A Postcard From My Walk

Sheep - With a little French Chic!

2012-03-07T12:01:00.028Z

This is Ronelle's card to me. A gorgeous array detailing some of her neighbours sheep. I love the way she has managed to catch their expressions. The one on the far right looks extraordinarily haughty, looking down her nose as if to say "La, who are you interrupting our lunch time?" I think she has been to see a coiffeur to have her eyelashes curled - only a French sheep could look that chic!

The envelope matches the card with another wonderfully expressive painting. As others have said in previous posts, Ronelle's use of gouache against the brown of the envelope works really well. I don't have any gouache paints nor do I have any brown tinted paper - but I might have to go out and purchase some!

Willow reflections

2012-03-04T11:57:00.001Z

Katherine's card popped up at Coin Perdu in the New Year, but it was actually done still in the old year. Maybe reflecting on the old year, while sketching the reflections of the willow...?

..the willows..
done in colored pencil and pen on Arches HP paper, 19x28.5cm

Between the full sketch and the crop below, one can get a great feeling of the marks Katherine makes with her pencils and pen. a lot of cross hatching, some erasing for the higlights, some darker pressure here and a soft touch there... I especially love the darkness of the reflections breaking up into softer tones and hues and more highlights and finally disappear into the lefthand corner, adding such lovely diagonal movement. I feel as if I'm slowly passing in a canoe, dragging my hand through the ripples and reflections.

...the willows(détail)...

Katherine chose to compliment the Loire here in my world with her sketch of the willows at the basin of the Regent's canal there in her world...very appropriate and very special! Thank you for a lovely card Katherine!

A Moody and Changeable Day in Cornwall

2012-03-01T12:00:00.004Z

I received this beautiful card from Vivien this week.
"Distant rain, the wet sand shining with pinks and mauves and layers of cloud"
Vivien has captured it perfectly with her watercolour washes overlaid with coloured pencil.
I really wish I could draw/paint coastal scenes more, and haven't been able to get out to the beach much this summer (due to our wet and cold weather) so it is a real treat to have this propped up in front of me ... enjoying and studying it all month.

Thanks Vivien!

My last postcard is from Ronelle, well worth the wait!

2012-02-28T00:00:00.000Z

Well the tales and pictures of the wonderful packages that Ronelle sent to everyone was almost too much to bear all year. I knew that I was going to be last and I could hardly stand the suspense of what she might be sending. When the package arrived in my mailbox I was giggling with glee, knowing that it was here!! The beautiful painting on the envelope was amazing, making me completely baffled on what could possibly out do that. I truly loved the envelope painting so much I am going to frame that one, I love tonal papers and paint, wonderful. When I opened the package I was thrilled to see gifts sliding out, candy, paper, postcard but you all know what she sends! She writes that she painted her horses for me since she knows I had horses at one time. She mentions that she would love to sneak a few more onto the property, when she can. I remember the wonderful years we owned and raised horses, it was a magical time! So many beautiful memories with Jennifer, running the hills, exploring the mountain trails with the dogs by our sides. Enjoy this special time in your life Ronelle, may it last forever and be all you hope it to be. Thank you so much for making the end our our International Postcard exchange so memorable!

I also want to take this opportunity to thanks all the amazing artists that participated in this exchange. Each month I couldn't wait to get my postcard, to see the world through your eyes and share a minute in time with each of you. It has meant so much for me to be able to say I was a part of this group and I will cherish the time we have spent together. Also, a big hug and thank you to Ronelle and Katherine who worked together to make this happen for all of us, you are much loved !

Desiree

Standing together in Orvieto with Robyn, someday!

2012-02-26T00:00:00.000Z

My card from Robyn arrived, reviving wonderful memories of the Piazza Duomo in Orvieto, Italy. She talks about the quaint little buildings in the shadow of the church. An amazing church, I remember so clearly as there happened to be a wedding the day we were there and I have wonderful pictures of the bride on the steps. I also bought some of the hand painted tiles that are sold in the village shops. They say that the local children paint them, I don't know if its true but I want to believe it is. We carried home those tiles and some hand forged, iron rings for our outdoor room where they sit today and a reminder of our wonderful trip.Her postcard is a painting of the clock tower that I think we climbed to the top of and took some amazing photos of the surrounding vistas! Next time we shall meet in the Piazza for a gelato or a cappuccino and sketch together!!

My card from Liz!

2012-02-24T00:00:00.001Z

My card arrived from Liz some time ago, I have been so distracted with family issues I haven't posted it until now although it brought me much joy! I don't know how she manages, in a few perfectly placed strokes, to convey such beautiful buildings. Ahhh, I am so glad to study the card so I can try and apply Liz's techniques during my next plein air session! If the building weren't enough on the other side of the card were wonderful friends of BB's, Paddo, Peter-Lewis,Palmer-Portland,Hamish-Edinburgh,Llyr-Wales. Looks like the many friends he has met on his many vacations with Liz. Oh I wish I had the life of this bear! Thanks so much Liz, I love my card, and Jenn does too!

