Us together. portrait of hubby 2017, me self portrait 2020. The small portrait is also him a few years ago. Acrylic on canvas. I always intended them to hang together, just decided it was time.
Us, together, green man and woman.
Category: Memories
The universe
What are you curious about?
Infinity or beyond? The universe is around 13.5 billions of years old. It could continue for billions or trillions of years into a heat death ending. Cooling down and expanding forever. Or it might collapse in a backwards big band and a singularity.
I’m not a scientist but my interest was piqued by watching the BBC TV series “The Sky at Night”, I started watching in the 1960’s when Sir Patrick Moore presented it. I loved the old fashioned animations of how things worked. It was well before the time of CGI or computer animation.
I keep watching the 20 minute show monthly, over the years, finding out about comets, eclipses, meteor showers and meteorites. I still try and catch it all these years later. I’m interested in finding out about dark matter and quantum lensing. I hope the programme continues for years to come.
Cats
List 30 things that make you happy.
Cats,
Cats in hats
Cats on mats
Cats in sunshine
Cats on chairs
Felines
Jaguars
Tigers
Lions
Pumas
Leopards
Multiple cats
Pussy cats
Kittens
Toms
Queens
Ginger cats
Tuxedo cats
Maine coone cats
Tortoise shell cats
Black and white cats
Civit cats
Snow leopards
Wild cats
Devon Rex
Cornish Rex
Sphinx
Black cats
Moggies
Lynx
(not that I’m obsessed).
Remembering to water the plants.
Describe one habit that brings you joy.
If I forget they wilt.
They sag and look sad.
I can only water
This limited area
Viewed from the back door
And kitchen
Scent wafts in
And gives me joy.
Based on…
Top painting by Theodore Gericault of a French peasant woman. I used it to base my picture on. The bottom painting is my portrait of Molly Leigh. I know mine is a bit rough round the edges, but I wanted her to look wise with a glint in her eye. I hope now I’m getting my sight sorted out things will improve. I will try and keep posting here but I may have to be careful how much I do.
Cat and cataract update
Today I had my operation. I was very nervous. To calm myself down I sang during surgery! The surgeon encouraged me. He wants to do my other eye too! I’ve got an eye guard on now. I can see the side on the right is a lot brighter and whiter. My left eyesight is much yellower. So TV looks odd. I realise how much my sight had been affected..must be careful not to bend over….. My cat is OK BTW. Need to give him another tablet soon. He’s going to be on them for life.
Two weeks till I can have a checkup for both him and me. Hard to type, my eye keeps tearing up. Better stop..
My Molly
My portrait of Molly Leigh the Burslem Witch. Painted after my mural of her at the Leopard Hotel in Burslem burnt down a couple of years ago. Acrylic on canvas.
It was used as a prop in the Who is Molly Leigh? opera that was on last week. I was so proud and excited to be able to display it in public. I like creating narrative pieces of art as well as portrait so of people which I would say is my speciality. I’d like to poss create further portraits of Stoke-on-Trent famous people… Just a thought.
The scene I was in..
With some of the other actors in the scene.
The character Alice Beech, far right of photo, sings a wonderful mezzo soprano piece about inheriting Molly Leighs cottage, that the villagers and vicar are all gossiping about the two woman’s relationship. And laments the loss of Molly.
Part of her getting the cottage obliged her to make 46 penny loaves every week to look after the “poor, the widows” basically the needy of the parish. Three townsfolk visit her as she sings. One is Winifred who is very nosy and wants to know whether Alice has “seen anything, anything strange?” since she moved in. She is ignored and just handed the loaves. Then Lily, a widow, visits and is given a few extra loaves. Finally a young woman visits for just one penny loaf. She tells Alice she doesn’t have to pretend, she understands. And that she is a friend.
The singing by Alice is lovely and written using the “Devils interval” a discordant chord which is a Tritone (six semitones) it causes an unsettled feeling in the music.
My Eye
I’m waiting, with some trepidation, to have eye surgery to remove a cataract.
When will I see you again?
Will you see me?
Patched like a pirate,
Hidden from my view,
Two dimensional,. Everything…
Lost vision
Hope I’m patched up
Soon…
Short, older middle aged, tired
How would you describe yourself to someone?
Oh and an artist, a singer, enthusiastic about caring for people. Thoughtful, enjoys science, and thrillers, and fantasy, and sci-fi. Cat lover, cat mother. Not too well, but surviving. I don’t know when to relent and let myself rest. I’m stubborn, if I have a strong opinion and I will try and get my point across.
Physically I don’t think I’m as well as I could be but I do try and look after myself. It’s sometimes difficult to cope but I manage.
Mallaband-Brown 