Knife Angel

Posted on April 10, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 000 knives, 100, amnesty, Art, Charity, Hanley, knife angel, Knives, Peace, Sculpture, Stoke-on trent, Tragedy3 Comments

Currently visiting Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent on Trent. A sculpture called the Knife Angel. Its there for the rest of April and its made of over 100,000 knives handed in across the country in a UK wide knife amnesty. It makes you realise how many young people think they need to carry knives to stay safe. Where the USA and other countries have problems with gun crime we have young people, particularly young men and youths, dying and injured by knives. This sculpture is trying to persuade them that the use of knives is dangerous and foolish and the organisers are raising funds to educate people to say no to using knives. I hope they succeed.

Peace

Posted on April 10, 2022 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, cabbage rose, Drawing, Gardening, Life, Peace, Plants, Roses, Sketching, Yellow1 Comment

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.

Art for sale

Posted on April 9, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Cafe, Environment, Etruria Industrial museum, Fine Art, For sale, Life, Nature, Painting, work on show8 Comments

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.

Cold in the house

Posted on April 9, 2022April 10, 2022 Posted in Uncategorized4 Comments

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.

Etruria Industrial Museum today

Posted on April 9, 2022 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Etruria Industrial museum, fine black ink pens, Life, Sketching, Today, ViewLeave a comment

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.

Scales?

Posted on April 9, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Life, Metallic, Mirrored, Photography, Reflections, Scales, table top, TextureLeave a comment

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 Poppies

Posted on April 9, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Blue poppy, Fine Art, Himalayan poppy, Life, Mecanopsis, Painting, Plant2 Comments

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.

Winters going

Posted on April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bugs, Cold, Nature, North, Plants, Poem, Poetry, South, Spring, Trees, Warmth, WorldLeave a comment

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.

Ulysses?

Posted on April 8, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Design, Fine Art, Ideas, Late night, medusa, Painting, Pattern, UlyssesLeave a comment

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.

Draco in a Storm

Posted on April 8, 2022 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Clouds, Draco, Dragon, Fine Art, Gold, Painting, Pink, storm windsLeave a comment

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.