Sunday, March 1, 2009

Eye Candy

This is a digital drawing titled "Peaceful Birds". I think perhaps it could be improved with smaller leaves and bigger birds....ha ha.
and this is the sketch of the original idea. I liked the design even as a really rough drawing.
These are pen and ink drawings which were originally designed for handmade greetings cards but I never got around to putting them on the cards. I think they look nicer as a montage of coloured trees in a very surreal landscape.
This is a pen and ink drawing with a bit of digital red. It took ages to do all those feathers.
Stripey Hats - a very quirky digital drawing

I love this gorgeous pastel. It is called Butterfly Boy and is by Sharon Yamamoto. I met Sharon some years ago at a craft fair. She is a Japanese American artist whose work is delightfully mystical and magical. She produces some of her images on ceramic art tiles and the colours are vivid and vibrant and much more intense than paintings. I recommend a visit to her lovely website here.
Sunrise Voyage - Sharon Yamamoto
Some tulips and apple blossom to get us in the mood for spring. I am hoping the apple blossom will be out soon as I want to take some new photos. The forecast predicts a very cold week though, so perhaps we shall have to wait a little longer for spring to arrive.


It is March the first today so it must be St. David's Day. So to all the Welsh people all over the world - Cyfarchion - which I hope, translated, says greetings.

I found these delightful geese on the internet the other day. They are the work of mixed media artist Kathleen Mattox who has a blog here.

I had a lovely gift in the post from Catriona Millar. You may remember that she was my featured artist on December 13th 2008. She emailed me about the blog post and said she would send me a copy of the recipe book which features her artwork. I received it the other day and it is a wonderful book called Fun with Spinach by Mike Robson. It has lots of beautiful paintings by Catriona. So thank you very much Catriona and the best of luck with your delightful art. Catriona's website is here if you want to pop over and have a browse.
I have decided that this is my absolute favourite of Catriona's paintings. I just love the theme and the pastel colours she has used.

The embroideries and artwork below are all the work of English textile artist Audrey Walker. She is the daughter of a Cumbrian embroideress and produces textile work which is almost painted on the cloth by her stitches. She originally trained as a painter in Edinburgh and has always been particularly interested in figurative work. Her work is layered with fabric and millions of machine or hand stitches. Her sense of colour, shade and tone is incredibly subtle and beautiful.

I have met Audrey at the Knitting and Stitching Show in London in the past and have also visited exhibitions of her work and it is truly lovely. Some of her pieces are huge and you have to stand back quite a distance to appreciate them fully. It must take hours and hours of painstaking work to put in so many tiny stitches but what she produces is well worth the effort.

I love the way her subjects gaze at each other and into the distance; speaking without words. There is a quality of mystery and stillness about them. Most of the pictures are from a Ruthin Craft Centre book that I bought some time ago and also the superb Diana Springall book called Inspired to Stitch which has to be one of my favourite books - but that is another story.


Temptation
Study for Woman at Window
Adam and Eve

Hear No Evil
Who's There
Beach Woman
Study For Temptation
Gaze 1v
This image shows the detailed stitching in Audrey Walker's work. Close up the stitching is very visible but she has such an comprehensive knowledge of shades and tones, that if you stand away from the art, it all gells together to make sense of the form. You will probably need to enlarge the image to see the stitching properly.
I have had a good week drawing on the computer. Birds have made their appearance again...don't they always. If it wasn't for birds my repertoire would be very much smaller.

After posting a picture of an Anita Jeram kitty last week I am now thinking about drawing cats. Cats are easy to draw in pointillism but that style takes months to do so I will have to think of a different technique of making a cat look like a cat, or I may just draw a stylised cat. The wonderful thing about stylising images is that no one can look at them and say they are wrong. They can be whatever you want them to be as long as they vaguely resemble felis catus. Having two cats in our house and family and neighbours with cats, there is no shortage of inspirational material.

16 comments:

Old World Primitives said...

Eye candy is such an appropriate title for this post! So many incredibly detailed works of art to pour over - like your rooster, I can only imagine how long it took to draw all of those feathers. I love the style and color palate of "Peaceful Birds" too.

I am completely amazed by Audrey Walker's work - I can't believe what incredible pieces she is able to produce with stitches! I thought they were drawings at first look.

Stephanie

Caroline said...

Eye candy indeed!! I love your drawings of the trees, so colourful - I agree they look very good together like that. As for your cockerel - well he's magnificent and a labour of love obviously - such detail! Gorgeous spring flower photos - was handy to see the apple blossom - am planning a painting with some! Good choice of featured artists this week too. Love the goose pic and am in awe of that embroidery! I am taking a stitched textiles course by distance learning - haven't got very far yet - not enough hours in the day for me! Heard that before! Hope you have a good week!

Cathy said...

That is what I thought the very first time I saw one of Audrey's works Stephanie. She really is quite amazing - also very patient as some of her pieces are a couple of feet in height and width. Glad you like the rest of the post.

Cathy said...

Thanks Caroline. I love drawing hens and cockerels etc. The plumage of the cockerel particularly fascinates me. Good luck with the stitched textiles. I bet it is demanding but very rewarding. Look forward to seeing any examples that you post on your blog.

Holly Zemak said...

I agree, the Rooster is wonderful, love the touch of red. Perfect! Thank you for all the spring flower photos ( we had more snow ).I liked the work of Sharon Yamamoto, and her ceramic art tiles. Bright and colorful illustrations. And enjoy drawing cats, with all the personality they exude they beg to be stylized.

Cathy said...

Thanks Holly. Sorry you have had yet more snow. It must be much colder where you are than where we are. Spring is definitely on the way here.

ArtPropelled said...

One needs to study the work of Audrey Walker. I couldn't believe all the stitching.....or that it was stitching at all. Amazing!
Gorgeous art throughout your post as usual!

Cathy said...

Thanks very much Robyn. Audrey Walker's work is certainly amazing.

Acornmoon said...

What a lot of wonderful imagery you have posted here!

I hope you enjoy the Byzantium exhibition if you get a chance to go, I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Cathy said...

Thanks acornmoon. I am definitely planning on going before it ends on the 22nd. It looks wonderful.

Anonymous said...

This is really informative blog post....Thank you

~ Phyllis ~ said...

Hi Cathy,
I have certainly missed visiting your blog. This post is such a colorful post. I love your pen and ink trees. The colors are all my favorites.
Your flower photographs are lovely.The tulips are such a pretty shade of pink. We currently have daffodils blooming.
Have a great week.

Cathy said...

Thanks very much Kari. Glad you enjoy the blog.

Cathy said...

Hi Phyllis. Are you back in the blog world again? Sounds as if we are all heading swiftly towards spring. It is very welcome.

Danielle said...

I came across your blog from a comment you left on Kate Wilson's little doodles. I absolutely love your style and your work! The colors and techniques you use are lovely.

Cathy said...

Hi Danielle. Thanks very much for your kind comment. I love the way the blogging world works. I often find great new blogs by clicking on the comments left by other people too.