drawing

Sunday Studio Visit – Elaborate Doodling!

As promised I am going to attempt to keep up the Sunday Studio visit blog posts at the very least! So today I will share with you an elaborate doodle that took me a few drawing sessions to finish.

I have been having fun subscribing to Scrawlbox, a subscriber art supplies box of goodies that I receive every month. I began this as a way to prompt me at least once a month to create an artwork, because I have been so overrun with the shop.

I hadn’t received my October box as yet (and still haven’t, so they are generously sending a replacement box – good old Australia Post), so I decided to create a doodle using the alcohol based markers I received in a previous box. I didn’t have any marker paper so just used my visual journal, but I didn’t mind because I wanted to retain the intensity of the individual colours in the doodle anyway (IE – I didn’t mind that I couldn’t blend the colours).

I was happy with the result, and my son loved it so much he wants me to get it printed on fabric and make a shirt for him – or get someone else to make a shirt for him! So that was nice 🙂

I still haven’t received that October box so today I have began a watercolour painting of Peeps, my shopdog, also using supplies from a previous Scrawlbox – this time a watercolour palette. I  have finished the sketch and layed down some colour, which I will continue tomorrow and during the week. I will finish with some finer detail – fur, etc – using some watercolour pencils which I already have in my art supplies collection.

So that’s it for today’s studio visit – see you next week 🙂

I Just Had To Draw This Pumpkin!

So, I am not very “housewifey” – ask my hubby (but he loves that I’m not) – but come February and March I am in full housewife mode!

We have a huge veggie patch & fruit trees, mostly of which the hubby tends to, and then there is a deluge of produce! And the deluge is what I tend with!

It means I don’t get much art done during this period because all I can fit in is teaching my ClayMotion ceramic classes, preserving yummy organic produce and drinking wine!

So far I have made jam, bottled plums and pears, made prunes, apple chutney, spiced plums, squash relish, bottles tomatoes… and there is still more to come – kimchee, pear paste and fermented apples.

But sometimes there is also the inspirational vegetable that calls out to be drawn!

I couldn’t resist the colours of this gorgeous pumpkin … the contrast of the green and orange is so amazing! Not to mention the pumpkin’s beautiful contours!

So I will leave you with some images of my preserving pursuits and the pumpkin sketch.

Apple Chutney

Bottled Pears

Bottled Plums

Plum Jan and Prunes

Dinner!

Pears

Dinner!

Making Prunes

Pear and Apple Harvest

Bottled Tomatoes

Sunday Studio Visit – bits and bobs

There’s not much happening in the studio today – I still feel a bit (guiltily) in holiday mode because my teaching hasn’t resumed – but that will all change this coming week, with classes resuming.

And that was was one of my tasks today – doing some last minute promoting of the classes by sharing on Facebook and creating a blog post for the ClayMotion classes… that’s the name of my teaching business. Classes are almost full, but a few more would be great!

Blog Post

Despite not teaching and doing a bit of January relaxing I have kept myself a bit busy and creatively motivated by participating in a couple of challenges over on Instagram. I shared a few of my pics in an earlier post and intend to share some more soon, but in the meantime you can visit my IG account to check out my pics HERE.

I managed to write a poem and complete an accompanying drawing too, which you can check out on my POETRY BLOG

I also packaged up a a couple of ETSY orders so that I can post them tomorrow … I like to take care with my packaging, make it attractive – I think this shows the customer a level of care which is important for customer relations, I think.

And speaking of ETSY, Valentines Day is only a few weeks away and I have some great gift ideas for him and her, plus some gorgeous tableware for that intimate romantic dinner … later on today I hope to list a few more goodies 🙂

Well, that’s about it for this Sunday…. see you during the week 🙂

Sunday Studio Visit – lots of drawing & stuff

Today I am firing the kiln in the studio – student work, firing for others and a couple of custom orders…

As well as that I am completing the last of my sketches for the Sketch a Day challenge which I was nominated for over on Facebook …. the idea was to create a sketch a day for five days and also nominate another friend to participate each day.

Its a fun challenge and something that makes you do some drawing on a consistent basis which is great for keeping the artist eye observant and sharp!

So today I thought I would share those five drawings with you, they have been created using a variety of mediums, and are quick sketches …. enjoy and see you during the week 🙂

Pen on paper

Pastel and Charcoal

pen on paper

Charcoal Pencils

Banksia drawing Pen on Paper

I’ve been published!

