The Art Of Chrissy Marie

Shall we dance?

2012-01-24T18:17:00.009Z

I started my course last week and had my first ever Zumba lesson. It was a lot of fun, I think I enjoyed it so much because of the music. However, it reminded me of a few things that I have not yet posted. We went over to Cannock Chase in December so that Andy could try out a new lens combination. So here are a few from the day....

....well this little coal tit could easily be doing Zumba!!!

Some birds are always easier to get a crisp photo of than others and for some reason Great Tits always work for my lens.

Nuthatches are a little more problematic but that is because they move so quickly. I have so many out takes of these little birds. We cheat a little now and lodge the nuts in a little more. Then they come and take them away to bury them in another branch somewhere for a rainy day!

Finally this blue tit is just too cute!

We have so many less birds in the garden this year but think it is a result of a warmer winter. Looking around yesterday and the bulbs are coming up, there are buds on the trees and I saw my first daffodil out in a garden today. Nearly snowdrop time in the woods too ......

Skywatch Friday -Morning Sunrise

2012-01-19T17:51:00.007Z

It has been a little while since I did a Skywatch Friday. This is a morning sunrise from earlier this week.

As you can see it was a frosty one! The sun has appeared so big in the sky that I couldn't resist a few zoomed in shots.

Into the fire so to speak.

There have been some gorgeous skies over the UK this week so for some of those and others from around the world, check out the Skyley Blogspot

More Wildlife - Leopard

2012-01-13T17:20:00.007Z

I cannot believe yet another week has gone by.....
I thought I would share another wildlife piece with you. I am really enjoying myself right now with my art and this was based on a wonderful reference photo. Yet again I am working in mixed media, it seems to be a theme right now.

I had great fun with the fur but not quite so much fun with the spots ;) The wonderful things is that working on such lovely creatures and really studying them up close is fascinating.

As so many of you asked about the tops last week, Andy did manage to sneak in a photo.
So here it is from Nomads, modelled very badly!

I think it reflects an arty person rather than an office worker! My course is now booked and starts soon, it is very aptly called " A New You" :D

Moving On....

2012-01-06T17:21:00.006Z

Having now been back at work for four days, Christmas seems like a distant memory already. The weather has been pretty grim too with terrible gales and rain sweeping the UK. It makes for awful driving conditions so I am really pleased that the weekend is here :D

I have been working on a few things but, thought that I would share this one because it is light and bright.....I am looking forward to Spring!

I have been combining different things lately and this one is using both coloured pencil and pastel.
Meanwhile, I am now in my last three months at work so am busy hunting down courses and training for all the changes to come. It looks as though I have found at least one suitable thing that looks like being a lot of fun as well as educational. I am hoping it works out. I don't do News Year resolutions, I find that they can be a source of failure..........instead I am setting myself a few aspirations. One is to spend a little more time in the garden, another is to open my mind to even more creativity and the final one is difficult to put into words. I think the easiest way is to say that I would like the things that I do, wear and say to express myself a little more.......I started off by treating myself to a couple of tops that I really, really love but would never wear to work! Now, I had better find cheaper ways of expressing myself LOL
P.S That is with the exception of the resolution below to avoid negativity ;)

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-30T18:09:00.006Z

It is that time of year again and I cannot believe how fast the time is going. It will shortly be four years since I started this blog! I would like to wish all those people that contribute, read and those that I read for the friendship, thoughts, smiles and occasional sorrows over the year.
As it will be the Chinese year of the dragon, I went back and pulled out a piece of my art from the distant past. I have been spending a lot of time playing with grunged backgrounds and photoshop layers recently.
I am not sure that this image will appeal to everyone in that it doesn't work too well for those that prefer realism. However, I am having fun and it is good for my photoshop skills.

My thanks to Lenabem_Anna
from Flickr for the use of the background. I have been making some myself but this one fits so much better. Of course it isn't Chinese New year until 23 January ....but Chinese astrology makes for some interesting thoughts. Meanwhile Happy New Year to you all and best wishes for your health and happiness in 2012.

A Chocolate Lab

2011-12-29T20:32:00.003Z

Before we get into the new year, I think it is time to post up one from last year...this one was a Christmas present so kept back until now.

I am hoping the recipient was pleased. I seemed to get so many labradors in commissions last year which I was not unhappy about. They are so soulful...but, you do start to wonder where next years art will lead. Meanwhile, I have been working on some wildlife art too...but, more about that later.

MY New Years Resolution - No More Messages from Politicians

2011-12-28T12:48:00.006Z

I don't know about everyone else but last year seemed to be the year for messages. Messages from the politicians, at work there were messages from Ministers and heads of this and heads of that. Even further afield all the world illustrious leaders seem to be pouring them down every one's neck. I see a headline today that Nick Clegg has given a New Years Message which will shortly be followed by others speaking equally meaningless drivel from whichever political party they purport to represent.

At my place of work last year, every week a different one was coming down. Sorry folks, we are cutting this and cutting that but hey, we have to do it it is all to the good, we feel your pain and we value you!.....Yeah right ;)

I see that Mr Cameron went out to see the troops in Afghanistan before Christmas. I laughed! After a year of redundancy notices, budget cutting exercises where their allowances and terms and conditions have all been ripped up, I think morale is pretty damn low. I wonder what was the thinking behind his visit? Well, I am SURE *she says in a sarcastic tone* it made them feel better :/
However, I know one thing, my healthy New Years resolution is to avoid all of those meaningless, patronising messages next year......
If I want my head pecked...I shall go watch a woodpecker ;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 24

2011-12-24T19:00:00.003Z

On this night many years ago, I used to read a book to my son. I wished I could recall what it was but all I know was that it was square, red and was based on the poem "The night before Christmas". He loved it when I read it and afterwards we would both go and check out the night sky. Even when everyone told him that Santa wasn't real, I can recall saying "Cal, the world is full of magic...it doesn't really matter what you believe in but, if you don't believe in a little bit of magic, well...then magic never happens!"
We used to look at the night sky full of anticipation. I recall one year we watched a falling star, another year we watched the first snowflakes and then another year we saw some lights in the sky. We shared it and I used to feel just as excited as he did...
So for children everywhere, it is time to go and check on Santa's travels : Norad

For the not so young, I have posted Sinead O'Connor before but this is the most beautiful carol of all time. After all these years, I listen to her singing this and think it is hauntingly beautiful.

Of course, I should by rights do a day 25 too....but, I leave you all to create your own day 25....perhaps, some of you will share? However, I wish you the very best. I hope you have enjoyed some of my favourite, books, films, images and music.....
I shall now take a short blogging break and be back soon with some art maybe, not before time!! Have a wonderful peaceful Christmas and good health to everyone....

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 23

2011-12-23T17:07:00.002Z

I rarely watch TV but there are some films that are just so wonderful at this time of year. I think my most favourite has to be Miracle on 34th Street. This is just the trailer but, it contains some of my very favourite moments.

I love the line "The world is held together by things you can't see". This film has always provoked a lot of thought from me but, perhaps that is because I think the world needs a little magic.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 22

2011-12-22T11:17:00.006Z

I am going to do one last thoughtful post before I move on to the celebratory posts as Christmas approaches.
I hope any younger readers don't think that I wish to be in any way depressing but it is a fact of life that at times people are ill and carers are still caring at any time of year. When I was younger my Christmas wishes were initially for that latest lego, a bit later on they were for some good Christmas celebrations and more recently that my loved ones are safe and have a good season. A few of you know that my Mum has Alzheimer's and was diagnosed some years ago. The winter season has always been the worst and the last couple of years have been very bad for her. The darker nights heighten the confusion and I think depression is combined with it, so much so that last year she really didn't want to be here any longer. Her sorrow was heartbreaking to watch. I wished so hard this year that she wouldn't have to go though that terrible time again and equally that my Dad, her carer would not have to face the pain of watching a loved one go through that together with undertaking all the daily chores. So as I look at all my old ornaments on the Christmas tree, I am smiling....

This one used to belong to them. Whilst they no longer decorate a tree, I am pleased to say that my fears have not materialised into fruition. Mum is out and about, shopping and visiting and enjoying some TV, even though she tells me it is all rubbish. I have watched her opening the Christmas cards and reading the rhymes out loud. I have no doubt that my Dad is being driven crazy and will probably be glad when Christmas is over. However, the contrast between this year and last year is startling and for that I am extremely thankful. For anyone battling illness right now or of course those people caring for them, I wish you the best possible time that you are able to have.

I am sure my readers will also understand this plug for the Alzheimer's charity who provide so much information and assistance throughout the year. Incidentally, it can be quite hard finding gifts for sufferers of Alzheimer's and my most successful one in recent years was a down filled body warmer......;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 21

2011-12-21T17:27:00.004Z

On day 21 it just had to be Jethro Tull.

Wishing you all a Happy Solstice. I always think it is a wonderful thought that the nights get lighter from now on so Ring Out Solstice Bells. Whilst the video looks quite dated especially as they always mimed back then on Top of the Pops, it always strikes me just how Ian Anderson comes across. I am not quite sure if he is as mad as a box of frogs or just naturally exuberant. Whichever, he makes me smile.....

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 20

2011-12-20T17:53:00.006Z

I used to love writing Christmas cards and sadly nowadays I find it a bit of a chore. I have to remind myself in this electronic age that emails and texts simply aren't the same and I do love the tradition.
Although some of my crafty friends may think I don't make them any more, I still do make a selection and enjoy doing that, it is the last minute writing and posting that I always get into trouble with. Somehow, I never seem to get them done on time! When I used to make more, I loved vintage images and amassed quite a collection over time. Somehow, I think they have a lovely aura about them. So here is a selection from my vaults.

As someone who loves history, I could easily find myself collecting some of these but I try to refrain! It would just be another addition to the ever growing attic but, they are beautiful and very nostalgic.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 19

2011-12-19T22:01:00.005Z

I confess that I love lights. I am a little selfish and don't do too many outdoor versions...Mine are all subtle and indoors. However, that does not mean that I don't appreciate those by others. So a big thank you for the locals that share :)

Perhaps one day I will create a grotto befitting of my imagination.P.S I found an image taken before the vino ;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 18

2011-12-18T16:09:00.002Z

I think one of the most amazing writers of our time is J.K.Rowling. I read all the Harry Potter books and loved them, I was almost sad that I wasn't reading them through a childs eyes. In a way they were a little like the books of my childhood by Enid Blyton but with more imagination and a lot more scary! I did wonder when they filmed the series if I would be disappointed because my imagination is always so much greater than a film producers! In fact, I think they did a good job although I confess to still preferring the written word.
One thing that I did enjoy in the films were some of the Christmas scenes. Whilst trawling through Youtube for some of my earlier posts, I came across this compilation of Hogwarts Christmas scenes to the music of Pachelbel's Canon. It has been beautifully done and captures some of the wonderful seasonal moments.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 17

2011-12-17T19:52:00.002Z

I have to say that my music tastes are somewhat eclectic and I couldn't do a Christmas theme without including a classical piece of music. This one by Mozart just makes me think of tinkling ice, snow and sleighs. The video is purely of the music and contains no tacky images of someone smiling too much ...just a great piece of music.

A very short piece and I think I will make this post the same......

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 16

2011-12-16T19:17:00.006Z

Well after spending an hour and a half this evening trying to get home, I confess to cursing the snow. Actually it rained but it was cold so it turned to snow and the wet roads became icy in places. I did actually set off early from work with it all in mind but half way home is through Much Wenlock. It is very pretty but a degree colder due to the high levels. I am always taken aback by the white out! Unfortunately, someone had overturned on the icy roads and I do hope they are ok.

Last year was much worse to be honest and minus temperatures became almost the norm. It made for some beautiful images if you had the time or the inclination to brave the cold. So here is one from last year of the hoar frost.

That brings me on to my favourite Christmas carol.....

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

For some reason this one has always been my most favourite.
Incidentally while I was travelling home, Bing Crosby came on singing I'm dreaming of a white Christmas....I was a little without Christmas spirit when I yelled at my ipod saying "And you can **** right off"!! ......just so everyone realises I too have my less than magical moments ;)
If you are on the roads over the weekend in the UK, do take care.....

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 15

2011-12-15T20:27:00.004Z

This one is both art and music. I don't think there is anyone that has worked with coloured pencil who cannot admire the art of Raymond Briggs.

I have no idea how many drawings he must have done to produce either his books or the film. I love it's simplicity and love the story.....it doesn't matter how many times I watch it.

I am a little late with this one this evening, nearly missed it ~ a sign of the season. Lots to do and so little time haha ;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 14

2011-12-14T09:00:00.001Z

I thought it was time for a little music and this one is decidingly slushy! However, it remains a real favourite and the words get me every time. I am one of those people that longs for everyone to get along together. I do wish for peace and I do sing along very badly in the car!

I also love the harmony between them which is odd to say the least!

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 13

2011-12-13T06:50:00.004Z

I couldn't go through an advent without having some wildlife in it somewhere and of course the Robin is synonymous of the Christmas period here in the UK. Besides, as you probably know by now, I love these little birds. I haven't been doing very much photography in December, the light has not been very good. But, it does give me time to play! You will recall the little friend who used to eat from my hand if you have been reading a while. I took an image of him from back then and played on photoshop. The background was created by a clever Flickr member, Lenabem-Anna, and I have been playing with layers and overlays.

