Column Week 31

'Like a finely tuned orchestra, my garden plays a never ending concerto . The birds sing unashamedly, calling those they love, while the fish in the pond plop vicariously providing a deep bass.Machinery long gone from the fields - nature reunites with her rightful territory and one can't help becoming lost in her song!'

Column Week 14

This week's entry for my illustrated column in the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard in print today:



Everything in the garden seems to be blooming early and it's looking so pretty I decided to take a few moments today to create a sketch.

I chose 'Charlie', the statue I purchased in memory of my Nephew. The statue is usually known as 'The whistling boy' and he stands proudly in the corner beside my laundry shed, underneath an apple tree and climbing rose which births cream blooms that turn a shade of yellow with age. The Spring bulbs are now fading soon to be replaced with delphiniums and Jacobs ladder in hues of purple and blue. A dash of red breaks the green of the laurel bush when the redcurrants ripen and a hoard of butterflies, bees and birds keep Charlie company throughout the year, as was my intention. Various shells from our visits to the beach decorate the soil surrounding the base of the column upon which Charlie stands, as well as 'gems' my youngest finds in the yard, such as feathers and fossils.

It is a beautiful corner in the garden, in full view from the house and yet safe from human footsteps.

If you would like to see more, my daily journal entries can be found on my blog : http://artbyanita.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday Night Art Workshops. Benwick Road Recreation Centre, Doddington. Contact Anita: 07790554201

Column Week 10

This is my 10th column entry in the Cambs Times & Wisbech Standard, in print today.


Print Layout - 11th April 2008

Clarice House Sketches

Bar
My day at Clarice House in Bury St. Edmunds was just as I imagined...full of art!
On my arrival I visited the bar for a latte and stayed there for lunch, sketching as I ate.

Bar
I then checked into my room, grabbed my easel and chair, a canvas board and my acrylics and went plein air painting for an hour on Clarice grounds...It was wonderful!!!
I'll upload the painting in my next post.

On returning to the comforts inside Clarice, I took a latte by the window and sketched the herb garden wall outside.

Herb Garden Wall
After a nice session in the steam room and whirlpool, I made a quick sketch of the curtain fabric design back in my room before dinner.

Bedroom Fabric Design
I took my sketchbook to dinner with me - It's an A4 Venezia that I keep just for 'house' sketches; national trust, stately homes and historical buildings - So, it's rather large but I love it.

Restaurant

I made a sketch of the table flowers and the delicious dessert that I just knew you'd all want to see!

Luxor Room

Back in my room, I decided to relax on the bed and sketch the desk that supported the Birthday cards I'd opened early so I could enjoy them before dashing off first thing in the morning.

I crashed shortly after ...probably the earliest night I've had in years, just after midnight.

Breakfast menu

I am not a morning person. I am not a breakfast person.

However, I sat down for breakfast at approx. 7.20am and tried to eat something, not knowing when I would next get chance. Destination Sudbury, Gainsborough's House for a 6 hour life session.

Worth the agony?...You betcha'!

Burghley House

On Saturday, Joan and I decided to drive into Stamford and visit Burghley House.
Burghley is one of my favourite stately homes, filled with frescos, history, paintings and carvings...a real treasure trove! The building itself is magnificent and the landscape, designed by 'Capability' Brown, frames it perfectly.
We started our time at Burghley with a light snack in the orangery where we managed to secure a table with a wonderful view. We sketched between nibbles and tried not to let our lattes go cold.


Sketching inside the house is difficult, mostly because there is just so much to feast your eyes upon that you become lost in the magic and forget the stagnant sketchbook hanging limp in your fingertips.


We did manage a couple of quick sketches in the Great Hall but the rest of my work from the day came from either coffee breaks or standing outside sneaking a cigarette.


Our visit was over far too quickly, we had not the time or the weather for a trip into the sculpture garden but this was not my first visit to Burghley and I am sure it will not be my last.

Burghley Sculpture sketch 2007

Children In Need

The first page of my brand new Roberson HP sketchbook. I tried a variety of materials; coloured pencil, ink, watercolour, condensed colour washes, watery washes. The watery blue wash in the background was not popular with this 190gsm paper, it buckled immediately, although it did dry much smoother and since closing the book for a while is now almost flat.

The website I made the purchase with no longer have this book available, I purchased the last one, what's more....they do not intend re-stocking. This news is more acceptable to me since using the book, at the cost of around £18 including the postage, it isn't a purchase I feel worthy of it's price.
Shame!

I have managed to find another HP watercolour sketchbook with 300gsm paper inside and have been trying very hard to resist the temptation of ordering one. I've been very good so far but then it has only been one day, I'm not sure my angelic behaviour could last the week let alone until I've filled some of the other blanks that line my studio bookcase.

All this talk of sketchbooks got me flicking through some of those I have used this year and I have to say I would find the Venezia hard to beat on both value and quality.



