bluetits on snow

Here are two paintings of bluetits on snow by Jane.

Set perfectly against the recent snow and winter plants, the birds inhabit their colourful feathers against the landscape. In one painting the bird almost looks directly at the painter, but something has caught her eye; in the other, she is busy about her business, moving in for a closer look. Beautiful, charming,  perfectly true to life in their spontaneity.

drawing as stitch

 

Here are some stitched drawings by Tina. Two are based on everyday scenes observed in her local market. The other was sketched (as a passenger!) on a long car journey.

Tina likes to use a continuous line in some of her drawings. By keeping the pencil on the paper, the line becomes free and the relationship between the subject and the observer are somehow brought intimately together. The line connects elements in the composition, relates disparate and similar subjects, sometimes identifying and repeating patterns, other times contrasting shapes and textures, always drawing the eye round the canvas, exploring how objects relate to one another both in the drawing and in the life Tina observes so beautifully around her.

This is a technique which crosses so-called artistic boundaries, and lends itself perfectly to interpretation through stitch. These drawings have all been resolved through the medium of a sewing machine and plain black thread on cotton.

fish stall, market; black thread on cotton (Tina)

egg stall, market; black thread on cotton (Tina)

a long drive, stitch on cotton (Tina)

winter trees

Jane draws with a light touch and great sensitivity. 

Here she has produced a charcoal drawing of birds fluttering through winter branches. She has tackled a difficult subject and unusual perspective and produced a vision of light that is stark and skeletal in places, and almost transparent in others, all beautifully observed. Her skillful drawing of bare branches and birds in flight is exquisite, producing an almost meditative effect.

Like many wild places in the area, Baggeridge Country Park is reclaimed from a hard-working industrial past, but now provides interesting walks and activities as well as varied habitats for plants, birds and animals.

The finished drawing is based on Jane's direct observation of the trees where she walks her dog almost every day. Her passion for the place is evident in the intensity of her vision.
 

winter trees; charcoal on paper, 42 x 60 cm/16.5" x 23.5", Jane

portrait of Fiona

Tina has started work on a portrait of Fiona, perhaps the first of a 'drawing allowed' series. 

It may become a large painting in oil, or perhaps the start of a series of paintings inspired by friends busy doing what they like doing.. in Fiona's case working on a crocheted blanket. It could also form the basis for a more complex work of multiple small-scale portraits. Or it may remain as it is. One of Tina's favourite things to say about art is that anything is possible, and that we can do anything we like, such a liberating thought.

Tina is fascinated by the facial expressions and head movements as people concentrate, and also their hands as they move through the necessary productive positions and gestures. In this initial exploration, she surprised herself by painting Fiona smiling as she worked. So, this is a starting point; an accomplished and insightful exploration that managed to surprise the artist but at the same time a source of inspiration for further work.

In the spirit of the twin-face of Janus, the name-sake of the month of January, we could all pause and look afresh at our work and sketchbooks, reflect and take inspiration from these starting points to further develop our future work, perhaps allowing ourselves and our work to develop and mature in surprising directions.

Fiona crocheting by Tina (watercolour and gouache)