Looking back

You never know what is around the corner and who you will meet or what will unfold.

The other day I accidentally came across someone on Facebook who I had not seen or spoken to in probably close to 35 years and it was a delight to connect again.

He is an artist - a musician of many talents and has continued that throughout his life.  I noticed a wonderful image that he had as an avatar as asked if I could use it for a painting.  He graciously agreed and I've played around with a quick value sketch for it. 

The image has a magical feel to it.  The rocks, the land, the whiskers!  There is a story  behind it, as their is everything but for now, its better to let you tell your own story.

I have a couple of other portraits to complete before I can do any serious work on this piece and that may be good.  It gives my mind some time to think and plan.  The study, and there will likely be more or at least thumbnails, will let me work out my mistakes before I get down to business. Even now I can see where I made mistakes.  Must be the cold medicine. Or that's my story.

Hot toddies

 Hot Toddies

6 x 7.5 on 8 x 10

I haven't done much printing for awhile as an old injury to my finger became painful with the pressure to cut the harder lino blocks.  Warming the lino helps but cutting for half and hour or more leaves my hand sore.

I'd tucked away this piece when it was about half finished then hauled it out tonight.  I have a miserable cold and nothing was inspiring me.  I wanted something simple that didn't take a lot of thinking to work with so thought I'd try this one again.

I cut out the rest of the lines for it and tried a few prints on masa paper.  There are a few areas that aren't inked as well as they could be.  Then a few specks of cut lino sneaked in, but I got what I set out to do.  At least for tonight.  Now I'm off to find a real hot toddy!

Up close

I have spent the last few days cocooned in meetings with little of me leftover in terms of energy or time for either creating art or talking about it through the blog.

I am back home now and with a day off tomorrow should have some time to catch up with myself again in terms of art before work engulfs me once more on Tuesday.

So until my thoughts regain consciousness, I'll leave you with an image that feeds the detail part of my artistic brain.  I love macro views of common objects that leave you wondering initially what on earth they are.   This pineapple made me look closer and see the shapes and colours of what appear to be perfectly wrapped little packages.  I can see a painting in this fruit's future...