Thursday 24 November 2016

Tag Tuesday-Farms, Fields and Patchwork Landscapes

This week the theme on Tag Tuesday is Farms, Fields and Patchwork Landscapes.            
I have used a Gelli printed landscape this week as a tag. I have been drawing textures into the Gelli plate, then taking a print. The idea came from Linda Germain in an online course. I am still working on variations of this, with different colour combinations and styles. The landscape is my version of Tuscany, Italy, which we visited this summer.



Wednesday 16 November 2016

Tag Tuesday-Reindeer and Stags

The subject for this week's Tag Tuesday is Reindeer and Stags. This was a good subject for a tag as there is so much inspiration out there . They must be on trend at the moment,  and so are we! I knew exactly what I  wanted to do for my tag, which meant buying a stag stencil to get the image I had in mind. This meant buying a few more stencils at the same time. I painted my new stag stencil on a gelli printed background, using black acrylic to make it stand out. If you look closely you can see some other touches that have been added.

Sunday 6 November 2016

The Mill at Sonning

I have lived near The Mill at Sonning for over twenty years, but although
 I have driven past frequently, I had never been inside. I heard they 
have a new cafe, so popped in to have a warm drink after a cold
walk by the river. Mostly known for its dinner/theatre it is a place 
where you can watch a performance and eat a buffet dinner.
I was very taken by the water wheel and the cosy cafe 
 The mill machinery adds interest to the surroundings.
Another feature is its proximity to George Cluny's English home, 
which is the former mill house!









Wednesday 2 November 2016

Tag Tuesday-Foxes

The subject for this week's Tag Tuesday is
Foxes.
For my tag this week I was pleased to
be able to use my wood block
stamp sets from Paperchase.






Monday 31 October 2016

Caversham Court Gardens

The gardens at Caversham Court looked beautiful in the autumn sunshine.
I liked the long shadows of the trees on the grass, and the reflections on the River Thames.













Wednesday 26 October 2016

Tag Tuesday-Halloween


Here is my Halloween tag for this week's Tag Tuesday.
I have been practising lettering for the past couple of weeks.  I have a lot to learn! I notice some of  the players on Tag Tuesday use words in their tags, and I would like to learn some ways to include them. 
I have made a simple tag with the old Scottish saying " From ghoulies
and ghosties and long legged beasties and things that go bump in the night may the Lord deliver us"



Monday 24 October 2016

Alpacas by the River Thames

Walking by the River Thames at Whitchurch last week,
there were some lovely views. The flock of alpacas
is an interesting sight! There are several fields of them,
and they look really cuddly!




Friday 21 October 2016

Tag Tuesday-Trees


This week on Tag Tuesday the theme is Trees. For my tag I have made a rubbing of an embossed picture of trees. I used a bright washi tape for contrast.




Tuesday 11 October 2016

Tag Tuesday-Autumn Leaves

Today the theme for Tag Tuesday is Autumn Leaves
Autumn is such a glorious time of year.
The leaves have just started turning now, so this
is a topical tag for us here in the UK.
For my tag I used Gelatos through a stencil, which gave
a lovely textural raised appearance. I added some leaves
from my experiments with transfer printing, these are done
with gloss gel medium.





Detail of Gelatos through a stencil

Saturday 8 October 2016

River Thames at Streatley

There is a lovely cafe at Streatley overlooking the River Thames.
It's a great place to sit with a cup of coffee and to watch the 
river roll by. It's a perfect place for a walk too.











Wednesday 5 October 2016

Tag Tuesday-Autumn Colours

The theme for this week's Tag Tuesday is Autumn Colours
For my tag I used an image transfer technique with gloss gel, from the book "Image Transfer Workshop" by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson. I have tried out a few different ways to transfer images this week. I like the way it is translucent.It does take a while to do though,  so you have to be patient!
I gave the autumn image a silk border and used textured card for the background. 




