January 2015 - Into a New year!

  

Tuesday, 20th January

Into the New Year from what has been for me a sad end of 2014. Before Christmas I lost my sister from cancer and although not unexpected was made all the more poignant by being at a time when all families get together. Her funeral was held in the little saxon church of Postling at the bottom of the North downs in east Kent on a most beautiful sunny winters day. She was an extremely accomplished botanical artist, and at her wake we hung her amazing paintings around the room - she was always modest about her achievements!  Some of them hopefully will be hung in the botanical exhibition at the Westminster hall this Spring- look for her name- Elizabeth Andrews.

Cushion prints - and Vicky (second daughter) and I have been printing the flower lino designs on to coloured linen squares which she will then make into beautiful cushions- they re hung about the kitchen like prayer flags........
                   
                                                                             

and draped over my fathers old desk.........

                                         

We'll keep you informed on the progress of the cushions- They should be on show during arts week this year.


I have started two etchings, both images are based on a silver birch tree on our land. I've been experimenting with aquatint -a resin process which helps you achieve different areas of tone- I stop out the bits that I want to keep light.  Here they are having had three sucessive dips in the acid.....

These are just test prints, they need to be worked into, I would like to print them in colour- and perhaps on silk, apparently Rembrandt did!