I have been lucky enough in my life to experience two wild Robins who would happily eat from my hand. They were a number of years apart but the magic stays with me. I only have to see one of these little characters in my garden to make me smile.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 12

2011-12-12T09:00:00.001Z

As a lover of books, there are so many that I think of at Christmas time. Perhaps it is because I actually get time to read them. I revisited a lot of children's books when I was on my own and this was one of them. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis seemed to have more depth somehow as a grown up :

The White Witch?" said Edmund; "who's she?"
"She is a perfectly terrible person," said Lucy. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia thought she has no right to be queen at all, and all the Fauns and Dryands and Naiads and Dwarfs and Animals—at least all the good ones—simply hate her. And she can turn people into stone and do all kinds of horrible things. And she has made a magic so that it is always winter in Narnia—always winter, but it never gets to Christmas. And she drives about on a sledge, drawn by reindeer, with her wand in her hand and a crown on her head."

Edmund was already feeling uncomfortable from having eaten too many sweets, and when he heard that the Lady he had made friends with was a dangerous witch he felt even more uncomfortable. But he still wanted to taste that Turkish Delight more than he wanted anything else.

In this video from Youtube, there are three scenes featuring the White Witch played by Tilda Swinton. I do think she makes a great White Witch:

My favourite scene is actually where Lucy first comes out of the wardrobe into Narnia but I cannot find a decent quality video of that bit in English. However, if you share my enthusiasm, it is bound to be on at some time over the Christmas period :-)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 11

2011-12-11T10:35:00.005Z

I usually leave it until the second week in December before I do any Christmas decorating. I love to do it but I like it to be special so I am never one to have it there for so long that it loses the aura. I also don't like to spend a fortune on designer bits and pieces, it would lose the magic somehow. Over the years I had to do it on a shoestring anyway, there were times when I couldn't afford to do it any other way. The thing I love about creating Christmas atmosphere is that it is more about imagination than money. In the past I have simply used holly and pine cones with a few added touches.
So, yesterday I put up a tree and decorated the fireplace.

Each year it is a little different and I did spend a little bit this year, there are a couple of new additions. However, there are also some old favourites that make me smile. The glass bowl on the mantle is an old grapefruit dish from a car boot which cost about 20p. There is a Royal Worcester Trinket dish with a Christmas rose that cost £1.00 off eBay. I was buying and selling a bit at the time to make ends meet but, Andy loved it so it was kept. The strawberry dish that you see which harbours some tea lights came in a big junk box and I have long since sold other bits from it and doubled my money! The big pine cone in the dish of pot pouri was picked up in Skiathos. Of course there are a couple of bits in there that were not so cheaply acquired. The fairy, the Easel and the little plaque in front of it were all gifts from Andy on some of our travels. You can't see but the small plaque depicts Mary and Child. I know that both the plaque and the easel were done by an enamel and silver artist in Athens, sadly I have lost the card to know who it was to give credit. The great thing is that most of it has some kind of memories or meaning.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 10

2011-12-10T09:45:00.003Z

Now this one isn't just magic, it is a blooming miracle ~ do excuse the pun! Those of you that know me will also know that I am not very methodical, I don't work to schedules and I kill houseplants with neglect! I am notoriusly bad with anything indoors because I either overwater it or forget to water it for weeks. This one is now on it's third year and every time it flowers, I am stunned by it's resilience in my awful care.

Thank you to Andy for the lovely photo and thank you plant for being so beautiful despite my dreadful ministrations!

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 9

2011-12-09T09:00:00.002Z

I have posted a lot about Christmas but like a lot of people there has been occasions when I have lost the magic completely. The worst Christmas was the year we lost my younger brother just after his 39th birthday. It was the only year that I never put up a Christmas tree.
I think he would have understood that one but somehow I knew that he would not have understood subsequent years. He was all about living. In fact, he was not a great one for Christmas and pretty much had the same views as my Mum and Dad. However, he did smile at my enthusiasm and I can see see him grinning at me now as I decorate the house and put up my tree. Throughout the year, I think of him but, whenever I go into a church, I will maybe light a candle. It is good to sometimes have a special quiet moment.
I am aware that for anyone that has experienced loss, Christmas can be a difficult time. When you feel sad, it is terribly hard to watch people enjoying themselves and it seems to deepen that feeling of loss or despair. So especially for anyone that is feeling the loss of a loved one, here is a poem together with candles lit on my fireplace:

I will Light Candles this Christmas
by Howard Thurman

I will light Candles this Christmas;
Candles of joy despite all sadness,
Candles of hope where despair keeps watch,
Candles of courage for fears ever present,
Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days,
Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens,
Candles of love to inspire all my living,
Candles that will burn all the year long.

I wish you peaceful thoughts....

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 8

2011-12-08T08:29:00.004Z

My son was born in December and so a lot of fabulous moments come from the early years of his life. I can still recall his face at the first Christmas tree, he was totally in awe. Consequently a lot of his birthday presents were released at Christmas time. We watched some video's for hours as you often tend to do with young children's favourites. I will always love books written for children and this animation was inspired by the Rupert books. The strange thing is that I have never been a very great McCartney fan and the Christmas one that he did with Wings is enough to set my teeth on edge. However, combine imagination with two years work and you get a timeless piece that I smile at every time I watch it. This is the full version because I think that just the song takes it out of context. Also one of my favourite bits is Rupert talking animatedly at the end:

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 7

2011-12-07T09:00:00.000Z

This is one for the cynics..... it makes me smile and there is more than a little truth within the words:

Advent 1955
by
John Betjeman

The Advent wind begins to stir
With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
It's dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
And in between we only see
Clouds hurrying across the sky
And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
And branches bending to the gale
Against great skies all silver pale
The world seems travelling into space,
And travelling at a faster pace
Than in the leisured summer weather
When we and it sit out together,
For now we feel the world spin round
On some momentous journey bound -
Journey to what? to whom? to where?
The Advent bells call out 'Prepare,
Your world is journeying to the birth
Of God made Man for us on earth.'

And how, in fact, do we prepare
The great day that waits us there -
For the twenty-fifth day of December,
The birth of Christ? For some it means
An interchange of hunting scenes
On coloured cards, And I remember
Last year I sent out twenty yards,
Laid end to end, of Christmas cards
To people that I scarcely know -
They'd sent a card to me, and so
I had to send one back. Oh dear!
Is this a form of Christmas cheer?
Or is it, which is less surprising,
My pride gone in for advertising?
The only cards that really count
Are that extremely small amount
From real friends who keep in touch
And are not rich but love us much
Some ways indeed are very odd
By which we hail the birth of God.

We raise the price of things in shops,
We give plain boxes fancy tops
And lines which traders cannot sell
Thus parcell'd go extremely well
We dole out bribes we call a present
To those to whom we must be pleasant
For business reasons. Our defence is
These bribes are charged against expenses
And bring relief in Income Tax
Enough of these unworthy cracks!
'The time draws near the birth of Christ'.
A present that cannot be priced
Given two thousand years ago
Yet if God had not given so
He still would be a distant stranger
And not the Baby in the manger.

As I don't have an image of a baby in a manger to hand, I thought that I would post up this images taken a few weeks ago up in Bridgnorth. The morning sun was streaming through the windows of St Mary's Church. I am sure that I have mentioned before that I am more spiritual than religious. However, this scene was so magical and very beautiful.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 6

2011-12-06T07:44:00.005Z

It was holiday times as a child when I can recall ever watching the television. I seem to remember two distictly separate times of Watch with Mother. The first ones were when I was very young such as Bill & Ben and Andy Pandy. But, after my brother was born, there are another set in my mind that are perhaps not so well known. This one is an episode of Pogles Wood entitled "the Crown" which was screened in 1967. Viewers will perhaps understand why I have chosen this particular episode when they see the mysterious arrival of a baby. However, this baby is the son of the King of Fairies!

For some reason, not many people seem to recall this series and perhaps it was because they were put into storage for more than 40 years! Showing my age here.....However, it was one of my favourites. Watching it now and I can see why I would have loved it, set in the woods with fairies and talking flowers!
Further reading can be found on the Pogles Wood website.
Oh and whilst I have a few more animations planned for this advent series, I promise that any further ones will be in colour! ;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 5

2011-12-05T18:03:00.003Z

With the snow covering the Shropshire hills this morning, I thought it was time for this post. Whilst, it is lovely to see nostalgia and people all seemingly enjoying themselves, it is also important to remember that life or Christmas is not always perfect. Sometimes, you have to dig hard for the magic!

One time that stands out for me was following the break up of my marriage. My son was ten at the time and we were coming up for the first Christmas. The decision as to where he should spend Christmas was a no brainer, the options were alone with me or with his Dad, Nan and stepbrothers. So, I prepared for my first Christmas alone. I decided that I was going to go for a walk on Christmas morning in the Shropshire Hills which is a place of outstanding beauty. Sadly, when the day came, I drove there and it was raining. Not only was it raining but the mist was coming down heavily and I knew better than to go walking in that. The mist over those hills is renowned for thickening rapidly and creating a disorientation effect. So, I sat in the car for a little while feeling a little sorry for myself ;)

At the same time I thought back to a book that I had once read regarding someone being lost in those hills which had a big impact when I read it. It was of those books that stayed with me and was written by Rev. Donald E. Carr in 1865. It isn't a Christmas book but written in the depths of winter when the weather was at it's most severe. Historically it is of interest too because it provides an insight to the hamlets and villages in the area. If you are not a very religious person, don't be put off by it being written by a Reverend, although he does talk a little about his faith, it is a very factual account of a night where he got lost in the snow. There are no sudden revelations of light other than snow blindness. Recalling it was my reminder that sometimes in life a little adversity comes your way and there are degrees of adversity! Incidentally, afterwards I went on to have lunch with a girl friend in similar circumstances followed by an evening in a nice warm house looking at my Christmas tree lights with a glass or two of wine :)

The book is called A Night in the Snow and is only a short read if you have an hour or so to spare. It is available on several internet sites as an ebook or is also available for Kindle on Amazon for £0.00.

I will be back with a big dose of nostalgia tomorrow ;)

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 4

2011-12-04T11:21:00.003Z

I thought that today we would have a little music and have chosen the Florin Street Band with the song "My Favourite Time of Year"

Despite trying to get a record label to produce this, they had no success and eventually went independent. The video is pretty much filmed at Blists Hill Museum at Ironbridge and is probably one of the most traditional I have seen. I suppose that Blists Hill being a Victorian working museum kind of helps with the overall effect and there is definately some Christmas magic. It certainly makes a change from some of the irritating "same old" which seems to have been wheeled out for years.
I posted it up last year but have no compunction in posting it again because this year all proceeds of the downloads are being split between charities. It is being used for the ITV text Santa appeal and can be downloaded as from tomorrow so feel free to share :)Incidentally, those of you that have seen my artwork of Casey the carthorse, which is down the blog on the right somewhere, will spot him in the opening scenes. For me, it also makes me smile as a regular visitor to Blists Hill working out the buildings used and spotting a few familiar faces! I wish them all the very best for this year and sincerely hope that it makes the charts this time....

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 3

2011-12-03T06:46:00.004Z

My Mum came from a very big family and when I was small, we used to pay a visit to some of those that lived locally. Auntie Kath and Uncle George were a favourite with me, I recall being a little spoilt by them. They were not rich by any stretch of the imagination and lived in a council house. Every year they used to decorate it to the hilt and nowadays, it would probably be described as tacky. However, as a child you don't tend to notice tacky, for me it was magical. They always had one of those snow domes, you know those plastic globes with a snow scene inside.
I loved them and can recall spending hours shaking theirs up and watching the snow swirl around inside.

Nowadays, I have my own snow globe although I am not sure that it would withstand lots of child handling! I delight at getting it back out for the Christmas season every year and giving it a good shake. I watch all those bits of glitter swirling and smile at the memories it invokes. Auntie Kath and Uncle George are no longer with us, they both lived to quite a good old age and moved on a few years ago. However, I can still see them and hear them both in my mind with every shake together with good childhood memories. Sometimes, it is the little things......

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 2

2011-12-02T17:58:00.007Z

Well after a very cold crisp start to the day, I couldn't resist putting up this piece of art by Joseph Farquharson (1846-1935).

Since time began I can recall seeing Christmas cards displaying this artists work and always loved it. Many of his scenes could be be of Shropshire given our rural landscape but, they are actually of Scottish scenes. I particularly like his use of light and as long back as I can recall, I always wanted to be able to paint a picture that looked like one of his. I had several very bad attempts in my early years! I don't know in which gallery I finally got to see his work for real, it was a long time ago. However, every time I see a Christmas card depicting one of his beautiful scenes, it raises a smile. Besides on a card all that snow doesn't cause any traffic chaos ;)
His work can be seen in galleries in Liverpool, Aberdeen and the Tate and if you want to know a little more about him, there is further reading on Wikipedia.

Christmas Advent Magic - Day 1

2011-12-01T18:45:00.004Z

I like Christmas! However, I know that a lot of people don't enjoy the season for a variety of reasons and I have to say that I think the commerciality of it all has got a little too much. I know it can also be a very difficult time for missing loved ones for whatever reason, being on your own and also the stress of trying to "get it right" on the day. But, I thought I would post up a few personal thoughts and favourites. These are a few things that over the years has made Christmas magical for me. Oh, and despite it being rather nice, there won't be a video of the John Lewis advert!

I have previously posted up a clip from the film A Christmas Carol. However someone has since posted up a much better quality version. As a child, I loved the book and read it avidly, it was my favourite Charles Dickens book of all time. This film with George C Scott was filmed in Shrewsbury and those that are old enough will recall the town being transformed as they filmed it. Those that are too young will maybe have to guess at the places in the film. There are some of my favourite childhood haunts used in the settings and one that really springs to mind is the ghost in the tunnel with those eerie drips in the background but, I think you will have to view subsequent parts to get to that bit. However, this is Part One:

I still love the thought behind the fiction although, sometimes I still find myself muttering "Humbug" on occasion!

