Spring Flowers - sort of

Yesterday it was dullsville here, again, last night the fog rolled in and you could barely see the houses opposite.  At the moment there's a spark of sun, wheeee!
I’ve shown a few of my drawings before…but I don’t draw, its not me.  I suspect its cos I’m an Abstract person.  I can draw, enough to get by, but in order to produce something it means so much concentration I get a raging headache, and what is the pleasure in that?

I’m currently working on some pieces which are basic (childlike) shaped houses – I’ve been playing with houses for a little while, beach huts, bird house, they keep cropping up. What goes with them, house/flowers/trees… I have machine stitched freehand some simplistic flowers, but not sure about my efforts, these are from approx a year ago.

 

I tried drawing lollipop flowers, ie just a circle, but you know there’s quite an art to making simple look good, and clearly I’ve not got it!  A couple of weeks back I had another play, made myself draw in pen, and quickly, and fill a page to practice.  And that's how they stayed, line drawings.

Then last week had a few minutes of therapy, colouring in!!!  Such a very long time since I sat and coloured, it really was soothing and nice to do.  These are alcohol ink felt pens.  And yes I think you can safely say these are naive art.

However, also I’ve finished stitching all the French Knots on a piece.  Its still in progress, but if you want pseudo flowers, then this has them by the bucket load.  Its like a number of sweets in the jar competition, how many Knots?  No idea, but may be I should be paid a £ for every one!

 

Flowers and the Abstract Artist

What do we have here then... those of you who know me and my work might well faint with the shock. Its almost something "real". Actually its part of an ongoing project and I'm not saying more. But for me who is an Abstract art person, this is unusual. Over the years I've come across a few negative comments re my abstract art as in.... its just a few squiggles... your work doesn't have an much effort as mine does... (if only they realised the hours I can spend pouring over dictionaries of symbols or background research)... your work isn't worth as much as mine because its abstract. I'm always baffled, I'd never say such a thing about a landscape piece.  I admire realism, wish I could stitch a tree that looks like a tree, but its just not me.  During my P1 C&G studies we were often told "if you want a piece to look like a photo, take a photo" - not meaning that everyone had to go for abstract, but more its your interpretation, not an exact replica.  So when I want the real, I take a photo, because I know I could never match or even get an essence of the reality.  If you only knew how many photos I take of skies.....
For years and years I struggled, wanting to be a Constable, before finally realising that I'm more a Picasso. I can't help it, the abstract is just more natural for me - its not even that I see a tree and think pure shapes, there's no deep and meaningful thought in that regard, its just how I am, what flows out of my fingers. I don't understand any of the snobby attitude re any kind of art - to me, you either like something or you don't.   Perhaps my thought processes are too simplistic, but surely we all need art in whatever form, whatever taste you have in music or drama, the point is to find pleasure and joy.  Thank goodness for choice.
So my flower has to be some exotic species from a faraway land - because its never going to look like the real thing!!

Latest News:   Burnham Art Trail - I will be stewarding in the Museum on the afternoon of Thursday 30th June.  Come and say hello.