Mevagissey watercolour

Posted on May 7, 2024May 7, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged 1996, Art, commissioned, Cornwall, harbour, Life, Mevagissey, Painting, Watercolour, wedding present4 Comments

I had a lovely surprise this morning, a message from a lady who I had done a painting for, for their wedding present. It was a commission for her and her husband by her neighbour who I used to work with. It’s dated 1996.

Mevagissey is in Cornwall in the South West of England. We drove down to it on a day trip one summer.

It’s a long time ago and sadly I don’t remember painting it, but it’s got my signature on it and is dated, so it’s definitely mine. I used to like painting landscapes like this, the detail is such a challenge, getting it accurate. I doubt I could do it now.

The lady says she still has it on display and it’s admired by her friends. Not bad for thirty years ago! It’s so good to know my work is appreciated.

Sunlight over bluebells, a year ago

Posted on May 3, 2024 Posted in Memories, Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Anniversary, Art, Bluebell, dappled light, Felt pens, Memory, Sadness, Sunlight, Time, WoodsLeave a comment

An innocent day, a year ago. We were out at a Rode Hall, walking through the bluebell woods. No sign of the troubles ahead.

I wish I could hold the hand I held for 43 years, so firm and strong, walking into sunlight with you. Taking each step carefully along the path. You leading the way, supporting me.

I heard the birds singing and felt a gentle breeze that shook the bluebell heads. Nodding in the dappled shade. All ready for some fairy parade when we were gone.

I drew this later from a photo, I wish I could go back in time.

My Molly Leigh mural

Posted on May 3, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Arnold Bennett suite, Art, Burslem, Cottage, Fine Art, Leopard Hotel, medicinal plants, molly leigh, Mural, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Witch4 Comments

I painted this mural several years ago on the wall in the Arnold Bennett suite in the Leopard Hotel in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. The building sadly burnt down on 22nd January 2023 and remains a burned out husk of the former historical hotel.

It represents the Burslem witch Molly Leigh.

Margaret ‘Molly’ Leigh was an English property owner in the Staffordshire town of Burslem who, in her will, left substantial sums to charity. She was also accused of witchcraft, and, after her death, her grave was disturbed following claims she was haunting the town. Wikipedia

Born 1685, died 1746.

Her grave is in a Burslem church yard and is set at 90° to the other graves to indicate witchcraft.

My painting shows her old cottage and medicinal plants such as foxgloves. It’s a moonlit night and I painted a ring of icy cloud around the moon to make it more spooky. The ancient woman depicted is actually based on a French peasant woman by Theodore Gericault.

Quick owl

Posted on May 1, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Bird, bird of prey, Feathers, Fine Art, Life, Memory, Owl, PaintingLeave a comment

I’m going to try and get to an art project about Molly Leigh, the witch of Burslem. I want to try and do a painting of her, but I only had a bit of time today, and because I’m trying to get back into painting again I decided to paint an owl. I did it because it’s a magical kind of bird, the way they can fly silent as a whisper to catch their prey. It’s a small acrylic on canvas. I’m not sure of the species as I based this on a precious owl painting I did a few years ago.

Identifit?

Posted on April 30, 2024April 30, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, ArtRage app, Digital drawing, Drawing, Fun, incollage app, Sketching, Stylus5 Comments

Trying to line up the features I have been drawing recently. Looks like an identifit photo! The nose and mouth were a bit big so I had to shrink them down, I used my incollage app on my phone to line the images up.

Eyes prompt

Posted on April 30, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, ArtRage app, Digital drawing, Drawing, Eyes, Face, Life, Prompt, Sketching2 Comments

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was eyes. Well I had a go, digital drawing with a stylus. Eyes drawn on my Artrage app. I’m shaking a bit much to get a neat image. I used various pen and smudge tools to get a softer image but I want to try and do some real painting and drawing soon if I can overcome my shaking.

Pattern prompt

Posted on April 28, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Digital drawing, Drawing, Pattern, Photodirector, Prompt, sketchbook app, Sketching, symmetrical, TreeLeave a comment

For #bandofsketchers prompt pattern, I was playing with a previous digital drawing. I altered it in my Sketchbook app on my phone to add more symmetrical patterns and lines, then I adjusted it in photodirector.

Pink

Posted on April 28, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, ArtRage app, Digital drawing, Life, lips, Mouth, Pink, Prompt, SketchingLeave a comment

#bandofsketchers prompt was pink, Following on from my nose drawing, here’s some pink lips x not brilliant, maybe I should have drawn flowers. I’ve tried to be accurate but I think I’ve created a trout pout! Anyway it’s drawn in the Artrage app on my phone.

Grey lady

Posted on April 27, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Art, Fine Art, Ghostly, Little Moreton Hall, Painting, self portrait, Staffordshire, Stained glass, WindowLeave a comment

Self portrait reflected in a stained glass window at Little Moreton Hall in Staffordshire. The idea was to create a ghostly image in keeping with the age of the property. I could have gone all out and added an Elizabethan headdress but I didn’t want to over complicate the idea. The painting is set at sunset when things get a bit more spooky. I do like creating narrative images.

Science and Art

Posted on April 26, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1920, Fine Art, Juno probe, Nasa, Painting, Prompt, Science, triptych6 Comments

What topics do you like to discuss?

That’s why I like trying to paint astronomical pictures, like this tryptic of Jupiters pole based on the photos by NASAs Juno probe.

I’ve always been interested in both subjects, I wouldn’t say I was an expert, I will always check my facts if I write about science, but I enjoy thinking things through. And having a visual mind helps me imagine how things work.

Art is my first love, I worry that I will find it increasingly difficult to create since my diagnosis with Parkinsons disease. I would be bereft if I could not continue. I hope that better treatment becomes available, another reason for being interested in science

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Art