Friday 30 March 2012

Project in progress


I know I've been MIG this week (missing in garden :D), so today I was determined to do a little arting :D
Last night I watched Tee Thompson's live class, and it inspired me to start a new project. My son is studying "The Lady of Shalott" in English class...it is one of my all time fav poems, each verse is an artists dream of inspiration. So I thought "why not make a painting/journal page of each verse?"(there are 19 verses!!!)
This is going to be the Title page :D

Collage substrata + white acrylic paint...
...quick sketch to place features...
...inktense pencils to colour background and set features, and brown acrylic for hair...
...building layers of pencil and acrylic...
...white acrylic stamped to form border, black fine line pen to add detail to eyes and doodle climbing plant...
Close up of eyes...
...and showing patterned paper sub layer showing through.
I am linking this WIP to Paint Party Friday :D XXX
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Lady Ophelia bags a carpet!

Week 13 for Darcy's Postcard challenge, and Lady Ophelia is back in the war zones. This time she is accompanying her husband to Turkey, where the Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Abdul Hamid II is reigning terror on the Armenians.
In 1892 the Armenian population started pushing for civil reform, wanting amongst other things the right to vote and the formation of a constitutional government. The Sultan was not pleased, and telegraphs soon started sweeping the world, spreading stories of genocide and brutality being waged against the Armenian populace. This violence escalated to include any Christian groups.
The Jewish community of Constantinople hid many Armenians in their homes, to protect them from the onslaught, and this resulted in attacks on Synagogues in September 1895.
In 1895 the last Balkan province of the Ottoman Empire, Macedonia, succumbed to civil war.

The Turkish national flower is the White Tulip.
" Dear Miss Lillian,
Well so much for the peace and serenity of the Holy Land. We are presently visiting Istanbul in Turkey, Though I am certain it is Constantinople, and all the artworks are classed as "Byzantine". It is really unnecessarily tiresome that people keep changing the names of everywhere.
Richard got another one of those brown envelopes again, and he had to rush off to a meeting. Something about the Americans wanting voting rights. What business they have voting for anything in someone else's country is beyond me.
Miss Francesca and I went to the local market, such noise and bustle. People were grabbing and tugging at me to buy from them. I could have been torn to pieces had it not been for Miss Francesca. You can tell she has had to handle herself in some sticky situations. The hawkers backed right off when they saw her roll her sleeves up.
A nice Muslim gentleman escorted us to a carpet factory, where I purchased a beautifully silky carpet for you, as you already have Tulips. Did you know Tulips originally came from Turkey?

Yours affectionately Effie XXX"

" My Darling Effie,
Please tell Miss Francesca that I am much indebted to her for being with you on your travels. This year is proving to be a very volatile one, with wars raging at every border. I feel much calmer knowing she is with you.
As to the name of the place you are currently visiting, they are all correct. It WAS Byzantium, BECAME Constantinople, and is NOW known as Istanbul.
Your comment on the "Americans " wanting the right to vote had me in gales of laughter. I believe you mean the "Armenians".
This is a very dangerous time for those poor people, and there are rumours in the newspapers daily, about the great atrocities being brought against them. I hope Sir Richard is finished with his business soon, so you can move on.
I know you are trying with your grammar dear, but just a note;
Sir Richard "received" another one of those brown envelopes...or...Sir Richard "received" one of those brown envelopes again...not both.

Your ever-loving Governess
Miss Lillian xxx"
The images on my page are of;
Sultan Abdul Hamid II
The market place in Constantinople circa 1895(Photoglob Zurich)
an envelope postmarked Istanbul 1895
A Turkish carpet by the Hereke Carpet Workshop circa 1895(just outside Istanbul)
and a photograph of a Muslim gentleman called Haji Agha, who was reported as "a kindly neighbour, who guarded the local hospital against the anti-armenian pogroms in Aintab in 1895.
Enjoy :D XXX
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Monday 26 March 2012

GAIA

Week 4 of 13 Goddesses Challenge, and I would like to introduce GAIA, primordial Mother Goddess of the Greeks.(according to my loving offspring..."she reminds me of you mum...I don't mean fat or anything...but she does.")

Gaia is the happy mother Goddess, wife to the sky God. She likes reproducing...a lot!!
Some of her offspring became tired of their mother's wanton behaviour, she said it was hubbies fault...
and provided her whiny offspring with a grey flint sickle with which to castrate their father(nice:S)
It is said that the offending items fell into the ocean, and the semen contained within caused Aphrodite to be born...
I am getting the impression that primordial parenting leaves much to be desired lol :D
My Greek Goddess GAIA :D XXX
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Sunday 25 March 2012

"I eats chain letters..."

I HATE chain letters...can you tell? Even the ones that are passing nice thoughts put people under pressure to do as they are asked, which is why I don't pass on awards. If you want to send me love that's cool, I will send you heaps back, but it shouldn't come with codicils. (oow....just had a lovely idea....more later)

This is a mini journal page I made using a printed image of me, a celtic knotwork 5 pointed star stamp(I think from The Stampman) and "stuff" on my desk.
I like the angle this pic is taken at....it makes me look thinner lol :D...
Scruffed up background with dry brush and "lovebird" acrylic paint from Martha Stewart. The star is stamped with "chocolate" archival ink.
Messed around on face with watercolour and soft graphite pencils, and metallic ink gel pens on star.
Black Eyeball fine liner, blue permanent marker, gold gel pen, white water soluble and indigo inktense pencil.
The journalling is half stamped " i eats chain letters", and hand written with gold gel pen " and poops confetti"

I am entering this in this weeks The Butterfly Effect challenge Stamp it!
Enjoy :D XXX
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In my Japanese Garden

My art style has always been rather"tight", and I was feeling a bit like a photocopy machine. So this year I decided I was going to let myself be more "intuative"...loosen up like. I have found that the medium I choose dictates the "looseness" of my work.