Angel Wing Begonias from California

2012-02-22T00:00:00.000Z

This card reached me in the middle of the winter, when it was extremely cold here in Germany. You can imagine that this sunny greetings from California came at the right time. It's is a beautiful outlook to coming springtime. Desiree wrote about the warm days and cold nights over there, and that the yard is blooming soon. The Angel Wing Begonias are among her favorite flowers. Their color can change from pinks to red depending on the amount or lack of sun, she wrote.
Thank you very much for this precious little piece of art, Desiree. I love it!
Albrecht

Softly rendered perfection of mysterious origin

2012-02-20T12:05:00.011Z

Vivien Blackburn

Vivien sent me these exquisitely-defined feathers collected by her students on a nature walk. As there was no sign of the previous owner, they had to guess what birds might have lost them – poor things will be missing that lovely downy warmth, whoever they are!

In fact Vivien was quite sure an owl and a quail were involved, but I went ahead and did some speculation of my own after noticing this disgruntled cat (I wish I could draw cats as easily and expressively as Vivien!) on the stamp on the back of the card…. I know cats don’t have feathers, but I believe this one suspects Vivien has hi-jacked his colour scheme for that lovely big feather in the middle. This is not a working cat BTW, Vivien’s postcard was carefully enclosed in an envelope, with a regular British stamp, so the Queen did the heavy work in getting this tiny perfect masterpiece all the way from England to Victoria in a record four days!

Warm colour from Cold Geneva

2012-02-18T12:00:00.004Z

I have been looking forward to seeing Felicity's exquisitely delicate drawings up close and personal, and when I opened the clean white envelope from Geneva (I am very quick to clear the postbox after what happened to my card from Charlene!) there it was, my very own original Felicity Grace botanical. Her artwork looks ready for print in a fine art book - from the subtlest variations of tone and colour to the even splattering of the background, every detail is just perfect. Even the two bird stamps are colour co-ordinated and look quite in their element with the oak leaves and acorn.

On the other side, her trademark little snail, and two daffodils - she's eagerly waiting for Spring to arrive in freezing cold Switzerland. Spring over there means Autumn here, and I'm not at all ready for that, sorry Felicity, I'm selfishly hanging onto summer for a while longer, but I'll have your lovely oak leaves to remind me of what there is to look forward to!

The Barrier Reef

2012-02-16T12:09:00.000Z

Alison's Sketchercise took her for a swim near the Great Barrier Reef. While spending time in this uniquely beautiful place she took the time to paint and send me a postcard. I feel very special. You can see by the intense color that this is deep clear and clean water. Not something you see every day. I have lived near the coast all of my life but this is not color you see in my part of the world. I think you have to be under the water for this kind of color. My camera has not done the colors justice but still it is a remarkable painting. I will treasure this beauty, thank you, Alison.

Cold cold snow and warm pools from Charlene

2012-02-14T12:00:00.003Z

Upper Hot Springs swimming pool by Charlene

Charlene says this is the pool where she learned how to swim. It's above Banff (not of course our original Banff, in Scotland - hypothermia would be the result there! but it's namesake in Canada) . The water is 40C, which she feels is the only temperature to swim in . Warm water in the snow - amazing.

I remember seeing a film of monkeys in Japan lazing in hot pools in the snow - with blissful faces :>) - it must be a heavenly experience, swimming in nice warm water and seeing that view.

Charlene's marks are kept so simple and uncluttered - but the grandeur of the scene and the activity of the swimmers comes across so effectively.

Thank you Charlene :>)

Warmth from South Africa on a snowy day

2012-02-12T12:00:00.002Z

Cathy Gatland - trees she regularly passes

This lovely study of warm sunlight with its contrasting deep shadow arrived from South Africa, bringing some lush sunshine into my day. :>)

And more sunshine on the reverse with delicately observed fallen blossoms and pretty stamps of wildlife.

There's a lovely, unfussy use of watercolour to catch the growth, the flowers and the light with the drama of contrasts handled beautifully.

And such lovely neat calligraphy - unlike my illegible scrawl!

The splash of warmth was extra welcome as our garden is currently under a few inches of snow. The house tiger is on the bedroom windowsill watching, fascinated.

My last cards go off on Monday - so sad that it's all coming to an end. The time has simply flown by. I now have a collection of delicious cards from all over the globe :>)

Azure Seas off Australia

2012-02-10T12:00:00.000Z

When I saw this sparkling card from Alison, I thought, Wow, do they have such turquoise seas in England?... but reading the other side I found that she'd done it from a sketch on her recent holiday on Lizard Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef!

It sounds quite idyllic, fringed by coral and with shallow waters so the colour of the sea changes constantly, not surprising that Alison sat and watched it for hours. I love the way she's allowed the watercolours to blend freely, suggesting so subtly 'things' under the surface and the movement and breaking of the waves.

