New paintings and regular art updates.
Digital manipulation of paving blocks. The colours are from water and green algae on the blocks. The perspective of them means that because I have mirrored them both side to side and up and down there appears to be a bulge in the centre of the picture. I again used the Layout app that comes with Instagram to do the mirroring.
A few years ago I did a series of paintings of pottery that were displayed in a local hotel on the Spode factory site. It was great to see my work on show in different venue to a gallery. The hotel staff were very friendly and welcoming. I liked the fact the works were hung on rough brickwork. It gave it more of a feeling of industrial heritage. I’d like the opportunity to do it again.
A few paintings and cards at the Waiting Room gallery. I was thinking of doing a craft fair stall soon, but it’s too far away if I have to drive on my own. Since my arm started shaking I won’t drive far without my hubby. Not because I can’t but because I get very tense and my shoulders ache. I might try and get involved with something closer to home. In the meantime I need to work towards the end of my MA and also an exhibition I should be having in the spring or summer.
#bandofsketchers prompt for Sunday was bright lights. I tried, but there aren’t many bright lights near where I live so I made up a Las Vegas sign, didn’t like it so put it through a digital filter….increasing the brightness, colours, adding texture.
Sitting in the Waiting room gallery, looking out on a blustery day. The road in front runs down past the gallery on the left of where I was seated then on behind me to the Longport station building where trains regularly stop. That is why the gallery is called :the Waiting room’. The gallery is linked with the station and is a community space that is run by the volunteers who have worked on maintaining the station building. I don’t know the full details but it’s good the station is still in use. Its just a short walk from there to the Trent and Mersey canal and along it to the Middleport pottery. It was a bleak, wet and windy day, but we were warm and snug at the gallery with a cup of coffee and a scone too!
Just been up to the Waiting room gallery in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. They have hung my tryptich of Jupiter and it is for sale if anyone wants to contact me about it. I’ve said I would sell canvases individually but I think it’s better if it was sold as all three canvases. The image is based on a photo of Jupiter’s surface including part of one if its poles. I’m not sure which? Taken by the Juno mission a few years ago. Acrylic on canvas. It’s hung horizontally but it could be hung vertically or even diagonally. Is there an up and down in zero gravity? Just imagine being there, what a fantastic sight it would be!
Playing with complementary colours. I like red/green and blue/orange but a favourite is this combination yellow/purple. I yexturised the original pattern then mirror ed two of each, original and textured. Interestingly the colours seem to change as I used the texturising filters so I put them through Instagram to boost the intensity of the colours. It’s just a fun pattern.
Eerie multiple photo. If I was describing it to someone I would say it looks almost human, but it could be some strange concoction of a scent hunter. The noses look weird because they are wider than normal, and the eyes are tiny and embedded into the facial flesh. It could almost be part of a bestiary. I have found a few images in them that are quite amazing and also bizarre, but I think this could almost fit in with the criteria of one of them. X
Part of my college course is to write a report as part of my final submission. I’m trying to produce something about the historical illustration of Dragons. From China and Japan, to the medieval era including images from medieval bestiaries, and on through time to the present day. But its such a huge subject, with so many branching ideas. When did dragons go from no limbs to four limbs, to four limbs and two wings? How has the depiction of their heads changed? Were they always fire breathing? Are they spirits or ‘real’ physical beings (albeit in a fantasy world). Do they communicate with humans, are they intelligent.
My intention is to identify types and styles of dragons. Describe how they have been depicted and expand my knowledge of the illustrators creating them and their incredible imaginations.
I’m looking at authors like JRR Tolkien, Cressida Cowell, who also illustrated their books and Josh Kidby who illustrated the covers of Terry Pratchetts ‘Discworld’ novels among others.
Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was Station. Very quick sketch of Cheddleton Station from a photo. I used a picture as its probably not open to the public till Easter but we’ve been there and on the train several times.
Mallaband-Brown