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

Christmas cactus

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One of my Christmas cactuses on the kitchen windowsill has come into flower. I hope the rest will flower too. I have ten different Christmas cactii there. I think they are not doing as well as they can because I am not watering them enough.

On the end of the sill was an old amarylis plant, I think I’ve overwatered it. But it was about ten years old. I also have a maidenhair fern on the bathroom that is huge but most of it’s leaves have gone brown. Probably because I had the radiator fixed in the bathroom and it gets too hot in there. I need to sort things out…..

Two cats

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Two cats side by side

Friends not brothers

The big one washes the old one

A caring lick of recognition

Each trying to be close

To the heater.

Oil filled,

It takes the chill away

They stay close in winter.

My third? In a basket upstairs

Snug and happy

The third cat,

Aloof, independent

Smug.

My friend painting.

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Quick sketch, crafty group, I wasn’t well so just did this. Pencil on cartridge paper. I think I still have my skill in drawing but Parkinsons makes it harder. I still hope to get better medication and reduce the dopamine breaking down in my brain. I love art and hate the way this disease is making me “stick”, or  shaking uncontrollably.

I’m trying hard to keep going, I do not enjoy how things are. But I realise my life is a lot better than some peoples lives. I’m lucky to live in a country with a universal health service. My eternal gratitude goes to the NHS., without which I would be stuffed!

Accordion

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Can you see this… Sketch of an accordion.. On the back of an envelope in pencil. I loved the curve of it. The way the lines flow up through the instrument and into the knitted jumper. Yes I loved drawing the hands as he played. There is a round table with a half empty glass of bass beer (with a triangular trade mark), a notebook and his mobile phone. Plus a bass beer mat. I am not advertising though. It was lovely and welcoming at the Beehive pub in Honeywall, Stoke-on-Trent.

Meet a dalek..

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One day at a train station we bumped into a dalek. It was trundling backwards and forwards along the station platform… A police telephone box was inside the ticket office. My hubby had mighty fun and enjoyed meeting one of our favourite TV characters. Unfortunately Dr Who was not in attendance.

The Dalek was remote controlled and was a replica of one of the original models of the space monsters. Apparently they were pedalled around by people sitting inside them on the BBC TV series. I just loved the cheek of my hubby holding on to it….

Clutch gone

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My car is old! Tonight the clutch went in it. I was revving the engine and creeping forward in 1st gear, smoke billowed out from under the bonnet.

I had to park at an angle sticking out into the road. I called a break down service and after an hour and a half got through. An hour later some just came. They managed to park the car safely. But the clutch has gone. Goodness knows how much it will cost to fix. I really need an automatic.

Asterix the Gaul

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What’s your favorite cartoon?

I loved the Asterix books when I was a child. I think I read most of them. All the characters were so funny, getafix, obelix. The chieftain who walks around under a shield because he’s afraid the sky will fall on his head. The tiny dog.. The magic strength potion.

They live in the North West of Gaul and are constantly fighting the Romans or the British. The artwork is tremendous. The books by Goscinny and Uderso were translated into English from French I think. It was the first time I had seen swearwords depicted as symbols. Like. X&@#!? £X! For example. I didn’t know about swearing at the time so I assumed it was a coded language!

I learned to draw cartoons by copying the characters. I think that helped develop my hand eye coordination, I was happy.

Missing fine weather

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A few months after our driest summer in years we are constantly getting wet weather gales and storms. The rain gets through holes and doen chimneys and overflowing guttering.

I want brilliant white clouds floating in azure blue skies. Sunlight on my head and shoulders. Soft breezes, not howling gales. Scents and smells that lift the spirits, not mould and fungus.

So, the spring will come again. I hope to enjoy the rest of winter and then greet spring with open arms.

In from the rain

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My Cat is like an otter. He loves the rain. He came in from the storm Bram earlier today and I took this photo. He loves standing and staring at me. Generally this means “feed me”, so I did.

I know he has at least two other “homes”, although he has been back here more recently. He comes up amd sleeps on the bed but gets off if I have a disturbed night. (which is most of them these days). He’s just snuck upsts now. Sleep well pusscat.