why not 47 winks?

;-)

Happy bank Holiday Monday.x

Bees

2011-05-25T13:24:00.001Z

I had bees in mind this morning and before I knew it,

these little characters appeared!

********

Thankyou to all you lovely bloggie friends for your sweet messages about my exciting news. Mother and baby are doing really well and hopefully allowed home from hospital later today. :)

She's Arrived!

2011-05-24T10:08:00.000Z

You might remember my daughter was expecting her baby when I last posted here. Well. quite a lot's happened since then.

Here's a picture of her below, sat on my lap when she was just a week old.

Sorry about the picture quality, the photos seem to be fading so I might have caught this one just on time!

And here she is with her newly born baby girl Maisy!

♥

Yay! :))

Golden Yellow

2011-05-19T19:27:00.000Z

I wanted to see some golden yellow so I got out my acrylic inks.

Have a lovely weekend one and all. :)

Any Day

2011-05-17T14:03:00.000Z

My first baby is having her first baby any day now. It was actually due on Friday the 13th. There was thunder and lightening that night where they live in London and she was hoping it would make its entrance during a dramatic clap of lightening!
It didn't.

Her own birth was nearly 3 weeks over the estimated time. Yes, they let you go that long in those days! Her birthday this year will fall on 11-11-11.

Is it a girl?

Is it a boy?

I don't know yet but I do know whatever it is,

it's a baby!

Illustration Friday and some Patchworking

2011-05-14T09:49:00.001Z

(click to see bigger)

Here is my illustration for Illustration Friday. The word this week is 'Safari'.

You might have noticed I've had a bit of an animal theme going on of late. The toy figures I bought the other day have been very handy for this!

********

If you've visited here before, you'll be aware I am a fiend for colour. Any excuse to play with, or choose colours is a good excuse as far as I'm concerned and what better way to use up scraps of colourful fabric than to make some patchwork?

First stages, cutting out the hexagon shapes out of paper, then using those templates for the fabric.

On a warm day, the garden is the best place to do this I find.

I'm going to need to buy some nice new coloured cotton thread now, which means another joyous bout of choosing colours - YaY! :))

Back to the Drawing Board

2011-05-09T11:46:00.001Z

I've just finished a painting and it wasn't until I'd scanned it that I realised I'd not painted the trunk in front of the tree as I'd intended! The trouble with watercolour is that once it's there, it's there.
Now my dilemma is do I let it go as it is, or do I start again?
Drat!
While I get out another piece of paper and start a new painting, let me show you the lovely place I was yesterday.

My brother lives close to the white horse area so a visit to Uffington with him led to a beautiful (but windy!) walk over the stunning hilltops.

Right then..

back to the drawing board for me!
**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**UPDATE**

Once I started I didn't feel like painting the same one again. I chose a lion instead and the rest followed!

(click to see bigger)

Swifts

2011-05-05T12:24:00.000Z

Some questions will wait unanswered until time reveals its secrets.

And some things are certain...

swifts at the beginning of May!
Have you seen them yet?

Illustration Friday: Lesson

2011-05-03T12:22:00.000Z

Illustration Friday's word this week is 'lesson'.

While I was painting this picture, one of life's lessons sprang into my mind:

Always look for the good.

Bluebell Heaven

2011-05-02T16:37:00.001Z

The extended easter holidays is almost at an end. A royal wedding and days out in the sunshine, it's been a good long break.
First, prepare to be swamped by my photos of a local woodland walk!
Heaven or what?

Following the blue theme,

a page from my sketchbook...

I think my daughter must be on my mind. My first baby is soon to have her first baby and I'm very excited about it!

(click picture to see bigger.)

Illustration Friday: Bicycle

2011-04-27T19:08:00.001Z

The word for Illustration Friday this week is bicycle.

While I'm here, let me show you yesterday's drawing too.

This one as you can see, doesn't have a bike in it.
It has an owl.
:)

update...

I changed the colours a little bit in this one. I think I might have had too many colours going on before, don't you?

Easter Holidays

2011-04-25T20:10:00.000Z

Haven't we had amazing weather these easter Holidays?

I've been out and about nearly every day and spent lazy warm days sat in the garden with my sketchbook.

This isn't my garden by the way, it's at Barrington Court in Somerset. Orchards look so pretty this time of year don't they?

Look at this tree! There's not a lot of it left but it still struggles on despite all odds!

Twisty branches in the cow shed.

And a lovely big beautiful tree spreading and reaching up to the sky.

Some welcome splashy water on this hot day.

Is it me or does this statue look as though he's flamenco dancing?

