Music and singing

Posted on June 18, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged A capella, Blogging, Choir, Education, Enjoyment, Fun, Learning, Life, Music, School, SongsLeave a comment

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I’ve been to a choir workshop on Sunday where we learnt songs and short pieces over a four hour period, then tonight I was learning songs for the penkhull mystery play which is being accompanied by Clay Chorus, a choir I’m part of. I’m a member of the cast of the play, so I might not actually be singing all the songs but it’s good to learn them.

It is quite tiring doing so much singing. It takes concentration and the ability to listen closely to your fellow choir members and the choir leader. We learn a capella so we often don’t have any accompaniment.

I also went to a concert on Saturday night and later today I will be watching a live broadcast of the Pirates of Penzance at our local cinema.

Music can transport your mind, calm stress, but also excite and enthral. Music can be raucous, noisy, loud, rhythmic and ugly. It can also bring tranquility and peace.

I think music should be taught more, to all ages and abilities. It should not be elitist and should not be for the privileged few. Music broadens the mind and the senses.

Holiday sketches.

Posted on June 14, 2019June 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Chalets, Drawing, Fun, Life, Lodge, Scribbles, Sketching, Trees, Urban sketchingLeave a comment

Some sketches from our short break. Including two doodles when it was to wet and dark and the TV was on the blink. My hubby reading, a sketch inside the cabin, a drawing of Fountains Abbey in the rain, the view out of the window, and finally trees which I coloured in.

Sketching keeps me occupied and gives me something to do when I want to be artistic.

It doesn’t cost much to draw, you can use a biro and the back of an envelope. You have to try and stay dry but it’s good to get out and about.

UK urban sketchers annual event, Sunday

Posted on June 10, 2019June 10, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Fun, Life, School, SketchingLeave a comment

Who knew so many people would get together and draw for three days in mostly very wet conditions. Here are a few more photos of the event on Sunday in Hanley.

Art is important, it is creative, it shows us new things, new ideas, new ways of looking at things. It helps understanding of the complex as well as the simple.

I think it should be compulsory to do some sort of art at school (well I would), but nowadays the core curriculum seems to have shrunk without the breadth of knowledge of the past. In the meantime dumbing down seems to be the norm.

Ah life, so strange. Thank goodness for art.

Cat stairs

Posted on June 6, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Cats, Fun, Kittens, Life, Micro poem, Play, Poem, Poetry, Stairs, StaresLeave a comment

Cat, stares

Cat, stairs.

Black and white kittens

With white mittens,

Golden eyes

Glint in the light.

Bouncing about,

Jumping with energy,

Playing tail chase,

Pouncing on legs.

Cats on stares

Cat stares

Golden eyed

Then yawn.

Yesterdays sketches

Posted on June 2, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Etruria festival, Etruria Industrial museum, Fun, Life, Sketching, Urban sketchingLeave a comment

Just a few, sketched while at the Etruria festival. There was a giant chess board which I drew with a black sharpie, a few people were playing the game, but it seemed mainly young children walking across the board.

I was trying to draw the trees round the back of the museum. The trouble was there were too many leaves. One of the drawings is of the flint mill chimney and part of my husbands head. The other is of a couple sitting and drinking tea. I didn’t want them to know so I kept having to look away when they looked towards me.

Canal festival at Etruria.

Posted on June 1, 2019June 1, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Barges, Boats, Bubbles, Canal, Etruria canal festival, Fun, Life, MusicLeave a comment

From bubbles and paradise gardens to bubbles and canal boats. Etruria festival whuch started today and continues tomorrow was abuzz with fun and frolics. There were human fruit machines and storytellers, lions and bonzai. The place was having fun.

You can go and see the flint mill in steam, buy candyfloss and look at the Sculpted Steel blacksmith. I’ve taken photos but not too many. Just enough to give an idea. Good to see Etruria artists and their stall. I’m a member but things have been a bit busy lately.

Anyway it’s on again tomorrow.

If cats could fly?

Posted on May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Flying cats, Fun, Humour, Life, Pegasus, Sci fi, Sky, Wings2 Comments

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If cats had wings would they chase birds in the sky? Would pigeons be safe? Would they swoop down like owls and catch voles from on high?

Horses have Pegasus, cats could be mythological, why not. They were worshipped as gods in Egypt, imagine them flying up to tree tops. Mioawing a Dawn chorus.

With genetic modification they could grow huge wings to allow them to hover like drones, waiting to see when their owners come home, spiralling down to perch on feeding stations.

Their coats could be patterned with spirals and chequer boards in blues and purples.

Why not?

Moustache madness

Posted on May 31, 2019May 31, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Beard, Cheerful, Face, Fun, Funny, Humour, Laugh, Micro poetry, Moustache, Poem, Poetry1 Comment

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I came across this photo from about 5 years ago….

When attending a moustache workshop

Be careful where you put the glue

You might end up looking like Rembrant

Laughing like a cavalier.

You might end up with curling eyebrows,

Or with a twisting beard.

Just don’t go mad with super glue

Or you might have it for Years!

Sunflower

Posted on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Fun, Garden, Life, Micro poetry, Plants, Poem, Poetry, Sun, SunflowerLeave a comment

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Let your face shine in the sun,

Turning to catch all the rays,

Like a radio telescope tracking the stars.

Your flower, crackling with energy.

How beautiful and regal you are.

Brimming with sunlight,

Gleaming with golden hues.

Sunflower, King of flowers.

Gem of plants,

Strong, bold, liquid gold.

It’s up!

Posted on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Centre space, Eleanora street, Exhibition, Fun, Life, Painting, Spode, Spode Heritage visitors centre, Stoke, Stoke-on trent5 Comments

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I’m so pleased with my exhibition which opens tomorrow. Darren and Sarah who run the Centre Space couldn’t have been more helpful.

I will post some photos of the paintings tomorrow when they are on show. I was pleased with the way the exhibition looks and the careful way that it was put up. I hope I get a few commissions out of it.

Will people understand my passion for painting green men? Or my love if planets and astronomy? My quirky ideas about earth, air, fire and water and a series of national and international animals and birds?

I hope whatever people like there will be something that will pique their interest. Like a victorian collector of curiosities I enjoy the odd, interesting, and fun.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Fun