New paintings and regular art updates.
A wizard figurine hides behind our money plant upstairs. If he was originally a real wizard something has minaturised him and turned him into resin! Anyway if he’s casting a spell he’s not being very successful!
I do have lots of weird ornaments, but this one, and another of a roman soldier on a downstairs windowsill are both my hubbys choice. They go along with all the trains, tractors, and model cars. I guess we are really just hoarders at heart….
Shade from trees is wonderful in this hot and humid weather. We walked along under them and they shaded out the sun’s heat. The trouble is the leaves have started to fall…. It’s only June but I think the heat stress and lack of water isn’t helping. As I looked up into the tree canopy I could see some of the leaves were curled up and crispy…. Please let it rain….
Today was the last day of the Fine Art BA (honours) degree shows, and art foundation show at Staffordshire University. It’s an annual event and I have tried to get there most years since I graduated from there myself.
I think this year the body of work was excellent. There seemed to be a resurgence of painting and there was some beautiful art. There was quirky, humourous and poignant art too. Dotted throughout the show were “Mushroom Creatures” for a piece called “the oddity of connection”. They were small felted wool figures with mushroom heads or hairstyles. Very unusual. A bit like mythological creatures, I think they had won first place in the degree show.
I’m so glad I was reminded to go to see the shows. And lovely to see such a variety of styles, it takes me right back to when I was there all those years ago.
Who do you spend the most time with?
We have been together so long.
The hours turn into days
Then months and years
Two people glued together
Joined at the hip
You won’t see him
He is hubby, partner
He is anonymous here
But we are together.
One the shadow of the other
I know when he’s coming home
I can understand him
We will always be together…
We used to buy more plants in the summer, this is a poppy from four years ago. I loved buying plants, but apart from ordering some hanging baskets for my birthday I don’t think we will have as much on show this year. But the trees are growing up and so are bushes. I might try and get some foxgloves…
It’s still growing, she shouted…
He stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up.
Oh, it’s pushed the top off the jar!
She ran down the stairs….
What have you been feeding it? She asked him.
Just nutrients, he said.
As he spoke, the stems pulsed and coiled. Pink and red cells seemed to glow. Each second the plant or creature was getting larger. Then like a coiled spring toy, a slinky, it tumbled down the stairs…
Run she said. As trailing vines skittered across the floor… But he was rooted to the spot, a tendril found his ankle.
She ran and slammed the door behind her….
I love these glass globes
Decorative and pretty
Curved beauty
Colours shimmer
Light refracts
Sunlight glints
And summer
Warms
To reduce my stress levels I decided to start a small watercolour of my friend Martha’s dog. I’ve been promising it for ages, but with everything that’s been going on I decided to wait until I felt slightly happier. Anyway, the floodgates finally opened today and I was able to finish two portraits. So why not make another start. It’s nice to use watercolours again. Hard to keep the colours light enough. I shall post it soon, about A5 size.
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Arnold, sketch from four years ago when I attended the annual urban sketchers meet up that was held in Stoke-on-Trent that year (2019?). Just came up on my Facebook memories. It’s a drawing of the statue of Arnold Bennett which is in our city centre in Hanley.
Tribute to my lost sister, as a young woman. I promised it but it’s taken months to finish. Perhaps I can finally move on? It sat half done, staring at me. But I feel she is at rest. Art has always been my freedom. I can work through my feelings when I do it. Life has to go on, even though its sometimes really tough.
Mallaband-Brown