Its a lovely, uplifting card that reminds me of a few perfect holidays at the coast where I've been lucky enough to occasionally experience such gorgeous sea colours.

I loved the Roald Dahl stamp too, in spite of the P.O. smudging their stamp of officialdom rather carelessly.

Monotype Beauty

2012-02-08T12:35:00.002Z

Ink sketch on monotype - Martin Stankewitz

Martin created this beautiful postcard from a monotype. He called it 'scrap' but it only took a few magical pen strokes for him to turn it into a wonderfully evocative landscape.

This card is particularly precious to me as Martin's monotypes have long been an inspiration and he is so generous in sharing his knowledge. The bonus is the characteristic penmanship that picks out the details of the scene with the little village and church steeple on the horizon. Do you get the impression I am delighted?

Flip the card over and there are two beautiful floral stamps with their promise of Spring.

This is my second last card. How sad it will be when the postman again brings only bills!

My last card - Birdies from Robyn

2012-02-05T12:00:00.044Z

Robins and a blue tit by Robyn

I have a folder on my computer and inside it are all the scans of the postcards I've received over the last twelve months from A Postcard from my Walk project. It's a mini gallery - as this blog is - of all the postcards from this wonderful project which I have enjoyed so much - even if I've been a little late with my own postcards from time to time!

This image has just joined them and, if my reckoning is correct, this makes it the last card that I'm due to receive from this project.

How appropriate then that that my last card should be Robins by Robyn!

She tells me that her exercise during winter is climbing up her garden steps in Castiglion Fiorentino to fill the bird feeders which apparently the local cats think is the new locale of a brand new restaurant for them. It's so tricky getting bird feeders located where you get at them easily but the cats can't!

It must be even trickier now that the garden in Castiglion Fiorentino has had snow and expeditions by manly blokes are required to bring home the bird seed!

Robyn has sketched her birds in fluid acrylic - which surprised me as I initially thought it was watercolour. I'm still trying to work out how she managed the splendid spattered background without getting it all over the birds too!

Thank you so much for my Italian birdies which will always remind me of Robin!

A snowy card in the middle of summer

2012-01-30T12:00:00.002Z

It is such a treat to be part of this postcard exchange and to get such wonderful cards from such a varied group - in location and style. I must say that I have been looking forward to seeing one of Charlene's masterpieces in real life and was very excited to get this stunner in the post! Wow! I love the way she handles a snowy landscape.

Painting snow is something that I have never done... in fact I have only seen snow 4 times (up close) in my life. One skiing trip as a kid, 2 summer visits to our snow fields(there were a few remaining drifts only) and a white Xmas in Scotland... so this majestic scene of Castle Mountain half way between Banff and Lake Louise is extra special.

Thanks Charlene! I love it!

Five things which are important to Liz Steel

2012-01-28T10:47:00.002Z

Architecture, her religious belief and a cup of tea!

I love this card because it tells me it's been painted by Liz Steel - even if I didn't recognise her very characteristic sketching.

There are three things which are important to Liz Steel.

Liz loves sketching architecture (see Sketching Architecture). This is the church of St Francis of Assisi in the Paddington area of Sydney. (The link in the name tells the interesting story of the architecture of this church - just in case Liz doesn't already know it.)

Not a very Australian subject... Most parish churches in Sydney are simplified English Gothic...so of course the dramatic morning shadow of the main arch caught my eye.

Liz's religious belief is very important to her - and I regard the church as symbolic of that

Liz also believes in the vital importance of a cup of tea - I do love the fact that her cups of tea appear all the time in her sketches and now I've got one of my own!

Finished the card off with a cup of tea - Taylors of Harrogate Earl Grey in a Royal Albert Regency Blue cup + using a surprise gift teapot from Cris in Malaga Spain who I met in Lisbon

Actually - make that four things most important to Liz Steel. Sketching with friends is also high on her list of very important activities - and it's nice to see this also reflected in her card. Lisbon was the venue for the 2nd Urban Sketchers Symposium and the link goes to all Liz' posts about sketching in that city.

Borromini looks after this sketch - as per usual

I also loved the Borromini Bear stamp on the rear! As if any sketch by Liz could be produced without his presence! :)

Duh! Make that five things which are important to Liz Steel - architecture, her religious belief, a cup of tea, sketching with friends and little Borromini - who's a very well travelled little bear!

PS Now I've got it I want to know what Liz used for her postcard. It looks like the ideal surface and weight for painting postcards.

Sacred Ibis conquers previously-impossible South Africa-Canada route!

2012-01-25T12:05:00.002Z

Turns out only postcards sent from Canada to South Africa are doomed. This splendid bird, and the Johannesburg park over which he reigns, made it the other way with no problems at all. Here’s a link to a map showing some of the other delightful sketches Cathy has done in this same park.

