Sketchbook slitherings

So much rain! Another slithery muddy walk at Baggeridge. Even though the going is a challenge underfoot there's still that low sunlight slanting through rushes and tonal contrast to note in a sketchbook

My Own Little World

So following such a wonderful trip to Cornwall it has been time to stitch a relevant journal page. I took a sketch I made of a sculpture in Barbara Hepworth's garden and used it as inspiration, along with other shapes of those forms for a small piece in hand dyed cotton and sheers.

The colour is so evocative of St Ives light and that bejewelled azure sea.
I have also been working on a journal piece neglected earlier in the year due to time constraints. This also has sheers but depicts a wintry light that I love across fields.

When it's complete I'll post it here.
The garden continues to be a joy and inspiration - a hot day and a hot hot poppy colour...so hot the camera can't really handle it! When a bee flies in the shimmering pollen is clearly visible on the stamens vibrating before the bee has landed even, just reacting to the motion of the air.

But then a semi shaded corner hosts a white lupin cool and stately

These aliums need sketching!

As does this wonderful garlic bulb. Isn't it amazing what colours are to be found in something so simple?

and finally some work on wizards - they continue to sell like hot cakes!!

All of it a joy, all of it makes the heart sing. Staying, for the most part, in my own little world.

Cornish Cream

Up and out this morning early. Brush on paper by 7am. Everyone still in bed in holiday mode. It's the best thing for me, always up with the lark.

This is Germoe churchyard in Cornwall - not far from Penzance.

The early morning light was in need of capturing.

Here is a little scene from the garden. I love the brick paved stonework and the little picket fences.

Some beautiful Cornish cottages on the Helford River. Not enough time to paint everything unfortunately!

In Godolphin House there was an old collection of carts to be restored. I wish they would leave them like this really.

My daughter below celebrating the beach at the wonderful Kynance Cove.

We are staying in this lovely thatched cottage and I'm wondering if I can claim "squatters rights"?

A Walk and a Bike Ride

Early early light is a beauty. On Sunday morning I was out on my new bicycle - all sit up and beg and girlie basket - in the misty low light of a damp but sunny spring morn.

This photo, unbelievably taken with my iphone and unadulterated, is probably my favourite image of any I've captured.

The bike is my new trusty steed with which I will discover some trackways amongst the urban sprawl where I live in Middle England.

The canal ways are calling for more sketching so there are some lovely tow path scenes to unearth this summer for me.

Today I walked on Highgate Common near Kinver Edge with my good friend Fiona Mill.

We hit upon a little pond, a haven for wildlife, quite un disturbed and amongst the peeping of jay birds and some rather less inspiring mosquitos, we sketched and painted. So peaceful. The time flew.

The light was poor and flat and it was a struggle to find where it was really coming from but a yellow wash background provided luminosity where it may have hidden.

Green woodpeckers and many pond insects were unaware of two women becoming at one with their surroundings. Some even tried to feature in the sketchbook - very arty!

Awards, Sketchbooks and Spring

Such sunny weather this week that it has been garden matters taking priority. The winter has been so long that seed planting has only been an option for the last week or so and that means that the greenhouse is now stacked with seed trays full of potential for both veg for the plot and flowers for the garden.
I love the "patchwork" nature of this Snakes Head which comes year after year although, strangely, some of its flowers are now pure white.

Art matters have taken a back seat, but nevertheless there was time to squeeze in a visit to the Uttoxeter Quilt and Stitch Show last weekend.
I was thrilled that my daughter Isabel, who is eleven, won the children's quilt category - here she is with her trophy. I'm more proud than she is!!

Yesterday when Isabel was playing hockey I took a stroll down the nearby canal where there is an interesting lock set of 21 tiers within about a mile. This is Dunstall Park Bridge. I stood and sketched those wonderfully interesting shapes in ink pen in my sketchbook on a previously washed background and then came home and added the tone in paint. I really like this approach, particularly to urban sketching, and feel fired up to work more this way.
You have to watch out for being run over by zealous dogs, cyclists and joggers on the tow path but that's part of the charm!

This is another sketchbook page - an idea from Laura and Linda Kemshall. The edge of the page is textured with gesso and painted with Koh-I-Noor dye based watercolours (as indeed is the sketch above).

Finally Wombourne Quilters had a visit from Lorraine Bates and we had a go at making some ceramic buttons. I'm looking forward to seeing the fired, glazed results - here are my raw ones...but there are more pictures here

Marathon Sketchbooking

The more I watch the Olympics and see all these active people, the more I want to sit on my bottom and play in my sketchbook!
 I have only a week or so left of my year of my Creative Sketchbook course and I need to get to finishing Module 4. I've had many a week where creativity has been at a low ebb as my mum moves toward the end of her life, but this past two weeks I realised how much art can be a therapy in these situations. It buys time to ponder and time to refocus.

I have decided to make a journal quilt each month pointing out where I have found peace. I am working on this in the sketchbook and as this white dove descended into the garden last week I resolved to begin the work this month,

Pockets from a photo are handy for collecting ephemera - in this case some feathers which I might use as printing inspiration.
See the end of this post for August's quilt.

This little pottery dove sits by my front door and the stars, so reminiscent of quilt blocks are on the floor all the way down the hall of my Victorian home.

Various cut pages.

Roll on Autumn - I love pumpkins!

I pressed this Bleeding Heart stem earlier in the year and have just taken it from the flower press.

A pencil rubbing of a lino block....

THE RESULTING QUILT

It was all ace. It was a part of my peace.

Sketchbook Focus

Working in the sketchbook this week. Enjoying it very much indeed.

Thanks for everyone's encouragement I took the plunge and opened an Etsy shop - see top right - it will take me a long time to fill the shelves of the shop - but that's OK!