Art of Birds

2011-11-27T11:29:00.004Z

Whilst I love to watch the birds and have lots of images of them, I don't very often turn them into art pieces. This one was one of Andy's suggestions and photographs. I like it because he is not sitting around posing, he is in action so to speak.

I love this colour of pastelmat, the problem is that there are only a few pages in a book and I use all this colour up first. I think I am going to have to see about ordering sheets!

Big Bad Wolf

2011-11-19T17:20:00.006Z

For the first time in while a I did a wildlife subject. This one was another from Paint my Photo and I loved it. It is pastels on pastelmat. As yet I haven't fixed it, has anyone tried fixative on pastelmat or have any other methods?

I have made him a little more fierce looking than the original but I didn't want it to look like a domestic animal.

Meanwhile, we went out taking some more bird photography last weekend which is over on my photography blog. I am using one of Andy's for my latest work in progress. He managed to capture a lovely Blue Tit hanging from an old branch. It is a bit of a breakway for me so we will see how it goes....Incidentally I seem to be getting a big nasty line across some of my photo's in blogger lately. I have had to upload this one twice. Is anyone else getting this...if you look at the last big firework in my fireworks post, you can see what I mean!

Leather Journal

2011-11-12T11:08:00.005Z

Well my new leather journal finally arrived! I had to wait for it because they hand make it to order at Earthworks. However, it was worth waiting for...

In fact the reality was even better than seeing it online and the smell is gorgeous. If I had waited too long, I think I would have been almost too in awe of it to put anything in it. However, it helps because it is loosely bound so easy to rectify mistakes! So I have made a start and following a thought from last week when we visited Witley Court, I added Tennysons poem:

The Oak

Live thy Life,
Young and old,
Like yon oak,
Bright in spring,
Living gold;

Summer-rich
Then; and then
Autumn-changed
Soberer-hued
Gold again.

All his leaves
Fall'n at length,
Look, he stands,
Trunk and bough
Naked strength.

It seemed to fit quite nicely as a start and I added a small watcolour sketch to go with it.

Have a great weekend :)

Bridgnorth Rugby Club Fireworks 2011

2011-11-09T17:47:00.008Z

Well, it is that time of year and once again we spent November 5th at Bridgnorth Rugby club to watch their superb display of fireworks.
Here are a few images of them:

It is very well organised with a hog roast, burgers, hotdogs, live music and beer! What more could you ask for? Many thanks to all who organised, contributed and took part from the Rugby Club and Bridgnorth Aluminium.

Hand Turned Oak Pencil

2011-11-05T11:02:00.009Z

Some of you will recall that I have mentioned my friend Simon previously (Simon of the Teddy Bear bunk beds). He is very enthusiastic and inventive, always coming up with something a little different. Believe it or not, recently he has spent some time perfecting the art of make beautiful razors. He uses mother of pearl (which is synthetic of course) and turns a Mach 3 into something beautiful. You really do have to see one in reality to appeciate just how lovely this everyday object can be. I requested a turned pencil to use for my art and he offered me a choice of recycled woods. After some deliberation, I went for Jack Daniels Oak made from old barrels :)
This is my pencil in the making:

It smelt great too for a little while :) I love it!
If you are local, you can see Simon in action at the wood turners at Blists Hill Victorian Town on a Friday. Check out his turned acorns and have a chat ~ an all round nice guy. By the way if anyone is interested in something similar as a Christmas present maybe, do let me know and I will forward you his email address.

Creative Expression

2011-10-25T17:04:00.007+01:00

Following my journal in Skiathos last year, I have ordered a leather journal in the hope that I spend a little more time recording some of my thoughts, wildlife notes and little incidences that get forgotten in time. Sometimes, I think life has little signs that maybe mean something and maybe not but, I remain open to the possibility that they do. This post is a little expression regarding one of my coincidences.

It started with this demoiselle in Skiathos floating down the stream.

I then went on to learn some interesting things about the magical forest in Skiathos and questions that I had thought about for a while were answered by a lady who also has a deep love of nature. So, I finally put the thoughts and words from my head into some poetry....given that I am 30 years rusty writing anything in rhyme. And for me, it does have to rhyme. I am a traditionalist!

Late in the summer, floating downstream
Sparkles of light glisten and gleam,
A dainty demoiselle catches a ride
Before fingers of Autumn cause heat to subside.

Seasonal shapes crumple and furl
Twisting and falling, gracefully swirl.
Icy branches of frost creep and form
Contours of twisted russets adorn.

Winter, the host, standing still and bare
With his arms outstretched in cold, crisp air.
Silently dormant in the elements, he waits
For the harbinger of Spring to unlock the gates.

Ephemeral first signs, the buds burst again
Bright leaves, emergence, the fresh and the green
Soft misty rain above the canopy
Then sun will shine on the Sycamore tree.

We have been back for over a month now and it almost seem that wherever I go sycamore leaves and trees keep cropping up over again. When I was contemplating this outside, this leaf simply materialised in front of me. I thought I would paint it and articulate it all.

Good practice for my journal.....

Feast of Colour

2011-10-20T16:38:00.013+01:00

The last few weeks have seen the UK move into Autumn which as yet has been quite subtle changes. We have visited the Severn Valley on a few occasions and also ventured to an arboretum that is also quite local. In fact there are two that I didn't even know were there. The colours of the trees are changing, perhaps more subtle than last year when we had some glorious reds.

This year seems to be more golden somehow but, perhaps that is because we haven't got to that stage yet. Well, apart from the acers which always provide a spectacular show.

Perhaps the most incredible sight has been the berries which have added wonderful deep rich hues to the landscape. Fruit seems to have had a wonderful year in this part of the country and lots of the trees are laden with apples, damsons and plums too. In fact I have been waiting for the first frost because it is surely time to go and gather some sloes.

An Answer

Come, let us go into the lane, love mine,
And mark and gather what the Autumn grows:
The creamy elder mellowed into wine,
The russet hip that was the pink-white rose;
The amber woodbine into rubies turned,
The blackberry that was the bramble born;
Nor let the seeded clematis be spurned,
Nor pearls, that now are corals, of the thorn.
Look! what a lovely posy we have made
From the wild garden of the waning year.
So when, dear love, your summer is decayed,
Beauty more touching than is clustered here
Will linger in your life, and I shall cling
Closely as now, nor ask if it be Spring.

Alfred Austin

However, the lack of frost so far this year has meant that the roses are still in bloom together with fuchsia's cascading beautiful colour in the gardens.

For myself, it has also been a wonderful time of firsts. Whilst sitting on the river bank last week, a snake slid under my knees much to my total surprise. It was a grass snake so totally harmless (although I wasn't quite sure at the time). I don't think I have ever been quite so up close to a snake in the wild and confess to being just a little startled at the time. But, it was lovely to see and quite beautiful at close quarters.
Bird wise, I also saw some different one's for the first time in my life. I have never been lucky enough to see a Crossbill so was delighted to see several of them one evening in the valley. I did take a picture but, as you can see, it is very poor. It was virtually dark by the time I spotted them.

But, the beauty is that I did get to see them and that made the day very special :) Finally, we were also lucky enough to see a Goldcrest which is another first for me. No image at all this time because the only one I managed is a blur of wings, it was a nippy little thing.
We have had some unusually lovely days for October and this has meant that dragonflies are still about patrolling the river and the streams so I shall leave you with a Migrant Hawker which I did manage to capture at rest.

It has gone a lot colder this week and I am hoping that Winter doesn't arrive just yet. I am loving that final feast of colour.

Art from Sepia Photo's

2011-10-13T17:57:00.007+01:00

I was not sure how I was going to get on with my last project. Working from old photo's can be problematic and I confess to not being sure of my ability to handle this one. However, it is for a good friend and she did leave it entirely up to me to choose materials. This is the original photo of her Dad who is now in his 80's.

I was going to use soluble pencils to start but changed my mind to using coloured pencils. I thought that the subject may be tricky enough without adding the complication of a medium that I am not so familiar with. In the end I used just brown and cream polychromo's for it. I was tempted to add a little colour half way through but, after asking both Andy and my facebook friends , I resisted the temptation following good advice. There was a feeling that I would lose that nostalgic essence. So, this was the result:

Although it was challenging, I really did enjoy it it although it did take a while. I was meticulous with the original drawing and then every change to his features was little by little. As you can see, the background was blurred using Zest it solvent, I used a burnishing pencil on his portrait and left the uniform alone to provide texture.

Artistic Block

2011-10-04T17:58:00.007+01:00

Normally when I have taken a break, I come back full of loads of idea's for art. This time was the complete opposite for some strange reason. I wonder if it was because I had been working on so many commissions before I left that I lost the ability to think...
Thankfully, I resorted to something that has worked for me in the past and used the "think small" .....
Firstly I wanted to create something for a Christmas card. I have plenty of lovely scenery from the hoar frost last year which is great for traditional but I wanted a cutsie one too. So I came up with a mouse band. I confess that the inspiration was not entirely my own, I had seen a cute music band on another artists site which provided the seed of thought. From there it grew and took on a shape of it's own. The drum was from a Christmas globe that I have, the mice were loosely inspired real mice and by some rubber stamps that I stopped using ages ago (because of their sale policies). The lamp just added itself somehow....

After that, I seemed to get back on track. We bumped into another photographer down in the Severn Valley and were chatting about photography. However, his daughter was a delight, long blonde hair, a wonderful hat and a fishing net. I don't normally like to take pictures of other people's children, people get so funny about it nowadays. But, I had to ask them all if it would be ok to snap a pic of her walking away from me. I suspect that she will be the subject of my next oil painting somewhere by the sea ;) I am grateful to her parents for allowing me the opportunity, it is a great image.
Meanwhile, I have been given another commission of something different so have plenty to keep me going!

The next bit of inspiration was from Paint my Photo and the competition this month is a French shop image and the instruction to limit the colour palate. Black, white and two primaries. So I did a couple of small (for me) pieces. They are simple sketches and took about an hour each.

Red and ultramarine blue in this one and I followed it with yellow and cobalt.

Good fun and I enjoyed something a bit different.

Skiathos Birds

2011-10-02T17:40:00.008+01:00

I suspect that the best time to see birds in Skiathos is during the migration season in early Spring. There are a lot of areas that must provide a great habitat. In the summer, we didn't see too many part from swifts, swallows and sparrows. Going back in September provided greater variety .

Up along one of the mountain roads we came across this Red Legged Partridge who didn't seem awfully phased when I followed it with the camera.

In Kolios bay, this Cormorant was fishing in the shallows and startled us because it came into the shallows under the water with fish jumping in it's wake!

Of course, it didn't hang around whilst I changed lenses, so this shot was slightly more distant!
On the pool at the back of the harbour, we saw this Egret.

I couldn't help but notice that in the area there was an old store/building and was thinking what a great bird hide it would make!

The olive groves around the island lend themselves to insect catching birds such as Shrikes and Flycatchers. Sadly, we didn't see a Shrike this year but we did spot a number of Flycatchers. I spent some time watching this one at Kehria, what an agile little bird.

Finally, my funny shot of the holiday, I think this is a Willow Warbler not overly pleased at my presence.

I would love to go off season with a mobile hide but that would be yet another chunk out of my ever decreasing baggage allowance (thank you Thomsons). By the time I have my camera, lenses and ID books, the clothing we can take is getting less and less. It is perhaps a good thing that Skiathos is relatively informal.

Spiritual Restoration

2011-09-25T11:37:00.011+01:00

Rereading my last blog post of three weeks ago and I sound unusually negative. To be honest I hadn't recognised it in myself either. Looking back, I can understand why. Andy had been working incredible hours and I think the atmosphere pervading my workplace had crept into my psyche. We had seriously missed out on quality time together but I am glad to say that this was resolved by taking another break on our favourite Greek island. The weather was very kind to us for most of our visit and we spent lots of time in out favourite places, resting and soaking up Skiathos.

I am sure that people often wonder why we return to the same place so often but now the island holds a familiarity that is both comfortable and welcoming. Originally we missed the beaches, after a few visits we missed the wildlife diversity but nowadays we miss the people. Times are very difficult right now for Greek people, taxes are being increased, prices are going up steeply and they are trying hard not to pass them on to the tourist. I cannot help but admire their pride and philosophy. Once again I came away with an inner peace and some words of wisdom that will make me smile for months to come. We won't talk about the only addition to our Greek vocabulary though ;)

We spent quite few days on our special beaches, paddling around in streams, watching beautiful sunsets and eating out in our very favourite Greek tavernas.

We met up with friends old and new. We managed to see some local exhibitions of art and photography which also enabled us to put some faces to names of people that we had chatted to online but had not met. It was also great to meet some more wildlife enthusiasts and once again people were kind enough to share some of their knowledge with me.

Of course, as always, wildlife did mange to throw in some surprises too but, I shall save those for some subsequent posts to follow. For now, sadly we are back to work tomorrow but, I know that our Greek friends are about to wind down after a few months of crazy hours. So we wish all of them happy holidays.......especially those that went a long way to ensure ours was wonderful :D

Orange vs. BT Internet Issues

2011-09-05T21:30:00.005+01:00

I notice once again this evening our Internet is playing up considerably. Last time I got very anxious and spent a lot of time on the phone to Orange to complain. It was very stressful. To make matters worse, several days after all the problems, BT kept phoning to offer us a good deal on broadband. Call me cynical but, I got the idea that they were strangling our service. Co-incidentally all of these problems used to arise just after the children left school at 4.30. Call me even more cynical but the kids are back to school tomorrow...and so it happens again.
However, this time, I have decided I am not going to get wound up....I am going to take an Internet break ~ stuff 'em and their machinations, I don't want to play ;)

So here is my Skywatch Friday image early.......