The other side is beautifully painted and in perfect condition as well, so have a look at the totally-readable and wonderfully welcome message from Cathy. Isn't it terrific!

The Sad Tale of Two Postcards

2012-01-23T12:05:00.002Z

As the Chinese Year of the Dragon starts today, I have to finally accept that the postcard Charlene sent me at the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit is probably never going to get here - the joyously colourful Gate of Harmonius Interest in Chinatown, Victoria that she luckily scanned for her records and eventually emailed to me. When it became obvious that some misfortune had befallen it, I begged Charlene for another one to complete my collection, and in her busy life and travels she found time to create the beautiful, crisp Banff glacial scene of Mt.Lefroy and Victoria Glacier below.

After a few weeks I once again became anxious that it hadn't arrived yet, and went to investigate my garden more closely....

...and this is what I found, bedraggled and forlorn under a bush nearby. Our postbox had its brass stolen by metal thieves some weeks before, and if letters are pushed too enthusiastically into the hole left behind, they shoot right through to the other side. Which is what happened to postcard #2 from Victoria to Johannesburg, plus some heavy Highveld thunderstorms and a few paper-munching snails - a very sorry end to a long journey and Charlene's lovely artwork.

The Snail Post

2012-01-21T11:57:00.009Z

This is a beautiful card all the way from Geneva. Its theme is " found little things" specifically chosen for their shape and colour when Felicity was out walking.

The other respondents here will understand when I say that its really difficult to show all the nuances of colour, shading and detail which Felicity captures in these wonderfully delicate studies.

And who appears on the envelope - The Snail Post - suitable attired for the festive season.

I love this wee touch of humour Felicity.

Thankyou for my card.

The call of the wild - winter greetings from Banff

2012-01-18T12:00:00.012Z

I have to admit I was looking forward to this, a card from Charlene. Charlene lives in an area that counts to the dream landscapes on this planet. Also Charlene has been traveling to magnificent places, as for example to Machu Pichu too. So I knew that the card from Charlene would be something special in any case.

But getting such beautiful a card from Banff however strikes a special nerve with me. It brings up the memories of my young days and the extensive reading of Jack London and the great landscapes of Canada and Alaska. Charlene' s Water color card shows the city of Banff surounded by gorgeous mountain vistas.

Growth and Transcience in Nature

2012-01-16T12:00:00.003Z

A truly stunning card from Albrecht. I would be delighted to receive just one of Albrecht's pencil sketches but now I have two and both are equally beautiful! On the front is coloured pencil drawing with the words 'Growth and transcience in nature. On the way to Holy Mountain (Heiligenberg)'.

On the back, another very delicate sketch from Heidelberg. I'm at a loss to describe how lovely this card is but I think you'll agree it speaks for itself! Thank you so much Albrecht!

Baubles and Fir Trees

2012-01-10T12:00:00.002Z

How would you feel to see this bright, colourful card lying on the doormat on a dreich December afternoon when you'd just struggled in laden with gifts for the grandchildren after a tiring day's shopping. My reaction was to kick off the boots, make a coffee and sit down to enjoy looking at Pat's wonderful Christmas design.

Then turning it over I was doubly blessed to see a beautiful winter tree study, so simply but effectively drawn.

The card became part of the Christmas decorations, nestling in amongst the holly on the mantlepiece for the rest of the holiday. Thankyou for this Pat.

A Favourite View

2012-01-08T12:01:00.008Z

"My favourite view in the whole house, a corner view over my spa tub. This view encourages lots of daily soakings!" These are Desiree's words, and wow, with a tree like this to gaze at, I'd happily be ensconced in the spa tub all day. What a glorious colour! This is a pistache tree and it's leaves were this lovely flaming pink / gold a few weeks ago. It's not a tree I'm familiar with. I guess it likes the mild climate of California rather than the vagaries of English weather!

Desiree says her husband had threatened to rip the tree out, because it doesn't always colour up like this. The tree must have overheard the threat and fearing for it's life, burst forth this autumn like never before. The tree is now saved! Thank goodness, otherwise I'd never have had the pleasure of receiving such a gem!

My golden treasure.

2012-01-06T13:14:00.010Z

Just before New Year, my postman drove all the way to the house to drop me my mail. We are now on good foot...we should be! I bought a calender from him! And to my delight, it was a postcard from Robyn. My Christmas was extended with a whole week.

It was an experiment she did with oil pastels on a gold acrylic ground. The gold doesn't show up so well with the scan so I took some photo's on angles with added light to catch the gold. I wanted you to see the gold acrylic ground.
On Robyn's blog you can see more of this technique she is playing around with(or messing around with, as she calls it...). How does the saying go..."One person's mess is another person's treasure"...?

...the gold reflects beautifully in the dark corner bottom left...

...more golden reflections on the ground and a view on "Giornata mondiale del teatro"...

