New paintings and regular art updates.
It’s about time I tried to join in again so here’s a digital drawing attempt of a diamond stone for the prompt diamond for #bandofsketchers.
Drawn in the Sketchbook app on my phone. I’ve missed several weeks of drawing and sketching. I just haven’t felt well enough to do it but I wanted to try. Watch out, more to come! It was interesting to try and a crystalline symmetry.
If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?
I’ve accumulated a lot of physical and digital art over a lifetime of being an artist. A lot of it is still in my house. I would set up a shop to clear some of it so it could go to good homes. I’m sure friends would do the same.
I realise people like to be clutter free, and now AI is creeping in they could press a few buttons and make something. But wouldn’t it be nice to have a creation made by a human that suits your taste and is created with love and attention? Go on, give an artist a try.
We were asked to write to the prompt future and as I don’t have a crystal ball I decided to look back at what our future selves might remember.
“In future when people look back at the first quarter of the twenty first century what will be remembered? A first black American president, increasing global temperatures? Will the remember the global financial crash with Lehmann brothers? Bird flu and Sars then a global pandemic of Covid 19. Massive forest fires, huge hurricanes, tremendous tornados? The deaths of famous people including Queen Elizabeth the Second. Madness of global leaders? Ukraine, Gaza, Yemen, Sudan, so many wars.
Will our future selves see a disintegrated world, a dystopia bought on by the lack of interest in pollution or global warming. Big business using its powers to continue to push oil and gas and plastic use? Will our seas fill with more pollution or the pollenating insects die off so crops fail.
Will they see this part of the century as depressing, or will we take the future into our hands and pass on a cleaner and greener future to our children and their descendants?”
#bandofsketchers prompt was flag, just experimenting with digital textures. I used Artrage for this with a slight metallic tinge. It’s not very exciting but I’m trying to drag myself back into doing art.
How would you describe yourself to someone?
I once read a Garfield the cat quote “I’m not overweight I’m undertall” . I think that precisely describes me. I also have greying hair, glasses and I’m a bit shaky.
If I was to meet you how would you describe me? By appearance or by personality? I hope you would find me pleasant and friendly. I think I’m interesting and have definite ideas about the world and how important it is to look after it. I’m not sure if you would like me, but that is your choice. I don’t judge a book by it’s cover and I hope you feel the same way.
A really old painting I did from when we visited a BCB exhibition at Spode I think. I really liked this watercolour so I thought I’d share it. This was my selection for today’s #bandofsketchers prompt “pots”.
Trying to catch up… A quick sketch of a sunflower in Artrage app. #bandofsketchers prompt flowers…
It’s been a long time since I’ve done a band of sketchers prompt. I’ve decided to resume so I at least post a bit of art here. I’ve been feeling down for too long. I don’t know if this will help, but I’ve got to try.
What is your favorite genre of music?
Basically I like classical music and punk rock.
Classical because of the complexity of the music, punk because it was the sound of my youth.
I love Sibellius, Rachmanninof, Tchaikovsky, Mendelson, Stravinsky, Holst, and many more. I can’t name all the symphonies, concertos or other pieces of music they wrote. My memory for music is in the tune, not the detail.
For that reason I can also enjoy punk rock and music of that era, people like Blondie, Ultravox, The Police, Bowie, Elvis Costello.
But apart from a few, stand out songs I cannot remember the names of their songs, singles or albums. It’s like I have a blind spot in my memory. If I do a quiz I never get music questions right. It’s just weird!
Have you ever had surgery? What for?
Why should I share this information? Can I trust the person who is asking? Or the people who are reading this blog?… Sometimes we share too much information. It’s too easy to trust everyone on the Internet. And yet I wouldn’t tell people in the street my life story, my insurance details, if I’ve ever been in hospital. True I do share some information but as far as I can tell it’s of little use to others. I appreciate that it’s good to talk about your life, but I think you shouldn’t go too far.
Someone will be out there looking at your details putting two and two together, finding out about me. Well I’d rather not be too informative, I don’t think it’s a good idea.
How do you practice self-care?
According to Wikipedia :
Self-care has been defined as the process of establishing behaviors to ensure holistic well-being of oneself, to promote health, and actively manage illness when it occurs. Individuals engage in some form of self-care daily with food choices, exercise, sleep, and hygiene.
I have to admit that I seem to be persuing self neglect instead although not self loathing thankfully. I do try to look after myself but things have been difficult and care takes energy and effort. I often think I should do things, but I don’t always have the wish to do them. When you have problems to deal with its hard to find the enthusiasm to keep going and do more.
One good thing I have done recently is to go back to yoga class which I had missed for several weeks due to injuring my toes. That has helped a bit. I have found that it has slightly helped me to relax.
Mallaband-Brown