sea blue sky abstracts

Rather a lame title, a cover for not really having much idea of what to blog about this evening. Workwise, I've almost completed the commission for Beverley - it's a view looking across St Ives Bay, with The Quay (Smeaton's Pier) on the left showing Godrevy Lighthouse in the distance. There's no photo yet. The support is a thin piece of wood from an old wardrobe, primed with 2 or 3 layers of gesso. Right at the beginning of this blog, when I first posted in mid March 2009, I mentioned spending a day a week at St Ives Ceramics, selling studio pottery - and have included this link http://www.st-ives-ceramics.co.uk/ today for Julie's benefit (see her quirky and individual work here ). I have bought in a small way, mainly pieces of domestic ware for myself and as gifts for family and friends, loving the combination of beauty and function. The photo shows soup/pasta bowls by Peter Swanson and a Kaori Tatebayashi plate. Was interested to note recently a new publication l...

Thanks to Carolyn at Love-Stitching-Red for tagging me - a first and I'm thrilled out of all proportion! So here goes, 'six silly things that make me happy' are: 1. Summer dog walks (smiling and feeling young - which I'm not). 2. Smelling roses in the gardens I pass. 3. Putting washing on the line and watching it 'set sail' against an endless blue sky. 4. Seasonal fruity desserts - syrupy stewed blackcurrants and frothy gooseberry fool. 5. Sipping ice-cold lager or Cava (Champagne too if I get the chance, of course)! 6. Witnessing the breathtaking clarity of a Western, summer evening sky. Now, who to tag? Probably should have decided this before starting the post. Some bloggers prefer to remain tag free, so please ignore this should I inadvertently tag YOU. And if you haven't been tagged and want to list your six, then go for it anyway! 1. Country-Lite 2. Mimilove 3. Denise Burden 4. Karen Faulkner 5. Julie Whitmore Pottery 6. One Pink Goose

I forgot to explain how the butterflies were produced! Squares of fabric cut out ready for quilting. Trusty PVA again slathered on and the fabric glued to lightweight card which, when dry was cut into butterfly shapes which in turn were glued to the canvas.

In this detail, the anaglypta, pink florist's cellophane and paint on canvas can be seen. Reddish/brown transparent glazing in the centre section and swirls of aqua opaque impasto on the right. This includes a piece of anaglypta from Carol Parsons painting class back in March, 2009? This particular piece of wallpaper has already been used to 'print paint to canvas'. Victoria Hilliard produces lovely ceramic pictures inspired by nature, including the portrayal of moths and butterflies. Would I have produced this collage if Tori were not a member of Art Space Gallery? Maybe not. Everything is 'grist to the visual mill' as far as artists are concerned. 'Floral - Pedestal' this painting just evolved. Fun, fun and more fun! 'Floral - Feel Amazing'. I love this artwork! My daughter's boyfriend bought her flowers, including old fashioned roses, which provided the inspiration for the flowers at the top of the painting and the cellophane wrapper is...

How sad is that, of course I mean from head to tail, the buzzard measured........

I'm trying to be disciplined here, creating a post before clicking all of those tantalising links in my reading list, otherwise all will be lost and another day will pass without a post from Sea Blue Sky Abstracts (no loss some might say)! Anyway, walking the dog earlier, a speedy walk, not far from home given the torrential showers we have been experiencing in this part of the world, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye in time to see a buzzard land on a goal post at Penbeagle Play Park (Palemon Best). Sorry, no pictures as I didn't have a camera - but heck, everyone knows what a buzzard looks like don't they? I'm being facetious, even now, I don't really know (my eyesight's not what it was). I was thrilled and stopped to watch for a while before following the path down and even closer to the bird, within about 20 yards, looking all the time. The buzzard was not bothered at all, although kept an eye on us while doing a spot of preening. In profil...

'Wave after Wave' 12 x 24 inches, acrylic/oil on canvas 'Summer Night, St Ives' 12 x 24 inches, acrylic/oil on canvas. SOLD I have been busy and have now opened an Etsy shop for my prints, later (much, much later) there will also be some small originals on board for sale. Audrey, who's based in Canada, has kindly featured Sea Blue Sky Abstracts on her blog - click the button on the side panel or the heading of this post to see more of what she does. I have a sort of tick to do list - 1.blog, 2.Etsy shop, 3.personal website. Plus, there's also Folksy to consider! Life is never dull - it's a little too busy actually, there are many jobs that never get done! I'm having fun working on two canvases for the next Art Space window theme - Collage. Bizaare, who's going to buy them? These are two pieces that might end up staying with me forever. I have the titles already - 'Floral' Feel Amazing' taken from a clothing label included in ...