Thank you for my golden treasure, Robyn!

Night Sketcher

2012-01-04T11:19:00.000Z

Coloured pencil on black paper - Vivien Blackburn

14.5 x 19.5 cms

I really can't call this beautiful nocturne from Vivien a postcard. It's a painting and it absolutely delights me. It has some of the magic of Van Gogh but is distinctly and beautifully Vivien Blackburn.

I'm off to buy a frame!

An Ethereal Forest in California

2011-12-30T15:40:00.000Z

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?

Pagoda in Katharine's local park

2011-12-25T13:14:00.001Z

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.

A cup of french Earl Grey with Liz.

2011-12-23T09:45:00.002Z

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!

A handful of colour from Vivien

2011-12-21T23:59:00.000Z

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!

Albrecht's Postcard from his Walk

2011-12-20T01:31:00.001Z

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.

Stunning Autumn Glory at Sheffield Park

2011-12-16T14:16:00.000Z

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:

A warm November from Martin

2011-12-14T12:00:00.000Z

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!

Trees in Scotland - a golf ball catch

2011-12-07T18:35:00.007Z

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 :).

Fresh from Coin Perdu

2011-12-05T12:05:00.001Z

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.

My October card from Vivien

2011-12-03T12:00:00.002Z

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!

Fall colours from Switzerland

2011-12-01T12:05:00.001Z

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!

Jacaranda blossom viewing at Johannesburg

2011-11-29T12:00:00.013Z

Thank you Cathy for this nice card with Jacaranda trees in full bloom at the beginning of November. The Jacaranda tree was imported from South America about 100 years ago to South Africa.The pink spot in the background are Bougainvillea bloming at the same time.

The flowers of the Jacaranda tree fall constantly like rain, Cathy says on the card, and gardeners have a hard time to clean their pavements. The whole spectacle seems to last only for a short period of time until everything is green again. I feel very lucky that it was my turn to get a November postcard documenting the bloom of Jacaranda trees at Johannesburg.

By the way: Johannesburg is said to be the city with the largest man made forest with six million trees in public parcs and on private property. It is worth while to google a bit about Johannesburg and Jacaranda trees!

A Golden Glow in Richmond Park

2011-11-27T12:00:00.006Z

A view of Richmond Park, London in the glow of an Autumn sun.

Richmond Park is a very special place for Alison and she says that without it she couldn't survive in London. In her beautiful loose,watercolour style she's put down the "raw sienna carpet of bracken as it dies back and the copper gold of the beach leaves".

She tells me that the park has a path which runs right the way around it and that there are parts that are densely wooded with magnificent old oak trees. That's my kind of place too - there's just something about trees that bring a sense of peace and belonging especially if the trees are as aged and wise as these.

I've never been to Richmond Park but Alison makes it sound and look very appealing.

Thank you for this lovely card.

Alloway Auld Kirk

2011-11-25T12:00:00.003Z

Today I received this amazing postcard from Bridget. Wow!!!!

It is of the church in the village of Alloway – the setting for Robert Burn's poem Tam O’Shanter. Although I am in love with Scotland and been there 9 times in the past 12 years, I have only had limited exposure to Burns and did not know this poem at all. Of course I have looked it up now

She prophesied that late or soon,Thou wad be found, deep drown'd in Doon,Or catch'd wi' warlocks in the mirk,By Alloway's auld, haunted kirk.

Just wish I had someone with a lovely thick Scottish accent to read me the whole poem!

Thank you Bridget – this card has really made my day and I am going to really enjoy looking at it all month...till the card arrives (this exchange is just so much fun!!!)

An Indian Summer from Heidelberg

2011-11-23T12:05:00.005Z

A glorious sun-dappled pathway up the Heiligenberg is my eagerly awaited card from Albrecht this month. I can clearly sense the delight of walking here in this bonus bit of summer, bringing with it a range of colours never seen here before - of which Albrecht thoughtfully drew up a chart for me to 'fill in' his drawing with!! But Albrecht, you forgot to put the numbers where each colour should go... ;-) Besides, the line drawing is quite descriptive enough. On the other side, a sparkling sketch of plane trees in front of his window give me a good idea of the colour version - what a beautiful postcard, I love the touch of the sketchbook perforations down the side.

The coast near Porthgwarra

2011-11-21T12:00:00.000Z

The sea at Porthgwarra, Cornwall
(mixed media)
Vivien Blackburn

Walks for sketching sometimes have to take second place to other commitments - particularly when a family member has been in hospital as has happened to Vivien recently.

This then is another of Vivien's experiments of sketching from her memories of a scene from a walk in Cornwall along the coast near Porthgwarra.

I thought I'd misread the spelling to start with - but checked it - and it's definitely Porthgwarra. I wasn't sure where this was despite Vivien's description - so took a look at the map

Location of Porthgwarra Cove (see arrow)

It's where the arrow is on the map (click and open in a new tab to see a bigger image). That's west of Porthcurno and south of Lands End. The reason I was confused is that I'd forgotten that Lands End is not the most southerly point of the UK - it's the most westerly point - and is just off the north west corner of this map.

