elsewhere

Recently...

I have been using a wonderful book on costume history to draw from of late. I have been drawing French bonnets, Russian boots, enamelled jewellery, Chinese hairpieces, Indian fans, Turkish slippers, and water pipes from Arabia. I have borrowed this book from the library and I am loathe to give it back (of course I shall be returning it… I promise). It is proving a handy resource and a great read.

Here are one or two objects drawn from it. Can you guess what they are? Some are from Oceania and others are from a Asian smoking set.

And, one more thing before I go, there is a new post up over here. A husk of hares await you, and if you thought the beginning was good just wait until you see these.

Medium: watercolour and pencil on Fabriano 640gsm traditional white paper
Dimensions: 18cm x 25cm

Why can’t I be a little more like them?

I’ve been missing this little space of late, I really have. I know everyone is busy, some prople are searching for new homes, some are involved in brilliant projects, some are busy updating their shops with wonderful new creations, and some are just too busy for words. However, all of these inspiring souls seem to be able to keep up with the penning of blog posts and visiting chums. I, on the other hand, drop my blogging bundle when deadlines are pressing and there’s too much to do in any one day.

Why can’t I be a little more like them?

These new abode paintings are of abandoned vacation homes from the Pod City of San Zhi in Taiwan.

Medium: watercolour and pencil on Fabriano 640gsm traditional white paper
Dimensions: 18cm x 25cm

An ideal abode

Yet another abode painting for you. This is very similar to the houses that appeared in Gracia and my work There's always underground, ii (Le Bourgeois gentilhomme), which was recently exhibited at Bendigo Art Gallery.

Oh, and as per usual I’ve lost tack of what day it is. I had planned on mentioning that if you're in London then you can check out a few of our zines here at the London Zine Symposium. However, I’m a day late and it is now Monday morning in London. So, don’t head there right now.

Medium: watercolour and pencil on Fabriano 640gsm traditional white paper
Dimensions: 18cm x 25cm

A skulk of foxes

Wishing we were still a skulk, I.

It's up, it's up! The very first collective noun response on Gracia's the fox and the hare.

Check it out before all those clever foxes skuttle off down their fox holes.

Two more to share

It's very nearly the weekend but I still have just enough time to share a few more of my recent watercolours with you.

Have a good one.

Medium: watercolour and pencil on Fabriano 640gsm traditional white paper

Dimensions: 18cm x 25cm

A budgie and a blog

Today Gracia launched her brand new blog entitled A skulk of foxes and a husk of hares: Responding to collective nouns, also affectionately known as the fox and the hare as this is shorter and easier to say.

As the title suggests this space will feature Gracia’s responses to collective nouns of her choosing. She has generously invited Elaine and I along for the ride, an invitation I’m very excited to receive and accept. I’m sworn to secrecy so I can’t reveal the first collective noun to feature, but I can say that our responses to it will appear very early next week.

As if that’s not enough excitement I’ve also spent the last few days settling in little Claude. He is Agatha’s new best friend and, as I mentioned, he’s a real stunner. I’m not sure my "welcome to your new home" portrait really does him justice as I think he’s more curious and agile than I’ve drawn him. He seems happy with the painting though, so I guess that’s all that counts.

At the moment Agatha and Claude’s portraits are resting on the windowsill near to where their cage hangs of an evening. During the day they frolic and squawk outside, chatting to each other and the neighbourhood pigeons.

Hope you enjoy the fox and the hare, see you there soon.

My workspace

The other day Gracia responded to Fliss’s request to reveal her workspace. Gracia then in turn prompted me. So, here it is, my nook…

I don’t always work here; I’m pretty portable actually. All I need is my drawer with all my paints, brushes and pencils in it, oh, and my eraser and pencil sharpener. It’s particularly handy as I often follow the sun around the house, which means the paint dries faster and more importantly I can see the colours I’m working with.

Lisa, I thought I’d pop in your lovely squirrel so that you could say hello to him. He is actually on the way to our framer, but as this has been the case for well over a year now, he gets taken out of his flat storage space often. He enjoyed a spot on the bookshelf recently. He is much loved and can’t wait to have a permanent home on the wall. Jurate, you my also spot your beautiful print in these photos. It is also much loved and on the way to our framer.

Before I go, here's another inspiring workspace to see.

Hope you have an ace weekend. I’ll have some new watercolours to show you early next week including one of Agatha’s new best friend. After much deliberation, and studying of budgie body language, Gracia and I decided Agatha was a little lonely and needed a companion. Then we came across Claude; he’s a beautiful white and pale blue budgie. I’ll introduce you to him properly next week. I can promise it will be a joy as he is the most compelling and agile budgie there ever has been.

Couldn't resist

Not one to often leaf through old photo albums, here are two I couldn’t resist, and I thought I’d share them with you today.

These are two photographs of my Dad as a child. I don’t know all that much about them other than they are taken on the farm whilst he was on holiday.