Home again.

Stillness and Creativity

2011-04-18T09:49:00.001Z

"If we are always active, if we are always listening to the noise of the outside world, we forget that our heart will guide us if if only we listen. We forget where the source of our creation comes from - stillness.

...

Stillness establishes a connection with our own heart, and each heart is connected to the heart of humanity, the universal wisdom....

In stillness you can listen to your heart, and when you listen, you will know what you are here to give."

~ an extract from Gautama Chopra 'Child of The dawn'

********

Wishing on a Full Moon

2011-04-16T10:50:00.009Z

We've just been to Blackpool for a couple of days. I've never visited there before and was intrigued to know what it was like. My lasting memory of our stay will always be the cockroach that won a fancy dress competition dressed as Santa, complete with white beard. It was sunny but so very cold and the sky and sea were so BIG! I'm used to Devon seas so this was quite an experience. I'm listing my painting of Wishing on the Moon on Etsy today. :) I was inspired to paint it by a wish I made on the full moon!

Do you ever wish on a full moon?

Illustration Friday: Bottled

2011-04-11T13:37:00.005Z

'Bottled' is the word this week for Illustration Friday and as it can have different meanings, I had a few choices of interpretions. I thought about a message in a bottle and bottled feelings. I even thought of it as the verb 'bottled' in the sense where someone loses their nerve. As the opposite has been true of me lately, I decided to follow my heart and to draw whatever came out on the page! :) I'm liking this black and white medium. No colour choices but sometimes having no choice takes us somewhere we weren't expecting doesn't it?

The Blue Boat

2011-04-08T11:15:00.004Z

Teetering on the edge, holding tightly onto dreams and wishes so they don't blow away in the wind.

Flower People

2011-04-05T18:20:00.003Z

I was quietly minding my own business, painting flowers of different shapes and sizes and before my very eyes some of them began to look like people!

Thought Waves

2011-04-04T15:45:00.001Z

I've been listening to Deepak Chopra. He said so many things, things to think about, things to mull over.

Illustration Friday: Duet

2011-04-03T16:58:00.004Z

Here's my painting for the Illustration Friday word 'Duet'.

Are the tunes too different to eachother?

Or do they compliment eachother perfectly?

I love tulips, so went in search of some today. These colours compliment eachother perfectly!

I love tulips!

Illustration Friday: Toy

2011-03-31T09:48:00.007Z

The word for Illustration this week is 'toy' and coincidently, I've started working part-time in a toy shop this week too!

Another coincidence, after I took a photo of these two characters yesterday they reminded me of a lovely email a friend sent me a few days ago about 2 little ducks.

I wonder how they got there?

Do you ever have odd coincidences happen like this to you ?

~~~

I'm doing a commission at the moment (and this is where working in a toyshop comes in very useful) I bought these little plastic animals. They shall be perfect models!

Yesterday and Today

2011-03-26T18:36:00.017Z

Yesterday's life drawing.

Today's sketchbook page.

Illustration Friday: Cultivate

2011-03-21T15:15:00.006Z

I said I'd do another picture for Illustration Friday didn't I? Well here it is. I had to be very disciplined (for me!) and try to not colour it in!

I've been doing a spot of cultivation myself this weekend. My seeds are beginning to sprout.

I've planted some more too...

We've been so lucky this weekend with the weather, so warm and mild. The trees are beginning to bud, with the promise of their green finery to come.

Still very beautiful to look at this time of year, with the raw textures. And the odd crocodile.

Ok it's a branch...but it could be a crocodile.

It could!

My Sketchbook Doodlings and Illustration friday

2011-03-18T15:49:00.015Z

Are you ready for lots of pictures? I hope so because today I've got lots here to show!

I've spent most of this week inside my sketchbook. I have a commission to do which I'm very excited about but first I need to build up to it by playing around with a few images.Now I've shown you my little sketchbook, here are a couple of pages from my life drawing one, showing this morning's drawings.

She was a new model and very nice to draw.

This week's word for Illustration Friday is 'Cultivate' and as I had already started a picture along those lines (see top sketchbook photo) I thought I'd finish it off and post it as my submission.

And here it is.....

I've got another idea too so I might even post that one too! Stayed tuned..

Illustration Friday: Stir

2011-03-14T16:09:00.004Z

Something was about to stir..

~~~

It's been a really long time since I've done a picture in purely black and white. It made me think more about the surface textures which was fun but I've no doubt I'll be reaching for the colour again before too long!

