Friday, August 27, 2010

Summer Blog Holiday - Next Post 19 September

I have had such a busy week that I haven't had much time for creating artwork so the pieces below were both done quite quickly. I have plans for doing much more in the next couple of weeks as I am taking my summer blog holiday. The weather is quite autumnal now and the nights very chilly. Where has the summer gone? It only seemed like yesterday that we were admiring the spring greenery and now the leaves are starting to turn golden. I daren't mention the C word but I am starting to think about what image to use for my C cards.

I really enjoyed drawing this cute little pen and ink bird. Very decorative.


Pen and ink portrait of a woman


I took delivery of my moleskine for the Sketchbook Project today. This is an American based project whereby anyone who joins receives a sketchbook which they then fill up with artwork and send back to the originators. All the sketchbooks from all over the world then tour galleries and museums all over the country, before reaching the Brooklyn Art Library where anyone can view them. Finally they are put on the Internet for even more people to browse. I think it is a brilliant idea. You have to make sure you return your book to them before Jan 15 2011. I first learned about it from the lovely Caroline's studio as she is also participating. You chose your theme and then get sketching. My theme is "if you lived here" and I chose that because I can do lots of quirky little habitations. That theme has gone now but there are still a lot more to choose from. The Sketchbook Project website is here if you want to take a look.

I will be posting some of my sketches for the book in the coming weeks.


On a visit to the lovely and ancient market town of Thame recently I visited the huge and beautiful church. I found a couple of interesting pieces of statuary in the churchyard. The dog below is so lifelike it could almost be real,

but it belongs to this stone dedicated to a local animal lover.

This was the only angel I found but she is a beauty. If you look carefully she seems to be gazing at a brown moth.


It looks like it was carved but was definitely alive.


I found a lovely pigeon perched on a gravestone and just asking for his photo to be taken. The strong sunlight really brings out the colours of the stones.


A cute and tiny Thame cottage. It doesn't go back very far either. Just one up one down by the looks of it. Bit of a little doll's house really. I definitely wouldn't have enough space for all my books in there.


I found several interesting books in charity shops in Thame too. One of them is Drawing Techniques by Giovanni Civardi. I will tell you about the others in a later post. It is only a slim book but has some lovely pencil and ink illustrations and techniques about how to achieve them. I would like to spend a bit more time drawing with my pens as I feel I have neglected them a bit lately. Oddly enough I could have bought this book used for 74p from Amazon plus postage but at least my donation went to a good cause. Isn't Amazon amazing? It is no wonder they are loathed by book sellers.




Some nice flowering seedheads I spotted on my travels recently.

Flowering Artichoke


Echinops - Globe Thistle


Giant Thistle


I am a great fan of mixed media artwork although, for some reason, I don't often feature it on my blog. These gorgeous creations are the work of the very talented American artist Stephanie Rubiano. Stephanie originally trained as an scientist but found her love of art eventually took over. She is someone after my own heart with her beautiful vintage ladies and children with crowns and wings. You can see lots of her work on her website here, her Flickr site here, and her Etsy shop here.

Magpie


Eggsquisite


World Of Blossoms


Numero Uno


I visited a lovely little gallery in a local town today and found a couple of really nice greetings cards to add to my huge collection. This one is taken from a screenprint by Jane Ormes. Some of you will already be familiar with her work as she is a very popular artist. She creates wonderfully quirky screenprints and you can find lots more here at Rostra and Rooksmoor Gallery. Jane's own website is here, and she blogs here. I had to laugh that she hates men in flip flops. I think flip flops are horrible on anyone.

The second card is one by Sarah Venus of Flytrappublishing. I have mentioned Sarah and the website in a previous post. Well worth a peek here for anyone who doesn't know of them though. I think this is a great fairy linocut image.


Sarah Kirby is a UK artist and printmaker who produces the most lovely graphic linocut images. She is based at Leicester Print Workshop. She also teaches printmaking and artist book making. It would be great to take some of her workshops. I think her work is really beautiful and I particularly love her birds and trees. You can see lots more of her artwork here on her website.

Love Trees


September Bird


Mrs Griffith's Starling


72-78 New Walk

24 comments:

Aarti Badamikar said...

bird love <3

Acornmoon said...

