Looking Forward To Autumn

Well, that is my blog holiday over for the summer. I have missed everyone but I intend to catch up with all your latest bloggings this week. I have been quite productive too, which is a good thing. I hope you like my offerings in this post. I have found lots of wonderful new artists and craftspeople for your perusal too.

Enchanted

Listening To Silence

Ink and watercolour crab

I decided to prune the ivy on the old tree trunk in the garden yesterday and also to prune my hand at the same time. I was using the secateurs and they slipped and made a deep hole at the base of my thumb. You can imagine the scene so I won't describe it. It necessitated a trip to the local minor injuries unit, a few stitches and some antibiotics. The ivy got its own back.

Hurrah for black cats. This is the back view of one of our cats, Jack, who is a cutey. He is looking over the slightly untidy garden which is his domain.

and here is his front view which is even nicer I think. Isn't he handsome?

Here are two of Ian MacCulloch's beautiful etchings. I love the gorgeous ochres and golds he uses in his work. Ian is a UK artist, illustrator and printmaker with lots of strings to his bow. These images are from The Hayrack Gallery catalogue of his work and it is well worth a visit as they have an excellent display. If you love etchings of hares and trees go and have a look.

Leaping Hare

The Elm Path

Autumn is nearly here now. The nights and mornings are quite chilly and the leaves are starting to get that brownish tinge. I always look forward to the autumn. It is one of my favourite seasons because it is so beautiful. I love the sense of nature winding down and the mists and moisture around. The last of the roses are making a valiant effort before the first frosts put them to sleep till 2010.

I have had a book token burning a hole in my bag for some time now and finally I let it out (of my bag). I saw this wonderful book on butterflies and moths and couldn't resist it - in the name of artistic inspiration of course...haha. It is a beautifully photographed butterfly, moth and caterpillar extravaganza. I have included some images below but I couldn't scan it as it is quite huge. The photos are really stunning and all in full colour. Little text but masses of images which is how I like it. You can definitely expect some butterflies to appear in my drawings soon.

The beautiful images below are the work of artist Catherine Hyde. I first came across her work many years ago when I saw her prints and cards in a local gallery. I was enchanted by her mysterious iconic white hares and deer and other symbols of myths and legends which pepper her work.

Catherine has a website here and you can also see masses of her work at The Lighthouse Gallery here.

Catherine has also illustrated a lovely childrens' book which I was browsing through the other day. It is called The Princess' Blanket and is a lovely story written by Carol Ann Duffy.

The Silent Star

The Melting Hills

The Winter Solstice

I wonder if everyone has a dream home. Somewhere they would love to live if fate were to look kindly on them. I have always loved this house below ever since I lived as a child in the country village where it is situated. It is a Victorian vicarage and is a stones throw away from the church which was built in 1875, so presumably the vicarge was built at the same time. It is beautifully situated on the village green next to a sapling oak tree, the massive old one having since been felled. I just love everything about it. The wonderful, slightly haunted, gothic look. The interesting attic spaces which could be explored. The vicar relocated when I was a child, presumably because such a large house was too expensive for the church to run. It was sold some years ago for a huge amount of money. Ah well...I can dream.

These beautifully detailed etchings are by Orkney artist Louise Scott. Louise is inspired by the natural world and particularly birds. More of her work can be seen at her Inkstone gallery site here.

Hare Etching

Crow Etching

I love this sculpture by Ashot Tonoian called "Seashells". He is Armenian by birth but now lives and works in Norway. He produces mainly figurative sculptures and some of his work can be found here at the Russian Art Gallery.

These beautifully made brooches are all created by Etsy seller "designedbyjane". They are lovingly handmade from felt and embellished with applique, buttons and embroidery although Jane also crafts other items. She has a wonderful and varied range of designs and can be found here on Etsy. If you want to see what else she gets up to check out her blog here and her Flickr site here.

Summer Rain

Starry Night

Caramel 70s Design

Over The Rainbow

Vintage Bouquet

Embroidered Felt Butterfly

Retro Starburst

Red Hot Retro