New paintings and regular art updates.
Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was monument. I was going to draw the Duke of Sutherlands monument near Trentham Gardens. But then I came across this stone I painted as a memorial to my cat about fifteen years ago. This bought back memories of a lovely intelligent cat. Must repaint it.
We haven’t forgotten
Your senseless bombardment
Killing civilians
Tearing Ukraine apart
Destroying streets
Demolishing homes
Because you can?
Monsters rule you
Make your country
Unforgivable
Why ?
Wrapped up in my magic phone I can ignore the world. The problems I have, the worries my friends have.
Wrapped up in my magic phone I can focus on the trivial things, the bits that make me smile.
Wrapped up in my magic phone I can watch daft dogs, silly things. Lost kittens in mittens.
Wrapped up in my magic phone I can forget people. Lose the worries, the wars, the poverty.
Wrapped up in my magic phone I am in cotton wool. Insulated nicely against the world.
I must turn it off and put it down. Lose it or let the battery go flat to be free. Maybe? But just another glance can’t hurt…..
25.5.20, I drew our then outside cat outside the summerhouse where he used to sleep. Now the bushes have grown up and hubby has stored bikes in there. I’ve hardly been out this year. Too cold and wet, and it’s overgrown around it. We need to prune plants but my arm is not very strong and the muscles ache.
I don’t want the place to fall to rack and ruin. I must make more of an effort. I didn’t realise how much this pandemic could take out of you physically despite not catching the virus (hopefully never) I just wish things were better. Not just here, but everywhere. Goodness knows what atrocities are happening in Ukraine. Trucks are stuck on the motorway going to Dover while ferries are held up for health and safety deficiencies. Crops are rotting in fields, de to various problems including lack of workers because of Covid. Meanwhile our Prime minister and Chancellor have been fined for attending parties, when they had bought in laws to stop the public meeting up at parties – or stopping relatives visiting their loved ones who were dying of Covid. Many bad things, mad things, stupid things. I despair of people!
Vladimir Putin seems to enjoy flattening countries. He helped Bashir Assad destroy Allepo in Syria. He attacked Georgia and Crimea and now he continues to mercilessly attack cities and towns in Ukraine. He says his troops are withdrawing but the shells keep raining down on innocent people, children, babies.
If any Russians read this please spread the truth. Do not listen to state propaganda. I’m just a person hoping that this can stop and peace and compassion can happen.
Dear Russia. Do you know that your country has flattened and demolished several towns and cities in Ukraine?
That ten MILLION PEOPLE mostly women and children have fled Ukraine in fear of their lives? ABOUT A QUARTER OF UKRAINES POPULATION!
That children and babies have been maimed and killed?
That an art school where 400 people were sheltering was destroyed yesterday?
That Russia is boasting it is using hyper sonic weapons and other vile technology to bombard its way to victory.
Why? Would you be happy if your women and children were fleeing? Your grandmother’s and grandfather’s being attacked. Put yourself in Ukraines shoes.
Putin must stop.
My brain likes pattern and complexity. I cannot abide plain white walls with no embellishments. Even my writing can be flowery? Is it because I’m interested in all sorts of things? I’m very visual, and yet I can walk past a friend without noticing them! I don’t have that face blindness thing that some people have. I think my glasses frames sometimes blocks the view.
Life is so difficult in the world at the moment. I am feeling a bit low with everything happening. But I pick up a felt pen and draw and time FLIES so fast.
The derelict Goss Falcon Works at the back of Portmeirion pottery. (I hope I’ve got this right). You can’t see from here but part of the roof has collapsed at the other end of the building. You can see it from Penkhull New Road but I couldn’t get a close enough view to get a good photo. The city of Stoke-on-Trent that I live in is becoming more derelict. History is being forgotten or neglected. So sad.
1765…and now it’s gone. History destroyed after more than 200 years. Potters going in to drink at the end of a hot shift. Gilders taking a pint of beer. Food served, life passing by. Once a hotel famous in the Midlands. Feared because it was haunted, loved because it was haunted. Life came and went. It became dilapidated but was rescued. Then covid struck and it closed. But friendly people wanted to buy it back off the new owners and turn it into a community building. Something that would see it restored. Now it will probably never rise from its ashes. Photo by Stokie Bloke. Will remove if this is not acceptable to him.
Before my arm started shaking I was doing paintings like this. (for the last year and a half or so my left arm has been gradually getting worse with increased shaking ) Then I had to see the doctor and mentioned the problem. He said it was above his pay grade! I am waiting for tests. The thing is that art and particularly painting mean everything to me. I don’t know if lockdowns have knocked my confidence? Plus illness gets to you. Making it more difficult to complete work. I’ve got myself into a situation where I will do quick pictures and sketches, but I feel nervous of doing anything more substantial. I don’t usually talk about how I feel mentally, but I’m feeling down today. I will probably be OK tomorrow?
Mallaband-Brown