New paintings and regular art updates.
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.
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!
Finished Lake painting I started a week ago. It’s of a lake, I think I’m the Lake District, the reference photo was from a friend in the Orme Group of artists. I may have somewhere to show it for a few weeks. It will be for sale. And suddenly I’m painting again. My arm is still shaking and it cramps up when I paint, and the lines wobble a bit but I have to paint. I just have to.
They say when one door closes another one opens. I’ve now got some of my work at Etruria Industrial Museum. I’m so pleased. It’s for three months and then it will be changed. I do hope I can sell some work. I have done so many paintings over the years. I will have to donate them to charity at this rate!
I went to our Art Group today. It was good to kick-start myself back into painting again. Struggled a bit because of my shaking arm. I’m like a wobbly jelly.
It was going to be a different painting, but when I got to the venue there was no WiFi available so I couldn’t find the reference photo I wanted to work from. This painting took about three hours so far. I’ve got to work out the reflections and the sky.
You look at me
What do you see?
Gazing out with your great
Green eyes.
Wide wise eyes,
Or evil eyed?
Which one will you be?
Your huge ego
May continue to grow.
Just be gentle
Don’t hurt me.
I can’t find the photo of a finished painting. It had more detail on the wooden supports between the panes of glass. The paint was peeling off and chipped and that’s what attracted me to the image. I’m the final version you can see me and my phone reflected in the surface. It’s an image of the Spode factory site. Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.
I love pattern so when I painted this I thought I was happy with it. THEN I decided to put it through a filter and add texture. Now I think I will paint over it and emphasise the curves and patterns. Making the most of the Holly and Ivy leaves and concentrating on the various greens. I could see it as a card or a notelet. I do love green men.
Mallaband-Brown