This is how the Sennen Cove website describes Porthgwarrow - and it's definitely a good place for a walk!

A superb, secluded Cornish Cove just under 3 miles southeast of Lands End. Porthgwarra is steeped in history and tradition - one time a busy fishing cove , now just one boat regularly works crab pots from here.
The cliff path leads away west towards Lands End (roughly 1.5 hours walk) , and east towards Porthcurno (45 minutes) - both very scenic and dramatic routes !

Vivien says she was trying to catch the movement and varying depths of the water - with the rocks half seen underwater. She assures me that the sea around this part of Cornwall really is the colour she's painted it! :)

What I like about it is that look of translucency of the water - I'm more familiar with the water off the west coast of Scotland and it very much reminds me of seas I've seen there. It's also got that sense of the swirling movement of the water in a cove which is so difficult to catch.

I'm told the art media used for the postcard included gouache, coloured pencils, tippex and a secret ingredient. My lips are sealed!

Liquid graphite from Pat

2011-11-19T14:13:00.024Z

Yesterday this beautiful monochrome experiment with graphite watercolour arrived from Pat, There are lots of subtleties of tone that sadly my scanner is refusing to pick up without overdarkening the darks,

Pat you've caught the light in woodland beautifully with this - it's so much like walking through our local woods with those lovely patches of mystery where you can hardly tell what's going on, and the intensely backlit leaves, silhouetted against darker foliage behind.

I have some water soluble graphite pencils but can see that this is another thing to add to my wish list!

and on the reverse

Sadly these little studies don't scan well but they are really lovely with subtlety and lost edges.

Flying Autumn Leaves from Felicity

2011-11-17T14:06:00.021Z

These lovely sensitive studies of flying autum leaves dropped through my letter box last week - an echo of what's happening all around me. I like the little specks of paint that add to the sense of movement.

and on the reverse

beautiful studies of 'helicopters' and a crab apple.

So evocative of autum. Thank you Felicity - it's lovely :>)

Another view of Dresden

2011-11-15T12:00:00.003Z

Bautzener Strasse in Dresden

I'm not quite sure if I'm posting late or in advance as Desiree has also posted a postcard this from Martin from Dresden. However I think there's a few which are a bit out of synch so I'm not going to worry and will post in any case!

This is a pen and ink sketch of Bautzener Strasse in Dresden where Martin was taking a short holiday.

Martin tells me that the street is very famous for being home to a shop called Pfunds Molkerei (Pfund's Dairy) - which today is a cheese shop (the link is to the website which is in German). I put the website through Google translate and it came back with an English Translation telling me that the shop is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the "most beautiful dairy shop in the world equipped with 247.90 square meters of hand-painted tiles from Villeroy and Boch". You can see a photograph of the interior here - it looks truly amazing! Wikipedia (Germany) also has some good images. For anybody wanting to visit, this its location on Google Maps.

Thanks for thinking of my taste buds Martin!

Postcard from California

2011-11-13T12:00:00.002Z

Isn't this wonderful? I never imagined when we started the postcard exchange that I would be getting a leopard! This lovely leopard lazing in the sunshine comes all the way from California where Desiree painted it during a family trip out to San Diego Zoo. The colours are beautiful - the rich, deep greens in the background and the subtle blues and pinks on the rock - and I love the way the light is reflecting off the stone on to his fur.

I love the back too, decorated with a lovely pen sketch and animal tracks! Thank you so much Desiree for taking time out from a busy family day to do this fabulous card!

Postcard from Castiglion Fiorentino

2011-11-11T14:05:00.001Z

Thank you so much Robyn for this lovely card. The images on the card increase my wish to travel to Italy again. Yes, in fact, it would be terrific if we met one day and sketched together. The quince – including the leaf – you've painted looks perfect in color and shape. I can almost feel the velvet surface. I think your report of your afternoon sketch group and the other information you have written can be read easily here on the blog. Thanks again! Albrecht

The City of Dresden- from Martin

2011-11-09T12:00:00.001Z

I received my postcard from Martin today! It is a wonderful sketch of the city of Dresden and one of the famous Castles views and bridge. He says he often comes here to see something? I must say that if Martin wasn't an artist I would think he was a doctor with the handwriting I am unable to read! Sorry Martin, I love the card all the same! It has such a mood to it, as do all your cards. The wonderful values give the river a real shine. There is even a hint of color in the hills!

Emmarentia Dam with Cathy-my July postcard has arrived

2011-11-05T12:00:00.003Z

Cathy's postcard from July finally arrived and I am so thrilled. Cathy has a wonderful way of painting people, you feel like you are right there with the crowd. I love the fisherman standing by the shoreline, the shadows are wonderful and my eye just wants to explore all the details.

