New paintings and regular art updates.
Yes, these are all paintings I did over the last few days. Some are tiny, some are small and some medium sized. These are for my craft stall for tomorrow at the Hotel on Spode Site. I hope people come in and enjoy what will be on display and for sale. There are a lot of quality crafts and art which will be there.
I guess I had better get back to work and finish off what I’m doing.
X
Another start, luckily I don’t need a starter handle to get going. Something switches on in my head and I suddenly can’t stop. It’s weird, my mind must be wired up in a strange way.
Today I have started painting a lion, a car, ivy, a planet, a latch for a gate. All very random, but a challenge to myself. I have a little cartoon at my studio which says I will paint anything, and I think that’s true. I might not be able to get things exactly right but I do try.
I’m thinking about what to write or paint here. I will try and do a few more spooky stories when I’ve finished this lot of art work.
Toot toot, off I go!
Suddenly remembered,
I promised to paint a Lion.
I’m rushing to do it,
but taking Pride.
Got to get it right,
Get its golden eyes bright.
Mainly work on its Mane,
Black whiskers and deep pink nose.
Proud Leo, big cat.
Leonine, powerful, strong.
Fur and Fury,
King of the plains.
I might be ill but I still need to paint.
This is called winter faces. I often paint images with faces in them. I think this one is because I used to walk in an avenue of trees in the park near where I lived. The trees seemed to each have a face, they were spooky but interesting at the same time.
I think I thought there were tree spirits, I hadn’t heard of ents or ent moots then! This is a 6 inch square acrylic on canvas. Solitary tree at sunset with stone lying snow.
X
I’ve got to get on and paint. I’ve been distracted recently. I’m going to get my paints and brushes out tomorrow.
This is a close up of my Holly and Ivy painting that I started a couple of weeks ago.
We live in a world where art can be worth millions or pence, where there is no set price for anything. If you buy a TV they generally are a certain amount of money. If you do a painting of a TV then it seems to depend on who painted it, how well known they are. Whether there is a resale value. It also seems to depend on scarcity and if the person is alive or dead when generally the art is worth more. It’s a funny old world.
Anyway all that said I think art is important and I will keep making it.
X
Today was going to be the last day of my exhibition. But two things have happened. My painting ‘autumn vase’ has sold, and they have extended it till next weekend. The gallery is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to about 5pm.
Best of all I saw lots of friends there today as I was there so people could ‘meet the artist’ lots of cups of tea and chatting ensued. Many ideas and plans were discussed. My head is spinning but I had a great time. The gallery is so helpful and friendly.
Value pack. When you are creating art it’s good to use quality paints but I don’t spend too much on canvas. I’m not being mean, the stretched canvases are serviceable. It’s just that I’m not made of money but I want to paint.
Plans for future pictures:
Green men and women,
Winter men and women (images within trees)
Astronomical objects from moons and planets to novae and Galaxies.
Animal and human portraits, perhaps integrated with nature.
Architecture.
As you can see I’m planning to use a lot of canvas…..
Dust rising (or Dust 19) is a group show by artists being held at Spode alongside the British ceramic biennial which is currently on till mid October.
This is me with one of the plates that have been created out of transfer prints. (if you look over my left shoulder the green patterns on the window are where the image comes from).
It’s amazing what’s going on here. We might be a bit down in the dumps but Stoke-on-Trent is so full of creativity. There is still a full time Fine Art course at Staffordshire University which is quite unusual in the current economic climate.
Stoke-on-Trent is situated in the middle of beautiful countryside. You can’t complain if you want places to visit.
So I guess what I’m saying is come visit!
Painted several years ago, my painting of Maiden Castle Hill Fort imagined a woman dancing in the landscape, and also her bones as if they were found in the land.
The idea was inspired by visiting Maiden Castle in the 1990s,thinking about it being a hill Fort and part of the Celtic world.
It is located in Dorset near Dorchester. If I remember correctly it is reached by a small road, then you walk up through the ditches and mounds that lead up to the top of the hill Fort.
I think I got the idea from watching archaeology programmes on TV. I imagined the woman being aware of the changing seasons and how time passes. The little skull below her is a rabbit skull we found on a walk.
It’s a bit weird, but I wanted to include a figure in the dramatic landscape.
I’ve duplicated this image multiplying it by four to extend the pattern. It’s another older painting. I think I was channelling Georgia O’keefe when I painted it. It is acrylic on canvas. 
I was given a book about her art as a birthday present. Sadly the book was damaged when I spilt a mug of coffee over it. It’s only a small, square paperback and now some of the images are stuck together.
O’keefe was controversial as an artist. Some of her art was seen as erotic even though she was painting flowers. I am more interested in her use of colour and blending techniques. Her work is beautiful and striking.
My painting of lilies is also slightly based on images from the start if the twentieth century. I do like art nouveau. I was also trying to use fresh colours rather than a more realistic background.
Mallaband-Brown