Monday 24 November 2008

a commission


a commission
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
this is what I have painted my daughter in law for christmas... :-)
Lets hope she doesn't look at this blog

Monday 17 November 2008

making envelopes


making envelopes
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
I hate throwing paper away....especially magazines with such gorgeous
quality paper....so I have been making envelopes, but now I don't
want to use them because they look so good :-)

Friday 14 November 2008

a rainbow hit my pencils

not the greatest photo, but I had to move quickly to catch the rainbow.....

Thursday 13 November 2008

flying carpet..moly 38

yes more work for an exchange...comic book style.

moly 54


moly 54
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
this is to show my mum what I am up to....
another moly exchange page,

Tuesday 28 October 2008

dolly


dolly
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
this is one of the pages I have done for the exquisite corpse exchange.... I have made some marks on the pages the next artist is going to use, it makes me feel quite ill thinking about spoiling someones book, I hope the next artist will be kind and cover them well with their work....oh dear...

selene


selene
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
these are my pages for anther moleskine exchange.The theme is 'the moon' I chose Selene as goddess of the moon, and have shown her with her white poppies which aid sleep....
I have 6 moleskines with me at the moment! and feel quite happy :-)

Friday 17 October 2008

another moly exchange page


I am too fast with these books I know. This arrived yesterday and is meant to be with me for a month!!! I really would enjoy a swap with someone who would have a faster turnover....perhaps a group in the UK who are as compulsive about art as me...

this moly is themed " my favourite animal" I happen to be very fond of crows, and ravens, and jackdaws.....I think they all come under the name 'Corvus' but I'm not sure, anyway I enjoyed doing this and am now waiting for another book to land on my doormat.

Thursday 9 October 2008

poor one eye


poor one eye
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
a carved ivory pipe has been the main subject of this creation, tiny dog has been blown up large in photoshop....then I played around with some more objects we have .....I can see the fun in photoshop, its a quick fix,but I think I still prefer paint

In the dark woods


In the dark woods
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
ornaments I have at home, put into new situations (some are tiny...and others are quite large)
I have been mulling ideas around trying to get a grip on something to spur my creativity, so I tried photoshop.
I am very very new to photoshop... I am amazed how long fiddling with this took....I think other than playing with it for a while i will stick to my paints :-)

Monday 6 October 2008

Fetch


Fetch
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
it has been a while since I have found a subject that I can pin a body of work on, something that I think I can carry into a body of work, rather than flitting hither and thither....The Fetch suits me at the moment. I just hope I can make something of it.

Friday 3 October 2008

my photo

I have had a photo accepted by shmap for their map of prague....the toy museum. Nice, I loved prague :-)

Tuesday 30 September 2008

exquisite corpse




my entry for the exquisite corpse group...moly x 48

exquisite corpse cover/ exchange 48

the cover for the exquisite corpse exchange...I felt light hearted with this exchange...brightly coloured and childlike illustrations.

Monday 29 September 2008

moly exchange...42


This one was such a trial to me... theme 'invent a pattern'. I am amazed that I came up with anything at all, I find pattern so difficult, and now I look at it I'm not sure it is what was asked for. I get quite fearful of spoiling someone elses book.I am not going to post this on just yet, there will be a bit of a log jam if I do, and as there are so many people in this group it wouldn't do to rush things along too much. As it stands it will take a year for this book to go on its travels. A year! How can I stand it! these exchanges are a real challenge to my impatient nature as well as my art....enjoying it such a lot tho :-)

Saturday 20 September 2008

witch / wise woman


witch / wise woman
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
another moleskine that i have had the opportunity to work in, I am allowed a month to do the pages, but the minute the book comes through the door i have to work at it, and when it goes slowly or I cant resolve a particular element, well I can't rest.....I think this one is finished, it 'feels' finished to me.
the theme on this one is ' reincarnation'.

Sunday 14 September 2008

Moly 43



My starter pages for moly 43....this is a dream I had, and it was so clear what it meant at the time, I have never forgotten it.

