New paintings and regular art updates.
Sneezing and snuffling now. I’m really tired. I just found an old digital drawing I did on the youdraw.com website. It depicts a sleeping woman and I think that’s meant to be a handkerchief. I get colds this time of year (this was on my Facebook memories)
Goodnight.
Freedom is a tiny bird
That flutters down to your hand
Perches on an outstretched finger
Preens and sings and looks you in the eye.
Freedom cannot be held still
It has to live and grow.
To fly free
An Eagle in a tiny body-
Strong and graced with beauty.
Freedom is for all,
Freedom must survive.
I’ve got to get on and paint. I’ve been distracted recently. I’m going to get my paints and brushes out tomorrow.
This is a close up of my Holly and Ivy painting that I started a couple of weeks ago.
We live in a world where art can be worth millions or pence, where there is no set price for anything. If you buy a TV they generally are a certain amount of money. If you do a painting of a TV then it seems to depend on who painted it, how well known they are. Whether there is a resale value. It also seems to depend on scarcity and if the person is alive or dead when generally the art is worth more. It’s a funny old world.
Anyway all that said I think art is important and I will keep making it.
X
Today was going to be the last day of my exhibition. But two things have happened. My painting ‘autumn vase’ has sold, and they have extended it till next weekend. The gallery is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to about 5pm.
Best of all I saw lots of friends there today as I was there so people could ‘meet the artist’ lots of cups of tea and chatting ensued. Many ideas and plans were discussed. My head is spinning but I had a great time. The gallery is so helpful and friendly.
Value pack. When you are creating art it’s good to use quality paints but I don’t spend too much on canvas. I’m not being mean, the stretched canvases are serviceable. It’s just that I’m not made of money but I want to paint.
Plans for future pictures:
Green men and women,
Winter men and women (images within trees)
Astronomical objects from moons and planets to novae and Galaxies.
Animal and human portraits, perhaps integrated with nature.
Architecture.
As you can see I’m planning to use a lot of canvas…..
My final solo show day at the waiting room gallery is tomorrow, 22nd September 2019. Its open from 12noon to I think 5pm.
Im hoping people that couldn’t get to the opening will come along tomorrow.
It’s near Longport Station (which is being restored) and is a great new artist led gallery. I’m hoping to sort out some prints with them so they will have artwork for sale with them after the show has ended.
So that’s The Waiting Room Gallery, Longport, ST6 4ND. Maybe see you there. x
Dust rising (or Dust 19) is a group show by artists being held at Spode alongside the British ceramic biennial which is currently on till mid October.
This is me with one of the plates that have been created out of transfer prints. (if you look over my left shoulder the green patterns on the window are where the image comes from).
It’s amazing what’s going on here. We might be a bit down in the dumps but Stoke-on-Trent is so full of creativity. There is still a full time Fine Art course at Staffordshire University which is quite unusual in the current economic climate.
Stoke-on-Trent is situated in the middle of beautiful countryside. You can’t complain if you want places to visit.
So I guess what I’m saying is come visit!
This portrait of a friends three children must be twenty years old or more. All I have as an image is an old photocopy of a photo of it….which is why it’s blurred..
The three children were having breakfast when the photo was taken. There was strong sunlight shining into the room. The main colour was pale pink but the pin board behind them and the deep shadows made a good contrast.
I’d like to share a photo of my painting but I haven’t seen it for years. I used to do a lot more portrait painting but I guess now selfies are the fashionable thing they are less likely to be commissioned.
If you would like a portrait don’t hesitate to contact me.
X
He was a mad cat,
Jumped on kites,
sat in the middle of the road.
Climbed shelves,
ran round the local shop.
Climbed the curtains,
chased dogs
Mad yowling,
Running round at high speed.
Pouncing and preening.
Playing…
Someone was asking for ti’s on how to start drawing today so I gave this response.
Choose good quality things to draw with. If you use pencils try softer ‘b’ numbers not hard ‘h’ ones. It’s nice to see the marks you make. Also choosing a combination of thin and thick nibbed black pens means you can have different sizes of marks. Choose a sketchbook that has at least a hard back if you can. Not too big. That way it’s easier to hold and it doesn’t slump mid drawing. Finally you could practice making marks with them. I started drawing copies of things when I was a child. I chose something I liked. It helps your hand eye coordination. You don’t have to do that though. Everyone will do things differently.
I suppose I could have talked more about what to draw, but I think basic equipment is important. If you draw something but it looks weedy and thin it it can put you off. Like when you use cheap paints. You don’t get a good effect, you can’t really see the result and you might have to scrub at the paper to get the marks to show up.
X
Mallaband-Brown