Ok, so it isn't filled with smooth HP paper but on hindsight I didn't experience any problems writing in it or using my Lamy fountain pen. It looks fantastic too and comes in 3 sizes. The paper takes watercolour washes and inks really well.

Starting at just £5.25 from Artifolk, it is an absolute bargain.

All of this is making it alot easier to resist ordering the sketchbook I found online today and yet, I still have that niggling thought that if I don't try just one...I'll never know and always wonder.

Grrrrr!

Click here to make a donation to children in need

Priceless

Monday 3rd September was the last entry in my Summer 2007 Journal, Jake started college and I took Harry to a Harvester restaurant as a treat on his last day of the Summer school holiday.
Our first week of term is over, Jake loves college and Harry enjoyed his new class.

....Me?....I felt lonely, lost and tired from the early starts (As an insomniac, mornings are not my forte!) I love having my children around me and think it most unfair they should have to (by law) spend the best part of every weekday away from me.

However, I am already finding my journal to be invaluable. I spent time Tuesday flicking through it's pages looking at all the fun places we visited knowing that in the future my children and their children after them, will be able to flick through those journal pages with the same warm feeling in their heart and a smile in their eyes.

Priceless!

Rainy Days, Blue Skies

It has rained ALOT this summer holiday which has restricted the activities with the children considerably. Trying to find fun things for my youngest to fill the cloudy days has been a mission I have tackled whole heartedly this year, determined not to spend hour after hour in front of a television watching numerous DVD's. One of these activities was to make a paper mache mask using a balloon and a homemade mixture for the glue, which proved fun in itself.
The mask has been drying for a couple of days now and Harry and I intend to spend an afternoon painting it in the studio shortly.
I will, of course, let you know how it turns out!


We managed to steal a half hour one morning last week before the rain set in for the day and we spent it roaming around our local graveyard, something Harry and I enjoy doing often after school during the warmer months. There is an abundance of nature in the graveyard but the squirrels have to be our favourites and we are usually lucky enough to catch sight of at least one on our strolls. The horse chestnut tree had shed a few conkers, scattered on the ground below and not quite ripe enough to tie to string and commence battle, we made sketches of them instead.


The lilies Diane bought me last week began to open and I managed to catch the very first bloom burst to life in my journal while Harry played with Lego and Jake watched cricket. They are a delicious, deep pink and look stunning stood on the hearth of my black iron fireplace in the lounge.




A recent shopping trip at the Grafton centre, Cambridge to purchase some clothes for my eldest gave me the perfect excuse to visit my favourite bath time pamper shop 'Lush' where I purchased my very own 'Blue Skies' in the form of a bubble bar. It may well be grey and gloomy outside but in my bathroom it's aromatic blue skies guaranteed!

All sketches are from my Summer 2007 Journal

Lilies From Diane

Summer 2007 journal

Lilies from my good friend Diane.

Headlines, Thistles and Raindrops

Summer 2007 journal

I spent much of Wednesday soaked to the skin in a pair of fur lined boots weeding the ever multiplying thistles in the back border of my garden and there are so many more that need removing still. So spiteful, some of the larger ones stand almost as tall as me and their needles are a couple of inches long. I wear rubberised roofing gloves to tackle them and they still get through!
Harry's arrival of toys from eBay kept his imagination busy while Jake tackled the stinging nettles with the strimmer.

This weather has to get better....right?

Jake made headlines in the Fenland Citizen for his amazing score at clay shooting last Sunday.

Ballpoint Summer

Ballpoint pen - 10 mins

I didn't manage to complete a hand sketch yesterday for the Wet Canvas Hand A Day Challenge so I made sure I got one in today. I decided to grab 10 minutes, on the sofa with a biro, while the cauliflower finished cooking.


Summer 2007 Journal

I also managed to complete another double spread entry into my new Summer Journal.

Jake scored and amazing 48 at our local clay shoot and he rarely shoots at all these days with cricket matches taking over his weekends, so this really was a remarkable score. It's not unusual for Jake to score well, he's what you might call a 'natural'.

You can discover where I spent the afternoon with Harry by visiting my location blog.

School Is Out

Summer 2007 Journal - Header Page

Saturday was officially day one of the school summer holidays, my most favourite time of the year when I get to have my children all to myself, all day, every day!

Of course, my eldest Son finished his exams a few weeks back and, apart from attending a couple of 'taster days' at his intended college, has been home with me anyway.

To celebrate I began a new Summer journal with a 6x9" Venezia sketchbook where I will log each day throughout the six week holiday. With the dismal weather we have been experiencing in the UK this year, I am hoping my Summer journal will encourage and remind me to find something fun to do each day throughout the break as opposed to ending up stuck in the house, out of the rain watching DVD after DVD on the sofa. It's all too easy to slip into a dreary routine when the sun fails to shine.

You can view my first entry into my Summer 2007 Journal HERE