Moly-x-38


Moly-x-38
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
my entry in moly 38, the second book I have had a go at....I cannot believe how scary it is working in someone elses book, I am so worried that they will not like it, or that I have spoiled what they hoped their book would become.....

'Superstitions' Moly-x- 42

my start page for moly 42...a really large group (10 of us ) and we each get 3 pages, this should be interesting and frustrating, there are bound to be delays and frustrations, but with any luck it should be done in a year (!) for someone as impatient as me that seems like a lifetime

Thursday 4 September 2008

On / Off Moly....


On / Off Moly....
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
my first 'go' at a someone elses moly, and it was nervewracking, I was very concerned that I would muck up her book, but I also really really enjoyed it.....cant wait for more molys.....

smell


smell
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
another moly exchange start...I am realy enjoying this, but just a little impatient to get some books in my hands....

Wednesday 20 August 2008

smoke and mirrors


smoke and mirrors
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
Its all rough and the transfer pulled some of the paper, but I am excited by this one...I am stupidly pleased by the tape I used as a reflection in the mirror....what can i say, I had fun doing this and it pleases me :-)

Tuesday 5 August 2008

curly


curly
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
when the sun shines, make prints :-)

Monday 4 August 2008

Poof! Like magic !


Poof! Like magic !
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
just a little rubber stamp fun...I imagined that these images made a story.....sort of :-)

Wednesday 23 July 2008

crop


crop
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
when I was young I used to cut the hair off all my dolls.... :-))

Monday 21 July 2008

Thumb exhibition !


i have had my invite to go the exhibition but can't get over to America for it...and here is the press release :-)
I must do m ore mail art ,it was fun :-0

WIP moleskine 2


I am not sure if this is going to be my next moleskine for the moly x international, it may be too similar to the previous one.

The whole idea of starting something for other people to carry on with is new to me, my first collaboration. loss of control over what happens to my art next, a new sensation . I like the idea and I am excited by working in other peoples books too.......

Friday 11 July 2008

moleskine exchange


I have joined the international moleskine exchange on flickr. I have seen such beautiful work I am daunted by the talent. I had so many ideas, ranging from greek myth to automatons to aging to colours......but I have settled on TIME. I am hoping this will be flexible enough to encompass everyones styles and let their imaginations have some space to move. I am really quite excited by the idea of this collaboration and impatient to start. so I have. here is my book.

Friday 4 July 2008

bubbles



alone,ipod on, dancing around the garden, blowing bubbles.....I can recommend it as a way of lifting the blues. It made me feel silly and young......great :-)

Saturday 28 June 2008

moleskine / old photo


moleskine / old photo
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
old photographs have captured my imagination. I am fascinated by the way they crystalize more than the subject in the frame, they capture an era, an essence, maybe even the soul (as was once thought).
I know I could use photoshop, or some technical gadgetry for the capture of the texture, the proper colour of aged paper, even the surface shine but what I want to achieve is some way of retaining the spirit of the hand.
I am putting this woman through yet another filter, mine. She didnt look like my drawing, but then she never really looked like she did in the photograph either. Photos change the subject, they are put through many 'filters' ....the photographers eye, the processing and whoever chose the contrast, and in the end, time.
And now a photograph of a drawing of a photograph put onto a computer.....fascinating don't you think

Thursday 26 June 2008

souvenirs




I have just spent a hot sunny and fattening time in France. The first 4 days in Paris ( wonderful ) and the second 4 days in the south of France ( hot and wonderful ). We went over for a wedding at a chateau, gloriously romantic and so great to meet old friends. We dint bring much back with us, no food or wine ( we ate it all ) but we did buy toys......

