New paintings and regular art updates.
This large papier mache hat was made for out pantomime a few years ago, it was about a meter wide. Painted to look like an old Spode pottery design. With roman or grecian patterns round the cup. I wish we could be certain that the pantomime we are rehearsing at the moment. This is a photo I found on my phone because I’m trying to clear off some of them to make more space, but I’m keeping this one.
I wrote this poem on Facebook a year ago. The Wassail which would have been in January, had been cancelled so I wrote this poem. It might be cancelled again in January 2022.
Drink mulled cider
Dance and turn
beat the apple bough
Sing and burn
Fires to fight
And defeat the dark
Bring good fortune
To the bark.
Wassail the folk
Who sing in praise
A happy new year
And prosperity raise.
Remembered wassail
But not this time
Socially distanced
Won’t be the same.
I think it’s a crab eating a shell? I want to do a painting of a crab as a late Christmas present. Basically I didn’t get my act together in time for a birthday present and then I promised to do it as a Christmas gift, and now look what’s happened! It’s been a hard year for me physically and mentally and I don’t seem to have the capacity to do things like I used to.
I must stop moaning and get on with things. But if you get a Christmas card off me in mid January, let me apologise now! X
I tried adding texture with photodirector to this little drawing I did at Trentham Gardens in 2017. I like the way the rushes stand forward slightly more in the digitally adjusted one. I have a ‘go to’ style in Photodirector, I go to the effects option then generally choose option two or sometimes six. That seems to concentrate and texturise the drawing.
I just saw a photo of this painting and thought of simpler times. When people could meet in groups, no one wore face coverings, and there was less fear in the world.
The conversation flows, there is gentle banter, there are smiles and laughter. People drink and eat and share food, a mouthful or two of delicious fruit or a compote. Wine and beer, fruit juice and water. The voices murmur, no need to shout through a mask and at a distance. I hope we can go back to more carefree times, but we will have to see. Stay safe. X
Sweet little cat
Plays with my keyboard
Paws on the mouse
She rules my office
Queen of the house!
I love her dearly
But when I’m working
She has very nearly
Crashed all my work!
I finally got out and did an urban sketch! Hanley Park bandstand yesterday afternoon in the mist. I drew it from the cafe terrace. I coloured it in at home because I’d been out singing carols with the Mystery Singers choir and only took a sketchbook on the off-chance I might draw.
Looking at this and the photos I took I can see I’ve exaggerated the perspective on the bandstand, but I think that helps as I was looking down on it from the cafe terrace.
Oh for autumn
Gone away
Not to be seen
For another day
Plants die back
Leaves fall down
Winter comes
And freezes the ground
Warmth has seeped
Away from here
Brilliant sun
No longer near
Frosts and fogs
Are here this year
To chill your bones
Cold winds you hear.
So come back autumn
Come back spring
One more summer
To make me sing.
I was trying to draw a face that had a child like quality as an example for the children’s book project I’m doing for college. I used black ink fine liner pen to draw and shade it and add some freckles. I was worriedcthe shading was a bit to strong so I decided to use a charcoal pencil to add a bit of softness. Then I coloured the eyes and the lips (I’m planning to use black and white drawings with small coloured highlights). Each drawing is different but it’s helping me decide what I’m doing.
I wasn’t expecting this lovely card from my friend Martha. (Women’s Wilderness Legend – living the Metaphor, marthakennedyblog.com) in Monte Vista near Denver (I hope I’ve got that right). I met her through WordPress and I really enjoy her blog. She is a writer and artist who lives with her two dogs. Reading her blog cheers me up. So interesting to see someone else’s point of view. It gives you a perspective on the world seeing another person’s point of view. Seeing those mountains in the background of the painting makes me realise how small (but very ancient) the hills and mountains of Britain are. We don’t get snow regularly like her mountains. I love this depiction of them.
Mallaband-Brown