Girl with Golden Hair

I’m really getting in to painting girls again – I just love painting girls, and I love experimenting with mixed media. Here I started out with some left-over pink acrylic paint which I had previously spread about as a background on to paper. Then I applied some antique decorative paper from the inner leaves of an old book as the border around the face. Then I layered up using stamps, acrylic paint, modelling paste in the hair and pencil crayons. I ‘m pleased with this portrait. Autumnal shades yet a glowing warmth are right for this time in the year!

Corkscrew Goddess

Here we have another Diva, (maybe she’s the Goddess of Wine?). I have been wanting to work on something ethereal for a while now, with an ‘out of this world’ element. I really like the idea of my work being used for something like Goddess cards but was wondering “Does everybody want to do that”? This little lady is cloaked in a diamond studded rich red velour shrug, ready for a special appointment. Who could she be?

Tennis Player. 6" x 4" Acrylic on Canvas.

Aye Up! (As we say here in Yorkshire!)  It’s been a busy last two weeks.  The house move continues and we are set to be gone on or before the 29th of May to Derbyshire/Notts, even though we still officially have no-where to live!  We have seen something we like and are working on securing that, which will be lovely if we get it – right next to a park for the kiddy winkles.

In between the melee, I have had some fun and felt inspired by meeting and getting to know a little of Ann Drury. Ann is a lovely young singer-songwriter who is the ‘weekend girl’ at my friend Rita’s bubbling little Fair Trade shop in the pretty Bronte village of Howarth – Sonia’s Smile.  She was manning the shop while we nipped out with Reet to help sort a few of her IT problems. After closing time Ann came back to Rita’s house where I had the honour of getting to listen to some of her music. I was amazed!  Not only is her music typical of what I would go out and buy anyway, but much of what she played to us was recorded a few years ago when she was only 13!!  An incredidbly talented youn lady – Ann I sincerely hope and believe you will go far!!  You can listen to Ann’s music here: http://www.myspace.com/anndrury

On a painterly front I managed to create another girly – this time a very active character for you sporty types!  I designed and hand painted in acrylic the image which spreads around the edges of the canvas to create something interesting to view on all sides.  Fancy ‘courting’ her?

Tennis Player Side View

Pussy Cat Lover. Acrylic on Canvas.

In between house hunting, surveyor visits and junk-sorting, I’ve gone back to my girly roots.  It’s been a long time since I made any pretty girls so figured it was time to re-visit, and it has felt most refreshing!  Hand drawn and painted with fine-liner and acrylic paint on 6″ x 4″ box canvas – I am thinking of starting a new range similar to her.  Also I’m thinking of maybe some boy themed pictures too, which will be a novelty for me!

Side and Bottom View.

Side View

My Dear Friend Peggy. Mixed Media. 30 x 40cm.

There are so many Social Networking sites about these days, it’s really hard to know which ones to join.  It’s hard to guess which ones will be of value without frittering hours away gassing (not that I don’t like a good natter!!).  Like life isn’t hectic enough already juggling work and family life.  So of course, I joined another group today on Ning.com (thanks to Lou!) with Gary Reef, another mixed media artist!  I’m still familiarising myself with it but it does look inspiring and he teaches techniques too which I am always eager to learn as I am still finding my feet.  But I really must stop joining any more!!  Stop it Sue – Now!!  But I do intend to join Facebook, and maybe e-cademy!!  Noooo – Stop!!In between gossiping though, I have managed to create another painting.  I’m really pleased how this has turned out as it was a bit experimental.  The original idea was just a scribble I put down on paper one night when I was doodling with my daughter.  I wanted to capture the mood between two special friends.  I have never had a horse (let alone a Pegasus – how ace would that be!) and I am in awe (if not a little afraid) of them for their magnificent power.  But I know plenty of girls who love their horses and have this special relationship which I have tried to create the feel for.

Here is the piece I mentioned before.  The one I started months ago.  It’s on Birch Plywood and I’ve burned the design into the wood using a pyrography too.  It’s weird how you can leave something for so long and then come back to it with new eyes.  I made such a mess of this that as a last ditch attempt to save it I painted black over the whole thing and literally re-worked the entire piece again.  I’m glad I did!  I really got in to it and then seemed to get results quite quickly, which I enjoyed.  I’m happy with the dramatic effect.  The quote (and inspiration for the painting) is taken from Khalil Gibran’s ‘The Prophet’.  I love this book!  I love how it can be dipped in and out of at any point in the book and always provides an insight which somehow seems relevant.  The book was given by a good friend to Jamie and I as a gift when we had our Commitment Ceremony in 2005.On a different note, we’ve had snow here today in Yorkshire.  Very pretty!!  Most of the local schools were closed, ours included so we went down to the reservoir to sledge.  What fun!!! We found most of the kids from school to be there!   There’s even more snow forecast for tonight.  Yay!!  I don’t think my kids have ever seen so much of it in their lives!  It’s lovely!

Snow-Board-Princess