Layered rainbow

Getting back into painting

Detail of an abstract oil painting on board from 2001

Being resourceful means that I can’t bear anything that has potential use to be thrown away.  I saved a large stack of small pre-used canvases from being thrown in the skip at a school I was working in.  The canvases were some of the student’s old work that they didn’t want to keep.  After a few coats of gesso they were ready to use for my designs, but having a previous life as a different painting resulted in the texture showing the traces of the previous work.  This underlying texture makes the faces and patterns of the new paintings look knobbly, but I don’t mind this.  I could have sanded them down, but I have left the ghosts in there.

Working with acrylics and painting across about fifteen canvases at a time, I have been playing with colour, mixing in fluorescent paints. I have a commission to create some large paintings and these small works have been a great way to get back into painting and prepare for these larger works.

In some paintings I have chosen some favourite images to work from, focusing on portraits and animals.  In other paintings I have been playing around with pattern and colour combinations.  The above image is a similar pattern to a wall mural that I did for a student union bar redesign and can be viewed here.

Big headed kitten painting initial stages

I am hiding some of my works to keep them secret and a surprise from the people who will eventually receive them as gifts. They will be revealed later on the blog.

Ring tailed lemur painting almost finished

In my favourite animal pictures the animals appear to be staring out of the image and can hold your gaze (yes you the viewer), like this ring tailed lemur.  Staring animals want to hypnotise you and beckon you into their world!

Orlando Weeks painting almost finished

These triangle pattern paintings are the result of many layers of paint. I found in the process that each time I added a new colour, it didn’t sit well with one of the colours next to it. It became a game to keep changing the colours until it worked for me.

Two finished triangle pattern paintings in acrylic

Painting around the edges

Etsy Spring Lookbook

January 2012

I’m very chuffed to say that my Colour Cubes T-shirt has been included in Etsy’s Spring Lookbook for 2012.  I’ve had a good look through the whole book and there are some lovely fresh things to buy.

Here are some of my favourites:

• natural wood cufflinks by Stair Lodge Supplies on page 54
• I particularly love this little fox toddler dress by wildthingsdresses on page 65
• Get Kettle On postcard by Amy Walters page 91
• mauve leather feather chain by Pagan Poetry shop on page 124
• moss brush by Birribe page 128
• upcycled jumper floor cushion by little miss loolies on page 139

I also enjoyed reading the artist/maker interviews at the back to get an insight into how the artists started out and what their studio spaces look like.  The digital version of this book can be seen here: http://issuu.com/etsy/docs/etsyspring2012

Rainbow colour cubes T-shirts can be found in my Etsy shop here

Touchable rainbows treasury

I created my first treasury and it features some of my favourite rainbow coloured items on Etsy.  Click on the image below to be taken to the treasury page where you will be able to click on each of the items and explore each person’s shops.

Rainbow brooches

Here is my latest brooch collection, a set of 8 rainbows made from felt.  Intended to add a bit of extra colour to your outfit.  Available to buy from my Folksy shop, Etsy shop and soon from BALTIC shop in Gateshead.

EDIT:  To buy click on the colour: Mauve / Red / Orange / Yellow / Grass Green / Forest Green / Kingfisher Blue / Royal Blue

Ink & thread drawings

Recent drawings on cardboard with ink and embroidered thread and wool.  Cardboard from a shop’s discarded packaging pile.

Pattern

Experiment on paper with squares