It has been so long Cathy didn't remember what she sent me. Thank you Cathy for my wonderful card, well worth the wait.

The scene is the Emmarentia Dam and on the back of the card is an orchid, hidden in the shadows of a shady corner. The stamps are also wonderful and so colorful. I smudged the writing in photoshop!

Charlene in Austria

2011-11-03T13:30:00.002Z

My postcard from Charlene Brown has arrived and what a surprise, it is from Austria! Charlene is such a peripatetic artist. I'm thinking there could be a book in 'Where's Charlene Now?' Of course she is more than capable of writing, illustrating and publishing such a book herself. I would appreciate a free copy for the brilliant idea.

Charlene said, 'this is Dürnstein, Austria and the 'Burgruine' above the town is said to be the very castle where Richard the Lion Heart was held prisoner'. It goes without saying that Super Sketcherciser, Charlene climbed up there and painted the view from the prison. She confesses that she made the Danube a little bluer and the trees a little purpler than they really are, but I'm not complaining because this is a beautiful watercolour with gemlike colours shining through.

Many thanks, Charlene I'm thrilled with my postcard from Austria.

Garden Gates

2011-11-01T12:00:00.003Z

What a beautiful surprise was waiting for me today! Cathy's gorgeous postcard of the entrance gates into her Botanic Gardens. It is a lovely contrast to a similiar sketch that I did last summer. I love the richest of this painting and that it really draws me in... would love one day to be able to enter these gardens

On the back is a gorgeous painting of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow flowers which I am told are in bloom in our backyard garden too (obviously I am not the gardener in the household!)

Thank you Cathy

A Vineyard in Watercolour

2011-10-30T12:00:00.019Z

Albrecht is busy working on a commission to design various wine labels for a traditional winemaker family. I think the enviable side of this work is having to visit their vineyards and I wonder if tasting the wines is a necessary part of his project!! He describes this particular vineyard as "orbiting an old castle of that family west of the Black Forest overlooking the wide Rhine valley with a fantastic view of the Cathedral of Strasbourg and the Vosges Mountains in France."

I've never been to this part of Europe so find it very interesting to view it through Albrecht's eyes.

If this lovely, fresh delicate watercolour is a reflection of the area it seems to be well worth a visit. The composition and drawing on the card shows Albrecht's skills as do the beautiful subtle colours found in the shadows. Click on the image to see the cool mauves - beautiful.

And thank you too for this wonderful cat study.

Great Dixter, Sussex

2011-10-28T12:00:00.003+01:00

I don't think my words, or my scanner, can do justice to this magnificent card from Katherine. It's a symphony of colour. Katherine has a unique way of blending and layering her colour pencils so that all the colours are visible and appear to radiate off the paper. The reds in the shadow areas have an incredible effect on the greens and how she has managed to capture that soft, warm, hazy sunlight, I will never know!

Thank you Katherine, for this beautiful card!

The Majan ruins of Copan in Honduras

2011-10-24T18:38:00.008+01:00

If there is one thing that I find hugely exciting, it is discovering foreign places. If I can't discover it myself, receiving a postcard, is as an exciting confirmation of my intention to visit that place. Standing with a handpainted postcard from a foreign place in my hand, from a friend...thàt is the ultimate experience. I now have a burning desire to visit Honduras. And I have Charlene to blame for this shameless desire.

.. higher residential level of the Majan ruins of Copan - a city with several tree- covered pyramids....

Her postcard took many small roads to finally get to me and it's far and wide travels had clearly left its mark...but somehow it has added to the mystery of Charlene's card...lost civilizations...age...endurance..a card. Do you want me to go on? I can if you want...if you had this pilgrim card in your hand, you would feel the same...
Thank you Charlene, it took months for Copan to reach me, but it is my story card and well worth waiting for!

When even the ground is gorgeous

2011-10-24T12:05:00.003+01:00

Alison Staite was inspired by the masses of fallen leaves all over London – ‘a great excuse to play with orange, red and muted greens’ – to paint this exquisite little piece of the landscape near her home. It’s an increasingly rare treat to find actual personal correspondence in the piles of stuff from the Post Office, and jewels like this are an absolute delight!

Thank you, Alison.

View of the American Mountains from Victoria

2011-10-22T12:00:00.046+01:00

This is a view of Charlene's home city of Victoria in British Columbia - and the American Mountains across the border which is the Juan de Fuca Strait. It's a great vista - just what I like!

The American Mountains from Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Her perspective is taken from Mt. Tolmie - one of the many large outcrops in the city of Victoria and shows the American mountains included are Hurricane Ridge (1,585 m), Mount Angeles (1,967 m / 6,454 ft ) and Mount Olympus (7,980 ft /2,432 m) in Washington State.

