sea blue sky abstracts

A week ago today I attended a printmaking workshop run by Michele Wright and Jane Ashdown , at the Porthmeor Printmakers studio above the Penwith Gallery in Back Road West, St Ives. We 'novices' started off experimenting with intaglio techniques, using engraving tools on flexible, glossy faced card. The fine lines in my first attempt below (hmm, pears again) were created using sandpaper whereas the black areas were created by drawing an outline with one of the tools and then tearing away the top layer of card allowing the under layer to absorb a large quantity of ink. See the bird and the solid black contour on the left side of the pear. Yesterday (Friday) I applied finishing touches using pen and ink to create cleaner lines and enhance contrasts. To produce this second print I cut and tore more of the card 'plate' - a little too enthusiastically - and later worked into it with pen and ink and collaged a small area to improve the right hand pear shape. This next plat

Three new mounted seascapes on primed board. Click to enlarge. Hope you like them. I'm off to read some blogs! x 'Pink Sky and Headland' mounted size, 61 x 41.5 cm.   SOLD 'A Fine Evening Sea & Sky' oil on board, mounted size 32.5 x 55.5 cm.   SOLD 'A Fine Evening Sea' oil on board, mounted size 32.5 x 55.5 cm.   SOLD

Here's an example of one sort of frame that's suitable for the board paintings featured on 'Picture from St Ives'.

Several comments made on older posts by Sea Blue Sky Abstracts have been made by 'Miss Jane' - all of which (hopefully) I've removed. Miss Jane based in Taiwan, according to her profile, is the front for a sad spammer - which I'd suspected anyway when the only word to appear in English was 'sex' and confirmed when Google enabled translation before speedy deletions ensued! Because of this I have introduced comment moderation on posts that are over 14 days old and apologise is this causes inconvenience.

I gathered the following information for ' Venus, the facts ' from the web. Credits: the first article comes from http://stargazing.suite101.com (click the link to view) and the second, which provides a step to step guide to identifying the planet, has been written by Douglas Christian Larsen for Ehow . Also included below are links to some other very informative sites. Enjoy! How to Locate Venus in the Night Sky Contributor By Douglas Christian Larsen , eHow Contributing Writer Article Rating: (1 Ratings) · Locating the planet Venus in the night sky is usually not difficult. Venus is the closest planet to Earth, and it resides between the Earth and the sun. Therefore, after the moon, Venus is the brightest body in the night sky. Known as "the morning star" when seen just before sunrise in the eastern sky and "the evening star" when seen in the western sky at twilight, Venus is most easily seen during its cycles of moving farther

Another beautiful night sky that I just could not resist photographing. Yesterday evening (Sunday) there was not a cloud or a bat to be seen when these photos were taken, at around 10.30 pm. Click to enlarge.

'Dark Winter Sea' 20.5 x 9.5 cm. SOLD

Another painting from life, this time the pears that arrived in the Riverford organic box! I'm uncertain what variety they are - 'Williams' pears, perhaps - but love their craggy forms and the symmetry of the negative spaces between them. The pears turned a beautiful shade of yellow eventually. They tasted delicious and were very juicy! Click to enlarge. 'Riverford Pears' oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm/12" x 12".

The lovely tulips that inspired this painting were a gift from my daughter and placed in a very plain tubular glass vase, which with the gladioli buds immortalised in an earlier painting 'Floral Pedestal' here were a gift from my other daughter. The pink and blue flower pattern in the background of 'A Tangle of Tulips' was copied from the printed cellophane wrapper that came with the flowers! Click the images to enlarge. PS 'Floral Pedestal' is currently exhibited in the Spring Exhibition at Penwith Society of Arts, Back Road West, St Ives.

Yes, the bat came back but my plan to use continuous mode on the camera backfired and I was left with nothing to show but several empty frames. Hmm there may be a video option with this camera..........Watch this space! For now, hope that you like these two photos taken as the sun was setting.

A clear and still dusk tonight - ideal for spotting bats. This one, joined briefly by another, wheeled and swooped back and forth as I tried to get photos, not very successfully, as can be seen. The pics do give some idea of the bat's movements though, don't they? An absolutely beautiful evening. Venus can still be seen in the background.

This first painting is 'Rock Pool' and is rendered on primed card, measuring 17 x 14 cm. SOLD 'West Side' oil on primed card, 17 x 10.5 cm.   SOLD 'Tulips' oil on primed paper, 8 x 22 cm. 'Grey sky, green sea' oil on primed card, 4.5 x 11.5 cm. SOLD

'Sultry Sea' 5.5 x 12.5 cm. SOLD 'Sultry Waves' 5.5 x 13.5 cm. SOLD 'Wintry Sea' 12 x 8 cm. SOLD 'Early Morn' 21 x 15 cm. SOLD Tiny oil paintings on primed board. Copyright Lesley Ninnes.

Deciding to make the most of the wonderful weather we've been having, my Mum and I took the dog to the village of Zennor, about 3 miles West of St Ives, on Saturday afternoon. We left the car in the park adjacent to the Back Packers Hostel (formerly the Wesleyan Church) and walked past the old Tinners Arms pub on one side and Zennor Church on the other, and took the lane which skirts the farm along the side of the valley that runs down to the sea, and then onto the footpath to Zennor Head. We were mostly sheltered from the breeze, which was cold, and really enjoyed the warmth of the sun. First we walked down to where the river flowed quite forcefully and loudly over the boulders and then climbed back up steep granite steps, glad to stop halfway and sit on a very comfortable weathered, lichen clad, wooden seat. Gurnard's Head can be seen through the haze. The return walk. Part of the village can be seen ahead - click for a better view. The Gorse was ablaze with blooms; fat r

What can I say? I couldn't resist this beautiful clear sky again. There's more of the Moon to see now. A closer look. Click the pictures to enlarge. Two posts in one day! Good night, sleep tight.