Some sketching and painting sites

A Painter's Year with Susan Abbott: http://susanabbott.blogspot.com/
The shapes and colours are inspirational.

A Canadian's view of stark yet not intimidating countryside: http://www.borghesegardens.com/oil-4.htm

Approaching Storm by Patricia Gill, all the colours of the rainbow:  http://www.saa.co.uk/galleries/fullsize.php?a=1153&oscsid=cc830j7llf5n94ga9cnid441j6.  This site is the SAA site (the Society for all Artists - 'to inform, encourage and inspire'.

The painting below by Cy Twomby comes from: http://artandlair.blogspot.com/2011/03/cy-twombly-master-of-abstract.html

On of my very favourite sites: http://www.gwennseemel.com/index.php/news/.  To quote: 'This July, I’m participating in A Somewhat Secret Place: Disability and Art. Curated by artist Catherine JH Miller, the show focuses on disability and its status in art and in society.'

http://www.kelvinharvey.co.uk/index.aspx?sectionid=1202398&productid=1824178. Impressions of Dartmoor, abstracts, semi abstracts of near my father was brought up, what Kelvin calls 'active ceramics'.

Abstract Art - how to understand it

Like many people I would love to have studied Art - or gone to Art School - or even done O Level  Art (that's GCSE in old money).  I didn't understand Art much until daughter Fi studied GCSE, A level Art and then an Art Foundation course, when I realised how interesting it could be.

Improvisation 7" [1910] by Wassily Kandinsky. 

from:

http://www.harley.com/art/abstract-art/index.html

I love the colours, shapes, that it could say something to one person and something completely different to another - or even to the same person depending on their perspective at that time.

http://www.keithgarrow.com/abstract-paintings.html

this is random blottings, touched up with doodling.

http://www.learntoart.com/index.php/archives/art-general/understanding-abstract-art/

http://www.artbylt.com/abstract-art-explained.htm

I love the idea of this being practical (you'll never lose your pen again!) and abstract.  

Why should functional items be boring?  (See Alessi citrus juicer)

http://www.art-is-fun.com/understanding-abstract-art.html

A seascape - water running down the shower - looking  into infinity - ?

Why should a picture HAVE to represent anything?  Why can't it just BE.?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTeFPPL81cU&feature=related

Sculpture Class with Michelle

A couple of years ago, South Devon College 

offered a five-week taster in sculpture, 

which sounded rather intriguing.  

I went along, expecting to make something to
exhibit in the garden:
an enormous structure, 

probably of welded metal,
to find we were given some drawing lessons.  

Then we were let loose on the bamboo, wire and clay to
make something which reflected what we'd drawn.

Our tutor, Michelle, then encouraged us to embellish
this with whatever we thought appropriate.

This was a tiny model (about 10cm) done first as a practice, rather fiddly.
So now to think bigger ...

This was the second model, made of bamboo, 

wire and clay, great fun as it was quite big (about 40cm) to handle.

Scary mouth!

Then came was the third 

and final model, much more fragile:

This was bamboo, wire and should have been
tissue paper and was difficult to keep in shape.

I was rather impatient and took mine home and covered 

bits with newspaper, tissue paper was too fiddly!

Then it was painted - great fun as the paint went everywhere 

and the structure went out of shape when it was wet.  

Eventually I hung it on one of our lights to dry each time, 

much to David's consternation.

After several coats of paint, eventually the desire effect was achieved. 

 Look at the end of this item to see what was the inspiration.  

The inspiration:

A shell from Paignton beach - about 5cm long.

My craft activities with help from Malcolm

Dorothy's new summer bag: 

Green/Beige on one side; Purple-ish shades of the reverse.

Made using crazy patchwork with the lining made from old cushion, complete with zip.

 Dolly: I never did get round to giving her a face - perhaps she's shy.

She's been living up on the window in the attic room and 

unfortunately her turquoise and green boots have faded in the sun.

Special no-sew cushions made by Fi

Tiger loves them

 Vase, with Vicky's frame (made years ago, and treasured) in the background.

 Platter and bowl

 Bowl

 This ended up being part of Canada _unfortunately it's upside down here!

Leaves and lucky insect.

Closeups

Kitchen cannister.

Fun Fish

 'Chicken Shack' bag.

Another favourite bag, unfortunately sold so now gone.

 Silk Purse which again, with it's partner, has now been sold.

 Above and below: some stuff 

Done on a workshop with Westcountry Embroiderers - I don't usually 

finish things so this was quite an achievement.

 Fiona's picture of her bedroom .... and below some of her A level paintings ....

Birch trees in the snow done at a watercolour class.

Wherever I am, there is Malcolm, we do wonder sometimes 

if he's really a faithful dog, rather than a lucky black cat.