The outdoor, nature based creative activities during restrictions continue. We've made collecting bags for natural finds and recorded our finds. As we are coming up to Christmas too, we've been making paper snowflakes out of any paper that we can find.
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Alongside the private commission work, I've been supplying creative, outdoor, activity ideas locally - sometimes with resources, all inspired by nature and the outdoors/walking etc. Simple, temporary, land art pieces using autumn leaves, conkers, seeds, cones etc have been popular. I've done several of these locally anyway - for people to come across, hoping that it cheers/interests any passers by.
The sun has been out for a few days, so I've been experimenting in a fairly basic way with cyanotypes on fabric - making lots of notes for future use of this fabric on my 'Memory' art work peices. I used ferns, lace and pressed flowers. The fabric is a high thread cotton and turned out to be just the right size to make a set of face masks!
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I'm still working on the private collage commission. It's an allotment theme and I'm enjoying painting wood patterns on paper, creating hand painted seedlings, tomatoes, greenhouse and shed. Intricate work but totally absorbing. Just right for these Covid times.
I've kept myself busy outside of work, knitting a fairisle jumper for my grandson Hugo. I've had to get on with it as it's for his birthday this month. It's old fashioned and made of 100% wool, but the design is modern - I love the rats! I added a special 'Handmade by Grandma' label.
As we find ourselves in lockdown during a pandemic, it's a great joy to be working on a large collage commission that will take me some time to complete over the next months. It's a private commission so I will only be showing bits. So far i've been working on the background, but it is an image of an allotment. I'm going to enjoy this project!
My first job, always, at the beginning of the year is to create a postcard-sized peice of art to donate to the TwitterArt exhibition/auction. This is an international charity event - held this year in Myrtle Beach, California, raising finds for the Horry County Disabilities & Special Needs charity. This time I decided to send one of my unpublished children's book characters. I love drawing children dressed in costumes and have done a whole series of Halloween/Christmas characters. I am also a big fan of the 'Flower Fairies' illustrations by Cicely Mary Barker, so this is also an homage to those - this time focusing on the acorn. It is entitled 'From Little Acorns .....' after the famous proverb, hence the oak tree in the background. I do hope it arrives safely and sells well.
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