New paintings and regular art updates.
Decided to look up this topic. Our prompt for #bandofsketchers was Counter culture. I’d forgotten about hippys and ‘Peace and Love’ in the 60’s. Lots of pattern and colour. Chilling and relaxing ‘man’! I went for flower power and the CND symbol. Have a happy day! X
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was trading. I was thinking about all the crops that get sent around the world that don’t really pay the growers a fair price. Many people in the world only earn a few pounds a day, not enough to live well, not enough to pay for education or health services. I wish more people bought fair trade crops, but I guess as the cost of living crisis becomes worse the people at the bottom of the ladder will get treated worse. X
Beauty in a bloom,
Hidden shapes
Finding nectar
Bee time
Hover flies
Burnished ladybirds
Crawling, flying, scuttling.
Flowers feed them
They feed us.
Save the insects
Saving flowers
Saving us!
My purse on my chair which I’m using as an easle. Paintings to the side and behind, pallette underneath it. Digitally manipulated. I just thought it looked interesting. The cat really has a strong stare. The way it’s crumpled makes it looks like it’s frowning. I don’t know whether anyone would actually like something like this?
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was North. I decided to draw a design for a weather vane that points North. I thought I’d rather draw this rather than someone standing at the North Pole. Either that or a compass could have been a choice. Felt pen drawing in my sketchbook.
When I was young trains were still pulled by steam engines. That’s right, I’m that old!
Our town station had a circular wooden booking hall and you walked down steps to the platforms. It was eventually demolished and a concrete station was built to replace it. If we wanted to go anywhere we had to go via Birmingham New Street. Apparently our town was almost chosen for the main station in the Midlands but Birmingham got it.
Our trips included travelling to Blackpool and to the Isle of Wight. We didn’t have a car then so any distances would have to be on a train or on a coach (coaches were better in some ways because they came back later than trains). I remember the Blackpool trip because we went up Blackpool Tower (looking a lot like the Eiffel Tower, but on top of a building). When we got to the viewing platform on the top the waves on the sea looked almost stationary. It looked weird. My mom told me she had once taken a plane ride around the tower in a tiny plane! I remember Blackpool pleasure Beach. Its the funfair on the ‘front’, including a ghost train and a big dipper roller coaster at that time I think, it has probably changed a lot now.
Then home on the steam train and a trolley bus (powered by overhead electric cables) home. I don’t remember arriving at home, I must have fallen asleep.
When we went to the canal festival a few weeks ago we both sat and drew. My hubby did a quick sketch of the large chimney at the back of the museum. You can see that although he doesn’t normally draw he’s got the idea of perspective and the regular lines on top of the bricks are the iron bands supporting the chimney all the way up its length. He’s also included a roof and trees and a brick wall.
Art isn’t something he generally does. He will pick up an adult colouring book sometimes but he tends to colour in with lines rather than shading things in fully. I think that is because he has a lot of anxiety and his mind bounces about and he doesn’t settle to one thing. But he is willing to try. I think that’s important. Art should be for everyone. They might not be Raphael or Titian but who knows what might emerge? Art is, I think, very important to humans, for aesthetics or design, communication or lifestyle. Just do it! ❤️
What WAS on the easle. The crab painting is going to a relative who may see it and I don’t want her to see the finished article. It’s boxed up and ready to go. Acrylic paint means I could get it finished today, but I’m too late to catch the post. I always dither about posting things, I try and use boxes I’ve received things in so I use a LOT of parcel tape. Also bubble wrap. I hope it will arrive safely…. I’ll post a picture of the finished work when it has got to its recipient. X
Overflow to a lake or pond. I was stuck by how it was constructed with something that looked like a cartwheel to stop people or things falling in? A bit flimsy. Perhaps it needs a grating or lid on top. Still the moss on the spokes was very natural. The water must be quite clean x
Staffordshire University is holding its first degree shows for a couple of years. We went to see the fine art show today. Its also on tomorrow. I thought the show was one of the best I had seen in years. (we go most years). There was a lot of interesting images and ideas. Some exceptional painters and thought provoking installations. I decided not to take photos as each of the students will have their own copyright and I didn’t have permission to take pictures of their work. If you are in the area tomorrow pop in and take a look? Check on Google for opening times. Staffordshire University, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
Mallaband-Brown