At last I'm back on line. Apologies for my silence but I was unexpectedly unable to access the internet due to service provider problems. Isnt it amazing how quickly we get attached to technology? And I was surprised at how much I missed blogging, reading my emails and generally using the internet.
So to keep busy I've been spending my normal internet time in my garden instead and I'm really pleased with how its coming along. When I moved in to my flat just over a year ago the garden was a tip (literally!) but is now looking almost civilised. I've managed to get most of my pots filled with various flowers for the summer, I've planted some sweatpeas and a few other bits and pieces and made a good start on my veggie garden. I've planted some radish, lettuce and beetroot seeds. I've also put in some artichokes, courgette and tomato plants and the peas are well on their way to producing a fine crop. I'm also really pleased to see that my Bonsai tree has survived the winter (I forgot to find a friendly greenhouse to winter it in and thought I'd killed it off in the cold weather we had)
Above: The view down into my garden from my flat window 
I've also been trying to get some more drawing done but I'm dissappointed still to find I'm still hitting all sorts of walls. In an effort to draw something enjoyable and therefore refind some confidence, I did this piece in pastel. Now I'm not really a 'flower' sort of person (those of you who know me will testify to that I'm sure!) but I dont find flowers very difficult and although I'm sure this could have been better, it was only a bit of therapy for me.
This is A2 in size, pastel on a pale lime green sugar paper. I found my existing supply of pastels very limiting and will hopefully put this right at the weekend. I hope to buy a set of 36 Sennelier assorted pastels as well as some Conte and some new types of paper. I do like the Sennelier pastels but they dont last long! I need to start experimenting with different papers and makes of medium. Thats assuming I can find my 'drawing abilities' again!
I did this at the figure drawing group I sometimes go to. This is an untutored group and its fun but sometimes frustrating for me. I made myself slow down during this session, in all about 2 hours of drawing, but theres things about this that I really dont like (although I've been told that I am definitely getting better) but as yet I cant identify what it is that I dont like about it. This is a pencil and coloured pencil drawing on A2 cartridge paper. How I see the drawing in my head is miles away from what comes out! Still, I'm stubborn so I'll keep trying.
3 comments:
It is good getting out in the garden. I made a promise to myself yesterday as I planted the last of my beans- I am going to do some drawing and painting of/in my garden this year. Your garden is lovely, I am sure you can find some inspiration there.
Love
Lyn
Here's another artist/gardener note of encouragement. Gardening is such a wonderful creative process and one that, for me, feeds my "other" painter/creative side in ways that I can't exactly express. Or at least that's what I tell people who catch me gardening when I really should be painting! LOL!
Thanks for visiting my blog, and keep up the good work, Angie. I too notice incremental improvement that comes from concentrated effort. It often feels as if I am plodding along, and then every once in a while something just clicks. Makes it worth all the frustration!
Thank you both for your encouraging words, its great to hear such encouragement! I am certainly getting inspiration from my garden, but whether I can successfully get that onto paper remains to be seen....I'm certainly going to keep trying xx
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