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

Sitting here

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With one of the cats, it’s 2am and I’m still not sleepy. Just had a decaff coffee and a yoghurt because we had our evening meal 8 hours ago and I’m more than a little peckish.

I keep thinking I will go to bed early. Like in that old saying about ” early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise”. I guess I’m none of those. I will go up in a bit..  .. All this started over a year ago when my partner had his new (then) motorbike stolen. We tracked it down and got it back (now there’s a funny story) but ever since I have listened out most nights to the traffic and footsteps of people passing. Its not good for me I know. So here I am again (starting a sentence with so) (but that was OK in the sound of music?) … Anyway. Its dark and I find now I do actually want to sleep. Perhaps I have bored myself to sleep!

Goodnight x

Choir practice

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I’m off out to choir practice today. Learning new songs, and old ones to different tunes.

I’m sure my mental health has been better since I began going to a choir over ten years ago. It’s good for things like relaxation and concentration. I would recommend it to anyone who nerds some stress busting.

I can be sitting with the choir with no memory if the words or tune. Then almost miraculously they come to me as we start singing. We sing mainly acappella and my voice is most suited to alto and low parts.

We learnt a version of let your little light shine for the Stoke sings choir festival the weekend before last. With words that were appropriate to the cities history of pottery and mining.

I hope we sing it again tonight. It was fun to sing with 600 other people belting out the various parts. It is on YouTube  somewhere.

Cat colours

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Cat on a mat… I’m thinking of doing a painting of our cat Gracie. But maybe slightly abstracted way by changing the colours slightly. I quite like the turquoise and pink version.

I just like the look in her eyes… “what are you up to?”  “again?”  they notice me creeping up with my phone.

So like everything else I have to play (I get bored easily) I’ve recently seen some beautiful paintings of cats. There is something very surreal about them. They stare at you in so mesmerising a way. They always enthrall me.

Watch the birdie

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I just went into the kitchen, the cat had been sitting on top of the tub of Bird food but he had moved and had his paws on the window ledge, crouched down and looking out. So I crept up behind him and saw what he was looking at. We just got a really large bird feeder and the birds love it. I guess there will be a lot more birds in the garden.

I’m glad he’s an indoor cat. …

He also likes scratching his claws on the settee although he has two scratching posts.  Being the cats mother is an interesting job.

In the Dark (part four)

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I had got to the front door and was trying to unlock it when he caught me. I squirmed out of his grip and opened the door, feeling myself falling down the front step. My arm was yanked back in its socket as he gripped my wrist but I slammed the door on him. I felt his nails scratch me as he clawed at my trailing hand…

Out, I was out, back in the cold dark street. Into the car, fumbling at the lock. He was not following? Something to do with the street lights?

I revved the engine and put it in gear. Where to go so late? All my friends would have gone to bed. My sister? She lived miles away. Far enough away to be safe from him.

I drove out of town, into the dark of the countryside. The street lights dwindled and I drove along, marvelling at my night vision. Normally I struggled to see but tonight? There must be a full moon.

My hand itched where he had scratched me…..

I could not seem to concentrate and sweat dropped into my eyes. The heater was on full blast so I turned it down.

Now I was close to my sisters home. I drove into her street. The lights were out but I have a spare key.

I looked in the mirror to tidy myself up. Golden eyes glowed back at me… My eyes…. And I was suddenly very very hungry……

 

The End

Selfie but I don’t like being seen.

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The world is full of selfies and selfie sticks. People pouting and preening. Apps that smooth your skin, add bunny ears, turn you into altered individuals that follow the latest fashion….

So here is a selfie of me.. Yes I do them, but I try and hide from them if I can. .

Maybe I should try and get one of the back of my head? Photography can be so interesting and surreal, and so can life.

And why are photos usually in colour or sometimes black and white.. Why not more yellow and blue or purple and green….. Hmmm… Maybe….

 

Who you looking at

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Glaring in the mirror. Don’t know if it’s a reflection or your brother?

I thought I would draw this after seeing a beautiful painting of a lion on the TV. I didn’t manage to do it that well so I’ve been playing with colour and this is the result. It’s just fun to play…

The title came from the idea that they are looking at each other. It could be that they are separate animals or that it’s one lion and a reflection.