I ventured out of Cornwall last weekend. Waiting for the train at St Erth Station. Crossing the Tamar! A change of train at Newton Abbot and a short trip on the branch line to Paignton, followed by a bus ride to bright and sunny Brixham. To celebrate Timake and her cousin Teka's 50th birthdays! Views from the garden of the Golden Lion. The weather was perfect and the evening seemed to stay light forever. Timake and Teka are from Kiribati (formerly the Gilbert & Ellis Islands) and marked the occasion in traditional style with family and friends. There was dancing, laughter and later, masses of food, including a pig roast organised by Timake's husband Mark (Devon boy). Later - it did get dark eventually - there was Karaoke inside, great music, more dancing and hilarity. What a lovely break. It was great to spend time with old friends not seen nearly often enough!

Home Spun - a fair of hand crafted originals and vintage treasures takes place on 2 August, from 10.30-4.30 pm, at Portscatho Memorial Hall, Cornwall. There are some stands still available for bloggers who are interested in selling their wonderful wares - click the 'Home Spun' picture link on the right hand sidepanel. I'm definitely going as a way to meet fellow bloggers - Carolyn, Jo are you free? We could car share!

'Homage to Robert Culwick - Sea Wall' 'Homage to Robert Culwick - Wetlands'

Looking West with Clodgy point in the distance. Low growing wild flowers and lichen. St Ives Bay with Porthminster point and Carbis Bay beyond. Pinks or thrift, they don't last for long and are so pretty. Pinks and blue elvan (rocks) below. Godrevy Lighthouse in the distance, with St Agnes Beacon behind. Wild Carrot - love the way the flowers start off a dusky pink colour before turning creamy white. Glorious weather again on the last day of May, 2009 and even warmer than yesterday. I worked (not flat out, there were plenty of tea breaks and I had a lie in) trying to complete 2 paintings in time for submission to St Ives Society of Artists on Wednesday. So the dog had to wait until this evening for her walk. The air was still balmy and cloudless and we headed off to 'The Island'/St Ives Head or 'dog heaven' because she can run free off the lead and scramble down onto the rocks and - there are no adders.

Pictured are six of my small paintings all newly framed ready to be transported to Yorkshire - along with a similar number coming from colleagues at Art Space (hope to post pics of their work on the Art Space blog soon) for exhibition at the Clare White Gallery , Elsecar Heritage Centre, Barnsley from 12 June - 31 July 2009. Just need to get them labelled, measured and wrapped and they're ready to go! We have had the most glorious day here in St Ives, the colours of the sand and sea just amazing. Steve McIntosh's St Ives blog entry includes a short video of a very peaceful view of St Ives bay yesterday evening, click here to see it. The sun's starting to set now but it's still lovely - could be fine weather for the bank holiday weekend!

This lovely parcel arrived in the post today - shame to open it really! By express mail, my prize winning giveaway from My Baboo Look at those colours - 100% pure Aran wool. I couldn't decide between the green or grey flower brooch, so let Lynne decide. Isn't it beautiful. Thank you so much Lynne, I've been wearing it all day!!! Click here to visit My Baboo's website, a feast of contemporary products, made in Scotland from traditional materials.

'Arbour' mixed media on 12" x 12" square canvas. SOLD 'Petals & Wings' mixed media on 12" x 12" square canvas

Readers of the Art Space Gallery blog will already know of our Black & White themed window exhibition, which opened today. We have each produced at least 2 12" square artworks with a free choice of subject matter. My plan for this blog was to show every stage of my paintings from start to finish. Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph the 1st stage, remembered the 2nd stage and again forgot to capture the 3rd stage before progressing onto the 4th - oh dear, back to the drawing board! To compensate, I have taken some very close up shots of 'Petals & Wings' and 'Arbour' and will also try to describe the process: I have definitely been influenced by the decorative nature of blog backgrounds and the wonderful craft and art seen on so many blogs, and started off by glueing a rectangle of anaglypta to each canvas, which I overpainted with at least 2 coats of white acrylic. Once dry, I used a rudimentary screen printing set and cut out paper shapes to print onto th...

My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Bristol yesterday when we attended the 2009 Affordable Art Fair preview. The evening was very well attended, with a wide range of good quality art on display and masses of sales! Fifty galleries are participating in the annual event, which runs until 5 pm Sunday 17 May Most of the pics below were taken shortly before closing, apologies for not getting the names of the galleries featured, who kindly allowed me to photograph them.

Sue of Seascape (left) and Angela (my sis) on the Seascape Gallery stand. That's me in the middle with proprietors of Seascape Gallery, Sue and Gary. All smiles. Just before 9pm, it's raining outside and the light is starting to go - poor man, I did take ages to get this picture! Decisions, decisions..... A chance to sit down after a busy evening! My sis - delighted with her purchase. A long view of one of the aisles, visitors were able to revive themselves with refreshments -tables and plenty of seating on the right.