Out in the sunshine
Watching the cedars
Blown in the wind
A sudden squall
And they are dripping
Cold droplets down my neck!
Old trees
Friends with fronds!
Cedar
Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown
I'm an artist based at the Spode factory site in Stoke on Trent. I paint, draw and create digital art. Contact me at mallabandbrown@aol.com
Storm Isha
90 mile an hour winds, storm surges, trees uprooted. Storm Isha, the eighth named storm this winter, bought disruptive winds and rains across much of the UK yesterday and today. Planes that were going from England to Northern Ireland were diverted to France after being unable to land in Ireland. Only to be refuelled and travelling back to Ireland again. One flight due to take 45 minutes took 9 hours including delays. Sea ferries, trains and cars have been delayed.
A few people have died. Trees have been blown over 48,000 homes lost power in Northern Ireland. Farmers fields continue to be flooded and winter wheat is dying in the sodden landscape.
And yet the British weather intrigues us. We are used to wild and wooly weather, just not this much of it!
Lock
When was this padlock opened?
What was stored inside?
So many questions to answer
What thing is hiding? Decide..
Is it a treasure or mystery
Monster or chemical formula?
It could be any or all of them
Unlock and find what you see!
Through the round window
Round window at Spode painted a couple of years, ago, the glass was held in a circular metal frame. I enjoyed trying to get a feeling of depth using deep shade, and perspective with the rows of bricks. I think they might be a bit exaggerated. I liked the way the concentric circles sink inwards and the shadows bend around the edges.
Umbrella mural
Umbrella mural I painted for the Leopard Hotel in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent in about 2006/7. Based on a design by Clarice Cliffe the Potter. The white line on the top left was a white ribbon hanging down that had been used to decorate the Arnold Bennett suite in the back room of the Leopard. About 3 x4 foot. Emulsion paint on lining paper which was glued directly on the wall. Sadly the hotel burnt down a couple of years ago and all my murals were lost.
Rusty railings
Old photo from a summer about four years ago. If ever there was a photo that could be turned into a painting I think this is it. Outside a school in Penkhull, Stoke-on-Trent.
Chair cover
So they keep their claws out.
Covered over, not so smart
But safe at least, from little paws
I want to save my chair from holes
Cats are cheeky, need a scratching pole!
Growing
Just a dandelion sprouting from a brick wall in Spode, Stoke-on-Trent. I took this a few years ago. I added it to the ‘Peeling Paint Appreciation Society’ page on Facebook. It’s got wonderful peeling paint photos that are right up my street…..
Train time
Watercolour painting of the top half of Cheddleton Station near Leek in Staffordshire. I have travelled on the steam train from there several times with my hubby. Something I will really miss. He was a bit of a steam train fanatic and always had masses of information in his mind. He recognised the make and types of trains (and tractors and cars) he could tell the make of tractors by the colours they were painted. Old Fergus on tractors were grey ‘old grey Fergie’ he would say.
Here’s a link to their website:
Old cat
Twelve years ago, another cat we took in as a stray. He wasn’t microchipped. He was going in a local shop and climbing on their shelves, they didn’t like it so we took him in…. He used to sit in the middle of the road waiting for me to come home. Sadly he was injured by a car and had to have an operation to save his leg. He recovered but a year later he was knocked over again. I was so sad to lose him. I think he was the silliest cat I ever met. I even used to draw cartoons of him having adventures. Climbing trees, balancing on fences, stealing steaks!