Just right now, I have several projects and plans. So, I shall let them fight it out over the next couple of weeks and hopefully catch up with you all soon...

Red Deer Oil Painting

2011-09-01T18:12:00.005+01:00

This is my current work in progress using water soluble oil paint. I am really liking them, it is great to have a splodge in oils again, it seems like it has been ages.

I do seem to have a distinct lack of brushes but I don't want to buy any just yet because the NEC is coming up in November and I prefer to make a list. So for now I will just have to make do with what I have. As I keep building with oils, this one will keep me occupied for a little while yet...you will probably get to see the finished thing sometime in October!!

Bank Holiday Happenings

2011-08-30T19:27:00.006+01:00

We usually stay local over the bank holiday not wishing to get too caught up in the onslaught of traffic. Sunday saw us at Worfield once again and we had a great day capturing some of the action. I used my longer lens this time and think the results were better.

I took by far too many images! I have put a small selection over on my website so if you were one of the riders, check them out. However, as always feel free to email, I have another two hundred or so that currently remain unsorted!!

Yesterday we went along to the Bridgnorth Music & Art Festival and enjoyed a great session of Oaken Lee.

I also had a good time people watching. There were some very interesting characters about the town, I love how a festival brings out originality and it was excellent to see people dancing in the street.

Meanwhile on Saturday I started a new art project. Inspired by a comment by Ian at Triple Effect, I pulled out my oil paints that have not yet been used. I love oils but the smell really gets to me. A little while ago I bought some water soluble ones to try. So, I have made a start but my oil painting work is quite slow. I build up in layers and like to let them touch dry in between...so the results might be a while. What I will say is that they are very pleasant to use. No sneezes or wheezes :)

Raining Cats & Dogs

2011-08-26T21:34:00.005+01:00

Well it has felt a bit like that today, it is somewhat stormy! I have been working on more animals, I am trying to get some samples together of my pet art. It seems a little silly I know but, apart from the early days, most of my animal art is sold.

So I now have a couple that be viewed for real so to speak. As I have done so many animals recently I think my next project needs to break away a little bit before I end up with too mcuh of the same thing. Besides, I am sure you all know me by now ~ "I" need a change. Have a great weekend all, whatever the weather...

Triple Effect

2011-08-21T15:50:00.009+01:00

Triple Effect is a local shop in Bridgnorth that specialises in portrait photography and framing. I confess that this post is almost blatant self promotion because they are also now stocking some of my art and some giclee prints which is great news. If there is one thing that I have previously lacked, it has been getting my art out so that it can be viewed other than online, which isn't quite the same. It is also very advantageous because they are right on my doorstep and the framing service is excellent. It doesn't seem so long ago that I was quite upset that we were lacking anything like this locally and I had to travel some way to get any work framed up, so I am pleased on many levels.

So, if you are in the area, do pop a long and have a look. They are in Whitburn Street, Bridgnorth and the website is here. The portrait work is also excellent as you will be able to see from the site and you are guaranteed a friendly welcome.

They are also taking part in the Bridgnorth Arts & Music Festival which is going to be held next week. This runs from the 26th August to 4 September 2011 and is an annual event. Art will be exhibited in shops all over the town and there is an excellent line up of music and events over several days including Oaken Lee who I blogged about last week. The full program can be found on the website which is here. I think we are incredibly lucky to have people who take an enormous amount of time to put such events together.

Meanwhile, I was bemoaning the lack of flowers in the town at Springtime. Today, I went out and about this morning before the town gets busy with the festival to look at it all in the sunshine. As you can see the lack of flowers noticed earlier in the year has been more than rectified by both the council and business owners alike. Here is a taster for now and I will post some more when I have sorted them all out. I do think it looks beautiful and everyone should be commended for their efforts.

Red Arrows - Sad Day

2011-08-20T21:45:00.007+01:00

Anyone that regularly reads my blog will know that I am a big Aircraft fan. I love airshows and the very accomplished pilots that fly in them and demonstrate both the aircraft and pilot ability. I could quote myself on here previously pointing out that the Red Arrows are a highlight of any such event. Today's events are so sad that Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging lost his life whilst performing at Bournemouth Airshow.
So, it is with a great sense of sadness that I post up an image of the Red Arrows as a tribute to him.

My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues.

Chorley Show

2011-08-14T21:36:00.012+01:00

We went to Chorley Show last year and for some strange reason I never got around to blogging it. I cannot think why because it is an event that this year I was determined not to miss. It isn't big in that you can walk around it fairly quickly but, they do have a variety of exhibitors and also some fabulous contributors. Most of these have local connections and I can honestly say it makes for a great day out, which for us was very welcome.

One of the attractions is the Knights of the Damned . They are a jousting display team which are famous for various film appearances.

I wasn't booing at the black knight ~ honest ;)

One of the top highlights for me is the music. People who have read my blog before will know that I have posted about Whalebone because I really enjoy their music. They had two sessions and if you want to hear a small selection, they have a Youtube channel here.
I really wanted to get a photo of Sarah playing the fiddle but, she is so fast that normally when I take the whole group, her fingers are a blur. So, here is one of her on her own!

Followed by Steve and Char in one of their accoustic enjoyment moments!

The music here just makes it for me and I am happy to sit with a glass of cider, soaking it up and in some ways it is like being at a festival without the hassle. It is added to by a singer/songwriter Jake Flowers. If you Google him, he comes up pretty much everywhere. He has recently got together with another and they are Oaken Lee.

You can watch the Man I'll be here on Youtube. I have to say here that I took loads of photo's of Jake. He is every artists/photographers dream. There is so much expression in his face, I am sure he must have thought I was quite odd but, as I whispered to Andy ~ he just calls out for black and white photography.

It amazes me the talent that comes out of our small County!

Meanwhile, I had a bit of a photo session myself which is unusual. I have mentioned Hodman and Sally before. The website is here. However, I do think you need to meet them to get the whole experience. It is the wit and humour that charms me as much as the colourful characters! So today I forgot my camera for a little while and simply had a chat. Hodman was quite interested in my amber liquid but Sally told me " He is on the Wagon"!! It is not good for turtles. I look forward to seeing more of their adventures before they make it back to Oblivia....

To polish the day off, I even won a prize on the raffle which is almost unheard of so we now have a two tickets for the Severn Valley Railway! It was a wonderful, chill out relaxing day and my thanks go to the organisers and the music makers ~ it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday :D

Finally, as a postscript to the recent comments, this is Two Hearts by Oaken Lee.

Missy - A Black Labrador

2011-08-12T18:44:00.004+01:00

The dog of the month has certainly been Labradors and I recently finished another commission, this time of a black one as you can see. Lots of personality in that face...This was also done in Polychromo's on Pastelmat. I am working on something a little different but have struggled with motivation this week.

The events up and down the country really did make me so sad. I was horrified for the business owners who are just trying to make a living. I felt sick when people started to get hurt and it all seems so pointless. I then get equally upset at the lynch 'em up comments because I can't help thinking how lawless is that too. Finally, I am often enraged by stupid comments by politicians who have not exactly been setting a "fine" example themselves either. Nothing annoys me more than hypocrisy!

So, I don't have a lot to show for this week. But, I have banned myself from the news for a few days ;)

A Walk on the Edge

2011-08-06T15:17:00.007+01:00

We recently went for a walk along Wenlock Edge. The Edge is a large limestone escarpment which was created 400 million years ago. Apparently at that time, we had a Caribbean environment and there are many fossils within the rocks of crinoids, trilobites and corals. Much of it is now owned by the National Trust and it provides a rich environment for wildlife. In particular, the number of wild flowers is impressive.

I went in the hope of finding some Silver Washed Fritillary butterflies but, had no joy on the day we were there. Instead we were treated to the fabulous flight of a Southern Hawker Dragonfly barely stopping and patrolling the path at an incredible rate. Try as we might, it was impossible to catch in flight but it stopped for a very brief moment on the newly cut wood piles.

The National Trust have recently erected a small bird hide. We really didn't expect to see anything of note at this time of year but, surprisingly that was a steady stream of birds at the feeders. It was a pleasant half an hour watching this Great Spotted Woodpecker. I reckon he has commandeered that feeder!

The flowers at the top of the ridge were really spectacular and I think we need to go again on a sunnier, less windy day because I am sure in the right conditions, they will be a good butterfly attraction.

Oranges and Lemons

2011-08-04T21:56:00.005+01:00

oh, and an apple...
I have been playing with the new paper quite a lot. Pastelmat gets the thumbs up from me, I think I prefer it to previous supports.

I am now trying it with a pet portrait too which I will upload when complete. I am working on another commission of a black labrador which has a lovely look. It has taken me a little longer than on Murano but, I like that it takes as much or as little of coloured pencil as you wish. I feel like I am getting a good depth to my subjects at any rate....! :)

Worfield MotoX Revisited

2011-08-01T22:11:00.008+01:00

Once again we were invited to Hazeley Grange Farm to watch our local Moto X. Which, just like last time was day filled with action, angst (at times) and total nutter appeal. The good thing was that they must have previously prayed to the sun god too because, it is known that when they are hosting, it normally rains. It made me laugh it was so dry and fast that this time they had to water the track. I am sure they were missing the normal mud baths!
Anyway, there was lot of action:

In fact so much that I took hundreds of images which is going to take me ages to sort out!
As always in this kind of situtaion, I have good, bad and crazy!

I love to watch, the combination of very loud encouragement and the banter is always evident ;)

Mind, I do think it is meant to be about who wins...but, from a photographers point of view, I would give prizes for jumping style, LOL

As I said, I am still sorting though images very slowly. But, for more images of the day, check out Andy's post here.

I am also adding a lot to my website which can be found in the gallery of ArtofChrissy.co.uk.Simply click on the gallery link and you will find them there somewhere. If you happen to find this and are one of the riders, please feel free to add a request. We might not have you but, between us we stand a good chance...and of course more will be added to my website gallery over the next few days.

Time for Some Art - A Pup, Bridgnorth & an Orange!

2011-07-26T18:48:00.007+01:00

I thought it was time I broke off from my travels and did another art update. I have been quite busy of late with a number of projects. The first was a pet portrait for one of my blogging friends Tina. She asked if I could do a portrait of Bella, who is a very "personable" honey Labrador. The photo reference that she liked the best was Bella shortly before her first walk...a Puppy girl!

Coloured Pencil on Colorfix

Meanwhile, the owners of Kissy which is a couple of pages back had her beautifully framed by a local framer in Bridgnorth ~ Triple Effect. Ian made a superb job of it and it really does bring out the subject. As, I may well require some framing done at some point, I went in to see him and he suggested that he stock a few of my prints. It was quite difficult to decide what to go for initially but, being a tourist town I have had a couple of giclee prints made up of my Bridgnorth scenes. One is on my blog last year but this is one that I don't think I have posted here of Bridgnorth, Low Town Bridge

I am also working on some small affordable originals in a wildlife theme and may well have some more prints done at some stage but, it is difficult to know what may prove popular....so will wait and see.

Meanwhile, I also ordered some different supports. Mainly because Colorsoft is being discontinued in many of my suppliers. As a substitute, I ordered some Clairefontaine Pastelmat. Before I do anything, I like to try a test piece to see how many layers it will take and also to see how my coloured pencils work with it. My test pieces tend to be small but, I often do fruit. It then provides a great indication of the depth of colour that can be achieved. So this is my test piece, an orange on a tree!

Yogatography

2011-07-24T21:37:00.009+01:00

"I took a few shots at the botanical gardens the other day. No one warned me how difficult it is to photography a butterfly. They don't exactly "pose" for you. I felt like I was chasing them around waiting for them to "be still" for just a second. I appreciate your shots all the more!!"

This comment was left on my last blog post by the very lovely Mickie from her Forgetmenot blog. I confess that it made me smile because I don't normally show the out takes. Andy has taken a few and smiles but, is much to kind too embarrass me by posting them up. However, I thought it would be good to explain the "end image" .

Many of the images I post up would appear effortless and to be honest I am happy with that. But, perhaps it would be good for other photographers to know that they don't happen just by chance. I stalk butterflies, birds and dragonflies, spending many hours simply watching where they land and inching closer and closer.

I think nothing of wading through streams and brambles, being bitten by other insects or crawling around in the mud! I think I enjoy it all the more because when I was small, I would have got into trouble for getting messy:)

I think perhaps some will understand that I love it! I am also of the opinion that it doesn't matter what camera you have, how gucci or technical, nothing can take the place of patience. Stalking is all about building confidence with your subject, allowing them to feel comfortable when you are about. I buy shoes that allow me to walk quietly, I have clothes that blend into the background. My old camo jacket is old and bedraggled but it works in the wildlife environment. Sometimes I sit in among the trees trying to blend and am annoyed if I disturb a rabbit because then I have failed to keep quiet and still enough! I have kept so still that squirrels have ran over my boots! Alternatively, it may be about building confidence as it was with this Robin. Just some food and lots of patience....

The rewards for me are huge. Yes, I get some great images from time to time...but, it isn't all about that. It is the special moments!

Furthermore, even inanimate subjects can be problematic.....let alone those that are moving. Getting close to nature can be a matter of getting damn close!

