An early Christmas gift

Christmas came early today for my special little boy Harry. Jamie Markle from F&W kindly sent us a special preview copy of the newly published book 'Art Journey Animals' which has my drawing of Harry as the front cover. I hope you enjoy the photo's my husband took as I unwrapped the package and showed the book to Harry. I think he approves, don't you?

'Hey Harry, Santa heard you wish. A package has arrived from F&W'

'Look Harry, it's you on the front cover. Isn't that awesome!'

'That's me, that is. They have made my eyes extra shiny too'

The book can be pre ordered from North Light Books http://www.northlightshop.com/art-journey-animals.

Puppy love

   I've spent the last couple of days curled up on the sofa drawing with my faithful friend beside me watching my progress. This is him as a youngster. He is now 14 years old but he still knows how to leave paw prints on my heart with those soulful eyes of his.

' Puppy Love ' Pen and ink (10.5 by 7 inches)

Love, they say, is patient,

Love, they say, is kind,

It sees beyond another’s faults

For love, they say, is blind.

Love will not diminish,

Or rush or fade with years,

But it will gain its strength

From time, from laughter, joy and tears.

Love is God’s own gift to us.

A present from above,

He gives us peace, He gives us joy,

But first He gives us love. (Anon)

Forever and Always

Drawing this over the last few days has been a fun way to pass the time. Harry, as usual, was a very willing model. Wherever I go he is always at my side so eager to make me smile.

Scratchboard on Ampersand panel 8 by 10 inches.

Ona

Scratchboard

Several of my art friends who do scratchboard have been wanting me to have a go for ages so I decided to try it out.  Harry very kindly posed for me. I used a touch of watercolour in his eyes. Any guesses what he was looking at?

 This drawing sold today. Someone saw it on my facebook page  so will be on its way to the US in the next day or two once the scratchboard is sealed.

Ona

Harry's in print!

My copy of Strokes of Genius 6: The Best of Drawing hardback book arrived in the mail today. Of course my now famous pup Harry had to have first look.

 He was so pleased that he is right at the begining of the book right opposite Rachel's introduction because turning the pages with his paws was quite tricky (grin). After finding page 7 and admiring the drawing of himself he had to read what I had written about him. He liked the bit best about him having a soulful expression. He does do this expression so well don't you think?

Hope you enjoy the photo's. If you would like to order your own copy of this book or Splash 15: The Best of Watercolor both are now available in bookstores or directly through North Light Books

Ona

Updates and Exciting News!

Hi Everyone, It's been a busy and exciting couple of days for me.

I've finished the labrador drawing. I was going to call it 'Missing you' but as I have been drawing it 'Waiting' seems to fit so much better. What do you think?



I've also begun working on the little goslings in my watercolour painting 'Rations'. They are quite fiddly to do so it's taking me a while but I'm really enjoying it. I've finished the good little gosling of the group. She is sat nicely beside the food and doesn't mind sharing with others. I am now working on the other gosling who is near the food. He is a little more forceful in his endevours to have his share of the rations. I havent taken a photo of the whole painting, but cropped in on the section I am working on so you can see the little goslings themselves. I am trying very hard to convey that cute awwwww factor whilst painting them because I want this to contrast to the more serious message I am trying to convey. I hope it works.



And to my exciting news...I received a letter in the post yesterday saying my painting 'A Bleeding Heart' had been juried into this years Pennsylvania Watercolor Society International 31st Juried exhibition.

This was painted after I researched the legend of the Bleeding Heart flower. I loved the story and immediately went out into my garden, found a bleeding heart flower and used Rebecca's lovely long eye lashes as my reference. For those of you fairly new to this blog or who do not remember the story that goes with this painting here it is again.

You have to imagine that I have a Bleeding heart flower in my hand as I tell you the tale.

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess. Young men from far and near came to try to win her heart. But the princess was very vain and would have nothing to do with any of them. A young prince from a neighboring country fell deeply in love with her. She ignored him like the others, though he tried and tried to win her love. One day the prince found a pair of pretty pink rabbits at the market. At this point, I pull off the two outer pink petals and set each on it side to show the animals. He sent them to the princess thinking,"these will surely melt her heart." But the princess went right on ignoring him. Then the prince sent her a pair of beautiful earrings. Next I separate the two inner white petals and hold them up next to my ears. Still the princess would have nothing to do with him. The young prince was so heartbroken that he took his dagger and drove it into his heart. The remaining centre of the flower in my hand is shaped like an outline of a heart with a line down the centre. I hold the heart up, remove the dagger-like line, and plunge the "knife" through the heart's centre. The princess, realizing too late that she did love the prince, cried out, "My heart shall bleed for my prince forever more!" and her heart bleeds to this day.

Ona

Waiting and Rations WIP updates

I am really enjoying my new resolution to have two works in progress at a time. While I was waiting for each layer of the background glazes to dry on the watercolour painting I could pen in some more of the labrador. Both are progressing well.

I have now finished the background for the gosling painting. I chose to use a lot of the colours that I will use when painting each gosling in my background. I wanted to create that feel of a barren landscape apart from the one small piece of vegetation growing out of a crack in some tarmac to contrast with the cute fluffy goslings themeselves and to help to convey my inner message. We are building over so much of their natural habitat maybe in the future what is conveyed in this painting could become reality.



I now get to do the fun part... bringing each of the little goslings personalities to life.

The labrador is still not finished but is progressing well too. I have added the colour to the eyes and I am pleased with the effect it creates. It seems to accentuate the soulfulness of his eyes.



Ona