Spring Flowers and Birds

2011-03-10T15:11:00.013Z

You can tell it's spring because the sunlight shows up all the dust. Don't worry, I'm not going to show you a close up picture of my dust.

It just occured to me that most of the things in this corner of the house are things I've been painting or making. The pile of fabric is the beginnings of a patchwork quilt, the white table, chair and ottoman I renovated last summer. (They were all destined for the tip the way they looked!)The seedlings I planted a couple of days ago and did you recognise my new stained glass panel that I'd made hanging in the window?

The first daffodils are flowering and peeping up through the ground appears the first aubretia flower. Things are starting!
Now for some arty talk...

Here's the last page of my sketchbook. I'm about to start a new one which always scares me for a some reason. Scared of a sketchbook? I'm sure there's a few artists out there who know what I mean!

The cleaned-up-in-Photoshop version

Oh, that makes it sound as though it was a bit too raunchy before.(It wasn't.)

The purple version

and the greeny-blue version
~~~~

Any preferences?

Illustration Friday: Warning

2011-03-08T10:30:00.002Z

Warning: gale force wind.

Uley

2011-03-07T08:34:00.010Z

Walking in the sunshine, alone with my thoughts.

.
Did I see a heart?

I had a lovely surprise yesterday, My painting of the flying bird has been chosen by Jennifer for her beautiful birdy Etsy treasury! See it HERE.

Listening

2011-03-04T14:28:00.006Z

Friday life drawing.
Tired
but a good morning.

time to play with my watercolours...
:)

I wait

patiently and still.

I have waited a long time.

With the knowledge my time will come.

I sit

listening for the sign.

Dragonflies, an Owl, Stars and a Crescent Moon

2011-03-02T10:38:00.003Z

I've had a little break from my paintings on canvas and have felt the need to go back to watercolours today. I really enjoyed painting 'Swarm' for Illustration Friday and this gave me the taste to carry on! I'm listing this painting on Etsy. You can see it here!
It measures 9 x 11ins (that's 28 x 23cm) and is painted on strong 300gsm watercolour paper. I don't think I've ever painted so many dragonflies before!

Illustration Friday: Swarm

2011-03-01T08:25:00.004Z

I've never seen a swarm of dragonflies in real life but there's always a first time!

Having been around for nearly 300 million years, dragonflies have been known to symbolise various things in different cultures.

In english culture it's been known as 'the devil's darning needle'. Maybe the memory of this knowledge was buried deeply in my DNA and that's why they freak me out if I ever see one!

They're incredibly beautiful and stunning with their iridescent colours....

but so very pointy!

I think it might be their darting movements that startle me because really, they're completely harmless. They don't bite or sting and they eat mosquitoes. Now that alone is a very good reason to love them

but then that's another story...

The Glass Mystery

2011-02-28T08:35:00.005Z

Ta da!

My very first attempt at stained glass.

My first (and probably last) attempt at a stained glass panel. I drew the design out on tracing paper and cut the pieces of glass to shape, with a few unexpected cracks, splinters and cuts. (The splinters and cuts were my fingers by the way!)

I healed very nicely and I managed to salvage the broken glass by putting extra lead in between the shapes. Yes, I could have used a fresh new piece of glass when I made an error but I had no idea how expensive this 'hobby' was going to be so I had to make do and mend!

I'm pleased with the results though.

It's great to learn new things and now the mystery of how stained glass comes to be is no longer a mystery to me. What is a mystery is how people can make this and sell it at a profit at the prices you see in shops! I shall never balk at those prices again.

Butterfly Brain

2011-02-25T14:13:00.003Z

Even when I think I've checked my typing for errors, I still manage to let typos slip through the (butterfly?) net! That's because my head feels like this.

This morning was life drawing and luckily for me, I didn't need my brain to draw. Sometimes that's the best way, to disengage it for a while.

I have no trouble disengaging it, it's the engaging bit I'm struggling with right now. Is it me or do other creatives have the same problem?

hmmm....might just be me then..

No, that's not me, I'm not the model, I'm the drawer.

Can 'drawer' be a word for someone who draws or just a place where you keep your socks?

(If you're tidy that is and if you indeed have socks.)

A Little Grey Elephant

2011-02-21T18:31:00.005Z

It's so grey here this week.
Half term and grey weather. So, to brighten up the greyness, here is a little grey elephant complete with pretty spots.
He notices that the tree looks very similar to himself and feels compelled to climb it but of course he's the wrong shape for climbing!
He'll stare at it for a bit and then get bored and go off and find something more fun to do.
Goodbye little elephant!

Illustration Friday: Layers

2011-02-19T11:14:00.002Z

Layers