Chemo

It's not a word that make you think of beautiful is it? But I've seen images of people who are undergoing chemotherapy and have lost their hair and there is something beautiful and stunning about seeing someones face with it's bone structure evident and not covered by hair.

Chemo, ball point pen and coloured pencil

A friend of mine has had aggressive breast cancer in the last couple of years and has undergone several surgeries as well as Chemotherapy. She is a remarkable person, and sees her time having chemo as part of the aspects of her life that that have contributed to who she is. As part of my 30 30 30 challenge she asked me to create a portrait of her, based on a photograph of her during her Chemotherapy.

Chemo, Oil paint

I found myself so taken with the image that I created two versions, one in pen and coloured pencil and one in oils. I have to say working on these pieces have been my favourite work so far in the challenge and it's been a privilege to be able to create a portrait of my friend from such a challenging time of her life. She has agreed that I can share these with you. I hope you agree that she is stunning and beautiful.

Bernina!

I'm sure you all know how great Bernina sewing machines are. I've been on the look out for one for a while. The school I used to work in had 4 basic Bernina machines and they were amazing. despite all the silly things kids did with them, they continued to work well and with a little TLC produced lovely stitches every time.

Well I managed to get my hands on a Vintage Bernina at a reasonable price, it was sold as spares or repair as it hadn't been tested and had been a school machine, so had a few scratches and was a bit dirty. As soon as it arrived , it was out of the box and tested. The stitches were generally even, but the tension was a little tight. As it was such an old machine I had it serviced straight away. A friend of mine services machines for Sew Green in Lancaster and as he was in the North East to visit family he brought his tools and made sure the machine as in tip top condition.

Now I just need to decide which will be the first sewing project for my new "old" machine, and I need to get a few bobbins and a couple of essential feet.

How many of you sew on a Bernina? what is your favourite make of machine?

What is it about drawing....

Back, Pencil on paper

...that is releasing and refreshing. Working in a totally different way to normal is helping me generate new ideas for my art work. I rarely just draw, and I've missed it. My work has been a lot more abstract in nature over the last few years and it feels good to get back to some basics. I'm enjoying the challenge of creating art work for others in the commissions I've received, but that's been a challenge too!

Perfume, Pencil on paper

I'm almost half way through the challenge and I've worked predominantly in monochrome, with only a few colour pieces. I think I might have to rectify that in the second half of the challenge. I'd also like to reflect a range of artists style in my work too. I encourage my students to try stuff that other artists do, I suppose I ought to do the same!

Rose, Charcoal on paper

So If you would like to suggest artists whose style might inform one of my pieces i'm more than interested in hearing who they are.

I'm loving this!

Northumberland beach, coloured pencil and oil pastel on brown paper

I really am loving this! I'm loving creating new art works and not being constrained by my previous work, or what I think I should be creating. I'm just enjoying making art for it's own sake.
Here are my two most recent pieces.

Libby, Fineliner and acrylic paint on brown paper

Frustration

Don't you hate it when a pattern isn't quite what you'd hoped it would be?
Yep me too.
But we tweak a seam here and alter a dart there and it usually comes good in the end. Yes?
Not today. I have spent the best part if the last two weeks working on a crochet dress. I finished it today. But it looks rubbish. It's way too big on the skirt. And the skirt was the first part to be completed. As I'd never made it before I stuck closely to the rather vague pattern instructions. The skirt has 7 rows of 10 motifs that get smaller as the get nearer the bust line. I now think that just 8 per row would be more than enough. To make this adjustment I think I need to take rather a lot of the dress apart. There is no way I'm throwing £25 worth of yarn away.
I just can't face doing it today.
And for all those of you that knit and crochet. Yes I did check the tension. It was spot on!
Shame you can't make a muslin for crochet.

6 down and 24 to go

Northumberland Hills - oil pastel

I've made a good start to my 30 30 30 challenge and have now completed 6 pieces. I'm trying to do a range of different styles and subject matter. And using this time to explore art I wouldn't usually make. I am a abstract painter if i'm honest and love throwing paint around, so doing something as disciplined as creating work to a set size is a new way of working for me.

Warkworth Castle - Charcoal

So far I have completed: 2 pencil drawings; 1 Charcoal Drawing; 1 oil pastel drawing;  1 ball point pen drawing and a painting in acrylic.

Piggies - ball point pen

I've spent about a day on each, but the pen drawing has taken more than two days.

Boats - acrylic paint

My oil pastels also melted in the heat and were more like mini oil bars. I quite liked the fluidity of the melted pastels and got very messy creating the drawing.

Statue - pencil

I still need to create another 24 pieces to meet my challenge and I'm still on the look out for more ideas. If you can challenge me to create a specific art work, or use a certain style of unusual combination of materials I'd be more than glad to hear from you.

Pencil

I'm hoping to exhibit some of the work in the autumn and will be selling it for £30 each original piece  - as is, no framing. It's to help raise funds for my upcoming trip to China with International China Concern. And considering how long I've spent on some of these pieces  - £30 is a bargain.

30 30 30 challenge update

Boats, Acrylic

My recovery is being aided by my lovely family. this morning before they left for school and work they made me a flask of coffee, glass of water and put all my art things out in the garden at the table. It was rather windy and this morning was a little cooler than expected. I kept the sunglasses on to avoid pollen in my eyes and dosed myself with hay fever meds and painkillers, applied the Piz Buin all day sun screen and was ready to go.

Warkworth Castle, Northumberland. Charcoal

I'm trying to keep my feet up as much as possible so worked on my knee, I was using acrylic paint and despite adding drying retarder it was still drying a little too quickly for my liking. I managed to work on two pieces today; a painting and a very quick charcoal sketch.

Comments please, and I'm still looking for suggestions of what to paint/ draw.