Vacation

 I'm visiting Edinburgh for a few days. So I wanted to let you know I'll be back on Sunday 14th April so please don't go away....
Looking forward to visiting the National Museum as well as the fabulous art galleries that Edinburgh has to offer.
My son is in a swimming competition so it's an exciting time...big city here we come...

See you very soon    x

Whale-Road

Not only do I enjoy using a variety of media in my work,I also enjoy thinking about different ways to present my work. This was encouraged at college where we had to produce a triptych.According to the Oxford Dictionary a triptych is :

'a set of three associated artistic,literary or musical works intended to be appreciated together'.

It's form arises from early Christian art and was a popular standard format for altar paintings from the Middle Ages onwards. Three carved or painted panels were hinged together with the largest middle panel being flanked by two smaller related works.  

First time around it was challenging-composition across three panels and making it work together.....My latest triptych consists of three 20 x 20cm canvases.

Celebrations

It's been quite a day-big family gathering to celebrate my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary which when we're spread across Scotland and England is quite some achievement.

As a memento I made then a box-work incorporating a photocopy of them on their wedding day on hand-made paper,gold ribbon and a golden heart -for love and their surname is Hart!

The three roses are symbolic of the three children-my 2 brothers and I,and also Yorkshire where we were born.I did want to symbolise the seven grandchildren however it spoilt the composition !

With 2 more birthdays in the offing my Spring Fling work is on the back-burner but doing something completely different really is beneficial.  I have loads of new ideas that I just keep jotting in my sketchbook  for another day...

Rock n' roll.....

 Over the last few days it's just been great being able to get out and about-bright sunny days but chill Easterly winds. Living in Dumfries means that it doesn't take long to be out in the surrounding countryside or on the beach.

So my son and I took a trip to Powillhimont Beach on the Solway Coast before heading to New Abbey to warm up with delicious refreshments  at the Abbey Cottage tearooms,adjacent to the ruins of Sweetheart Abbey.....

The images of  ruins  can be inspirational.....

Sweetheart Abbey,New Abbey

So can rock structures.....

And large rocks....

And smaller ones...

To transient patterns in the sand....

And maybe these are some of  the reasons why I enjoy incorporating texture into my work .......

Abbey Cottage Tearoom 

26 Main St

New Abbey

Dumfries DG2 8BY

01387 850377

www.abbeycottagetearoom.com

twitter: @AbbeyCottage

Facebook: Abbey Cottage

Finding texture

When I had completed  the mixed media piece  from yesterday's post I was keen to try the same idea but with different techniques. I liked the composition so transferred it to a large canvas. I added gesso to certain parts of the canvas-when layers of colour were added ,the surface texture added interest.

 

 A different colour palette and loss of the fine pencil and pen lines brought about a completely different outcome. From this I started adding yet more texture and materials from sand to textiles to some of my pieces which I feel gives another dimension to my work.It's just great to change direction now and again....at the moment I'm back working on watercolour paper....

Life before texture

I had one of those interesting conversations last week which basically revolved around the use of texture in my work.How had it happened,where had it come from? And it really made me think ...The last few pieces of artwork have followed a similar vein-layering gesso,using modelling paste and additional materials such as sand or textiles to the support even before I start with colour.

Prior to this I used a variety of media but on watercolour paper and the effect was completely different.

This is quite a large piece-watercolour paint,acrylic paint,acrylic ink,graphite pencil on watercolour paper.

That conversation inspired me to revisit my watercolour paper and I'm enjoying the change.It also reminded me that the above piece still lacks a title so I can have a think on that one too.....

Vision

I was just looking over some of my sketchbooks when I came across this:

'Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.
Who looks outside,dreams;
Who looks inside,awakes.'

Carl Jung