New paintings and regular art updates.
Silhouette of a waterbird taken a couple of days ago on a walk round Westport Lake. I liked the way the small rock in the water looks like a birds head with a beak. It made me look twice because the actual birds head was looking forwards, towards me. It does give the illusion that the head is turned in profile in the reflection.
wet water bird
waiting in the drizzle
reflected sorrow
for a little food
your mind stretches
to a new tomorrow
where sun follows rain
and warmth
replaces shivers
This was a real leaf today. Its a bit blurred, but the colours are accurate. I walked around a local lake today, only a week later than I intended, but it did me good. It was grey and overcast, there were not many bright leaves, but right at the end of the walk I saw this. Half disintegrated, but colourful and cheerful on a gloomy day, it bought a smile to my face.
Thursdays #bandofsketchers prompt was leaves. I took some photos at Westport Lake and I based this sketch on one of them. Some of the colours are a bit to bright but it was the best I could do with felt pens.
A drawing from 1981 of Hanley Park lake, surrounded by trees. I used to do a lot of pencil drawings and my sister has this in a frame at home.
The park was refurbished a few years ago and some of the neat lawns have been rewilded to allow the wildlife to thrive. There are also sculptures in the park and the boathouse has been restored. It’s been a while since we went there but it’s good to know its still thriving.
One strange thing I saw at the BCB was a large group of ceramic leeches! It was weird seeing them. Black and shiny but very static.. I guess it was something conceptual? Had they sucked the life blood out of someone, or are they a health idea if the National Health Service was to collapse? Whatever the reasoning I found them strangely cute! I don’t know why….
Just back from the last day of the BCB (British Ceramic biannual). I would have gone before but my leg restricted my movement. The exhibition was over three floors but luckily there was a lift. Of the numerous ceramics my favourites were a series of mosaics by a ceramic artist called Cleo Mussi. I will post other photos but I wanted to share these.
A lunch meeting with a group of friends today. We have been meeting on line for 19 months but have not met many in person.
We were at the Potters club, a lovely set of rooms at the top of an office building in Stoke on Trent. There were amazing pieces of pottery on display, and the view out showed Penkhull hill and the Trent Valley.
I could have taken many photos if I had taken my phone with me, but I had left it on my table as I was having to walk with a stick. So the only photo I got was one of three chandeliers in the Potters Club room.
Not much to say about this. Classic Morris Minor with the classic green colour. They are lovely friendly looking cars. Probably made in the 1950’s? So nice to see it. Somewhere to go for an afternoon out. Etruria Industrial Museum today.
They steam the beam engine there once a month that ground the Flint for the potteries (that was yesterday) and they also had static steam engines running yesterday, but we couldn’t go because we were gardening.
At the far end of Luke Street, Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent, are steps down to a footpath along the line of a long filled in canal and towpath.
The overgrown shrubbery and weeds have recently been beaten back to reveal a pathway to lead up to Burslem in one direction and down to the Trent and Mersey canal in the other.
When the canal was open there was a bakery next to it that supplied thousands of loaves to the potteries. This is being celebrated by the Baker boys choir next weekend during a festival which will see an art installation being erected down on the canal at Middleport.
Hopefully I will be singing with the choir at the festival. X
Seen today in Etruria
that grey thing is a Heron, or as a little child that was passing said ‘an evil heron’! It really did look prehistoric.
At Etruria on the Cauldon branch of the canal. The bird walked along the canal towpath then stood crouched at the side of the water. It was ready to spear into the canal to catch a fish. More intent on staring than wo was watching it. I was amazed to get photos of it.
Mallaband-Brown