sea blue sky abstracts

Hi everyone, please read an excerpt below from a message sent by the Save Our Forests campaign which arrived today: This Wednesday there is a crunch vote in Parliament. MPs will vote on a motion demanding a rethink of plans to sell our national forests. The fact this vote is happening shows that MPs have noticed our campaign. Right now, the petition is nearly 330,000 strong, and every name counts. So we’re setting a bold new target of half a million people by 5pm on Tuesday in time for Wednesday’s hugely important vote. http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests So many of us have joined this campaign because we all understand something the government doesn’t seem to get yet: that our woodlands and forests are priceless, and once they’re gone they’re gone forever. We know that places like the Forest of Dean, the New Forest, Grizedale, Thetford, and Alice Holt are national treasures. We know that they belong to all of us, and we will do whatever we can ...

Yesterday, we completely cleared Art Space Gallery, ready to start cleaning and painting so that the premises are spic and span for the forthcoming season.  Prints, cards, paintings on the wall and paintings in the storeroom all had to be removed.  I have paintings 'stashed' at my Mum's and pieces of art lining the hallway of my house - many of which need good homes so that I can continue to paint more, for the ideas that keep on coming!  Some are quite large and, as a result, don't get exhibited that often - they just don't get seen.  Others have been admired but are still here and some are destined to be 'reworked', which is always fun, though galling when someone enquires about an artwork after the process, when the original original no longer exists, if you get my drift? The first in need of a home is 'Light Kissed Red' pictured above, top left.  Painted in acrylic and oil on deep edge canvas, dimensions are 90 x 90 cm. The next is 'Light Can...

This first artwork is entitled 'Porthmeor Sunset 2010' a reworked abstract which only suggested sunset - and was a little too subtle - it's a much better painting now!  Acrylic & oil on deep edge canvas, framed, 35.5 x 35.5 cm.  Click to enlarge.  SOLD 'Distant Surf 2010' acrylic & oil on primed board, mounted, 61 x 52 cm.   SOLD 'Gwithian Dark Cloud' acrylic & oil on primed board, unmounted/unframed (so far) 46 x 37 cm.   SOLD The picture below was taken at around 8.15 am today and shows the moon about to drop below the horizon in the West. By the time we ventured onto the coast road from Portreath at around 3.30 pm, clouds had begun to pile up and the welcome sunshine of the past three days started to disappear. Headland and beach at Portreath.  The large rock is part of a formation known as the Cow & Calf, the smaller being hidden from this angle. The sea wall.  F urther along the coast...

A beautiful day here in St Ives, from start to finish, the moon shining brightly as it set in the West before dawn this morning until rising again, bold and full, early this evening, and barely a cloud to be seen in between.  Yet this is January, mid-winter in the UK - and roads just a little way inland began the same day frozen, fringed with trees whitened by a blanket of frost. Click the pics to enlarge for a better view of the moonlight reflected in St Ives Bay below. My day at Art Space Gallery, no hardship at all spending time in the sunniest, warmest spot in St Ives! I didn't spend all day in the sun honest! My wall at Art Space.  We'll close for a couple of weeks from Sunday, to clean and decorate, before opening again in early February, 2011.

Dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century I have nevertheless embraced new technology a nano step at a time - way behind everyone (and I mean everyone) else of course, so humour me and sympathise! Anyway, too 'tight' to buy an Apple ipod - I first bought a Sony Walkman MP3, then a 'dock' (because those headphones really hurt) and more and more adventurous, daring even, decided to bite the bullet and download Apple iTunes, which I love!! I still marvel at how easy it is to buy favourite pieces, classics, from way back, right up to the present day, single tracks not a complete album, which often includes music unwanted or downright depressing. Latest downloads have included the wonderful track entitled 'Nothing Ever Hurt Like You' by James Morrison, click the YouTube video in the previous post.  Great voice, great blues, somehow redolent of 'Heard it through the Grapevine'.  What do you think? Think I'll have to ration iTunes usag...