So this piece started as a sponged acrylic background. To add interest I glued some butterflies onto it(and a flower that was laying around)...
I painted over all these with a soft blue...and my Japanese lady came to tend the flowers...
a layer of watercolour and pencil...but she looked a bit "forced".
Sealed the lot under a layer of clear gesso...
then softened the whole piece with white acrylic and a rag...
and then the inks, straight from the bottle dropper(I used the little Tim Holtz distress alcohol inks).
I love drawing with the inks like this! You can't have tight lines, they won't let you! I think it's what is described as an "impressionist" type effect, no solid line, just the impression of flowers and a figure(though I did define the face a teeny bit with a brown pencil)
Suppose I should have called her "Madame Butterfly" :D
Enjoy :D XXX
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Friday 23 March 2012

"...at Thy request,"

I love doing art inspired by quotes. This one was inspired from a scrap of a book page that June MacDonald ( Dezinaworld) sent me in a treasure bag. I believe it is from a poem by Milton, and reads;

"Thick set with agate and azurn sheen
Of turkis blue and emerald green,
That in the channel strayed;
Whilst from off the waters fleet
Thus I set my printless feet
O'er the cowslip's velvet head,
That bends not as I tread.
Gentle swain, at thy request,
I am here! "

So colour palette noted...azure/turquoise/emerald green and cowslip yellow!
..sponged on blues and green, blobs of yellow dragged out with paintbrush handle...
...et bored waiting for it to dry, and dab off with kitchen paper :D...
add quote torn from page, and start to build face of the water goddess that you have summoned.
Define image using dark blue and green stabilo pencils.
I wanted more depth, so I dug out some old blank jigsaw pieces( for she is puzzled as to what you want of her lol)
...and painted them to match the background...
looked boring, so I doodled, and added blue inktense arounnd the pieces and doodles for more structure.
Then I got busy with pearlescent paint, a stippling brush and some funky rubber mesh stuff Tee Thompson sent me :D
....and after picking out the tiny splodges with a permanent marker, I added a few stickles to the "bubble" areas.
some close ups to show the soft shimmeriness :D
I am linking this piece to the PAINT PARTY FRIDAY post
Enjoy :D XXX
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Lady Ophelia stands her ground!

EDIT!!!
Something ate my pics!!! So instead of re writing the whole story, I am just adding 2 pics here.
Now I'm off to check my other scheduled posts ggggrrrrrrrr....:S


Week 12 of Darcy's Postcard Challenge takes us to Israel.
Spot my problem? Israel did not exist as a country until the 1940's and my story is set in the 1890's....so for the sake of authenticity, Lady Ophelia will be visiting what she knows as The Holy Lands :D
(apologies again for the dull photos. The leaves are much greener and the background is sky blue behind this cluster of olives)
"Dear Miss Lillian,
Had a very heated debate with Richard after your last letter. He agreed that we should return home immediately, but I do not want to. When will I ever get the chance for such a trip again? Miss Francesca gave me an extremely thorough going over, and declared me "strong as an ox", apart from being pregnant of course. She said she had marched with armies in her younger days, and would be by my side every step of the journey. I think Richard was quietly impressed by our unity, and agreed that we would continue travelling so long as I am able.
We are presently visiting The Holy Lands. hope to journey here again, but with you as my companion. To be in the land of our Lord's birth, just amazing to even think about! We are staying in the home of one of Richards associates who's wife has recently had a baby. She made a real fuss over me, and let me nurse her infant. Babies smell so beautiful, can not wait to hold my own.
I am sure I saw Richard wipe a tear away as he looked across at me.

Yours affectionately, Effie XXX"
" My Darling Effie,
I have prayed to our Lord more since you left on your journeys than in my entire life up to this point. I wish you would return home sooner rather than later, although I do understand your not wanting this amazing adventure to end. It sounds as if you are in very capable hands with Miss Francesca, and I have to admit, the image of you nursing a tiny infant brought a tear or two to my eyes. Be assured, they are tears of joy.
Do try to visit some of the archaeological digs going on while your there.I find the items and information published in the daily newspapers fascinating.
The tulip bulbs you sent were already sprouting, so I have planted them in a container by my front door. I wonder what colour they will be?

Your ever-loving Governess
Miss Lillian xxx

p.s."the wife of whom", "who's wife" sounds so common dear."

the images on my page this week are;
a photo of Sir Walter Besant, who finished the scientific mapping of the Holy Lands in 1895(after 30 years). He was an author(Knighted in 1895), secretary to the Palestine Exploration fund, and founding member of the Society of Authors( an organization formed to legally protect literary ideas)
All other images were borrowed from Trialsanderrors Flicker page and are listed as circa 1895,
The Temple of Jupiter
Man and Horse standing by the Dead Sea
a Bedouin Chief
and ladies in a house in Jerusalem

Enjoy :D XXX
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