Friday 30 December 2011

An Ethereal Forest in California


I found this splendid painting by Pat Reese waiting for me when we arrived home from our Christmas travels. It's magical the way Pat has conveyed so much detail and atmosphere with each perfect stroke. I don’t think there’s one wasted mark here!
I’m guessing these are eucalypts, and that the card was painted using liquid graphite – Pat didn’t actually say much.  In fact, here’s the entire succinct message on the other side of the card. Isn’t it beautifully painted and just exactly right?



Sunday 25 December 2011

Pagoda in Katharine's local park



I have not even looked for Katherine’s signature on her postcard. The beautiful drawing of a park in her neighborhood with a pagoda could only have been drawn by her. It is her unique artistc style.

I used a magnifying glass to see what Katherine has used first. The red felt pen. Right? The red lines give the drawing a warm expression as in the postcards that we all cherish.

Even the colors of the stamps are matching those in her drawing!

Thank you Katherine so much for the beautiful card.

Friday 23 December 2011

A cup of french Earl Grey with Liz.

For some reason I am drinking much more tea since a few weeks back. It lifts many an eyebrow, because it is unthinkable that I would refuse a coffee for a tea.
"What happened? Are you sick?" Apart from a shoulder shrug and a lifted eyebrow myself, I didn't have an answer. Until I received my card from Liz. It hit me. Of course! It is Liz and her love for a cup of good tea!
For quite time Liz had been sketching these colorful tea scenes around a tea pot, a cup or two and yes...a tasty treat, like once again in this card. Now how does one stay on the right path when seduction is thrown so blatantly in your lap!

Thank you for a lovely tea scene, Liz, and I'm enjoying my cups of tea so much so, that now I'll be on the search for your latest discovery...French Earl Grey. By your hand I am becoming a refined lady!

Wednesday 21 December 2011

A handful of colour from Vivien

Always exciting to receive art from Vivien. I can simply leave you to enjoy!

...a worked-in etching...

The actual postcard" a little bit of autumn - we've just been toasting at 30 degrees c and Friday we'll have snow! Strange autumn weather"


...a close-up of Vivien's strokes...
And to continue through the gallery of Vivien's handful of colour..
..prints that I've put into a collage, showing her skill in capturing different atmopsheres of the ocean..

Last but not least...I have to show a bit of Vivien's mind...always some notes scribbled on the back of her paintings/drawings...something which makes her uniquely Vivien!Ii experienced it for the first time with our Flying pictures project a few years ago...and it hasn't changed!

...scribblings..

Hope you have enjoyed this handful of colour...I sure did and still am!
Thank you Vivien!

Tuesday 20 December 2011

Albrecht's Postcard from his Walk

Albrecht Rissler 2011
Graphite on paper 25cm x 15cm

I received Albrecht’s postcard on a day that was especially long and difficult.  After unloading all the stuff from my arms, schlepping everything from the car to the house, greeting and feeding all my furry animal family members waiting their turn to be given attention, I went over to the mail box and among all the bills I found this wonderful piece of Albrecht’s life.   There in my hand was a beautifully rendered sketch of what Albrecht sees out of his window.


Thank you, Albrecht, for this wonderful gift.

Friday 16 December 2011

Stunning Autumn Glory at Sheffield Park


This card needs no words.  Enjoy!   I certainly am.  It's genuinely tremendous!!

Thank you so much Katherine.  I have been studying it carefully working out the technique.  The delicate interlace of pen and coloured pencil works brilliantly.

Lucky me!

If you'd like to know more about the wonders of Sheffield Park see Katherine's recent posts on her sketchbook blog:

Wednesday 14 December 2011

A warm November from Martin

I received another card from Martin this month. I think he sent me one last month by mistake so now I have two! I love those kinds of errors and hope it continues! This month the postcard shows grey skies and barren trees as there hasn't been any snow until recently. Thank you so much Martin, I really am enjoying your cards! I love the "messiness" of the splattered paint and fingerprints which arrive on the written side of the card! It gives the card a true feeling of being painted on site!

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Trees in Scotland - a golf ball catch

Bridget Hunter sent me a nice card with a tree grove in typical Scottish colors. She critically reflects her latest ambitions in playing golf which at present mainly seems to be an excuse to have coffee and a giggle at the club house after a couple of golf balls have been buried between the tree trunks. She calls that exercise.

I think that it is this tabooless exchange of international customs that contributes a lot to the excitement in this postcard exchange. I am impressed by the quality of the gouache which arrived here in perfect condition. Thanks Bridget and good luck with golfing :).

Monday 5 December 2011

Fresh from Coin Perdu


I'm not sure exactly which month this card was scheduled for - in between Ronelle going through a hectic time, and it sitting unannounced in my local post office - at last I got a notice that this envelope was 'still' waiting to be collected. Addressed to Mme, I knew who it would be from and was as excited as a child to see the brown envelope and the familiar free, exuberant style of the sketch on the front. Inside, it was Christmas come early with another joyous sketch of the old 1840 outside bread oven at Coin Perdu, Ronelle's private paradise, which will one day be converted into her atelier - and the treats hinted at by previous lucky postcard-from-Ronelle recipients - what a breath of warm, freshly baked tourte et pain from France.

Saturday 3 December 2011

My October card from Vivien

Vivien sent me this wonderful card which she says began its life as an oil painting but then wanted to be mixed media. Well what ever she did to create this beautiful postcard works for me! I love everything about it, the colors, the textures. It is really wonderful to explore all the secret areas in this card, which by the way is huge! Thanks Vivien!

Thursday 1 December 2011

Fall colours from Switzerland

My share of Felicity’s lovely botanical drawings fluttered out of the mailbox today! As she has done so beautifully before,  Felicity has highlighted colours in her exquisite drawing with a suitably perfect Swiss stamp.  Thank you Felicity!