New paintings and regular art updates.
I might sleep till spring
Curled up and snug
Warm in my bed
Like a tidy ladybug
The sheets white like snow
Blue shadowed and dug
Deep into the duvet.
Then come springs light
Warm sun so bright
I’ll yawn and awake
Like blossom burst forth,
But till then I’ll wait
And keep warm.
An oil painting on board I did sometime in the 1980’s. It’s a sort of combination of a Pegasus/Unicorn which also breathes the wind. It’s semi abstract with a feeling of being stained glass. I would have liked to have actually made it, if it was possible. It’s quite small, about 12″ by 16″, the colours are quite muted. I love the fun of experimenting with painting. I like the idea of making an amalgamation of creatures.
This is a painting I did when I was about twenty. I was at college doing my fine art degree and I had recently met my then boyfriend (now hubby). This was in my small studio at college. The painting has been on the wall for several years. I painted him sitting on a chair with his feet up. He hasn’t changed too much.
Outside there was snow lying on the hills above the city. You could just see the roofs of the college across the road. The rooms we worked in were reasonably light. I remember the studios upstairs had parquet flooring. It was a different world from what I came from. I’m glad I went.
Artists on Instagram are posting nine favourite images from 2021.
So here are nine favourite images I created over several years. I realised I haven’t done many paintings this year because of doing my Illustration course. These images include a couple of murals and a tiny painting. They show me as an eclectic artist who loves colour, the environment and also abstraction.
I do try and be accurate with my paintings, hopefully getting good realism. I was once criticised in a newspaper review about an exhibition I was part of, they said if I wanted to be a super realist I should have tried harder. The thing was, I wasn’t trying for super realism! If the journalist had actually spoken to me I would have told him that. I do work from photos sometimes, particularly if it’s a commissioned portrait or painting of a landscape. If I do a painting of a steam train it’s got to look right, you can make it up. I love painting, which to me is the accurate manipulation of liquids on a surface. I do try. X
An acrylic on canvas painting I did in 2013. It popped up on my Facebook memories today. I can remember enjoying getting the texture of the building right. It looked like a great place to visit. This portrait was a Christmas commission. The person I did it for was very pleased.
My friend is offering a beautiful print for sale and as a limited edition (not the image here, it has similar colours). I would love it, and it’s at a fair price for an artist to charge. But all I could think was, car tax and other bills are due in January. I have to realise I cannot afford it. Now I feel guilty for just enquiring.
I realise I don’t charge enough for my art. I have this strange idea that I want my art to go to a good home, so I undersell, swap art, or offer ways people can pay in installments. But I’m also doing other artists a disservice. If I charge less, how can they charge more? I think it might be my upbringing. Having a belief in myself? I guess it’s just how I am.
A beautiful indoor winter plant, the red bracts are modified leaves not petals. Its often used as a centerpiece for Christmas decorations. This is a painting I did of one. I remember my mum had one growing in the spare room. I don’t think it likes too much heat? The indoor gardeners here will have a better iidea than I do. It seems to have been taken over in popularity by Amaryllis buls which also flower around this time of year.
A present for someone I love and care for in this awful year. As I was about to wrap the necklace and the Christmas tree decoration I realised how much I have enjoyed creating things with a bit of sparkle. The photo does not do the glass pendant justice because the lighting is not good. Perhaps I should invest in a light box or try and make a DIY version. I think the recipient will be pleased as she has a small collection of my paintings. X
I wasn’t expecting this lovely card from my friend Martha. (Women’s Wilderness Legend – living the Metaphor, marthakennedyblog.com) in Monte Vista near Denver (I hope I’ve got that right). I met her through WordPress and I really enjoy her blog. She is a writer and artist who lives with her two dogs. Reading her blog cheers me up. So interesting to see someone else’s point of view. It gives you a perspective on the world seeing another person’s point of view. Seeing those mountains in the background of the painting makes me realise how small (but very ancient) the hills and mountains of Britain are. We don’t get snow regularly like her mountains. I love this depiction of them.
Mallaband-Brown