Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was Peace. I decided to draw yellow roses against a blue background. Used felt pens, Hoping for peace in Ukraine. I know its a vain hope but I can wish.

New paintings and regular art updates.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was Peace. I decided to draw yellow roses against a blue background. Used felt pens, Hoping for peace in Ukraine. I know its a vain hope but I can wish.


A few paintings and some cards for sale at the cafe at Etruria Industrial Museum today. Its great to have another venue to show my work and as its open to people travelling along the canal I hope they will be seen more. I put in images based on nature but I may have the opportunity to place other works there soon. I’m obliged to my friend who is volunteering at the museum who invited me to take my work there.
Brr. It’s a bit chilly in our house. I’m trying to save money so the temperature is 17.4°centigrade or 63.14° farenheight. But I relented and put the central heating on. It will go back off in a while but at least I’ve stopped shivering.
Gas and Electricity bills are going up 54% in the UK , so the next one might be a lot bigger. Its frightening. Having to turn off heating and lighting is not good. But I guess it’s OK in one way, if it means my carbon footprint gets smaller? I’m privileged to be able to just about afford things. Many people in this country can’t. We have to find a balance between our needs and the planets. Crazy situation.


View through silver Birches of three chimneys at Etruria Industrial Museum today. I think only the short stumpy one on the right is at the flint Mill, the thin metal one and the tall brick one seem to be to be on the side on another part of the industrial site. The buildings there look derelict with holes in one of the roofs. I hope the large chimney is stable. Sketch done on the balcony at the back of the museum.

Reflected on a table top. Polished circles look like metallic scales. A layer of smeared washing liquid leaves a texture and using the layout app on my phone I mirrored and duplicated the images. I almost see metallic blue feathers?

Blue poppy painting I did in 2016, from a photograph by my sister. It’s going to a new home next week. I do feel like my paintings are my children. Leaving me, going out into the world. Or maybe cats, I seem to always have more here than get rehomed! Acrylic on canvas, about 8×12 inches.

Winter flees as sun rises higher
Dawn comes sooner
Sunset later
The Earth tips North
sees more of the Sun.
Ground warms
Rain falls, buds swell.
Soon the world will be green
Again.
But in the South?
Autumn makes gains.

I decided to paint something a bit different. I was calling it Medusa but a friend suggested Ulysses. I know the Medusa story but I’m not familiar with Ulysses so I think I had better look it up. This is another acrylic on canvas that I started late last night. I wanted to get a feel of paint on plaster, like a mural.

Mid way through this painting, the background blue is actually (and strangely) a mixture of deep green and dark violet. Who knew that would happen? I will calm the pink down and add more gold to make it more regal. I painted Draco in a storm, its tail and wings are being blown by the storm winds. I hope to add more detail as I work on it.

My mind is racing, I cannot sleep. My hand has held a paintbrush and suddenly the impetus is there to paint again despite the shaking and wobbling. I started three more small paintings tonight, a kingfisher, then this dragon, and finally a face I’ve called medusa. All works in progress. I think the illustration side of me is leaking into my paintings!