New paintings and regular art updates.
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.
Here is a better photo of my mural that was destroyed in a fire at the Leopard Hotel in Burslem earlier in the year. The landlady was said to have come over from the Caribbean and married an English man. She then ran the hotel. The trouble is I painted this in 2006? I honestly can’t remember the story I was told and now the hotel is gone.
A friend took a photo of my coat of arms design at the Leopard Hotel in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. The building burned down a few months ago and I have been trying to find good images of my murals. They were burnt in the fire and the photos are all I have of them.
I love painting but I find it hard to sell. My mind sometimes goes into panic mode and I say strange things instead of pleasantries. I can hear my voice coming out with odd comments, about someone’s walking stick, or immesaying I will discount the price of a print when they have barely looked at it. Today was odd and difficult. It’s been a long time since I have had to talk to people about my art. I was not fluent with my thoughts. I was nervous, sometimes tounge tied. As the number of people increased it got worse. My throat got dry. I wanted to talk but I just stayed silent. It was better towards the end, but I’m an artist not a saleswoman. Anxiety and covid make it harder.
I cheated and made this moon painting circular with an ellipse tool on my phone. In reality I can’t get the thing circular so I’m going to use an upturned mug! I’ve got several tiny paintings for sale later today. Eclectic art!
Getting ready for the exhibition tomorrow. Painting, adding wires to the back of the paintings. Retouching edges of canvases where I missed bits of paint (painting edges is called ‘gallery wrapping’).
The exhibition and sale is only for one day so I want to make it as good as I can. I have other small paintings to take plus cards and jewellery. I hope I actually sell something.
I painted this wooden planter last year? I think. Its been on display with other artists works. It was one of several planters that were done for something called BID. But I really want it back. At this rate it will be too late to plant it up. It’s based on the Pottery called Goss Works, or the Falcon Works, in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent.
Two versions of a work in progress. The top one is the original and the bottom is a digitally manipulated version. I think I will change the colours and add dark areas between the tree trunks. I might add some texture to the trees too. Size is 6 inches by 4. Acrylic on canvas.
Seven years ago, the sun was shining, we were on holiday near Weymouth and visited Lulworth Cove on the Dorset coast. We met a brilliant artist called Chris. He was painting shells and stones. We bought a stone with an octopus painted on it. The cove itself is circular with a gap in it that allows the sea in. If you catch a boat ride along the coast to the west you can see Durdle door, an archway of rocky cliff extending out into the sea. We had a lovely day.
Cats can snooze anywhere. I can hear this one snoring next to me. But I just lie awake. A million thoughts tangle in my head, health issues, pain in my feet and shoulder, snoring from hubby, then there was hunger, thirst. Went and had a slice of toast and a decaff coffee. I did finish a couple of paintings. When I went back to bed I did what I sometimes do and put the radio on to murmur me to sleep, but last night it was too interesting. Even the shipping forecast ‘Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth, North backing North West, 25 miles, good, occasional rain and mist. Two to three.’ Something like that. Then there’s a news briefing, farming today, a prayer for today, tweet of the day (birdsong) then into the Today programme. Radio four. Somewhere around six thirty I fell asleep only to be woken at ten by my hubby who had slept for twelve hours! Argh!
Mallaband-Brown