The First Day of The Rest Of My Life

Last night when I went to bed I leant over to switch my bedside lamp off and just out of the corner of my eye I caught a movement on the front of my bedside cabinet. I looked down to see what it was and there was a butterfly just settling down on the drawer at the top of the cabinet. I watched it for a couple of minutes while it folded it’s wings up into a horizontal position. I wondered where it had come from and how it was even here on a really cold day in January. I managed to gently scoop up the butterfly and let it go out of the window and, as it flew away, it occurred to me that just the day before I had done this sketch of the very same butterfly, what a strange coincidence!

butterfly

I then had to look up the symbolism for butterflies and I found this:

 

2017 The Year In Review

There have been some fantastic mural projects for me this year!

I completed a few animal portraits too!

And also made a few crochet items in my spare time

After 5 years of teaching life drawing to Hen Parties, this year I taught my first Stag Parties!

hen party UK

 

It’s been a productive year!

Here’s looking forward to whatever 2018 will bring!

 

Shepherds Down Special School

2012-08-31 17.53.14

I am currently in the middle of a mural project at West Lodge Farm Park, commissioned by Greenspan Projects. I have worked on several projects with this company, each one has been unique, interesting and enjoyable!

When I logged into Facebook this morning I was reminded that it was 5 years ago that I completed the mural in the playground at Shepherds Down Special School, one of the first jobs that I did for Greenspan.

I worked on this mural in the summer holidays while the school was closed and some of the time I was completely on my own on the site. I always find it quite strange to be alone in a space that is usually highly populated, it almost feels like a post apocalypse world, with me being the only survivor, and what am I doing about it? Painting of course!

2012-08-24 10.01.25

I realised that I had not added this mural to my website, so there is now a new page dedicated to it, showing the space before the work started and some of the stages up to completion.

Shepherds Down Special School

Dorset Arts & Crafts Association Exhibition Awards

The exhibition includes fine art, photography and crafts exhibits, workshops for children & adults and numerous crafts stalls. The exhibition attracts an extremely varied range of crafters and artists from all over Dorset, most of the work being of a very high standard in quality of workmanship and originality of design.

I entered some items into the exhibition at Purbeck School, Wareham, for the first time this year, not really expecting to win anything.

So it was a lovely surprise when I went to pick up my items today to find that every one of them had won an award!

DACA entries

My crochet dresses both got ‘Work of Special Merit’

Judge’s Comment:
‘A most creative way to use crochet doilies and mats. The colours compliment the various styles and designs. Well done – these are impressive pieces of work. I would love to talk to you about your unique creations.’

pyrography 2

Each of my pyrography pieces got ‘Highly Commended’

All these items are available on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OldDogswithNewTricks

Crow Pyrography

crow 2 pyrography

Decided I needed another crow, as the first pyrography crow was sold during Purbeck Art Weeks

I used my last piece of Hazel wood, in fact my last piece of wood completely! Must get some more! If anyone has any interesting off-cuts please let me know, they need to be reasonably pale in colour so that the burn marks show.

 

West Lodge Mural Phase 1

The new play area at West Lodge Farm Park is now well on it’s way!

I first got involved last year when I painted the mini mural walls for the concept model designed by Greenspan in Southampton.

http://www.greenspanuk.co.uk

West Lodge Farm Park is a family run working farm, well worth a visit, no matter what age you are, it is easy to spend an entire day there.

The new play area was designed and  inspired by the surrounding countryside and the mural will include some of the special places that you can find around the grounds.

This was how the space looked when I arrived on 3rd July.

DSC_1449

12 days of painting so far, working alongside the carpenters, electricians and tree house builders. Here are some photos of the project as it has progressed so far:

Now I get to take a break while the construction work is completed, then I shall be going back to finish off the detail.

DSC_1605

LOVING THIS PROJECT!!!

http://www.westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk

Egret Collagraphs

I managed to get 7 prints off in the end from my double plated collagraph of the Egret and it’s reflection. The first 2 prints were on plain white paper, the following 5 were done on old watercolour paintings.

With thanks to Laura Evans for the use of her printing press and for having me in her venue for the past 2 weeks of Purbeck Art Weeks.