To thank you for your support, I've added a coupon code, which you can find on the Facebook page PurrrArt - just 'like' the page and grab your code for a 20% discount! I'm sure you clever peeps know that's a whole 5th off your order! This includes EVERYTHING in the shop!
It's only on til Sunday night, though, so pop in this week for your Christmas shopping!
OK. I'll stop shouting now and leave you with a few bits and bobs you might like to have a peek at!
Originals of Josie, Audrey and Coop and the Llama are being framed as we speak and I'll be picking them up either today or tomorrow to take into the TP gallery on Friday morning!
This feels like the culmination of my 20-year obsession with this series. I don't even care if nothing comes of it and I end up selling nothing! What a weirdo!
I've had some trouble getting new business cards printed up in time, so I'm making some extra special ones up here instead (see photo above) ;)
OK. Now I'm getting a hankering for some kind of sweet edible doo dah... If I can find these ingredients in the shop later, I'm making this. I don't know what it is - my greedy tummy just made it up - but I reckon the ingredients will be divine together!!
The background for this painting has been hanging around the house for ages - a peachy-pink canvas with a kind of soft light emanating out. I didn't know what to do with it for long enough, then a few evenings ago, I looked at it and immediately saw in my mind's eye what should appear...and here she is. Lady Gray - Lady of the Manor, no less! I hope you like her!
I decoupaged some Dangerous Liaisons Book pages onto the canvas and outlined the main painting in artist's ink to liken her to a 1950s fashion-drawing. Oh, Edith Head , I wish I could draw like you!!
Then after making sure all edges were fixed with no loose paper, I lightly painted the edges with gold paint.
One more thing, in case anyone was wondering, as was a friend of mine earlier today...I cannot bring myself to rip up old, rare books! The books I use are rarely older than 30 years old and I make sure there are a lot of them around before tearing pages out to use in art projects ;)
Also joining Lady Gray...another little long-term and experimental project has recently come to fruition, too:
These little cameos have been waiting...and waiting...and waiting for me to do something useful with them and I think we've done it!
Protected with layers and layers of resin, painted gold around the edges and sprayed lightly with golden glitter, they're perfect for the Tree this Christmas! As they were experimental prototypes, there are only two of them, so if you like them, grab them now!
Just a couple fo photos to show you what I'm up to! After lots and lots of thinking and a bit of getting stunted along the way, i'm working on this again:
I'm not exactly sure where it's going yet, but am going to just let it happen, rather than trying to force it - that's always the best way. A couple of people have suggested what they think I should add or remove, and I kind of lost my way with it, worrying about what other epople think AND THAT IS A TRAP! Don't fall in there - just let it happen in your own way. Having said that, I think we should always keep our ears open., just in case there is some good advice floating around out there...
It's difficult sometimes to tread the fine line between taking advice and being pushed one way or another in a direction which doesn't necessarily suit you.
There was a big old George Harrison documentary (by Scorcese) on over the weekend. I enjoyed it immensely, so I'll leave you with this. Properly inspiring!
Over at the shop yesterday, I said I'd show you a few framed ladies, who will soon be on sale - and I will in a moment, but first, I managed to finally finish this:
"Queen Bee" acylic on canvas board (10" x 12")
I took a while out to study bee anatomy :)
I just had to add that golden, oval frame around the edge, too, like honey! Mmmm. Yes - I do know that Bumble Bees do not make honey - at least not enough for us humans to get our greedy mitts upon! They do, however, like to take a nibble when they get the chance, as Amelia and I have found on many-a bee-rescue!
I'll be putting her in the shop tomorrow, along with these ladies....
"Dorothea" Walnut-framed print 5" x 7"
I'm a bit obsessed with this walnut frame at the moment - it reminds me of something which would be on the Titanic - it definitely has more than a hint of the early 20th Century about it....which is why I decided it would suit 'Dorothea' perfectly!
Walnut and black lacquer. Drool!
For something altogether more flowery...
