Swallow falls a year ago

I don’t remember when we actually visited Swallowfalls, it’s in Wales near Capel Curig. The water flows off the Snowdonia range. I think I drew this from an old photo. It’s one of my felt pen drawings that I do with #bandofsketchers. This was drawn in May 2022, when we were more restricted in where we could go and I was being so cautious I drew from references more than real life (I still limit where we go). I wish I was up to travelling over there. Wales is a wonderful, picturesque, friendly country. Visit if you can X

Sunset

Sunset was Sundays #bandofsketchers prompt. As we arrived at our holiday destination one summer I was amazed to see what appeared to be a tall beam of sunshine above the setting sun. I found out later that it was a sun pillar. I think its a phenomenon where sunlight reflects off ice crystals in the sky? A bit like sun dogs. Can’t find the photo to work off so tried to remember it…

Seclusion

Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was seclusion. I was secluded for about 20 hours when my phone battery started to overheat. I took it to the phone shop but it was closed, but I went back later and got a replacement. The pattern on this is meant to be a design for a phone case. Just taking something positive out of a difficult day x

Members collage

This is another group collage that the Orme Art Group did during lock-down. We each did a part of this Picasso painting and then submitted them to one of the group to stitch them together. I can’t remember which bit was mine. It’s interesting because although we were copying from the original you can see different techniques for each artist and also different colours and tones. I really enjoyed doing these collaborations.

Friendly flowers

Nasturtiums like poor soil. They have large seeds about the size of a pea. I think they would be great for children to grow. You can plant them in succession over a few weeks and they first put out tendrils with umbrella shaped leaves. When it rains droplets gather on their leaves. Then in late summer, or early autumn the flowers appear. Trumpet shaped, the flower from pale yellow to deep red, with diffeepatterns and stripes as well as full colour ones. You can eat the spicy leaves and flowers in salads or on cold soups. I think the victorians used to use them as food decorations.

Mural in Fenton Cafe

Mural at Fenton Town Hall by an unknown artist. It is painted in tiny squares (like pixels) and based on a plate design of an oak tree, cottages and a tumble down fence. I’ve seen it before about two years ago. Now it’s much more complete. It’s a huge picture. Very interesting and beautiful.

I had been told by staff there that it had been painted by a particular artist. I’m afraid that was not true and I’m happy to set the matter straight and confirm it was not painted by her.

Sweet treats

Our #bandofsketchers prompt today was sweet treat in honour of artist Wayne Thiebaud who died recently and who created art based on this theme (he did some beautiful work). Mine is Sweet treats. A bit dodgy because of my shaking arm and I was drawing on the back of a page where ink had bled through. Cup cakes in paper cases with icing and cherries on top…

An angel

One of my first digital drawings. I think I used a paintshop program. The angel was drawn in bright colours. With blue and purple wings. She places a star in the shape of a snowflake on top of a Christmas tree. I think when I created this I was just learning to draw with a mouse and gaining control of it. It was challenging but fun.

Seasons greetings to all my friends. X