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

Steam punk morris dancer

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We went to Etruria canal festival today. It was a brilliant sunny day, huge crowds (that made me anxious) (I still haven’t learnt to feel safe again after the pandemic). But there was lots to see and some incredible exhibits. There were hawks and snakes and a puppet theatre which made huge insect puppets. Lots about climate change and Morris dancers too! The industrial museum was open for free to the public and there was a massive queue for the cafe. B’arts were involved in a lot of the work and Etruria Artists had a stall there using clay to create objects children could take home with them. @ladybirdsu had her little caravan there and was running a little print workshop. You could print on cards that have wild flower seeds pressed into the paper. You literally plant them to grow wild flowers…

Overall it was an enjoyable experience, although I did tear up for a while. Something set me off and I needed a hug. Life can sometimes jump out on you when you’re not looking and hit you between the eyes!

Anyway, the photo is of a lovely steam punk, (I think he’s with the Doomsday Morris who were performing at the festival).

Listening to birdsong

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Describe one simple thing you do that brings joy to your life.

He often sits up in the tree

Ot atop a chimney pot

He starts to sing

His voice raised

In skirls and slides

Whistles and trills.

Old blackbirds sing longer

And better, complications

Added each year.

Attracting and announcing

Territory and partnership.

His music gives me joy

Taking the time to listen

Releases peace,

Simple and sweet.

Faces

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Experimenting again, Artrage app

Another couple of drawings/experiments, I do love learning and playing with art, but then I want to know how do I optimise my photos on my phone? My old antivirus used to do it, but now I’ve changed phones I can’t seem to work out what to do.

Should I use something in settings, or will there be an optimiser in my gallery. It’s worrying because my media here keeps telling me it’s full. When I upload optimised photos it’s not as bad. And along th e same lines, how do I sync my phone and my PC? It would help sort things out….

Unplugged

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How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Sometimes I’m on my phone for hours, scrolling, flicking between pages and videos. Watching, absorbing, wasting precious time!

How to stop? I have to think about the time. I look at the clock and if its after 1am I leave the sites I am on, close them. Retreat back into reality.

The trouble is it’s cozy having online friends. People that think the same way, or slightly differently to how I do. Lucky to not have too much animosity. I know when to ignore rude comments, not get drawn in. But the Internet is easy to get embroiled in. You just have to switch off “and go and do something less boring instead” as the phrase went on an old TV show called “Why don’t you?”.

Art fair

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My little table was packed with paintings and a few glass necklaces today. I sold a few things, including one of the necklaces.

There wasn’t a lot of footfall and people were looking but not really buying. I guess they don’t have their shopping heads on at a health gym. They want to sit down in the cafe after doing their workouts!

The company was pleasant though. I had a lovely chat with the young woman who had the stall next to me. She was really friendly and we chatted about craft and art fairs and whether to try and get cards made from some of my paintings. She certainly had a lot of work, and was selling greetings cards, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, pompoms, and other lovely creations. It helped the time pass to chat with such a friendly person.

My stall was dwarfed by the other people’s. It’s only three or four feet across, and with everything lying flat my stall didn’t have as much ‘oomph’ as some of the others. I might try and get some stands for the paintings. I had some metal ones I’ve used before but they are too heavy and sharp.

A bit more?

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Getting there. I can see my mistakes on this. I need to get the shape right. Maybe sort the tyres out, one side is wider than the other. I might calm the pale green down.

I have these rushes of painting. Something boils over and I have to paint. I have just started another one. Something a bit different, blue and black diagonals. That’s going to be an abstract. I’ve got to finish off tonight as I’m selling these on a little stall tomorrow! Eek!