However, I can look at photo's like this and see why my neighbours may think I am nuts!!

Meanwhile Back in the UK....

2011-07-21T17:50:00.005+01:00

It seems as though in my absence everything turned to brown! After a couple of weeks away, the wildlife had almost done a complete change around. The field at the top is covered with yellow and brown butterflies are in abundance, particularly Ringlets which seem to be having a great year!

There is an emergence of Meadow Browns, Small Skippers and a second brood of Small Coppers too. I also spotted an newly emerged Brown Argus. Sadly, the weather has been awful on almost every day we have had off which has curtailed our wildlife visits. We did go to Dudmaston woods to see if the White Admirals are about this year and spotted one. However, it was cloudy by the time we got there and my one and only photo was not very special! We spotted the first dragonflies up there that we have seen this year ...and yes guess what, it was brown! The brown hawker does have some bright highlights though which I think you can see even if it was a distant shot!

In the garden, a family of thrushes arrived in our absence and proceeded to eat all the contents of my cherry tree, we did grab a bowl full first though ;) Now they have moved on to the rowan berries. The really nice thing is that we had our windows replaced at the weekend. The old one's were so bad that we could barely see though them and now the clarity of our garden visitors is amazing. The process itself was rather painful, the fitters arrived in the pouring rain and requested that I move my car. I moved it down the road and someone promptly reversed into it. Meanwhile, as I was running around like a headless chicken, I stepped out of a different door to the norm and my knee gave way and the other foot slipped. I think "sack of potatoes" spings to mind! So whilst my bruises are there to remind me ~ I have slowed down a little this week.
At least we have seen a little more sun in the last couple of days and hopefully if it brightens up, the flowers will respond accordingly. The buddleia is just coming into flower and is always a good butterfly magnet. Meanwhile the honeysuckle is looking pretty.

Percy - A Rescue Dog Portrait

2011-07-18T17:26:00.005+01:00

Percy is the second of my recent portraits and is a rescue dog. There are a few indications that he has not had the easiest of times up until now and it is good that his last few months have been spent in a much more settled environment and he is now a loved pet.

This one was also completed in coloured pencil on Murano paper. I am using my Faber Castells much more of late, particularly for furry subjects. I still may tweak with it a little but, I think it has captured his character pretty much.

Meanwhile since we got back from our holidays it has been quite a happening time! It looks as though I will be "retiring" from work next March, so will be on the lookout for something part-time for next year! I am not altogether unhappy about this, it has been looking likely for some time.
The weather has been pretty awful which has curtailed our photography but, on the up side, I have been sorting out some unfinished projects from before we went away. I think it would be nice to have a little sunshine soon though, the forecast is for another wet week and it is a little wearing especially as my Skiathos friends all keep talking about heatwaves!

Edit as at 21/07/11. Well I did say that I was likely to tweak and when I looked a little later, I thought that it lacked depth and too much of the blue paper was showing through. So here is an update:

Skiathos Cats & Some Art!

2011-07-11T18:50:00.006+01:00

There are always a number of cats to be found on Skiathos like many islands. I suspect that many are there to keep vermin down. As such, they tend to be quite feral looking and hungry! It is rare to see a fat cat on the island, they are generally of small build, quite wiry and incredible eyes even those that are domesticated. I know that there is a problem, some kittens are simply abandoned. In some ways the tourist season doesn't help. So many people feed them and of course without hunting skills, left to fend for themselves in winter, I suspect a great many of them die. However, the Skiathos Dog Shelter is making inroads into finding homes for abandoned animals and has a program to neuter as many as they are able. Skiathos Dog Shelter Long term of course this is best.

I do try not to feed the cats on the island preferring to support the many fund raising events of the Dog Shelter. However, much though I try, sometimes one sneaks under my radar.

In fact, this one I suspect is well cared for. It is a bit of a nightmare for taverna owners who try to keep them off the table and then as soon as they aren't looking they descend on us daft holiday makers!

One of my friends in Skiathos was found on the beach by her cat and whilst I was there she requested a portrait of her and her rescue dog. I was going to put them both together but, there are always problems with scale with this. Sometimes, it is easier to show them in the individual light that they deserve. So here is Piccolina hot off the drawing board.

Skiathos Butterflies, Dragonflies & Other Strange Things

2011-07-09T17:48:00.013+01:00

Last year, I started to keep records of the wildlife in Skiathos. I think this was because I once read a comment from someone who said that the wildlife there is disappointing. I can see why, I think a lot of it is not immediately obvious but, there is plenty to see although it can be a little regional. For example, I see a lot more of the dragonflies that can be found around saline reed beds in September and usually a lot more birds after the first rains. In June, butterflies are more prevalent and my species count is between 30 and 40 now. I have to wonder how many others are about at different times of the year.

Cleopatra

It is the first time in June that we managed to get to the North of the island which are where all the fresh water running streams are to be found. I have previously written about the Magic forest and it's magic just keeps growing. The numbers of damselflies and dragonflies was amazing. Beautiful demoiselles were everywhere together with dragonflies that I have never seen before.

Small Pincertail

I took my macro and the sheer numbers of some things meant that at time, I was just getting silly!

as you can see.........
I feel almost spoiled now I that I am home because I could see so many unfamiliar insects in an hour that I almost got accustomed to it. In the UK, this area would be protected as a site of scientific interest just because of the diversity of wildlife. Wood whites, white admirals and Graylings are at every turn.
A couple of years ago I spotted a Lattice brown and was so hoping to see one again while I had my macro lens.

Lattice Brown

I have also always wanted to see a golden ringed dragonfly and at one stage I counted four patrolling down the stream. It took till a little later before I managed to catch one at rest.

One day we spotted this huge flying insect that looks a lot like a very big damsel in flight. That was one of those "what the heck" moments, it was about 4 inches across. It took a while to identify this one. Apparently, it can give you a nasty nip if you get too close!

Ant-Lion

As you may have gathered I am still researching some of it but did manage to ID this hairstreak as an Ilex.

As far as mammals are concerned we saw rabbits, a beautiful hare and another hedgehog this year. I suspect that we will be finding new things on this island as long as we have the funds to continue to visit!
There are more wildlife images over on Andy's blogtogether with some beautiful scenic shots here

Eating Out in Skiathos

2011-07-07T20:53:00.010+01:00

I am still working on hundreds of wildlife images and also I have finally got around to starting a wildlife journal of many of the birds, butterflies and dragonflies seen on Skiathos. I think it will be a long term project because it is fast turning into a book although a few of the highlights will follow shortly.
This time I thought that I would share some of my most favourite places to eat out. There are hundreds of tavernas in Skiathos and they all offer a wonderful menu but here I shall just list a few. These are my top four personal favourites from our last visit although I do of course have others!

The first are two very simple places, I am pretty certain that on the island they are called kantina’s .The beauty of these two is the freshness and simplicity of the food and their location.

Kastro is one of the boat stops and gets very busy but we tend to choose a windy day to visit when it is a little quieter. I have mentioned it before, it is very rustic but the food produced from that small building is amazing. It is run by an interesting character named Apostoli and his wife cooks the meanest omelette I have ever tasted! The views are not too bad either ;)

The other one is in Kechria and is very much favoured by the Greek people. Once again, it is a limited menu but I love to spend an hour or two here simply eating and watching or maybe having a beer. It amazes me how here in the UK so many places serve up frozen chips but not here! They also serve fish, Gavos and a delicacy that all the locals seemed to enjoy, sea urchins. I confess I wasn’t that brave. It is situated right next the ancient forest which is teaming with wildlife and the meadow is awash with butterflies.

The next two are more sophisticated venues and both struck me as a real cut above the norm. Both of these were new to us this year and we will definitely return to both of them.

Lyhnari is run by Dimitri and Anne who both take a real pride in the restaurant and quite frankly, it shows. All the dishes looked wonderful , the variety is exceptional and I can honestly say the fish that we ate there was the best we have ever tasted. I also love the décor of this place, it is simply so pretty. This is a photo taken just before it opened!

If you do visit don’t be mislead by the empty tables, it is well known and very popular. In fact, I would suggest you go so far as to book if you want to visit here. We went on two occasions and it was packed both times. I can understand why!
Lyhnari Website

Secondly, we also found Olive Land up in the mountain. The view is spectacular which overlooks the south east of the island and you can see for miles. One of the things that struck me here was simply the table. The tablecloths and plates are all co-ordinated with olive leaf designs and it is all set out beautifully with sparkling polished glasses.

Even more importantly, the food is also delicious. There isn’t a huge menu but it seems that they always have a special in addition and I can vouch for the slow cooked lamb.

Olive Land Website

Sadly, most of these places are pretty inaccessible with the exception of Lyhnari which is in the town. You could probably access Olive Land by taxi but the kantina’s are on the North of the island and a four wheel drive is probably the safest option. Taking out car hire has transformed the island for us. It means that we really do get to see some of the loveliest places on Skiathos. So our thanks must also go to Odysseas, Tonya and George for the excellent service that they provide. I always worry about car hire in other countries but, these people are so trustworthy and Odysseas speaks such good English that it makes it all very easy. I cannot recommend them highly enough (well except that Odysseas is a bit of a tart, LOL)
Skiathos first Rent car Bike

A Quiet Corner of Skiathos

2011-07-03T09:48:00.004+01:00

We have been off on our holidays for a couple of weeks, once again to the beautiful island of Skiathos. This image was taken very early one morning on Vromolimnos before the crowds arrived. I love the gorgeous morning light, as a friend once described it ~ the golden hour!
I hope to keep that sense of peacefulness at the back of my mind over the next couple of weeks as I now have some catching up to do. As a result of our visit, I have a myriad of projects (which are all nice things), lots of personal administration (not so nice) and of course back to work! My "to do" list is pretty huge and I am still in Greek mode! However, perhaps that is a good thing and what holidays are all about........tomorrow perhaps ;)

Two for the money!

2011-06-16T21:31:00.005+01:00

Sometimes I love to take images that encompass two or maybe three elements:

It is also great when you can put the background to good use. I also took this next image using my macro which was good for the butterfly but, using my longer lens, it was interesting to use the backround Campions to create a nice bokeh (blurred background). It does take practice and it is made easier when you get to know your lens.

Pink and green happy colours....and on that note, have a great weekend, we are nearly there!

Small Offerings

2011-06-11T18:12:00.004+01:00

With quite a lot happening this week, there has been little time for art. I don't know why it has been so busy, in fact sitting back now, I cannot even think what I have done! But, I have worked on some smaller things this week which didn't take too long. This was one of them in coloured pencil.

It was nice to do something nature related as I don't seem to have done anything like it for a while. Small and simple!

The First Fledglings

2011-06-04T20:36:00.012+01:00

Whilst out and about this week, the first fledglings of the season have been both seen and "heard". For a long time all you could hear were cries from nests or boxes around the Severn Valley. Last Tuesday I spotted two long Tailed Tit babies, it was the noise that drew my attention first, haha.

Others birds are still tending their nests. By the pool there is still an endless collection of insects by some Reed Warblers, Reed Buntings and Dunnocks. I have yet to take a decent image of a Reed Warbler, they are very quick in and out of those reeds but here is my best effort so far!

Meanwhile, the butterflies have reached a lull as they usually do at this time of year and Large Skippers are the only one I am seeing in any number. I did take some macro shots of a Brimstone which are over on my photography blog. However, I only saw the one. A similar story up the Hermitage today I saw a solitary Small White, Speckled Wood and a few Cinnabar Moths. Down in the valley, the first orchids are blooming, please don't ask which one, I am pretty useless at wild flower names ;) Update ~ Common Spotted Orchid

I have only spotted dragonflies in flight apart from the Club Tailed a couple of weeks ago. Although one landed very briefly in our garden yesterday, I have not been close enough to ID any! There are lots of damselflies although I am still not seeing any Common Blues. Lots of Azures and Banded Demoiselles are about, I even spotted the latter up the bank today. They have a very unmistakable flight almost like a butterfly ~ quite magical.

Meanwhile and back to our garden, the first fledgling at our feeders has been a Blue Tit.

Very cute but sadly only the one! Last year, there were several at this stage. The Nuthatches are still in and out collecting food, the blackbird is still singing raucously (much to my delight ~ but perhaps I shall keep the reason for that to myself) and several others are dipping in and out less frequently.

Bella In Acrylics

2011-05-30T11:35:00.007+01:00

My followers will have noticed a lull in my art for most of April and May. I was working on a commission that took me quite some time to do and was just a little outside of my comfort zone. I am happy enough to work in oils but due to time constraints and the fact that this one needed to be on canvass left little choice other than acrylic.I have dabbled with them before but only for smaller pieces and this one was reasonably big by my standards being 24 x 18 inches.

I did find acrylics different and certainly at the beginning, I cursed them for their lack of blendability. Consequently, the piece did take me a little longer than anticipated but, over time I did get to appreciate the quick drying properties and the lack of odour. Having spent lots of hours on it and knowing that it had been ordered for a significant birthday did provide me with some anxiety when it came to delivery time on Saturday. I covered it in a very strong cardboard at the front and supported it with my large art board at the back and didn't dare breathe until it was safely handed over!

It is difficult to get a sense of scale on the internet so here is another taken shortly before packing and wrapping.

