The Midnight Garden

Soft secrets whisper through the grass

as the night creatures stir

dreams fly from a hidden lair

And the seeds of tomorrow are sown

There must be something about January for its chill and drear seems to inspire me to dream of seasons past and to come - the warm kind - and to paint flowers. This time last year I called my 'Poppy Period' and it seems we have come full circle with the seeds of last winter bearing fruit again!

There are paintings in various stages of completion drying all over the lounge floor and calling me back. This one came from a messy experiment. It started life as an abstract watercolour butterfly, then I tried my new stencil and played with some spray inks. It was all set to become a piece of scrap when suddenly I saw the poppy heads stirring in the night as the fairies brushed past their stems...

Sharing with Sunday Sketches.

Red & Yellow

The Summer of Colo(u)r hots up this week with a fiery combo of lush passion. And, as the season has finally arrived in the UK, it seems most perfectly fitting to splash the hues about a bit.

Layers of inks, gesso, collage and stamping. I may even write something in the gap later... who knows?!

These colours have been rather present on my palette lately. As part of the Make Art that Sells course I created some red & yellow wall art too - the colours of my Aries star sign.

My inspiration:

Your two colours...

shining through... that's why I love you.... Tra la la.... [a little bit of artistic licence taken there...]

I'm working on a very limited palette this week. As well as this piece for the Summer of Colour challenge (lime green & purple) I'm knocking out some wall art for my assignment on Lilla Rogers' Make Art that Sells course. I'm working with red and yellow - very lucky the Chinese would say - in fact, that will appear as a theme within the work!

It's a moot point discussing that here mind as I'm not actually showing that piece of work!

I feel my poor blog is suffering of late. Not only am I neglecting it, but the standard of writing I'm delivering is beyond shabby. I seem to be saving the good words for when I'm working - which is probably just as well.

I'm going to shut up now and just post this!

P is for Poppy

Well, given my proclivity for painting the things it had to be really.

Here are a few I prepared earlier...

I'm a bit talked out when it comes to Poppy art and I've been sat at a computer all day so need a break. Masterchef is calling... So I'll just let the paintings talk for me this evening.

I'm going to share with my friends at Paint Party Friday though - need a bit of a social!

Prolific Painter of Poppies

I have been a prolific painter this week and even discovered a rather marvellous new technique purely by accident. These poppies were serendipity gift-wrapped in petals and ink. I want to try more... me likey!

This weekend my son is away and I am supposed to be sorting out my paperwork and accounts... but then again, maybe I could just squeeze in another painting or six...

As always, it being Friday and all that - I'm sharing these with the crew at Paint Party Friday (who are probably sick of the sight of poppies from me by now, but what can I say...

What will art be distracting you from this weekend?

Disaster - well, a very small one...

Does your common sense diminish as you grow older? I think mine may have done. Take today. I had just finished this perfectly respectable piece of artwork above - just a light poppy sketch I thought I'd knock up - I mean, it's been all ... what .... about 12 hours since I last did one...

Anyway, some sixth sense (obviously my common one) told me to scan it in before I attempted the next stage. I had decided to seal it with wax. Now, you might not think that's a bad idea - after all, it's only on an old book page which is pretty flimsy. As long as I don't leave the iron on for too long, all should be well.

And so it would have been... had this not been a piece of art embellished with oil pastel. Yes, that's right, a very waxy substance which when heated has a tendency to revert to liquid form and smoosh across the page. Delicate petals became a sticky mess. The art was no more.

At least I still have a digital version to share with my buddies at Sunday Sketches... Unfortunately though, the person whose birthday card it was intended to be may have to have something else!

Superfluous

It's my son's birthday today and I feel a bit superfluous to requirements. My lounge is full of boys talking and playing superheroes. I am merely the provider of occasional sustenance, but even that isn't craved as they are far too busy busting up villains to eat - far more important apparently! They haven't seen the cake yet though - that may change their minds!

Instead I have retreated to the art corner where I can find my own entertainment and battle a few demons of my own. Blast that colour run... knock back that ill-proportion... Put myself under pressure to make some birthday cards for friends and naturally once one does this then nothing goes to plan!

I've also decided to play along with Gritty Jane and others who are creating a painting a day for 10 days. Well, I did two last night, so that's a very fine start! Might go for something a bit more challenging today... Off to try now (best check up on those boys too!!).

Happy 9th birthday William! xx

Papaver somniferum

I guess there's only so much one can write about poppies and since I've already completed one post on the subject this month, I guess I am rather clutching at straws!

But the thing is... I just can't quite stop painting them. I appear to be succumbing to some form of narcotic addition.

Maybe instead, I could ponder on why I always want to go to sleep at around 7.30pm every evening (and it's nothing to do with poppy by-products I can assure you!).

Or perhaps bemoan the fact that I've cut the roof of my mouth and I keep getting seeds stuck in the wound which is incredibly painful. Funnily enough, they are usually poppy seeds... I feel a theme coming on here. What's going on with the poppies??

Of course, I know what you're thinking. "Stop eating seedy cereal bars and granola and go back to painting pretty ladies." You may have a point...

Sharing my poppy pain and pleasure with Paint Party Friday!

Poppies

I am going through a phase - it's all about the poppy. Fortunately it's just painting them and not consuming any by-products.

Shall I let you into a little secret? I took this one to a couple of art galleries last week to see if they might be interested in selling my work. They liked this one and told me to do some more! So, this weekend I did quite a bit of painting....

Sharing this one with Inspiration Avenue's Poppy challenge.