New paintings and regular art updates.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was monochrome. I did a monochrome drawing in black conte crayon of my husband having a nap. When I took a photo it looked brown under my kitchen lights but I used a black and white filter and autocolour to get it looking right. This is the first sketch in a new A5 size sketchbook.
I was discussing poppies with a friend today who wanted to find out what a certain poppy was. I identified it as an oriental poppy. She then showed me another one which had a great ruff of petals. I thought it was a double so checked on the Internet and it was. I also love many different poppies. Californian, Himalayan, Welsh, I’m sure there are more types than that but I’m not sure of them. What I really like is the variety of colours and shapes they come in. This photo was taken above Bovisand Bay in Devon. I took a few photos of them. The grass was so dry it could have been hay.
Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was colour. I decided to draw a Multi coloured pattern, using the word multicolour then filling in the gaps with more colours. Felt pen drawing, last page in my lovely sketchbook, need a new one!
I’ve just written a comment on our local council website to oppose planning approval for development of the historic Spode Factory site in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent.
Planning application in for Spode Site. Search on Stoke.gov.uk for details. Planning application 67906/FUL comments need to be in by 20.07.22.
I wrote :
Elanora Street and the surrounding area in Stoke Town are subject to a lot of heavy traffic. I think this proposal will have a negative effect, particularly around peak traffic flow times.
In addition, as a Studio holder based at the Acava Art Studios on the Spode site I am concerned about how my business will be affected. I need vehicular access to my studio when collecting or delivering artworks and art materials. I would want to be reassured that artists in the studios will not have there businesses restricted or inconvenienced.
Spode Site is a heritage site. It should be developed with an understanding of its historical value to the town, city, and world. But instead the city council seem to be taking the low brow option of cramming ‘apartments’ onto the site.
Like the Goodsyard proposal currently in the process of being considered, it is another uninspired use of land.
In a decade of austerity it is also a question as to whether anyone would want to buy an apartment on a brownfield site where the history has been removed!
Security on the site has been reduced due to council cuts. There have been incidents of intruders entering the site in the evening and nights. Has consideration been given to the security when the work goes ahead?
Finally I want to say I believe this proposal is ill-conceived and destructive of a historical site. The development will be detrimental to Stoke’s standing as a heritage centre. So much of our local history is being allowed into crumble into dust. The council has a short sighted bias which does not seem to want to take responsibility for Stoke-on-Trents culture
Cave painting is amazing. The strength of the lines, the energy. The real feeling of life on the cave walls. A cave replica has been created in France of Chauvet cave. This is to protect the original which has been closed to the public. Human breath can create condensation and will allow mould to grow which damages the ancient pigments. This was Sundays prompt for #bandofsketchers. Just catching up.
Ripples in the sky
Blue and white
Stripes like the side of a fish
A mackerel gliding
Swimming over us
In cold beauty
Or a doves wings
Flapping in slow motion
Stop and go animation
Leaving white shadows
across the sky…
Three day trip to Falmouth in Cornwall and back with ivans_uk_tours.com . We stayed at a lovely hotel. Travelling through the West of England on the way down, through Ludlow and stopng off for a picnic at Tintern Abbey. We went over one of the bridges over the river Severn. We arrived at the hotel in the evening and went off to find food at a pub called the Red lion. After that we walked back to the hotel over stone stiles through farm fields.
Day two was up at the Penryn Campus at Falmouth University. I was graduating so we joined in the celebrations with other students who were graduating in different aspects of the creative arts. The actress and comedian Dawn French is the Chancellor of the University and handed out a chocolate coin covered in gold foil out to each student. Later, I got to throw my cap and gown in the air with my fellow students. We left in the early afternoon to go in search of a cream tea. Instead we found a shop that would post out cream teas all over Britain. The ships figurehead was down a sloping alleyway that led down to the sea. We sat by the harbour and ate our scones with jam and cream (jam first!). A lovely meal at the hotel and then a hot and sleepless night as the temperature continued to soar.
On the final day it had cooled down, but even though I would have stayed an extra day it was not possible because of the cost. We decided to call at Bovisand Bay near Plymouth in Devon on the way home. We had a picnic there and a paddle (hubby swam). Then a steady drive back up the motoein increasing heat. We stopped off a few times. I’m sunburnt but happy. Very tired. I couldn’t really post much here as I didn’t have much Internet connection.
Dawn French, comedian, author, actor, amid many other talents, is Chancellor of Falmouth University. She gave the graduation speech for the students who have completed their courses over the last two years or more.
She was handing out chocolate coins to all the graduating students. We have to wait for our certificates to be posted out over the next few weeks. The coins symbolise her status as Chancellor and ‘Queen’ of the University of Falmouth. I was honoured to be handed the coin by her. As I walked towards her all I could say in panic was ‘thank you very much Dawn French in a very loud voice. 😍
I haven’t been around much for the last three days because I had travelled to Cornwall in England because I was graduating from Falmouth University after studying for my MA in Illustration.
We travelled down with @Ivans_UK_tours because I’m struggling to drive any great distance. We must have done around a thousand miles by travelling to Cornwall and back, plus driving around when we were down there. I would not have gone but I decided it was worth it. I’m glad I did. A hectic itinerary was well organised by our tour guide, Ivan Dale. We had real fun and it was am overwhelming experience. Especially seeing Dawn French who is Chancellor of the University.
These are another couple of pages from my book, the story is on the right embedded in my photoshop drawing. The pattern on the left is a photo of arrow shaped post-it notes and multi coloured foil circles glued together to represent dragon scales. I used a website called Blurb to create a single copy of the book. It even has an ISBN number!
Mallaband-Brown