Thursday, February 17, 2011

When The Music's Not Forgotten

I am feeling sad and deflated just now which is one reason why my blog is so late. A friend who was treated for lung cancer a few years ago and declared "cured", who lost her husband last year, has now developed liver and pancreatic cancer and has been given months to live. It makes you wonder why life throws so many terrible things at some people and others seem to get away relatively lightly. So here is a song for Doris and all those others who haven't got as long here as they would like.

This is a pen and ink and watercolour drawing I started several months ago and I really couldn't get on with it at all. It all came together this week. Strange to see trees in a boat I know but nothing is impossible.

This is called The Journey Was Long But She Was Never Alone


These are quirky birds from my scrapbook pages which have worked their way into a pen and ink drawing. I think I have the birds the wrong way round though. The red one would have looked better against the black tree.

Although we get some very dull and wet days in winter, there are some days when the light is beautiful. Some of the photos below are recent and others aren't but they are all favourites of mine.






This is a scene taken from one of our walks recently and immediately made me think of the GK Chesterton poem - The Rolling English Road. The first verse goes like this:

Before the Romans came to Rye or out to Severn strode,
The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.
A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire,
And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire;
A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread
The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head.

There are another three verses which you can find on Google.



Just when I thought I was finished with hares for the time being - up they pop again.

Jane Ray artwork - published by Roger La Borde. This is the back and front of the card. It is nice to see the full image spread out. Twice as much card for your money.


Andrew Waddington - Return Of The Sun King - published by Art Angels in their Printmakers collection.


My family brought me back a lovely collection of artists cards from Cornwall some time ago and in amongst them was this delightful painting of a goose by Suzy Sharpe. Isn't it beautifully spontaneous and fresh. More of Suzy's work here.
I saw a piece of craft created by Jan Guest in a well-known magazine recently and was extremely impressed with her work. Jan is based in Bosham and uses reclaimed coastal wood and sea pebbles to create her lovely marine themed plaques, wall hangings and free standing pieces. Her fish and little coastal houses are lovely and make me hum "I do want to be beside the seaside". You can catch up with her website here.

Rock Pool Wreath With Fish


Harbour Cottages


A Swell Day


I love the delicate, lacelike tracery of these winter trees at Harefield, but you have to remember to look up because sometimes the magic is above your head.



Mary Fedden has long been a favourite of mine and I was delighted to find this little book at a car boot sale back in the summer. Seems a long time ago, now doesn't it? It only cost around 50p and I couldn't resist it. Nowadays her paintings cost thousands to buy. Mary is a very well known and popular English contemporary artist in the naive, expressionist tradition. She doesn't observe the rules of perspective but paints what she likes, when she likes and doesn't pay regard to the opinions of others. I like that. I also like all the lovely birds she paints and the texture she gets into her work. You can find lots of her work if you enter her name into a search engine.


Oystercatcher


Chaffinches


Great Spotted Woodpecker


Park Birds In The Snow

18 comments:

Jennifer Tetlow said...

So sorry to hear about your friend, I'm sending good thoughts and wishes for you both. The trees in the boat look perfectly reasonable! Lovely.

Cathy said...

Thanks Jennifer. Life can be very sad sometimes. I saw her today and she is looking very jaundiced.

Glad you like the trees and boat ensemble. I like to pop something quirky in now and again.

deb said...

A fascinating post as usual. Love your trees in the boat - very quirky. Mary Fedden's birds are lovely. Sorry to hear about your friend. What a beautiful piece of music.

~ Phyllis ~ said...

Cathy, I am so sorry about your friend. It does seem unfair that some folks go through life without hurdles and others have more than their share.

mary ng said...

I love looking at your blog Cathie. I thought I would try and post a comment, a ist. for me. Hope you receive it. I felt close to your sadness about your friend.I have a similar situation here. Thank you for the beauty you bring, with your blog.

Cathy said...

Hi Deb. That is a lovely song isn't it? I thought it was quite apt if a bit sad. I am pleased you like my quirky boat. I have done several boats lately and I can feel a few more in the pipeline...haha.

Cathy said...

I quite agree Phyllis. Some get more than their fair share of hardship and it does make you wonder what the grand plan is sometimes. I read somewhere that you should treat every day as if it is your last and I think that is good advice. So I am off to make the most of the day.

Cathy said...

So glad to hear from you Mary and that you enjoy the blog. I hope your sad situation has the best possible ending. There are some things none of us have any control over and that comes hard to a lot of people. Anyway, on a more cheerful note...the weekend is here so have a good one.

Kat Mortensen said...

Oh, I do apologize, Cathy! I left a comment earlier, but I did not even see this post the other night. I looked for your most recent and left the remark there (here) without even noticing what you had said.

I'm so sorry for the prognosis for your friend. I will keep her in my prayers.

Kat

Cathy said...

No problems Kat. This post was probably not there when you looked. For some unfathomable reason blogger decides to put the date on the first time you start typing a new post when really it should be dated the day it is published. I started this one on the 17th (hence the date) but didn't finish and publish until the 22nd. Very confusing I know.

Thanks very much for your kind words. I too believe in the power of prayer.

andamento said...

Mary Fedden and Jane Ray... you're spoiling me!

Caroline said...

Cathy - so sorry to read about your friend and can well imagine how you feel too. I agree we really should aim to make the most of each day we have.
I'm always amazed at your finds at boot sales - that book looks super! The coastal bits and pieces caught my eye - I'd love a house by the sea to fill with such treasures! My favourite of yours this week is the black and red birds - perhaps you can still swap them around in photoshop?

Cathy said...

Hi Anne. You must like the same things I do.

Cathy said...

Thanks very much Caroline. I have made up my mind to do just that.

I think I may digitally colour the birds drawing for greetings cards and I will swap the colours around. Doing them in PS is a good chance to change the little things I don't like.

kirsty said...

Hello, I just found your blog through Anne's - that's so sad about your friend.
Love the work you featured, I'm in Cornwall too so am v familiar with Suzy Sharpe's animals. Love Mary Fedden - and your chickens are great!
Best wishes, Kirsty xx

Cathy said...

Hi Kirsty. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Lucky you living in the gorgeous Cornwall with so many fabulous artists and craftspeople on your doorstep.

tammykingdon said...

I think you're right Cathy, some people seem to get others' share of grief and upset in addition to their own and yet find a way to manage with a dignity that would put me to shame; they give us a benchmark to aspire to.
I think your own artwork is particularly lovely this week, thankyou!

Cathy said...

Hi Tammy. Thanks very much. It is amazing how much people can take and not collapse in despair. It is a mark of how strong some of us are I think.