Mild panic at the C word!

You have done lots to say that you have had little time too.

Great lino prints, I am intrigued by the technique that produces more than one colour.

ArtPropelled said...

I know it is small but I'm in love with the Thame cottage!

Caroline said...

Can't believe it's time for your annual blogging holiday again! Where has the year gone? I think your little bird could be a nice C card! Love all your photos this week - especially the angel(terrific that you snapped it with the moth!) and the doggie guarding the grave is so touching! Pleased to hear that your sketchbook has arrived (thanks for the mention!) - looking foward to following your progress. I've just started my first page - really must get my skates on. Happy blog hols!

Cathy said...

Thanks Aarti. Same here.

Cathy said...

Hi Valerie. I have watched people cutting lino and printing in different colours. I think it is one of those things that looks easy but isn't. Wish I could do it though.

Cathy said...

Me too Robyn. I would love a look inside. I bet it is beautifully cosy but probably not a hint of storage. It would make a lovely little shop though.

Cathy said...

Hi Caroline. I am so pleased my sketchbook has arrived. I will start very soon because there are quite a few pages to fill up. Looking forward to seeing your first one.

This year has flown by on wings.

A bird in the hand said...

The birdie at the top has stolen my heart......

Colette xox

Jane Ormes said...

Thanks for featuring my work one pink goose !!_ it s always a thrill to be featured on someone elses blog .Thank goodness i ve found someone else who hates flipflops -there aren t many of us out there !!!!!!!!!

Cathy said...

Thanks Colette. I really enjoyed drawing that little one and decorating him with spirals. It took ages but it was worth it.

Cathy said...

Hi Jane. Your work is gorgeous and I fell in love with your quirky card as soon as I saw it. Flip flops - the work of the devil...haha

Sandy Mastroni said...

wow ..... you always give us so much to look at Cathy
I love the statues in the churchyard > you took great photos .... the angel the dog the [real] bird ... just beautiful
You are so lucky to have cooler weather ! I am up now at 2 a.m. because it's so hot I can't sleep
It doesn't help that I have a cat that insists on sleeping right up against me !
I'm going back to look at some of your older posts that I missed !

Cathy said...

Hi Sandy. I can send some cooler weather over to you if you like..lol. You have had some seriously hot weather in the States this summer. I have noticed quite a few American bloggers complaining about the heat. Kitties are naughty when they want to snuggle up close in hot weather, but I bet you wouldn't have it any other way.

Artist said...

beautiful bird! i especially love your branches in the background, with the leaves and little cherries? perhaps??!!

Crafty Green Poet said...

sorry for not commenting sooner! ASnother lovely post as ever. I particularly like the moth on the stone angel's hand, such a beautiful moment

Cathy said...

Thanks Artist. I got the inspiration for those branches from a library book on botanical photographs.

Cathy said...

I love that too Juliet. It would have looked lovely if it had been carved into the original sculpture as well.

deb said...

Hi Cathy, A wonderful post as usual! I love your pen and ink bird - it would make a lovely embroidery! And I really like your photos of the flowering seed heads.

~ Phyllis ~ said...

Hi Cathy,
Your little bird sketch is a cutie.
I so enjoyed looking at the pictures from your visit to Thame.
The angel is beautiful. You have taken so many beautiful pictures of angels. I have enjoyed everyone of them.
We are still having very warm weather over here. Looking forward to some cool, crisp morning walks.

Cathy said...

Thanks very much Deb. I loved doing that bird and the leaves. Pure illustration and very dear to my heart.

Cathy said...

Hi Phyllis

I would have thought your weather was becoming cooler now. Ours has definitely changed now. Cooler, wetter and breezier but I like it. I can't wait for the trees to change colour. I love the autumn hues. I was lucky to find that single angel in a massive graveyard.

andamento said...

Hi Cathy,
I really, really like your pen and ink bird drawing this week, it's fabulous! I also like the little cottage though purely for someone else to live in, it's so tiny! Enjoy your blogging break,
Anne.

Cathy said...

Hello Anne. I think you would have to be a bit of a midget to live in that cottage but it is wonderful to look at as you say. Glad you like my bird drawing.