Wet and windy today in this part of the world.  I had cause to pay a visit to Porthtowan Ecopark and chose to return via the coast road to Hayle because, even though the conditions were dark and wet, everything looked so dramatic and elemental! Note to self:  Always take the camera!!! We passed through Portreath and glimpsed turbulent seas under the dark, imposing headland before dropping a gear and climbing up to the straight stretch of road above North cliffs, where the clouds were low, the puddles reflected the sky, bracken glowed deep, rich, red-brown and low trees on the edge of Tehidy woods bent away from the sea. On past a deserted Hell's Mouth, the cafe closed and car park empty and then the panoramic view of Gwithian beach from above, the long line of surf providing a gleaming brightness.  Wow! Wish that you could have been there and I'm sorry that there are no photos!  Please accept the (slightly shaky) pic below as a substitute - it shows Porthmeor B...

I'm shamed into publishing today having seen Carolyn's most recent post on her beautiful textile blog, click here to view.  Being lucky enough to possess two of Carolyn's handmade Christmas cards and two of her tree ornaments, I really must share these pictures with you - taken this evening. First here's this year's card - look above to see Carolyn's handmade crystal snowflake ornament. This is the card that Carolyn sent last year, complete with newly added beading. And below is the decoration originally placed on last year's card, it's so pretty - apologies for the quality of the photo.    Click to enlarge.  Time to go now to do the job I hate, taking down the Christmas Tree - everything looks so bare afterwards.  Have a lovely evening. x

Here are four more of my 'budget' range of original paintings, each one approximately 12.5 x 12.5 cm square and rendered in oil on primed board. 'Northerly Gale'.   SOLD 'Quiet Winter Sea'.   SOLD 'After the Storm'. SOLD 'Man's Head Squall'.   SOLD And here they are in their frames - click to enlarge - currently for sale at Art Space Gallery, St Ives, priced £85 each. Happy New Year to one and all! x

New Year's Eve 2010 - time to put the events of the past year, good and bad, behind us and to look forward to what the coming months will bring. Thinking of you all and sending wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2011, Lesley x

At long last, the Giveaway Draw has taken place - only a week after closing - must be improving he he (smile).  Each name lovingly written on a rectangular piece of paper and folded over and over before being placed in the lucky red bowl - well, lucky for one person - as you know, I wanted you ALL to win! I closed my eyes, giving the papers a good old mix and shuffle, before taking the plunge and picking the winner.  Then came the tricky bit, opening eyes - that was easy enough - whilst operating the camera with the other hand to record the occasion. Moment of truth.............and the winner is Milla at Country Lite !  Congratulations Milla (please email your address and I'll get the prints posted to you asap) many thanks to all who took the time to visit and comment and take part in this first Giveaway at Sea Blue Sky Abstracts. x

Just posting quickly this morning before heading off to Art Space - hoping for a busy time there today!  Anyway, I have not forgotten the Giveaway, which closed on 23 December and the names are all written, the papers cut and folded and results of the draw will be announced sometime tomorrow - towards the end of the day probably.    The photo above was taken on 14 December, 2010 a beautiful frosty morning captured as I headed over to Penzance on the 'back road' (B3311) for more Christmas shopping.  Looking West from the hamlet of Cripplesease.  Click to enlarge.  See you here again soon. x

This year I have painted 7 original Christmas cards in oil on primed paper.  Again they were fun to do, but also very time consuming.  Click here to see last year's collaged cards.    Click to enlarge.  Copyright Lesley Ninnes.  Please remember to check giveaway in the previous post. x 

There should have been a giveaway to mark reaching 100 posts - but there wasn't.  There should have been a giveaway to mark the first year bloggiversary of Sea Blue Sky Abstracts - that didn't happen either!  The intention was there but the moment(s) passed -  so here at last is a Giveaway!   The prize is two mounted prints of my original artwork.  Both prints will go to one winner - that way they can be placed 'face to face' and posted anywhere in the World if necessary, with minimum risk of damage.  Click pics to enlarge. 'Laid Up' image size 19 x 19 cm, mount dimensions 33 x 33 cm.  Printed with Epson Durabrite inks on Epson Heavy Duty Matte paper. 'Riverford Pears' image size 18.5 x 18.5 cm, mount dimensions 32.5 x 32.5 cm.  Printed with Epson Durabrite inks on Epson Heavyweight Matte paper. Click here to view shots of the original Riverford Pears painting on this blog. The giveaway is open to everyone; regular readers, lurkers,...