Jessie Lilac Blog

I've been busy making daily paintings and here are a few of my most recent ones. I also have some finished paintings for sale listed in my Etsy shop but more of that later. Sometimes it's nice to have a break and a few days ago we visited Tintinhull in Somerset. The house is very beautiful and because of its smaller scale than most National trust properties, very homely too.  The view from the house into the garden is very pretty. It's lovely to wander around the garden, arranged like little rooms that link one to another.  A feast for the eyes from the beautiful and delicately coloured pale lemon tulips and hyacinths  ♥   ♥ and the Heuchera Plum Royale. (I had to Google that!)  😉 How very perfect don't you think? A very pretty house and garden. So now I'd like to show you my newest paintings. This one above is called Marina and is painted on 300gsm (140lb) watercolour paper with inks. I've listed it in my Et...

What is this 'painting' thing that we do, where we lay down colours that please our eyes? And add images we like, a cottage, a tree, then lose them in more shapes and colours, stamping and stencilling, splashing and dripping? When there seems to be no end in sight as the cottage comes and goes, layer after layer? Where we relish and enjoy the thick gold paint as it twinkles on the canvas, adding more, then taking more away? Until finally... A new painting is born. Thankyou for visiting here today! This new painting is called ' Sunlit Cottage ' and is now available to buy in my Etsy shop.  This painting has now sold -thankyou! ♥ Prints are now available to buy here . xx

Spring crept up behind me and pounced. While the earth stirred into new life, already the colours of Spring flowers were fading. A remembered bluebell walk had now transformed into green. I love to walk in the woods, each time of year has something new to show. I love how the light from the sky shines through the trees and this was my inspiration for this painting. I call it ' Green Glade '.  (crop)  (crop) It measures 16 x 16 inches (40 x 40cm) and is painted with mixed media on deep box style canvas. Please click  here  to see more details. :)   Still inspired from my time in the woods, here's another new painting on canvas, it's called ' The Tree of Life '. This one measures 20 x 16 inches (50 x 40cm)  and as I do with all my paintings on canvas, I've attached brass hooks and wire on the back so it's ready to hang. Please click here  if you'd like to see all the details.  (crop) ...

Trees are magical aren't they? When I wander through the woods I imagine what it could be like to live there. When I was a child my brother and I were always making dens using whatever we could find for walls and a roof. I'd happily spend hours doing this but I think he'd get bored before I was satisfied that it was habitable! There was one time, I decided we'd laboured long enough for the day and we sat inside it while it rained. The next day it had gone, probably other kids in the neighbourhood couldn't resist smashing it up. I didn't mind, it was a good excuse to make another one! How amazing this stream would look if I was a very tiny creature living amongst the trees.  It could be quite dangerous if I tried to cross it but I seem to remember Thumbelina travelled on  a leaf so that might be a good idea as long as there are nibbling fish and a butterfly around to help me! You'll sometimes see trees in my paintings, I'd love to c...

It must be all the spring flowers that are everywhere influencing my latest painting! This house is based on one that I've passed many times when out walking at a nearby woodland. I've changed it here and there but it's those windows that I love the most, so I might have made my own version of it. ;) I started with layering collage and to begin with the whole canvas was blue and purple with lots of texture. I don't have a photo of that stage but before I knew it, more colours started to appear before my eyes. It's now available in my Etsy shop to buy. So if you're getting impatient for those summer flowers to come out, then look no further! The sun's out here today, I hope you catch a glimpse of it too.  Have a lovely weekend. xx PS. Don't forget the giveaway in my last post ! :)

I've been playing in my sketchbook with some golden orange paint. Perhaps I'm getting influenced by the warm coloured surroundings of autumn? The fruit bowl's looking tasty today bathed in light. It won't stay that full for long let me tell you! This is a baby s umac  in my garden that's still in a pot. We  planted it from a cutting and one day it'll be tall enough to plant out. If it's this pretty this small, it'll be amazing when it's big won't it? The woods hold a mystery and magic for me. I love the way the light peeps between the trees and discovering little flowers or fungi growing in unexpected places! I've just listed this mixed media painting 'Garland in the Woods' in my Etsy shop.  Please  click here  to see more details. I hope I get a chance to walk in the woods before too long! :) But today I'm taking my painting (above) 'Travelling Dreams' to the RW...