As both the commissioner and the birthday girl had a tear in their eye on seeing it, I think that it was well received. Thankfully, there was a similar story for the Kizzy portrait from a couple of posts ago who went to her owners yesterday. All I seem to have done this weekend is make people cry! Mind I also rendered Kizzy's owner to be stuck for words and I reckon that is a first ;)

Common Redstart

2011-05-29T09:58:00.010+01:00

I know that some people think I have an endless knowledge of birds and insects but I confess right here that this is limited. I am always learning. I can identify most of our garden species of birds but after that, it all gets a little more problematic. I follow the local Shropshire birding Yahoo group and would probably learn on a lot faster if I could visit the places they mention when the less common birds are there. However, working full time puts paid to that and normally I have to discover things in slow time for myself. I do get a little help, another avid photographer and nature lover often (very kindly) points us in the direction of the unusual and is brilliant at providing us with great directions. Yesterday we went to visit Cannock Chase which was one of his original recommendations. I never go with the attitude that I want to see "one thing" in particular. This kind of attitude can leave you disappointed and you miss so much. Yesterday we came across this little bird and I hadn't got a clue!

It was only when I cam home that I was able to identify it as "Common" Redstart. We actually spent some time watching it pick up food from the grassland and it is a beautiful little thing.

Sadly, it another that is on the RSPB amber list due to loss of habitat. So, I make no apologies for making it the feature of this post!

Due to the very obvious colour and markings, it was not altogether difficult to identify (hope she has it right, haha).
However, the same cannot be said for all. For example, there are a pair of birds nesting on the Hermitage, in almost exactly the same place as last year, that I am unable to ID. They have a line through their eye like a Chiffchaff or warbler but they do not warble and neither do they chiff chaff! They also look to be quite small and very, very active. I don't think I am going to get anywhere with those until I eventually manage to capture one of them on camera but, I will have to get a lot quicker! Similarly, I saw a bird of prey on the way home last week just outside one of our local villages. It had the right kind of shape for a Red Kite but the wrong colour. I can also rule out Buzzard (wrong shape), Sparrowhawk (too big), Kestrel (too big), Hobby (too big) and just keep looking at the local bird group entries in the hope that someone else spots it who has more knowledge than I do. For now, I still have some mysteries!

Abracadabra, three four five

2011-05-26T17:58:00.005+01:00

I am still unsure of the breed but think it may be a German, wired haired Pointer. Update, she is a Hungarian wire haired Vizla. Wired haired or not, she is very silky with unusual colouring and I am sure that other coloured pencil artists won't be surprised to learn that as well as white, brown and tan, I also used red, orange, yellow, lilac, grey and black!

It was a fur type that I haven't really done before and I also ended up using a burnishing pencil to get some shine. I enjoyed it, it has been a little while since I did any coloured pencil.

Work in Progress - Take One

2011-05-23T19:14:00.005+01:00

Well, it was about time I put some art up so here is take one! More will follow shortly. As you can see, I had to get eyes and nose in ~ it is almost the bit where it starts to take life. I know that some people leave those till last but, that wouldn't work for me. I want to see her coming to life, it motivates me to keep going :) Btw, if her family are watching, please leave a comment and let me know what breed she is!

Saft Dogs

2011-05-22T10:06:00.006+01:00

In the West Midlands they have a word "Saft". It represents someone or something that is a bit soft and daft which I think fits the bill for this post. My son came to see me yesterday with his dog Patch. Cal, is a bit of a one for collecting up waifs and strays and I confess to being a little worried about this latest one. I am not sure what type of dog it is but it has the look of American Bulldog. Quite rightly I was concerned initially as to it's temperament. However, he is very well socialised, lovely natured and a total wuss.

I couldn't resist taking a pic or two.

There has been no art on my blog for a little while because I have been working on quite a big commission that has taken me several weeks. I hope to be able to blog it at some point but meanwhile, now it is complete, I also have another to do. So, whilst I had the camera out, I also went to see Kizzy (not sure if that is spelt correctly) who is also a lovely natured girl.

Her owners are happy for me do do his one as a work in progress so here is my start on her. It is coloured pencil on Murano paper. I am using Faber Castells because they sharpen to a very fine point and I want this fineness for that lovely silky fur. As yet and probably for a little while, I am only using white, the rest will follow.....

Banded Demoiselle Damselfly

2011-05-21T07:40:00.004+01:00

I am trying to increase my knowlege of damselflies and dragonflies. It isn't always easy to recognise the species. For example, with damselflies it initially seems that everything you see is a common blue. There are so many variations which can make it a challenge. Two years ago, almost every photo I took was put up on Wild About Britain for ID, which some knowledgable people very kindly provided. Last year, Andy sorted me out some excellent reference books and I began to be able to recognise some but my education is still lacking. This year, I am attempting to study and photograph as many different ones as I can. This is a male banded demoiselle, usually found on river banks in quite large numbers.

Frenzied Feeding

2011-05-20T18:04:00.004+01:00

All the birds are so busy right now collecting food for the little ones. I think that this is a Marsh tit but I stand to be corrected (Willow Tits are so similar). Sometimes I can tell but not this time...
The Nuthatches are still visiting the garden, only now the female comes in too. For the first time ever this week, I have also seen a Great Spotted Woodpecker gathering insects off the lawn.

Deer at Attingham Park in Spring

2011-05-19T20:17:00.005+01:00

Despite covering the Fallow deer at Attingham Park at feeding time, lovely as it was, I prefer to see them naturally on the estate. This day, they were not too bothered at all. We were sitting in an effort not to be threatening and I had to smile at a boy who came and sat beside us clearly following our lead and realising that as he sat, he was much less likely to scare them. It was great to see patience in one so young!
I will add one more to this because it was so different in the Spring environment. If you click in you can see bits of white falling, this was blossom petals in the wind ;)

Pearl Bordered Fritillary Butterfly

2011-05-18T17:57:00.002+01:00

We recently took a day out to Wyre forest. It is just over the border but not really very far. It is a haven for some of the more unusual butterflies, many of them under threat. It is a beautiful spot, we simply spent a lovely day in old woodland and finished of the day with a pint of Magners in a the nearby Olde New Inn :) Another rarity from the day was the Wood white butterfly which has posted on my photography blog. This was a first sighting for me of both of these butterflies and the Small Pearl Bordered too. But, I will save that one for another day!

Flowers in the Rain

2011-05-17T17:56:00.003+01:00

After several weeks without rain in Shropshire, last week produced some torrential rain. In fact we had several of inches of hail last week which managed to close the roads in Bridgnorth for a while!

Bluebells at Attingham Park

2011-05-16T19:17:00.004+01:00

It was hard to choose an image for today for many reasons but, this is the one. Taken a couple of weeks ago, this was bluebells in the sun at Attingham Park.

Waterfall

2011-05-15T22:41:00.004+01:00

I have so many photo's and have not got around to sharing for many reasons. However, I will try to post up one a day for a little while...perhaps till I run out! This one is Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall in North Wales.

Happy Sunday :)

Some Wildlife Firsts & Seconds

2011-05-13T18:57:00.008+01:00

One of the wonderful things about nature is that rolling cycle. After observing for a little while, you find yourself looking out for butterflies, birds and insects throughout the spring.
The birds that visit my feeders diminish rapidly. The hordes of blue tits and the flocks of long tailed tits that reached a dozen or so in the winter have all disappeared. I know that some people stop feeding their birds in the summer but after watching all the bird pairs come in for food for hungry infants over the last three years, I leave mine for the Spring time. A few surprises are thrown up too. For example, last year about March we saw the first nuthatch at the feeder. All went quiet towards the end of June with no further sign. Imagine my surprise when he turned up again this year!

We currently have a single pairs of Blue Tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Goldfinches and Greenfinches. We also have a pair of House Sparrows nesting by the roof. Some of these are more confiding than others but in the dry spells, we were both highly amused at the Blackbird jumping in and out of our hosepipe shower.

On the insect front, I saw my first hornet flying around the garden in April and it was within two days of my first sighting of one last year.

Similar experiences together with locations could be said for the butterflies too. Last year in the meadow at Severn Valley Park, I saw green Hairstreak butterflies. So, this year I went looking again. Sure enough they were back and the same day saw the emergence of Common Blues and a couple of firsts for the site too. I noticed the familiar sight of the Brown Argus although I doubt I would have recognised it without becoming familiar with them last year on my local area of the Hermitage. An added bonus was seeing a Dingy Skipper which I have never seen before. They may well have been there of course but, my ability to differentiate butterflies from day flying moths has improved a little over the past couple of years. The nice thing was that when I went to check out my favourite bramble patch on the Hermitage, it seems that the Brown Argus is back there too.

The first damselfly to emerge here in Shropshire is the large red. This year, I was almost waiting for it and spotted my first down by the Severn. Since then, there has been a constant emergence of several others and I have spotted Azures, White Legged and both Beautiful and Banded Demoiselles. As I write I know that dragonflies have also been spotted in the area but, as yet I have only seen one. However, as this was also a first for me, I was very happy to see a Common Clubtail. As a nature lover, I often smile at the term "Common", it seems to me that some these species are far from it any more.

For my nature loving followers, I will be following up this post with images grouped into species on my photography blog i.e. more pics and less words! With my lack of posting lately, I have rather condensed recent sightings. Instead of making this even longer for those still on dial up, species mentioned without images will be added over there shortly.
Thankfully the rest during the last week seems to have greatly improved the problem with shoulder/hand but, I am still trying to limit my internet time ~ I don't want it to flare up again, I quickly realised that the majority of my hobbies involve my right hand ;)

Snookered

2011-05-06T20:36:00.004+01:00

This will be a short post....I am great in myself but for some strange reason I have mega problem with my hand. No problem till I went back to work Tuesday. But, ever since I have had unbelievable pain in my right hand which seemed to be exacerbated by mouse clicking. I lasted almost the week , but with increasing difficulty.. I then took today off realising that even with rests, I seem to be getting worse. So, I intend to rest it up for a while...

I will respond to all emails, comments, FB etc as soon as I can but, right now...I am endeavouring to have a computer break. Goodness knows how that will go, for the first time in several years, I may have to figure out how the TV works!!!!

Green Man Festival at Clun

2011-05-02T17:59:00.013+01:00

Clun is a small town in South Shropshire set in a very beautiful valley. It was built around a 14th century packhorse bridge which has alcoves for pedestrians.

As you can see from the photo, there is quite a gathering of people. This is because every year they hold a Green Man Festival which takes place over May bank holiday. It culminates on May Day (which was today) with a battle between the Ice Queen and the Green Man. If the Green Man doesn't win then summer doesn't reach the valley! Before the battle takes place both drums and fire are the tradition.

I would strongly advise readers not to try this themselves, I do think that there are easier ways of cooking burgers!

The Ice Queen arrives to many boos and groans from the crowd!

The Green man arrives to cheers and clapping.

Then the battle commences. The winner then parades through the town along with a variety of entourage. Many of the people that attend get into the spirit and have decorated hats and heads.

Traditional dancing takes place from the Morris Dancers with their handkerchiefs and sticks.

To some younger dancers around the Maypole.

The only dancing that I did was a little bop along with Whalebone who were playing in the beer tent. This was probably helped along by a pint of very nice English scrumpy although I can only hope that no-one noticed me!

There is a large craft area in the castle grounds with lots of interesting goods on sale. There was local produce, jewelry, leather and art to name but a few. I treated myself to a lovely Green man print by artist/illustrator Christopher Bell.

Further entertainment was provided by re-enactments and performers young and old.

I even bumped into Hodman and Sally. Hodman said that if he had realised that so much Paparazzi was going to be present, he would have remembered to have put his teeth in!

As Andy commented on the way home, it was certainly different! :D

About Me!

2011-05-01T20:51:00.008+01:00

I have had quite a long Easter Break, with the bank holidays and a little bit of leave, I managed to get a whole twelve days. I had fantastic intentions of sorting my garden, reading, catching up with friends, some visits with photography, plenty of art and some much needed housework!
As you might expect, I didn't quite get all of that done.....
However, I did catch up with friends and relatives that I hadn't seen for ages which was lovely. I did make some inroads into my garden, although there is still much to be done. If anyone can tell me a good use/ good reason for ground elder then please do let me know now ;) On a positive note, the lawns are mowed, my feeders are full and at least three bags of weeds have been cleared.
Plenty of visits have been made including parts of the Severn valley that I didn't know existed. This lovely brook is less than ten minutes from home and only a few minutes from a lovely little pub by the river.

We managed to visit Rectory and Dudmaston woods, the local wildlife park, Attingham Park, Ragley Hall falconry event and had some time watching wildlife in OUR garden!

It was good to catch up with some different reading. When I am working, because I am often so tired, I tend to read very easy going material. Not quite chick lit but fiction that is easy. My friend Yvonne very kindly sent me a gift of a book called Deep Country by Neil Ansell which I am loving (Thank You again Yvonne for the lovely thought). I am purposely trying to hold myself back from reading it too fast. It is about the author who spent five years in a remote Welsh cottage and all his wildlife observances. At the start of the holiday I also read a book entitled A Year in the Woods by Colin Elford. This one is a little different, Colin is a gamekeeper for woodland in Wiltshire. What I have enjoyed the most about both of them is that unlike many wildlife champions, they are not preaching at me. Sometimes, I find that the tirade against mankind is a little too much. I cannot help but think that we cannot keep going back to the past, it is what we do in the future that matters but, perhaps that is just me.

Art wise, well....I have not managed very much at all. I started a pastel painting of a spaniel....but, I have not got very far, it has a long way to go! However, I think there will be plenty of time for that when it rains and I am sure it will sooner than later!

I almost forgot, I also had a complete disaster with a portrait of a little girl which I am going to ceremoniously rip up. It was a good lesson in being careful with supports. I hated the paper almost from the start and foolishly continued ~ I have learned. More importantly, I did finish my painting commission and am happy with that result.

