This popped up on my Facebook memories today, it’s a mural I painted on lining paper on the wall in the Arnold Bennett suite at the Leopard Hotel, in Burslem, Stoke on Trent. It’s about 13 or 14 years since I painted it. It’s based on the Burslem Riot which happened at the same time as other riots were happening in the country about how people were being treated. I think it was organised by the chartists in 1843 (when they were trying to get the vote if I remember right). The riot act was read to disperse the crowd. A man called Josiah Heapy was shot dead by the troops and is remembered as a victim of oppression by the local elite. The main characters in the ainting were all based on people I knew.
Tag: Art
Colour on the windowledge
Colour is my friend,
It holds my hand
Shines from my eyes
Visits my dreams.
Colours tickle my taste buds,
Get up my nose,
Flirts with my senses.
Colours touch my heart,
Play with my mind,
Cures my blues.
Colours are in me
Around me
Through me.
Are me!
Urban sketching rules
Since urban sketchers challenge today was shadow, I could have drawn something like this. But we are not allowed to work from photos. Also the image needs to be in context, so not just the glass and table, but the surroundings. It makes for more difficult art, you have to think about what you are including. There are Facebook pages you can join and a monthly magazine that shows urban sketching from around the world.
This years annual urban sketchers meet up was cancelled because of the virus. It would have been in Leeds. Hopefully it will happen next year.
Usk challenge, shadows
I’ve put 13.7.20, but it was actually 13.8.20, thirteenth of August. The prompt today was shadows, this is the view of the plants and buildings in the background from our side window. There may not be many more prompts because we have to come up with them ourselves, I wonder what we could come up with…..
I decided afterwards to add some dark watercolour to it, but then decided to add a few colours too. 
I also changed the date on it. Its still shaded. I think it looks quite nice.
Good morning
Autumn Acers, painting from when I visited Jodrell bank a few years ago. I was just browsing my photos and thought how nice it would be to sit in their dappled shade this morning. Its already about 27 Celsius inside the house this morning, and hotter still outside . I’m up early to do some college work, but the heat is getting to me. The humidity is the worst thing. We had torrential rain along with another massive thunderstorm last night and more is forecast for today. Luckily I live on a hill, but i thought my car would get washed away last night because the water cascading down the hill started to look like a river. I would not be surprised if properties further down on the flat main road got flooded! So, yes, dappled shade in the garden is what I might be seeking a bit later on when I have a break. I’ll be back later.
Grrrr
Good, I seem to be back to the old fashioned WordPress. I just tried posting on my tablet and everything looked completely different! I think I was in ‘blocks’! Now I have a post you can only see half of, basically this little drawing of a little goose isn’t even showing up unless you press a button to show more. Why? Grrr! I’ve been using WordPress for a couple of years now and I thought I’d got it sussed.
Ah well, sorry to moan.
Little goose
Something has happened to my word press. I want the old version back please?
Paint texture
I was looking at my old summer dream painting and noticed how dusty it was. I realised that the surface od the paint is quite raised. This was when I was painting in oils in a more impasto way. I don’t do that in acrylics, I don’t know why, because it’s quite interesting to look at? Maybe it’s something I could try out. I have a large tube of white oil paint. Maybe I could add coloured chalk into it as an experiment. I can do anything I guess.
I do like how sassy I got this image. She’s got real character. A proper glint in her eye.
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Drawing portraits
This is from a few years ago. I think it was just someone in a cafe or a pub. I don’t remember asking permission to draw him. But this is about twenty years old, so there is no reason why I would. What I like to do is draw carefully. I don’t pick my pencil up to measure, but I do look carefully. I try and get the proportions right. I look at the length of the nose, the width of the lips. The length of the hair and the shape of the person’s face. Portrait drawing and painting can be nerve wracking. But I enjoy doing it. I’m addicted to art.
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Mark making
Take a pencil a pen or a paintbrush
Make a mark
See what happens
Feel joy and wonder
Learn your skills
Slowly, patiently,
Or fast
Reach for your imagination.
Be creative.
Create!