Monday 9 June 2008

sunny weather, new bird houses


Out for a sunday drive we saw these for sale by the side of the road. The man who made them makes each one different and really goes to town on the details. We bought these three because they are the wackiest...and a real bargain I think at only £5 each. They make me smile when I walk past them, and I hope that some little bird will move in soon :-)

Friday 6 June 2008

moleskine


moleskine
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
my new moleskine has posed a few problems...I am not keen on the paper, it seems to hate moisture and de-laminates when I try any experiments on it. This sketchbook is the small size which limits my mark-making too. But I am having a good time with stencils and spray paint, not my usual method so I am wresting with the challenges it throws up. All this 'fun' does make me wonder when I will grow up and settle with something and make a go of it though.......but until I do I shall keep on playing.

Thursday 5 June 2008

Ayala Bar



My husband has just given me this necklace....wonderful textile beads, I love it, so hippy :-)
But (and this may seem stupid) I worry about the beads......who made them, how many man/woman hours went into making each bead and did they get paid a fair wage?
I love it and will enjoy wearing it, but I will think about who made it

Wednesday 14 May 2008

Prague trip....folk museum


We went to the Musaion in Kinsky Park, a wonderful little museum full of beautifully presented folk costume and folk art, it was all laid out in seasons, spring/birth/  marriage/summer harvest etc....and lots of wonderful toys and sculpture.
The winter section was my favourite, this display really made me gasp, it frightened and fascinated me....so beautiful and so scary


"the first sunday in December opens the Advent, the time focused more upon the spiritual values of life, preparation for Christmas and the birth of Christ. This period of preparations is accompanied by figures with masks related to the way of thinking of pre-christian times. They appear in several groups of customs as witnesses of human conscience with punishments for committed crimes and rewards for promises into the future - Barbara, Lucia, Nicholas, and with them the devils, angels, various demons and animal masks. The time of Christmas continues to belong up to now to the peak periods of the year. The folk tradition has retained many values both in the spiritual and the creative spheres. Folk nativity scenes represent a connecting link between both these spheres"

Tuesday 13 May 2008

Polaroid





When my first son was born I used a fabulous way of capturing his baby years....polaroid film. It was instant, and captured those magical moments of babyhood, then the pictures faded, his little features were bleached out and I lost my memories . However i felt about losing these precious memories I still see them in my minds eye when i look at the faded photographs, memories are polaroid coloured. When I heard that Polaroid are no longer making the film I panicked, i got out my old camera and bought some discontinued 'unsaleable' film. I have bought possibly the last of the old stock and find that every photo I take has got to be precious.........I can't make precious photos, I may lose them again, so I have been 'snapping', and find that each of the pictures taken have a glow of memory already imbued by the polaroid process.....I am so sad that the film will not be made anymore

Monday 12 May 2008




I have been on a short break to Prague. I really enjoyed it and think that I will have to return to have a look the things I know I didn't get time to see. The two most exciting places for me were the toy museum and the folk museum, I would have bought books from both places but they were all in czech ....
these are some of the faces from both museums, I have got many more photos and may put them up here, but most of them will be on my flickr pages.

Thursday 3 April 2008

into the ether?


I have just discovered that there are still mail art fiends out there in the world, I shall give it another go. Previous experience has shown me that I should expect nothing back, no sign that the post has been received, or even the swaps that are promised but thats OK, I quite like that a postman has taken a fancy to it, or that it is stuck down the back of a cupboard, or even heaven forbid thrown into a bush by a lazy posty...:-)
This call amused me as it was specifically about thumbs. I had done a small painting of thumbs last summer so I have copied it onto a postcard and sent it off....if anyone else reads this and would like to give it a go.... the deadline is June 30,2008 and the address is
Thumb!
c/o J. Desmond
PO Box 2287
Lake Isabella, CA 93240
USA

PS.... put name and address on it too, and email/website..
PS

Tuesday 4 March 2008

circus


circus
Originally uploaded by paintistworks
I am losing my edge....this too has too much sweetness about it. I chose a scary clown face, and anticipated that it it would make a much edgier subject.....this will not do, I am going to have to get drastic with it. Or......perhaps working in small boxes is not for me?