New paintings and regular art updates.
I went to the opening of Arts and Minds which is a gallery and support space for veterans today. It is at Middleport in stoke-on-trent. They were selling crocheted poppies for remembrance day, but they also had a few purple poppies for healing. I bought one and am wearing it on my jumper near my heart. It’s symbolic of how I feel. My heart is breaking and needs to heal. I’ve tried to Kee busy today, but somehow feel sadder.
I was asked if I had any more poppy paintings for the shop unit today so I resurrected an old painting.
This was from 2019, it was a Poppy that lacked definition, it was a bit dark and flat. I was never very happy with the leaves so I over painted them too. Acrylic on canvas.
Thinking of trying another idea for a painting. Wheat and poppy. Using red, blue green and yellow with thin black outlines. It would have to be stylized to fit in with the new technique I’m using but I don’t want to overdo it. I love the way poppy petals are shaped and coloured.
Ten years ago I painted this beautiful flower. I think it’s a type of poppy called Shirley, I grew some from seeds. What I like is the pale centre instead of the usual dark, or black pattern in the middle. I deliberately used a pale background to compliment the light reflected on the petals. When poppies unfurl from their buds they look papery but they are quite strong, not delicate, its just a shame they don’t last very long and soon fade.
Deep in the jungle of vegetation that is our back garden are a few passion flower plants. They were coming into bud over the last few days and at last one has flowered! It’s sitting next to a fushia plant and is on the ground. Another one is trained up the downpipe to the guttering and a third is trained along the trellis fence above the wall. The only worry is the hot weather and lack of water. We have been using a hosepipe but that is likely to be banned soon. That’s part of the reason why I hang the hanging baskets one above the other.. It drops through and waters the one below too..
Two wild poppies
On a short walk
Waved to me in the wind
Jolly red and bright.
On rough ground
Seeds had fallen
Nurtured with rain
Baked in the sun
Bright poppies
Like happy smiling children
Waved to me
In the wind
On a short walk
Our old peonies didn’t flower this spring but a new peony has come into bloom and its a pale creamy pin. Is a bright spot in a very overgrown jungle! Hubby asked if it was a poppy and I thought it would be until he showed it to me. I don’t even remember planting it.
Gardening takes hard work and effort. I wish I had the energy to do more of it. The garden needs a serious hacking back. Bringing light back in and reducing shade… Its actually quite frightening.
Nine years since I painted this poppy with a white centre. I think that makes it look fresh and cool. Poppies have paper thin, crinkled petals. They look so delicate. I have lots of yellow, Welsh poppies in the garden, but not as many red ones that seem to need more sunlight. This was an acrylic on canvas and I think it sold quite quickly? But after almost a decade I still love it.
This little purple flower with a white centre with five spiralling petals is called a Vinca. It has glossy dark green leaves and sprawls across the ground under dappled shady patches. We used to have some in our garden but I think the shade got too deep and other plants grew over it. We will have to try again. It cheers me to see this purple among the muted colours of helibores and fading tulips. Soon the summer will arrive and the flowers will change again.
Yesterday’s #bandofsketchers prompt was inside my head. I drew a complicated pattern, I think I have a whirlwind in my mind! Felt pens and fine line ink pen. A bit like a chrysanthemum opening up.
Mallaband-Brown