Gilding birds

Waiting for cover image with type to arrive from Frances Lincoln and getting on with work. Finishing off two barn owl paintings that I had hoped to gild at Art in Action. Too many people wanted books signed so work was much slower than last year, but it is steady, peaceful work that gives me time to think, and I need that.

 

 

Also working on a woodcock painting that is painted with a brush made from the pin feather of a woodcock. Contemplative, meditative work.

Finishing things

Finishing the fox. Almost done. Glows in my studio.

While staying with Judy Dyble I found many a lurking lurcher in paintings, small statues and even a Wiz on the sofa, so have a small series of paintings inspired by her house. The above was begun at Art in Action where people kept disturbing me to sign books, so finished at home and destined for The House of Golden Dreams and then on to The Imagine Gallery in Long Melford for exhibition in September.

Wizz on the sofa next to Judy's piano and below the art cover work for Talking with Strangers. 

Got up. Painted. Went to bed.

Early morning walk on the airfield in sunshine. I saw

a blackbird with a worm

oxeye daisies, gorse

spiderwebs stretched over tall grass flowers

creeping buttercup

crane's bill

wild carrot, skylarks, clover, red and white

marsh orchids, yellow vetch, rattlegrass, knapweed

honeysuckle, purple vetch, cat's tail, speckled wood, plantain

stitchwort, white throats, tormentil and cinquefoil

horsetail, ragged robin, yellow iris, foxglove

and bramble bushes with a promise of berries.

Back home, I painted cats, shot arrows in the field while some paint dried, fell asleep in a pool of sunshine while glue dried a little and gilded. A parcel of books from Harper Collins contained Dragon Haven and paperbacks of Dragon Keeper as well as some treats for Tom and Hannah, both of whom are devouring books.