"Patrice" White rose-framed 4" x 6"
Dorothea wanted a go, too:
"Dorothea" White Rose-framed 4" x 6"
I also found this lovely little thing:
"Miss Harrington" Pink Oval-framed 5" x 7"
Too cute! There was a little extra plaster on the little frame 'feet' when I bought it, but with a little golden magic, we went from this:
to this:
So that's all for now. Drop round to the shop for a closer peek tomorrow! :) I must go and pick little madam up from school now.
Yay! It's Friday again! We're wondering what to do for bonfire night this year. Looks like it's going to be a chilly one, so I've been in the mood for choosing a few cosy, wrap-up-warm type items to share with you.
Look! It's the cosiest, SAFEST bonfire you've ever seen!
One day, I'm going to get me one of those beauties. I imagine sitting there, with all my papers nicely organised (yeah, nice dream...) and maybe one of these in front of me:
Lovely! Actually, I got a bit lost in their shop for a while. Go and have a look if you have time - lots of good pressie ideas for everyone there. I was also taken by the idea of this soap:
Whatever you're up to, have a good one! I'm off to the PO in a short while, having to drag along a poorly Amelia (horrible mummy!) who's off school with a cough and cold. We're planning on painting and finishing off the pendants when we come back, then making pumpkin soup for dinner. MMmmm! Can't wait!
Hello! Yes - the bookmarks are in the shop, along with a few postcards!
I found a box with a few different types of postcards in there - some hot pink, crazy colour ones; some lovely, calming light blue; some sweet oyster pealr and some gorgeous champagne gold, along with the lovely and ever-popular clean, plain white ;)
This is something that often bugs me. Pricing my own artwork is one of the most difficult aspects of this job. Although people have often argued that I price my work too cheaply, I can't help but feel a sense of guilt, as though I'm cheating people if I charge any more than I do. Maybe I'm just looking at it in the wrong way - maybe because it is me who is producing this work, from my own mind, it's more difficult to see it as anything special. Does that make any sense at all? Maybe I shouldn't be so tough on myself - I do absolutely live art - there isn't a moment that goes by when I don't feel inspired by something, am not dreaming some new image or idea up, so maybe I am actually working nonstop, so if I were to be paid by the hour...well, that would be very nice!
Actually, becoming a producer of all things arty, I have become a workaholic. Sometimes it's impossible to see a way of stopping - there's always something I haven't quite caught up with, then when I'm so tired I can't possibly concentrate on anything more, I sit down...and start drawing...
Don't get me wrong - I feel SO, SO lucky I don't have to go to work picking and packing cabbages (done that, got RSI in my wrist) or parcelling up polystyrene cups (also done - no injuries reported).. I love this job and wouldn't change it for anything. I think it's the first job I have had where I don't EVER feel boredom creeping in, because there is the possibility of going in any direction, working with anyone, travelling anywhere for inspiration. I want to make these things I do and pass them onto you, to brighten your lives, too...and it's almost like collecting like-minded members of a new family. Lovely!
And so... onto the recent projects...
Bookmarks!
I've been a-hankerin' to make some of these up for months and months, and have finally been able to get around to it!
For the moment, it's just these three Bookish Girls - "Armfulls of Books" (above)
"Patrice" (below left) and "Anais" (below right)
They're printed onto that lovely Epson Matte Archival paper, then mounted onto nice, strong card which has been layered with gold paint. I kept the brush strokes loose and obvious, so it looks kind of rough and more natural, although obviously decadent at the same time - I love that contrast, like wearing your best dress to go tree climbing... I have double-layered the card, just to neaten and strngthen it that bit more.
there are only a very small amount of them at the moment, but if people like them, there will be more!
The other thing - you kow the pendant disaster? Well, here's what hapopened if you missed it: Can you see the blue? That's the one which turned out best - the others had much more blueness. I think it's the chemical composition of the new pendant trays which I had ordered, so I've ordered some different, round ones, which should hopefully turn out more like this:
This time, instead of the silver, I've gone for antique gold, which looks just amazing with the book page backgrounds! I'm hoping to get them done by the end of the week, and the bookmarks in the shop tomorrow!
Also, there are a few Holiday items on the way, inspired by this:
