I am still here!

Yep, a bit like a voice from the past! I am still here, alive and kicking, I think!

Life has overtaken me lately hence my absence but today, I felt creative and wanted to paint with my waxes for our new ‘bolt hole’ in Devon. I have a couple of paintings already hung there but one thing I had never done but had always been tempted to try. That was what I call a ‘Trilogy’ of paintings. You know 3 paintings in their own right but actually when placed next to each other they create a panoramic view? Never did it before, so took a deep breath, and this is what happened!

The subject matter is based on some photographs I took of the lake view near our ‘bolt hole’. A wonderfully tranquil setting with lots of trees and absolute peace…. wonderful!

Here are:

Part 1 -

Part 2 -

Part 3 -

Now view them together to make a panoramic view of the lake!

Or

Now I just have to decide where to hang them!

From a blank canvas to?

I love the water and the moods it has as well as plant life that thrives at the water’s edge.  Here is a scene to depict this simple stretch of water that laps against the reeds in the breeze.

Created with my trusty waxes and hot iron I blended the colours together on a box canvas measuring 30” x 20”.

Sometimes, you just don’t want to part with one of your own creations so perhaps I will re-create another but it will be slightly different!

By the waterside at Lake Indio

In honour of Spring!

My husband and I went for a walk on Saturday in one of our favourite parks run by the National Trust in UK.  This particular park, called Sheffield Park, was designed by 'Capability' Brown in the eighteenth century when he created irregular belts and clumps of trees and cleared informal paths through the woods.

There are truly some wonderful views.

Meanwhile, in encaustics, I have painted some flower images similar to crocus flowers or tulips.

 

This one entitled Windswept Flower reminded me of a delicate flower being buffeted by a fresh, cold wind in early spring.

 

 

 

Here I tried to convey how delicate the petals could be.

This one called Meadow Flower could be seen as more of a crocus or even a tulip!

Isn’t wonderful to be able to bring all these flowers to bloom with the new warmth of the fresh sunshine.  The world looks a better place already!

If you are interested in viewing more like these please visit my Etsy shop, Artfire or Zazzle.  If you wish to contact me I would love to hear from you too either through my Etsy shop or directly through my blog!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed your stay?  Do come again soon!

A Tori

Many years ago I lived in Tokyo and saw some wonderful temples in Tokyo itself as well as in Kyoto.  The peace and tranquility that surrounds these places just envelopes you as you approach.  The actual act of passing through the gate is supposed to purify the soul.

One of the most famous is the Tori, or gateway to a temple, at Miyajima which is a boat ride of about 40 minutes from Hiroshima.

I have not tried to depict this Tori but wished only to convey the feeling of calm and so this painting is not a true replication but only one based on such a sight!

For further information about this encaustic please follow this link to my Etsy shop where you will find it listed.

Another new venture!

Another new venture... well, it is the new year and what better time to start out on another new one?

This time I was tipped the wink about an American site which is now also in UK called Zazzle.  Interesting name so I checked it out!

On this site you can upload your photographs of your paintings etc and they do all the work after which you take a percentage which you decide upon.  So, you can upload pictures that would be suitable to transposing to T shirts, aprons, mouse mats, mugs and the list goes on and on.  Even magnets, key rings and then they do greeting cards etc.

How could I resist?  Now you can see some of my paintings and photographs.  Some you will recognise, others may be new to you.  My Red Flower looks good on a T shirt, a mug or anything else you can imagine whereas some other images look good on a mouse mat.

This one was entitled 'Looking through the Coral'.  It was an ACEO, still is actually but I thought it could be fun as a mouse mat!

 

 

Here we have some of my fantasy mystery castles.  Sometimes when you have to do those boring old spreadsheets it can be rather nice to drift away into fantasy land whilst gazing at your mouse mat.

 

For a more restful scene I loaded this picture I took during the autumn whilst on a wander around Sheffield Park, a National Trust park, where we often visit.  Bet it doesn't look like this at the moment with temperatures  at 4 or 5 degrees below freezing!

If you are interested in seeing more why not pay a visit to http://zazzle.co.uk/onawhimsey where you will see quite a selection!