New paintings and regular art updates.
Green and red complementary coloured abstract. Drawn digitally in a sketching app then manipulated in photodirector. The plate is a background you can place your design into in photodirector. The final image is a close up of the “dancers”. Maybe this idea is something I can pursue. The idea was inspired by a programme about Henri Mattise on Sky Arts.
Poppies everywhere on these two summery paintings. I took them over to Etruria last week so they should be on display at the Etruria Industrial museum today (Friday). The left hand one was based on the wildflowers on display at Trentham Gardens, the one on the right is emulating a tile pattern you would get on the side of a Victorian fireplace. Both were previously displayed at the Arts and Minds gallery at Middleport. It’s good to have a couple of venues to show my work at. I just need then to go to good homes now. X
For years I painted the scenery for the Penkhull Mystery plays. This one was about the river Trent starting near Stoke on Trent and travelling towards Hull. Each year I would do one or two large sections of painting. The show would start rehearsals in March? And be on in July for one day only on the village green. I miss those days. The excitement as we prepared and made things. Brilliantly directed by Greg Stevens. And organised by him and Kate Barfield. It had everything. Music, acting, tragedy, comedy. Plus morris and molly dancing, a bower of song, a Maypole dance, eukelali players and choirs. I don’t suppose we will do it again?
Thanks to my friend Tim for the photo.
Youth to age
All one thing
Sliding and slipping
Entwined spirits
Damage and youth
Smooth then wrinkled
The bath of life at work
My hands are aged
Twitching, throbbing
Trigger finger hurts.
But keep drawing
Never give up
Never!
Tuesdays #bandofsketchers prompt was World. A world.. Jupiter. From micro molecules last time to a macro planet x another felt pen drawing. It’s hard to get subtlety with felts, I tried dampening them with a little bit of water.
Eight years ago I painted this. I based it on a broken terracotta wall plaque that I’d had on the wall outside but I think the frost split it. It sort of reminds me of the green man theme and I think I actually bought it in a green man shop in Pickering in Yorkshire….. It was an acrylic on canvas and I guess I must have sold it as I haven’t seen it for years? You can get inspiration from all sorts of places if you look.
Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?
So many times I have missed deadlines for art competitions. I somehow freeze and lose confidence.
I think it stems from a college tutor who told me I would do badly and not get a good degree. I believed him and when I was successful I still questioned my validity. I come from a working class home and I didn’t have the self confidence to dismiss his opinion. I took three years to get over it and forever after I have felt some degree of imposter syndrome. I was once asked as l local artist to judge an art competition. It was so hard, I didn’t know what to do, whether I would disappoint people. The result was announced and I think people were pleased with my choice, but I felt great guilt!
It’s hard to think that those few words my tutor spoke forty years ago, sank deep into my heart. What would I be doing if I hadn’t listened to his poisoned words. I wish I knew then what I do now.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was ‘mol’ I did an abstract art idea of ‘mol’-ecules… Hubby criticised it for not being accurate! I tried to explain that I wanted to make it look like a thing with movement with ‘electrons’ and sub atomic particles whizzing around…
I’m tired after painting yesterday, but I might do something later. I decided to crop a picture I did a while ago. I like using geometric pattern and chaotic lines to create something different. Halfway between graffiti and a crystalline structure. One of the things about art is meaning. Often you have a long explanation next to a piece of art. However I do think art should speak for itself. Possibly I’m not intellectual enough to write a story about urban decay to explain this but, you know, it’s a doodle…. Maybe it indicates confusion. X
Life isn’t all perfect paintings. Sometimes if you can’t work out what to change you could take a photo and then use some digital filters to alter the image. It may not be perfect but it can be more interesting…
I used photodirector tools to make this look more like a print. It could also be painted on wood. The point is playing can help creativity. I like being a mad professor of experimental art. X
Mallaband-Brown