I have been writing poetry on an off since I was a teenager, but began to write regularly again a couple of years ago after a long break – kids, etc…you know the drill!

When i began writing again I added a twist to my poems though by also creating an accompanying drawing, and I made a new blog to publish these new creations on.

During that first year I wrote a poem and created a drawing everyday; I also participated in National Poetry Writing Month and made it to the top five favourite wordpress poetry blogs for the month!

After that first year I dropped back to writing about once a week, which was less manic and more manageable, as I also do lots of other ‘art’ stuff as well, as regular readers will know.

Now to the point of the article – on the last day of 2014 I made my new years resolution, and it was to get a poem published, and I am happy to say it has happened!

A new ezine Felan put a call out for drawings and poetry for their first publication and the theme of love… now I am a bit of a dark character and fluffy love isn’t something I write about, but dark love is! So I entered three poems and drawings for consideration. I was lucky enough  to have one poem and all three of my drawings selected for the first edition!

The ezine is absolutely beautiful to look at and the poetry is incredible. Copies are available for electronic download or a hard copy can also be purchased HERE.

pen on handmade paper

As part of the promotion process contributors were also interviewed. All the interviews give an insight into the writers and their inspirations and processes and are great reading. You can read my interview HERE.

I am really proud to have been selected for this first edition and happy that I achieved my New Years Resolution – and I do hope to have more publications soon, so stay tuned 🙂

Christmassy Themes in my Etsy Shop

So I have just realised Christmas is 14 days away!! Yikes…

That means if you would like to order from my Etsy shop you need to do so as soon as possible to ensure pre Christmas delivery.

As well as my usual handmade and unique jewellery and tableware products, I have also added some Christmassy items to the jewellery and cards sections of the shop. The handmade earrings are in Christmas colours and the cards are hand painted on gift card stock, which includes an envelope and a protective cover.

So give a unique and individual gift this Christmas and support handmade 🙂 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas colours seed bead jewellery

Christmas colours upcycled button earrings

Hand Painted Christmas Card

My “OTHER” Blog

This image is today’s pages from my poetry and drawing journal. These poems and drawings are published on my ‘other’ blog entitled A Poem and a Drawing a Day – I am up to day 179, 18th January… even though today is the 2nd February. This is because while in Italy I fell behind in my writings and postings for a variety of reasons – inconsistent internet access, busy days and BECAUSE I WAS IN ITALY!!

So, since getting back home I have been trying to remedy this by posting two poems and drawings a day – a harrowing task! It means writing two poems as soon as I wake in the morning and then doing fast responsive follow up drawings over a morning cuppa.

Slowly but surely I am catching up…

You can check out my ‘other’ blog here… I hope you enjoy it 🙂

journal entry

A Poem & Drawing a Day Project – Just Reached 100 Days!!

Back on the 24th July I got this crazy idea to start a new wordpress blog documenting myself writing a poem a day, and creating a fast and responsive drawing to the poem…. a drawing which could possibly be further developed at a later stage, perhaps in a larger format.

Today is Day 100!

And it had been a very interesting experience.  While I enjoy recording my thoughts, writing a ‘poem’ every day takes a fair amount of dedication and discipline, and then a drawing on top of that…

It has also been enriching, however. Purging can be very therapeutic I have discovered! So purging on a writing AND drawing level is doubly therapeutic!

Below is a slideshow of some of the more recent drawing inspired by the poems of the past 100 days. Under the slideshow is a photo gallery of the same images – so view whichever format you prefer. Enjoy 🙂

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Nature Drawings…

I have been getting into some drawing of natural objects recently – I don’t quite know why, but I have been enjoying it for something different. I am enjoying the loose fluidity of drawing with a black fine liner, and adding a bit of random water colour. I think the two mediums compliment each other.

I have also drawn some of these images on some blank gift cards, and listed them in my Etsy shop – they would make great gift cards, are original art pieces, and are suitable for framing .

Here are some examples:

Weekly Photo Challenge: Mine

Being a mother there are not many ‘things’ that are ‘mine’. As mothers we are socialised to be selfless, and ‘mine’ implies a level of possession and selfishness – not necessarily in a bad way. Being selfish is a survival mechanism, but as mums your instinct – which is reinforced by societal conditioning – is to protect your kids first. So I had to think about this challenge, and what I consider to be MINE!!

So here it is : HANDS OFF MY PASTELS!

To see some of my drawings you can visit my OTHER BLOG