Winter man painting

2014 acrylic on canvas. I’d painted tree spirits previously and was trying to create something with the branches. My friend, who is a sculptor bought it off me because she said she might use the design to create something in three dimensions. I might do some more paintings like this to go with my Green man pictures. Plus I want to include autumn colours. X

Just wrote to my MP

Dear XXX MP
Why have I just had to give my takeaway meal to a homeless woman by xxx bank in xxx tonight. Why is she sitting there with a wet duvet, in the cold. Articulate and desperate. Crying.
She didn’t ask for our help, she was just desperate.
Why do I need to take pity on someone? Be a good Samaritan. Why isn’t your damn government doing something Christian to sort things out?
Oh we can’t afford it? But you damn well won’t charge taxes to the rich!
Yours Sincerely
Xxxxx Mallaband-Brown

But I shouldn’t have to write this. Our MP doesn’t seem to be in touch with the local population. I don’t even know if she lives here. When she was first elected she answered my emails, then one of her staff answered. Now I expect silence. In the meantime people are suffering. If I’d had somewhere for her to go I would have offered her somewhere to stay.

Sunflower and Cyclamen

It’s amazing what will grow in a hanging basket. There are cyclamen that my hubby recently planted at the back of this basket, plus miniature sunflowers he planted the seeds of in the spring. An interesting combination at this time of year….

Today is cold, wet and windy. You can see the raindrops on the window, but as long as the temperature does not fall too low these should last a little longer. Below the basket you can see begonia leaves. Their flowers are still surviving too. Any little bit of food for insects. I hope the bees got their fill this summer.

The thing on the fence is our weather station, I can see the weather when I look out the window, but it’s good to watch the air pressure going up and down…

Gemini

I’m into Astronomy not Astrology, but I do like the symbols that are used, I just tried this out as an idea to symbolise the Gemini ♊ twins. I wanted to capture the feeling of identical and non identical at the same time. I did consider different skin tones and eye colours. This is also female, but I could have drawn male instead. Drawn in ArtRage oils and Sketch apps, it is again an example of digital drawing. I might put it through a few filters and see what results.

Basis for a drawing

This was the view I was looking at when I did my Sketch earlier on. As you can see things were a lot darker in reality. I looked more at the shapes, concentrating on drawing them in first, then adding trees and branches afterwards. The silver grey seems to sit back in the background, the tones do not match this photo but does that matter? I keep drawing and hope I’m progressing. X

Trike trouble

Oops

! One of the trike wheels collapsed when hubby did a tight turn. The rim had rusted on the inside and lost strength. We are going to try and have new rear wheel rims and spokes fitted for both wheels as it’s an old kit that can be attached to a bike frame. It’s old but worth restoring.

There’s an old fashioned bike shop up the hill. We are hoping to get the rims sorted at not too much expense. I would prefer to get both done.

Fingers crossed 🤞

Black and white art…

I’ve duplicated the Picasso copies I did and put them through a black and white filter.

That way you can concentrate on the mark making I’ve made. I think there are some aspects of the marks I could have looked at better, but I also think I’ve got a bit of my own style in these. Plus you know me and pattern making. I can’t seem to stop embellishing things, so Picasso ‘speaks’ to me….

Is tthere any artist you would like to reproduce yourself….? It’s an interesting challenge to copy other people’s art, especially something you would never usually do. It helps you look and learn.

Roses

The roses have faded and are gone. Only memories stay with you. Perfume, thorns.

The autumn and fungi are here, rosehips are swelling, elderberries feed the birds. Clouds are gathering, nights are earlier, mornings later. Time for spooky evenings, pumpkins and spiders. Black cats and rats. Mists descend, people try and raise their spirits with bonfires and fireworks, lighting up the sky with flashes and whizzes. Now few entertainments will be allowed. Life continues, but a grey boredom faces us. Keep away, keep away, keep away, the bird Sings. Out of the darkness people laugh, hide, drink, get up to high jinks. Fools for a day or the season. As the year creeps on festivals are cancelled, subscriptions to TV channels you never watched before increase. Firms named after rain forests cash in. Work continues but strangely. And snacks to comfort us are eaten. Winter arrives in cold airs and frosts, the seasons turn. Will spring and rose buds ever return or will black spot spoil the days?

It’s your life too

I will wear it for you,

to keep you safe,

for old friends,

and new.

I will try and be safe,

wash my hands,

even wash my shopping.

I will keep my distance,

not hug,

not shake your hand.

I will cough into my elbow,

tap feet,

not touch.

I love you dearly,

I want all to be well,

all shall be well?

Are you well?

Keep safe.

X