Catching up...

Hello there! Wow, such a long time since I was last here properly. You know how it is, things happen out in the real world and the fun stuff has to take a back seat for a while. I haven't been completely idle, though work has been a bit of a drama this autumn thanks to some exteeeeeeended road works and drain problems (delightful), I did manage to squeeze in a commission in the form of a new botanical watercolour. I will show you as soon as I can, but it must wait until it has been gifted to the recipient :)

I have also been messing about and experimenting with mixed media, something I haven't touched on since college, and it's so liberating! This was just for me so no pressure, I just played as I went along and it was so much fun! This one used watercolour, decoupage and Karisma colouring pencils, on canvas.

Nurture The Lullaby

After losing our darling Merlin, both Eva and I were feeling very down. I managed to cope with three days of watching her refuse to eat or engage before I brought her home some company in the form of Nox. I knew she'd be narked to start with, especially as I had to split the compound in two to keep them separate, but I decided that narked was better than depressed and starving. She started to pick up straight away, thank goodness.

They lived next door to each other for several weeks until I could get them neutered/spayed, but they got to know each other through the dividing gate. When they were finally allowed in together, they were more interested in all the space than in each other! 

I think Nox probably can't believe his luck, he constantly has this amazed look of wonder on his little fuzzy face.Everything I put into the run gets a thorough chin-rubbing, his favourite thing so far being the litter tray. Oh, how he loved that!! 'I fits, so I sits!' He came from a rescue centre and his previous owner was a rabbit breeder, so I think he's not used to constant company, or affectionate human interaction. He adores Eva, and has gained so much confidence with me (especially when I have food for him), he really is a little poppet. I think Merlin would be pleased to know that his Eva-bun has a good friend 

Raiding the cookie jar

Snuggles up on the hill

Eva inspects his lack of balls ;)

The cats have been getting up to mischief in the house as the weather gets colder and wetter. Archie likes to get involved in whatever I'm doing, and particularly loves helping me change the bed sheets...

One final picture for tonight; I finally got to hold a bird of prey yesterday, something I've wanted to do for years. Isn't he absolutely gorgeous! 

At Marldon Christmas Tree Farm

Merlins' Rest

'My heart has joined the thousand, for my friend stopped running today.'

Go with love my handsome little man xxx

Pottery returns!

After two terms away from evening classes, on wednesday I shall be going back to pottery at Brixham College - hurrah!

I wasn't given the opportunity to do pottery at school (my school emphasised the academic and saw anything else as fairly useless - the art department couldn't cope with anything more exotic than paint and pencil) so I'm enjoying the chance to play and experiment with clay as an adult.

This...um...creation, came about towards the end of one term last year. I had made many small bowls, dishes, pots (and rabbits!) and thought I'd be adventurous, throw all my eggs into one basket by spending three weeks on one larger piece (roughly 14" tall). I was convinced it wouldn't survive the firing; the clay was so thick in places I knew a bubble was bound to be hiding somewhere (in case you don't know, any air trapped will expand and cause the clay to crack or explode during firing) so I was thrilled when it came through in one piece. The glaze was a mixture of about six different stoneware glazes, applied in rather a rush, overlapping and layered to create a variety of effects.

This unpredictability is something that really appeals to me, my paintings are so tight and controlled that this provides a complete creative contrast, but I think it's important for me in a broader sense as well. Call it a type of therapy or respite, but as someone with OCD I think any activity where I can let go of control even for a little while has to be good!

Foxy Magic

All finished! Fun to do and I've learnt a lot :) Onwards and upwards...! 

Foxy Magic (in progress)

 Hurrah - I managed to get some decent pieces of wood!!

Went up to the Yandles Wood Show last weekend and bought a box full of offcuts to play with.

So here is my first real experiment in progress. First thing I've learnt? Sand the surface of the wood before you start. It removes any oils on the surface as well as smoothing out any lumps and bumps, both things that can slow down the burning and cause an uneven line.

I knew from the start that I wanted to colour this one so I didn't worry about too much detail with the fur etc because it would get lost under the pigment.

 To begin with I laid down some colour in watercolour paints. They actually take surprisingly well on the wood, though the water darkens the wood as you work, so the colour is always paler than expected once it has dried.

The colours do bleed across lines slightly, but given the subject matter I was quite happy with this kind of little happy accident!