I have taken lots of photo's, not just out and about but, also around my garden. It was lovely to have the time to pull out the macro when I discovered a bug or just sit and watch my own garden birds. This Nuthatch only ever comes to our feeders in Spring and I think it is because he is feeding his good lady on the nest.

I will follow with another post of my garden inhabitants for my wildlife followers soon along with numerous flowers, insects, bluebells and the falconers.

On another happy note, I have found the bottom of my washing basket and I have even managed a little ironing (now, that is scary). Those of you that know me well will be relieved to note that my house still needs dusting and cleaning!

Good Friday at Blists Hill

2011-04-22T17:36:00.015+01:00

I won't provide all the background the Blists Hill in Shropshire because I have posted about it previously here. However, it is understandably very popular with tourists.
I was not sure about going on such a busy bank holiday but, as Andy has been working, I thought I would go along and take some activity shots. I went early to ensure I got a parking space! Due to it being more widely dispersed with some of the additions of late, I even managed to get a few shots before the crowds arrived. You may need to click into the images if you want to see the detail of either the people in their Victorian clothes or the enamel signs dotted about.

It was lovely to see it in the sunshine :)

They always do lovely themes for the holidays and so I knew to expect a few Easter activities too. One of the shop fronts had chicks in the window, they always raise a smile don't they?

As usual the provided some old fashioned entertainment in the form of drama/plays.

There was egg dancing! Now if you don't know what that is, all I am going to say is that is was to the tune of "Knees up Mother Brown". The tune seems to be coming up a lot lately. Anyway, I reckon the image gives you the idea.

Down on the old fairground , everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I enjoyed watching an artist at work. In keeping with the 1900's theme, he was working at an old easel with charcoal and dressed accordingly. I was slightly amused that the little boy did not want to take off his sunglasses!

The Easter bonnet competition provided some very lovely contributions and they all looked beautiful.

Meanwhile, it was also planned to drop in on my talented wood turner friend. Those who have been around long enough will know that Simon is the maker of numerous things but, blogged previously on here, the famous Teddy Bears Bunk beds. I took this image today with a selection of his other makes. Although, it doesn't cover them all, he also makes gorgeous hand turned pens. But, he doesn't take those along, they weren't invented in 1900!

It was good to catch up and he kindly gave me one of his lovely hand turned oak acorns which I am delighted with :-) So here is a last image for this post of him at the lathe ....

Happy Easter everyone.

Why Nature Enthralls Me

2011-04-22T08:31:00.007+01:00

As most of you will have gathered by now, all of nature inspires and enthralls me. The beauty of it is an endless fascination. This little insect landed on me yesterday and I can honestly say I have no idea as to what it is. No doubt I may go searching at some point but, for now all I look at are the beautiful colours and perfection when you get up close. In the photo the weave of the cloth is my cotton trousers which may provide you an idea of how little it was but think small ladybird and you will be about right.

It seemed to be quite happy looking around my fibres, LOL and I wondered what his view of it all was. Did it look like a big cotton grassy bank? He stayed for several minutes, hence the fact that I even had time to swap lenses, although reaching around myself to hold the camera really steady for a shot of my own leg was not so easy! And, no don't go there....I sincerely hope no-one was watching me on the banks of the river!

He opened his wings several times as if to take off and I was mesmerised through the lens of my camera.

Then after providing me with that beautiful little display, he flew away!

Spring in the Severn Valley

2011-04-12T16:33:00.017+01:00

Springtime was definitely here at the weekend and with the temperatures soaring, there were signs everywhere down at Severn Valley Park. The birds were singing so loudly that it almost hurt your ears. Everywhere I looked I could see them busily collecting nest material and in and out of the nest boxes.

The butterfly population is steadily increasing and this week has seen the emergence in Shropshire of the Speckled Woods, a little earlier than last year I think.
The bees are humming and over the pond are the first signs of life although I have yet to spot a damselfly!

Walking down to the river through the meandering woodland paths, Peacock butterflies flitted in the sunlight and nestled among the trees are all the spring flowers: little wild viola's, cuckoo flowers, cowslips and primroses.

Come to thy bowers, sweet spring,
And paint the gray, stark trees,
The bud, the leaf and wing--
Bring with thee brush and breeze.

And soft thy shading lay
On vale and woodland deep;
With sunshine's lovely ray
Light o'er the rugged steep.

More softly warm and weave
The patient, timid grass,
Till heard at silvery eve
Poor robin's lonely mass.

Bid faithful swallows come
And build their cozy nests,
Where wind nor storm can numb
Their downy little breasts.

Come at the sad heart's call,
To empty summer bowers,
Where still and dead are all
The vernal songs and flowers.

It may be months or years
Since joyous spring was there.
O come to clouds and tears
With light and song and prayer!

Mary Baker Eddy

Down at the river, the water was unusually still, so much so that it created the most fabulous reflections in the water with deep hues created by the surrounding trees and clear blue sky.

The trees look almost yellow with the new leaves in bud and hawthorn blossom is particularly striking. We sat there for some time soaking up the sun, watching the birds and the butterflies. The Chiffchaffs were singing , the orange tipped and brimstone butterflies patrolling backwards and forwards. Unusually, I watched a Brimstone settle and captured my first image of one for the year. This male looks almost Green here but, in flight they are a deep vibrant yellow!

I definitely saw a mammal swim across the river and wondered if it was a water vole. It was much smaller than a rat. However, it made me recall “Wind in the Willows”, the River Bank by Kenneth Grahame:

He thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river. Never in his life had he seen a river before--this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver--glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea.

Over in the far meadow, we saw a kestrel in the tree and watched him take several graceful flights over the field until eventually he caught his supper.

As the sun began to go down across the valley, it was time to go home....we left this Comma basking in the final rays of sunshine.

Venus Pool Wildlife Reserve in Shropshire

2011-04-03T15:38:00.009+01:00

As today has now developed into a typical April day with breezy and heavy showers, it is perhaps time to look back on the last couple of weeks. We have been blessed with some very lovely weather for the time of year. This led us to make the most of the opportunity and get out and about as much as we could. The Spring has arrived in full force with the first buds, wild flowers in the hedgerow and the first insects have been spotted. My first butterflies of the year were the Peacock, followed swiftly by Tortoiseshells, Comma's, Orange Tips and yesterday, I saw a pair of Brimstone's flying through the woodland.

Peacock Butterfly

Last week we paid a visit to Venus Pool which is a nature reserve of the Shropshire Ornithological society. The website can be found here. We spent some time in the hides watching both the small birds and those out on the water. While in the smaller hide we caught a glimpse of this little one who was clearly rounding up some of the fallen bird seed.

Bank vole

There was plenty on the feeders and even the occasional reed bunting was coming in which I hadn't noticed on previous visits.

This time we also took a trip up to the top field because there appeared to be a big flock of yellowhammers. I was busy taking photo's of birds I couldn't even see with my eye, I really do need to treat myself to a set of bins as well! On closer look in among the flock there were also these lovely little birds.

Corn Bunting

Brambling

We met a gentleman there who very kindly identified some of the birds in my pics but, also let us study the flock through his scope. It really was quite delightful to see them all so clearly for a change. A lovely day, good company and made even more special by bumping into another pleasant enthusiast.

The Punk & the Pianist

2011-03-30T17:46:00.007+01:00

I have been taking a little break from my commission work. Sometimes for me it is good to step back a little...otherwise I can get frustrated and lose the plot. I had seen a photo on Paint my Photo that I really wanted to paint, just for myself. I have to provide full accolade to the photographer (Paul Foster) because the photo is a work of art in itself. But, because the depth of field is so centred on the people, I also knew it would be a challenge. However, I love the story it tells and the expression on his face. Although I have painted it in watercolour, I also think it would also make a stunning oil subject.

I resisted the temptation to add too much more to it and almost let it fade away.......
My thanks to Paul Foster for sharing :-)
As a postscript on Paint my Photo, we have started to add some stories to go with it...here.
For those that are not a member ~ so far we have:

R ~ He's been there all night waiting for her but really she's too good for him. Now she's arrived she seems in a rush as she hasn't taken her coat off; perhaps she won't stay long? He's had a few cans of Stella but still doesn't know what to do next. She spoils the moment by playing Knees Up Mother Brown.

Mine

R, I laughed so much at your comment, all I can say is (as always) you have a great sense of humour and as someone that shares a very vivid imagination, I love it :-)

Mine was.... she is playing something classical, he has arrived on his motorbike and parked up outside. He hears the haunting melody that reminds him of something from the past....he takes his can of Stella from his topbox onto the balcony and just watched her playing transfixed and lost in his memories ;)

Do feel free to add yours as a comment ;-)

A Taste of Spring

2011-03-26T11:58:00.001Z

I don't think any words are required... :D

Stratford Butterfly Farm

2011-03-21T18:10:00.005Z

This week we have been really enjoying the improved weather and have been out and about. It was especially nice as we have had a long weekend together and packed it full of lovely things. One of these was a trip to Stratford Upon Avon. We didn't do the town, I used to live near to there and to be honest it looked as though it has been built up from how I recall it!
We did visit the Butterfly farm, had a lovely lunch at the Fleece at Bretforton and also managed Hidcote Gardens. It was probably a little too early for Hidcote but still a very enjoyable day.
Here are a few images from the Butterfly farm.

It was a very magical experience walking through literally hundreds of butterflies. What a great reminder of summer :-) Incidentally, I spotted my first native butterfly of the year on the same day!

You may think that I am not finding the time to do any art but I am working away in the background. I have never really undertaken much in the way of commissions due to lack of available time. But, I thought that was a pretty stupid thing for someone who is looking at unemployment in the future. Therefore, I have sorted myself out a little, I am working on a schedule of prices and have made it generally known that I am happy to take some on. I am simply trying hard to provide a very realistic timetable to fit in with other commitments. I was quite surprised that almost immediately I received two in quick succession....
So, plenty to keep me going but I am unable to blog any of them for now, so expect to see plenty of photographs for a little while at least.
Have a great week whatever you get up to :-)

Restful Day Just Watching Wildlife

2011-03-13T11:53:00.006Z

This week has not been the easiest of weeks. The morale at work continues to be very low which is undertstandable in the face of so much uncertainty. I have also struggled with a lot of emotion relating to family health issues. Anyone that has experienced Alzheimer's in a loved one will possibly understand the effect it can have.
However, yesterday Andy and I took ourselves off to Cannock chase for the day and had a very welcome break from the trials and tribulations to relax with nature. I think I have said before that the locals have fed the birds there for years and as there are not too many natural predators nearby, if you sit quietly, the animals will all come remarkably close.
It makes for ideal photo opportunies so here is a selection from the day:

Chaffinch

Great Tit

Male Bullfinch

Long Tailed Tit

Yellowhammer

Great Tit

And once again a few deer snook up to the birds feeding area in the hope of some for themselves!

It was a wonderful day in wonderful company. I wish you all a very peaceful Sunday :-)

Nearly Spring

2011-03-10T17:28:00.004Z

Inspired by a lovely photo and emerging flowers :)

Whalebone at Quatt Village Hall

2011-03-06T19:10:00.007Z

One of the nicest things lately is that our social calendar is picking up again. It seems ages since we attended any kind of local event and after the hibernation of winter, it is great to be out and about. We first came across this band at Chorley Summer show last year...and for us, they did steal the show, it made for a wonderful afternoon in Summer, simply chilling and listening to their music.

They describe themselves as rootsy and folksy. It does fit quite well but perhaps doesn't quite begin to describe their originality. I discovered that they were playing locally and couldn't resist another opportunity to hear them. Quatt Village hall is not too far away but, being a village hall we didn't know quite what to expect. The committee did a great job and there were jars of daffodils on the tables together with bowls of crisps and savouries. You were invited to take along your own drinks. It was a wonderful atmosphere, not quite what we expected and as you can see from this picture, it was packed.

One of the other things which was really interesting (apart from simply enjoying great music) was listening to some of the stories behind the tunes. As an artist, I am well aware of influences on my art but I tend to forget that similar things often become the basis of a music composition. In fact the tale behind Cordon Morning struck a very serious chord (excuse the pun) with both of us....and I was instantly recalling my art therapy from last year!
However, such stories need to be heard first hand so I encourage those that can to go and see them for yourselves.

A taster of their music...well this is from their Youtube site:

Most bands do some cover versions of well known songs and so do they but, with such a twist, the instrument combination makes for some very different versions, quite deliberately so. They also include some old folk songs together with their own compositions. It was a really enjoyable time.

It was quite difficult taking photographs in such low light, which you can perhaps gather from the image above. But, I did take a video of all of us clapping along to "Wenlock Hare" and if I get permission from them, I will upload it here. It certainly provides the atmosphere of the evening! Update :permission from Whalebone granted ~ Thank you :D Enjoy!

Meanwhile, they do have a lot of other venues planned, this was the first of the year. Their website can be found at Whalebone Music on MySpace and there are links on there for tour dates, tunes to listen to and links to facetube and twitbook, Ok, Ok ..Andys' words!
Thank you to the band for a great night and all at Quatt Village Hall:D

Painting with Joy

2011-03-03T18:09:00.005Z

Sometimes, it is wonderful to paint spontaneously and that was just what I did with this piece. It is a little raw in places but I had so much fun, it was one of those subjects that just made me happy to be painting it.