Saturday 1 October 2016

Old Italian Towns


I had a splendid time in Italy in August. It doesn't seem very long ago,
it's hard to believe it is October today. So as the rain lashes the window
and it is definitely a prelude to Autumn, here are some photos
of beautiful old Italian towns. There are so many in Tuscany, with
surrounding walls, porticos to enter, old doorways, windows and
magnificent architecture. The ones I liked best were not in the
guide book, but small and just perfect. Gambassi Termi was the nearest
town to where we were staying. My favourite was Colle di Val d'Elsa, with
its ramparts and gate which looked like something out of a fairy tale.


Gambassi Termi

Gambassi Termi

Gambassi Termi
Ganbassi Temi

Volterra

Flag throwing

Jane and Costanza in Pienza

Colle di val d'Elsa

Tuesday 20 September 2016

Tag Tuesday- Cats and Dogs

On Tag Tuesday this week our theme is
Cats and Dogs

For my tag I used the embossed frame I made in
my mixed media group this week. We followed a
technique by Andy Skinner to create a rust effect.
I don't think mine worked well as rust, but I like the end
 result! This was achieved with a combination of black gesso,
ink and gold paint. I added some braids. The frame was
the perfect size for a cat portrait!

Friday 16 September 2016

Cake in Latvia

In my previous post I wrote about my visit to Riga in Latvia.
I remember one evening, just after a magnificent organ
concert in the cathedral, we went out for tea and cake.
The cakes tasted as good as they looked, and I thought
they were so prettily arranged on the blue and white china.
In the bottom picture you can see a glass of the famous
local liqueur, Balsam, which is drunk frequently. 

Chocolate cake
Shortcake, chocolate and blackcurrant cream
Apple and plum pie


Tuesday 13 September 2016

Latvia

During the summer break, my husband and I spent a long weekend
in Riga, Latvia with some friends. It is the first time I have been to a
Baltic country and I was very taken with it. We went to a couple of organ
concerts in the cathedral, which has amazing accoustics, spent a day
 at Jermala, on the Baltic coast, took a canal cruise, shopped at the
market, and ate wonderful food.


Beautiful old buildings
Traditional Latvian Menu
The Beach at Jermala
Datcha at Jermala
Riga Cathedral taken on a canal cruise
Riga Central Market
Dried fish
Market produce




Friday 9 September 2016

Tag Tuesday-Paper Dolls and Paper Doll's Clothes


I am back to Tag Tuesday after my summer break.
This week's theme is "Paper Dolls and Paper Doll's Clothes"


Here is my little Scottish boy paper doll.
I thought he was really sweet, maybe "bonnie"
is the best word for him. I found him on my
old favourite site The Graphics Fairy.
I had fun assembling him, and have mounted
him on a mixed paper background.
I wanted to finish it off with a piece of
tartan ribbon or some thistles, but don't have 
anything suitable in my stash!

Tuesday 6 September 2016

INSIDE Artists and Writers in Reading Prison

"INSIDE Artists and Writers in Reading Prison" is a newly opened exhibition featuring contemporary artists , writers and readers from all over the world.  Readers are to perform Oscar Wilde's work "De Profundis", written during his imprisonment here in 1897.
Reading Prison makes an amazing art space.
The list of artists taking part in this exhibiton is impressive :- Vija Celmins, Rita Donagh, Peter Dreher, Marlene Dumas, Robert Gober, Nan Goldin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Richard Hamilton, Roni Horn, Steve McQueen, Jean-Michel Pancin, Doris Salcedo and Wolfgang Tillmans.
Amongst the artwork woven through the prison, "Letters of Separation" is interspersed. Letters by nine contemporary writers to a loved one separated from them  echo Oscar Wilde's "De Profundis" which was composed as a letter to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas.
The writers are:- Ai Weiwei, Tahmima Anam, Anne Carson, Joe Dunthorpe, Deborah Levy, Danny Morrison, Gillian Slovo, Binyavanga Wainaina and Jeanette Winterson.


For details see the website:- 





Ai Weiwei's script
Silent Prayer by Doris Salcedo
Water by  Felix Gonzalez -Torres