New paintings and regular art updates.
Thanks to a friend I’ve just found another app to play with. It seems relatively easy to use. But as this is my first ever use of it I think I will try and get a bit more used to it before I review it or tell you what it’s called. I have a feeling I might seriously mess something up. Seems much more interactive than previous apps I have used, but that might not be a good thing.
Waterfall at the Dorothy Clive Garden.
This was taken about this time last year. We had driven out to visit the beautiful garden on the border of Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire.
The garden is in a steep slope with colourful flower borders filling the air with scents of summer. But before the summer show I am drawn to the quarry garden at the top of the site. This is filled with flowering rhododendrons, under planted with spring flowers such as bluebells. At its centre is a little dell where a waterfall cascades down into a tranquil pool. You can follow paths up to the top of the waterfall where you will find a full sized bronze stag sculpture looking out magestically over the quarry garden.
Other pleasures include a magnolia walk at the back of the garden, this is behind the quarry at the top of the slope. Here you can see the surrounding countryside.
There is another dry garden, with a laburnum walk arching over the path.
When lockdown ends I think this will be one of the first places I visit.
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This image was something I did last year. We had some pure white tulips in the garden.
This year we have had less tulips. I think because our squirrel has taken to digging them up in the winter. We are going past the tulip season now. Instead we have Spanish and English bluebells, aqualegia starting to flower and wild garlic and lesser celandine adding splashes of colour to the garden.
Today we were pulling out hunks of ivy from the ground and from trees where its thick stems have scrambled up. We will fill our recycling bin completely over a couple of days. I was also pulling more pieces of Russian vine out of the trees at the front of the garden, it’s amazing how quickly it grows.
Tired and achy. But it’s good exercise.
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Today’s challenge was to draw something colourful. My eyes fell on an owl sculpture by a blacksmith who works at a Forge at Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. She’s called Charis Jones and her company is called Sculpted Steel.
Behind the owl is a plate that my hubby painted at the Gladstone pottery museum in Longton.
I started by drawing the outlines in black ink. I then filled in the colours with permanent ink markers and a few coloured pencils.
The colours are not all accurate, but as the brief was colourful I added some to the books and cds in the background while trying not to overdo it.
I’ve included a reference photo to give you an idea of what I was working from.
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These were growing in our garden six years ago. The garden is more overgrown now and we didn’t put in as many tulips this year. I will have to put in more next year. Part of the problem is also the squirrels digging them up. I think they eat them in the winter.
Tulips were precious plants in centuries gone by. Some were more expensive than gold. I can remember the details, but they are beautiful plants. I’m afraid this post is a little lacking in detail. I shall try and add more to it.
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Oh dear, I must be a bit more interesting, my monthly stats seem to be descending… But like everyone else I’m a bit limited in where I can go. And do you really want to read about face masks and social distancing.
So what can I talk about? My hair is growing, it seems to be evolving!
It’s turned frizzy and white (not overnight, and not from fright). I did mess it up a bit on this photo!
So if you don’t mind me, I will keep posting bits and bobs here.
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The kittens were starting to grow, getting ready to pack their bags and move in with their new parents.
I came across this photo today. They were so mischevious. The one with the black mask is still called Bandit, the new owners changed the other ones name.
I sometimes see photos of the two girl kittens, but I’ve lost track of how the boys are doing. Their mum and uncle are still here safe with us.
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I have at least eight egg cups!
More than one a day. I’m particularly pleased with a couple I hand painted. I even have a Margaret Thatcher one, although I didn’t like the woman. And a plastic smarties one (the British firm of m and m’s. There’s one with a hate chasing round the cup and another with thorns and flowers, from a ceramics firm that has sadly closed down.
There’s one from Portmeirion. One that is too big except for duck eggs.
I had a glass hen shaped one, and one like a tigers head, but they may be broken or lost….
Other collections? Paintings, cat ornaments, books, hats….
I wanted to send a friend a card… 
I found a tin with a slight dent in the rim so I could push a candle holder into it. Then I added a tiny birthday cake candle and lit it and took the photo.
Added the text later in a sketch app.
I sent this to my friend with her name edited onto it. What is it they say ‘necessity is the mother of invention ‘?
I shone a bright torch on our disco ball (yes I’ve got one) took a photo, then another one with the torch on a lower power. Duplicated the photos, and ended up with a couple of interesting pictures that are quite abstract…..
Playing with shapes and light is fun.
Experimental things teach you
How to make new things.
If you don’t try,
You never learn….
Mallaband-Brown