It followed a few days where I could simply not be bothered to do anything and I detest periods like that. I don't know about others but when I lose interest and inspiration, it is almost frightening!
Anyway, I love the big happy flowers as a subject and I just let the watercolours run. Simply painting it made me feel full of Spring :)

Gateway to the World

2011-02-27T12:08:00.005Z

A lot of my recent art has been inspired from Paint my Photo and this was one of them. I just liked the little girl trying to open the gate. A lot of my art lately has been some fairly quick pieces so that I don't have to spend too long, hence the pencil sketch with just a little colour for focus.

Whilst away in Tenerife, although I didn't manage very much, I still did a watercolour sketch of the view of Gomera. In fact, I bit off more than I could chew, because whilst this looks simplistic, those pillars were the devil to get right. For those that don't draw or paint, anything that is symmetrical can seriously make or break a piece of art. Glasses, bottles, pots or pillars!

As you can perhaps tell, I am back to having quite a short attention span. It makes for some interesting projects although sometimes it can be frustrating. For example, when I find the time to paint, my mind seems to be wondering elsewhere. This is normally where I end up dragging the camera out....

Skywatch Friday - A Little Late

2011-02-25T16:21:00.005Z

Andy rang me last night on his way home to tell me that I should keep a watch for the sunset. However, all I could see was a big bank of cloud.
Unfortunately by the time I realised how spectacular it was, all the clouds turned pink, I was ...a little late! To make matter worse, I had my zoom lens on the camera!
By the time I had grabbed it and changed the lens, the sun had sunk and the colour had dimished but there was still a ribbon of fire across the hills.

Then, this morning as I was getting ready for work, the whole room took on a rosy glow. This time, I didn't falter and I grabbed the snap camera instead ;) No messin'!

So this one is a fiery sunrise....I got there in the end.
A rather belated Happy Skywatch Friday to all :) If you would like to see more skies from around the world, the Skywatch site can be found here.

The Wine and the Vine

2011-02-20T10:25:00.007Z

This is a slightly different one for me, I rarely do still life. However, I was putting a lot of my art into collages in an attempt to get an idea of my own diversity and progression. From these I could see that my still life representation was sadly lacking.
This was completed in watercolour on Waterford 425gms rough paper (very durable).

Meanwhile, as I said, I have been putting quite a lot of things in order. I have had a good tidy up of my Zazzle store which has been sadly neglected. So, I have finally got around to adding lots of wildlife products, now I just need to keep up the momentum. Next in line will be my Fine Art America store but, I struggle with there to be honest, I find it diffcult to know what to include and I don't think that I network enough!

Anyway here are some of my collages, they represent a couple of years and it is interesting to see them collated together;

These are probably the subjects that I have best covered.....pehaps I will do the worst ones next time...
I seem to be getting unusually organised lately!

Los Gigantes, Tenerife

2011-02-15T17:04:00.015Z

Whilst on a sunny note from my last post, I thought that in light of the rain, I would continue on a similar theme. Andy and I had decided for Christmas that instead of spending money on things that we don’t really need, that we would have a weekend away after Christmas instead. As Andy did not have any time off over the Christmas period and recent events meant that we were both extremely tired, this graduated to a week somewhere warmer which in fact was about the same sort of money anyway.

So, we headed off to warmer climates! We were not sure how we would get on with this type of holiday, which is very much pool based so, not normally our sort of thing. However, it proved to be a good choice and the weather was kind to us, in the late 20’s most days.

Unusually, we took very few images. Los Gigantes is pretty enough, in some ways I feel sorry that we didn’t have a greater look around but, the rest was what we really needed. The backdrop of those Giants was awesome although I am not sure that any photo does them justice. Here, I tried for a panorama view so that an idea of scale can be shown.

We did go out for a day on a whale and dolphin trip. We missed out on the whales but, had a lovely time watching the dolphins. It was a little bit worrying watching the boat driver swallowing sea sickness tablets though!

We pretty much spent our time relaxing around the pool, reading, having just one or two drinks and taking part in the quiz every day (not that we did too well at that).

We saw some unusual birds and also some butterflies that looked very fascinating but no photo’s I am afraid, we really did just take it easy. The food was good and it was so restful to have everything provided for you even down to clean towels for the sunbeds.

I did get a bit fed up listening to one or two people moaning, it seems that this “gold” hotel is not up to usual standards. We don’t know what usual standards are and loved it considering our reservations to start with. But, apparently the food is terrible, the decor shabby………we found a place where all we could hear was the sea! Don't misunderstand me, we met some wonderful people too :D In some ways it was meeting others coping with all manner of things that provided a little perspective on some of my own worries.

A few days watching the waves and soaking up some rays was wonderfully restorative and I had fun trying to recollect my very rusty Spanish and practicing it on the bar and restaurant staff.

We really enjoyed our meals, there was a choice of freshly grilled meat and fish and in a morning the egg man made some lovely omelette's. On an evening we continued with the lounging about theme and watched the sunset over La Gomera or sat on the balcony with Brandy or a JD.

Sadly, there was also a negative, unrelated to the food or decor ;) , so if you have arrived here looking at visiting this hotel/resort, you may wish to also look at my review over on trip advisor. In this I have tried to provide a very honest overview: Trip Advisor

Bees & Snowdrops at Attingham Park

2011-02-12T18:51:00.014Z

Well, for the first time in what seems like ages, Andy and I went walking today with the camera's. We made a short trip to Attingham Park to view the snowdrops and we were blessed with some sunshine despite a cold wind. It felt so good to see some long awaited flowers.
I make no apologies for lots of flowers shots, it seems like they have been a long time in arriving :-)

I always think that snowdrops are quite magical, breaking their way through the frosts, snow and wintry temperatures to provide a glimpse of the Spring to come.

We have both had a dose of Norovirus this last week which has completely taken us off our feet. However, someone we were talking to recently described how after a nasty bug, just how much everything is renewed in it's wake. It is so true, I have had a couple of days sick as a result and I confess that I was quite down...........but, after that all of a sudden it is the little things that take on an enchantment all of their own.

Sunlit snowdrops, carpets of snowdrops, snowdrops by a mossy log and single snowdrops with such amazing beauty, it all seems so fresh after the winter!

We kept our wanderings pretty near to the the house because we are both still feeling a little weak but, as we wandered down to the river there is a lovely sunny bank where I spotted some crocus. It is the little things in life that sometimes fill you with incredible joy. I probably sound twee but, having been grounded for a while this week, all of a sudden, wildlife took over and it was just so captivating:D
Whilst Photographing the crocus we realised that there was a whole hive (no pun intended) of bees nectaring on the flowers. It is the first time this year that I have seen any.

It was just the promise of things to come...........:D

Meanwhile down at the river, the ducks and the geese were busy, a different landscape right now. There are buds on the willow trees and the dogwood has turned to those lovely reds.

We took some final images of the snowdrops, I loved these by some mossy roots of trees.

We maybe should have stayed to watch the deer being fed which is always lovely but, I was pretty tired by then. However, I did manage a short browse in the second hand book shop and I picked up a small book of poems by Mary Baker Eddy which is a beautiful little old book (I love antique or vintage books) and also "The complete water Colour Artist" by Jenny Rodwell. So a little reading material for the rainy day forecast tomorrow :)

Have a great weekend whatever you get up to!

For more snowdrop images check out Andy's blog here.

Happy Valentines Day

2011-02-10T19:42:00.004Z

As my last post was somewhat lengthy, I thought I would keep this one short and sweet.
Inspired by a photograph on Paint my photo, I rather think that this makes a cute Valentine's message.

Derwent pencils on Bristol Board

Learning to Paint & Draw

2011-01-27T16:55:00.006Z

Sometimes when I am chatting to other people, they tell me that they have an interest in painting or drawing but, often follow it up with "but I am not very good"! I firmly believe that anyone can express themselves in art at whatever level they may feel that they are at. I am also convinced that there is a painting within all of us.

However, it does requires a little practice and patience. I don’t know many people who actually produce a masterpiece on their first attempt either ;) As many people will see if they look back though my blog, I have some pretty awful examples and attempts at some things. But, it is all a learning curve and any amount of learning is valuable. As time goes on, I think most people who paint or draw find a comfort zone too.

In the past, going to college or night school was probably the easiest option. Nowadays, there are so many resources available for anyone wishing to have a go. There are huge selections of books for almost every conceivable art form. I have a great number but some of the most invaluable for me have been ones which provide small exercises or tips.

Two for watercolours that spring to mind are Collins ~ Need to know - Watercolour and I have also used Collins 30 minute Watercolours by Fiona Peart. I also have quite a number of helpful hints and tips, perhaps the most used one is by Terry Harrison.
For coloured pencil, MY most used resource is probably Coloured Pencil Painting Bible by Alyona Nickelson.
I do have an extensive library to dip into covering flowers, scenery colour, fairies and dragons which I have added to over time. I think you get the idea! These all provide some inspiration when perhaps I am lacking and I do think you learn so much along the way. There is one thing that you can guarantee, you never stop learning.

Other useful resources are the many art forums where it is easy to get feedback from other artists. For some reason I have rarely managed to settle in any of these but they still provide a whole range of resources. Two that I particularly enjoy are

Total Art Soul

Paint my Photo

So far, I have found these to be the friendliest of them all and that is quite important to me.

I love tutorials and do quite a number of them at times. The winter seem to lend itself somehow. I think it is important to find artists that you enjoy, it does help if you like their work to begin with even if it is a little different to what you may normally do. I rarely undertake tutorials of the things that I am comfortable doing, preferring instead to do landscapes which are a little outside my comfort zone.
For example, this first one was by Jeremy Ford who, I admire very much, his paintings are always so beautifully rendered. If you get the chance, do check out his flower paintings on his site (link below), they are just so lovely. On this one I had the added benefit of him providing me with some feedback too, as he is also a friend on facebook. This one is in gouache :)

This next one is also a little different for me, Matthew Palmer is quite angular compared with my style, I think it is the Northern influence. He always manages to capture wonderful skies somehow. I love the atmosphere that is created in his paintings, so it was a great exercise and I really did learn some different techniques.

This last one by Geoff Kersey was probably the most difficult as it was a 20 minute tutorial. I didn’t manage to do it in that time, I think it was closer to an hour but it did push me beyond my boundaries and made me really appreciate his deftness painting trees together with wonderful use of light.

All of the above artists hold workshops around the country, so if you fancy having a go, having listened to some of them in action at the NEC, I think it would be a lot of fun. I am almost sure that a pre-requisite of being an artist is having a sense of humour! Here is a link to their respective websites, it is worth taking a look to view their art too.

http://www.jeremyford.co.uk/

http://www.mattartist.co.uk/

http://www.geoffkersey.co.uk/

If you would like to have a go at a painting tutorial, a great resource is the Painting and Drawing channel which is on TV or can be viewed from the SAA website. There are also some online step by step guides provided on the SAA website. I spied a nice one by Matthew on the Newsletter tab.
Here is a link to both sites:

http://www.saa.co.uk/

http://www.thepaintinganddrawingchannel.co.uk/tv-anytime.html

Finally, if you feel a bit more adventurous, there are a great number of Painting Holidays available. Some of you will have seen my dialogue with Yvonne Ayoub who runs a painting retreat in Skiathos. A number of courses are suitable for experienced artists and beginners alike. I can honestly say that just being in the company of like minded people can be entirely inspirational without the addition of beautiful weather and scenery. I am sure there are a great many others but, having visited Yvonne’s lovely studio, I can vouch for this one, it is like being in an artist sweetie shop ;-)

http://paintingskiathos.wordpress.com/

Whatever you happen to have a go at, you need to have fun. I have seen people stress out because they don’t think this element is right, or that is right. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself. Treat yourself to a big bundle of paper rather than spiral bound books so that you can practice freely without worrying about the cost. Rome wasn’t built in a day and like any other hobbies, there are periods of stagnation and periods of progression.
Finally, a tip from me. As someone who frequently paints with a beverage or a glass of wine at their side, it helps if you dip your brush in the receptacle with water in it!

Portrait Mark Two

2011-01-23T11:47:00.005Z

Well, I had to have another go, so did this one in watercolour. I do think there are signs of improvement although it still isn't quite right. However, I am going to leave it there. I confess to being bored with the subject matter, haha!

Meanwhile, I have also worked on some slightly more successful projects, this was another from a reference from Paint my Photo.

I think that will conclude my people paintings for a little while, I feel the need to move onto something a little different. I do want to practice capturing a scene a little quicker, so may do a series of sketches and quick paintings again, trying to capture the moment. For some reason, I don't seem to be in the right frame of mind for coloured pencil. This normally soothes me but, right now I find it time consuming and slightly irritating. I am definately looking forward to getting the camera out, it seems like ages............

Self Portrait

2011-01-22T10:09:00.005Z

After seeing a challenge in my SAA magazine, I decided for the first time ever to have a go at a self portrait. Technically, I don't think it is too bad but, and there is a big but, it isn't me. I don't know why or which bit isn't altogether right, yet somehow I have missed the essence of myself. I was going to put in a background but, have decided to leave this one because I know that I am never going to get it right. As most of you will not know what I look like because most of my images on my blog have me behind big sunglasses or hats, this is the reference so you can see what I mean.

It has been a good learning curve because I realised that when undertaking portraits, I don't always put in what I see in the photo. They are usually people I know and so I have a little piece of them in my mind too which I think comes out in my art. Of course with myself, I don't get to see the real me and I think that could be where the problem lies. I also seem to have managed to age myself somewhat, although a bit of that could be state of mind right now! I am going to have another go but, in watercolour next time I think. This one was in coloured pencil on Stonehenge paper. I wonder if any of you have undertaken a self portrait and if it worked out?