 Here I've started to build on the colour using soft Sennelier pastels. I sooo love these pastels, you really cannot beat them for consistency and pigment - the colours are astoundingly bright and vibrant.

They are gorgeous to use on a rough surface like this wood because they deposit so much pigment, much better than a smooth surface. The highlights on the fur, and the primroses, are so bright, they really do shine.

I've now picked out some highlights on the rabbit (based on Eva), and added some beautiful turquoise blue and some stars to the background.

Also at Yandles I managed to pick up some gold leaf flakes, and some mica flakes which I'm going to use on the circles. I was hoping to finish it tonight but I don't have any suitable glue - so frustrating!! I'll try and grab some tomorrow...

Watership Down Bookmark

           
I was on my way home from work the other day with my friend/colleague/partner in crime, and passed a shop selling leather goods which the owner was personalising to order. I bought five of these bookmarks blank, and told him I was going to decorate them myself. His response? 'Oh, yes you can do some pretty flowers or something can't you.' Ooh, that got my feminist hackles rising!!

(PS I must admit that I struggle with the whole leather thing. As a vegetarian I feel that I shouldn't be buying animal products if I can possibly help it. Hmm... Also, the smell of the leather as it's burning really turns my stomach :( So, I think I will be mainly working on wood from now on.)

Summer Sunset

Went out to feed the bunnies a few minutes ago and was greeted by this incredible sky! Just had to share it with you :)

Tufty boy

My poor handsome little chap :) He used to be so sleek but Eva keeps plucking out his super-soft fur to line her bed, little cowbag!
(Ps I am enjoying playing with the filters on my new photo-editing app...)

Fun with burning!

Pyrography, watercolour paints and Karisma colouring pencils on driftwood. Very tricky using the pyrography tool on a rough surface like this, but the paints and pencils went on beautifully. Lots of fun!

This is the keyring that came in the pyrography kit; my first proper go with the tool. I saw the dot-burning technique on Pintrest - very effective for creating a good deep tone over a larger area. I used Karismas again to pick out some colour in the design.












The reverse of the keyring, based on a painting I did of Eva.

Pyrography Experiments

Another birthday present, this one from a friend, was a Pyrography tool. We saw some amazing examples and ideas on Pintrest and I had to have a go!

My 'Pyro Mania' board on Pintrest

So far I've just had a play with some old bits of driftwood, but I have ambitious plans!! It can also be used to decorate leather - fun fun fun!

Vintage Singer

 This was my birthday present from my Mum - a 1932 Singer sewing machine. Isn't she beautiful!! I've wanted one for absolutely ages, probably ever since I had a go with one belonging to a neighbour when I was about eight. I really feel that I should give her a name... will have too see what I can come up with!

 Hand-operated, no pedal!

Of course, I had to have a little play ;) so I quickly knocked together this little purse with some fabric I had sitting around. It was made in rather a hurry so do excuse the messy hand-stitching around the button hole and along the top!

Sleeping Pixie

Finally I can show you this one!

This was a commission for a friends' birthday and I loved painting it. I was slightly dreading trying to paint the texture of the knitted blanket, but it was actually quite fun!

(Incidentally, Pixie is Archie's Mummy!)

 Paws for thought...groan...

Speedy-bun

Lines and Layers

Not quite sure where I'm going with this...possible tattoo design?! I used tracing paper and contrasting colours to work out the composition. Still needs some work but it has been lots of fun to play with!

Fox sketches

Amber-eyed Fox

Bluebird

Nero, continued and completed

LOVED painting this one, so much fun. Something about the eyes though...I actually found myself welling up when I went in to paint the pupils - there was some sort of connection happening there that really affected me. Such a beautiful boy.

Nero, in progress

Sleep tight!

Aaarghhh! No time for drawing again tonight! :(
I've been spending the last few evenings working on content for the new website at work and I've had no time for anything else really. So here instead is something cute and sleepy.
Day off on thursday - sketchbook here I come!

Archie

Quite a limited palette for this one, lots of Ivory Black, with touches of Payne's Gray, Alizarin Crimson, and Raw Sienna, with Cerulean for the rug. I also used Zinc White Gouache for his whiskers.

My handsome boy!

Work in progress...

Next instalment tomorrow night hopefully!