As an ex geographer I'm always very pleased to get views of mountains and hills! :)

However I have to apologise to Charlene as the scan doesn't do justice to the colours in the sketch that she's used and I've had no success in trying to get it read better.

For this Sketch I got out Google Maps in "terrain" mode and started having a good look round at Charlene's surroundings - and they're absolutely incredible! Then I had a good read of the Wikiepedia links......then I started to look at their entries on summitpost! All that from a postcard!

The area around Victoria

Wee Scottish House in Straiton

2011-10-20T12:15:00.001+01:00

Acrylic 14.5 x 20 cm
Bridget Hunter

This is wish fulfillment - to own a landscape painting by Bridget Hunter. What a temptation this must have been for postal workers but thank goodness they delivered it safely to me.

Trying not to gush over Bridget's work because it really speaks for itself. Click on the image to enjoy a bigger version so you can enjoy the brush strokes and the colours.

It shows how much Bridget loves this landscape. Straiton, near the Galloway Forest is where she lived happily for twenty years with her three daughters going to the tiny two teacher school. She says, 'the hills are grazed by black faced sheep and lower down by hardy beef cattle. It's Autumn now and the leaves are turning and being blown off the trees by the squally showers we're getting'.

Beautiful. Thank you, Bridget.

I want to be in this Potager.

2011-10-18T12:00:00.009+01:00

Marília Africantapestry and Myfrenchkitchen has now left Coin Perdu for the winter but took one last chance to sketch the potager in all its glorious chaotic state.

Her description of "all over the place tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, herbs, marigolds, celery and physalis hiding their golden fruits in gentle yet firm lanterns, soon to explode with seductive sweetness" paints such a wonderful word picture. But you can see that from this lovely sketch which captures the scene in the potager at this time of year. I love the way Marilia uses pen and watercolour so spontaneously and lyrically to tell the story of the place.

Then there's the envelope showing the

" white pumpkins stretching their arms in every direction and ruling the garden with dominant huge canopies " beautifully done in mixed media.

I want to be there too - I can almost see the insects scurrying around exploring the new wildness as the garden returns to its untamed state .

An old tree in California

2011-10-16T12:00:00.012+01:00

A couple of days ago I received this fine line drawing by Pat Reese showing a Californian tree. It seems that I am not the only one who is sometimes speculating what such an old tree has been looking on and has heard during it's life time.
Funny things, frightening situations, drama, silly conversations, a lot of lawn mowing and more...

I wish I knew what species that tree is and would like to request Pat from here to find out for me. Looking at the trunk I would guess it is a Metasequoia glyptostroboides (that sounds great) or similar. In that case Pat would have cheated us on the foliage, what I really do not want to suppose.

Thank you Pat for the beautiful tree and the kind words!

Postcard From Granada

2011-10-14T12:05:00.003+01:00

It's such a treat receiving cards from unexpected parts of the world. Robyn had a recent trip to Granada Spain, and I get to be the lucky recipient of the card painted while she was there!

This is the Alcazaba military area of the Alhambra as viewed from Robyn's rooftop. Robyn had to climb a steep ladder to get to it. Given how much I hate ladders and easily suffer vertigo I'm especially grateful!

I am not sure what time of day this was done but it's bright sky and hot! Great colours and shadow work and I love all the lushness of the foliage contrasting against the imposing architecture.

Thanks Robyn - it's beautiful!

A vision of topiary in France

2011-10-12T11:52:00.000+01:00

Topiary in the front garden of the Chateau Dumas

I've been waiting a long time for my postcard from Bridget Hunter. First of all it went astray - except I didn't know I was due to get it. So then I had to wait until the end of the month to work out who might have sent my missing postcard - because of who had not had a painting listed in the month.

I finally worked out it was Bridget, wrote her an email and she very kindly agreed to send a second one. In fact she painted three in total as she decided it was boring doing the same one again!

So this truly beautiful postcard - which I am so very pleased to now own - is of the Chateau Dumas in South West France. Bridget recently stayed there during a spell of gorgeous weather and describes it as a painter's paradise, inside and outside, with a still life or landscape around every corner!

This particular view is of the formal garden at the front of the house. Bridget shares a love of topiary with me. She says that the beautifully shaped bushes made her feel as if she was in the garden of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.

The October card from Down Under safely arrived

2011-10-09T12:00:00.005+01:00

Today I received one of those beautiful postcards from Liz.
I love them because they are drawn in such a spontaneous way and I like the combination of lines and watercolours. At the front of the card there are three terrace houses in Globe. Liz thinks their colour combinations are sometimes rather odd but Liz made the best of it! At the back of the card there is an extra image of a tarte she had bought in a suburb of Petersham. She enjoyed it at home with a nice cup of Earl Grey. Both, the cup and the tarte look extremely three-dimensional. And here again Liz has put some lovely stamps on it. Great! Thanks a lot Liz!

Door to the Garden

2011-10-08T01:06:00.002+01:00

Desiree Habicht

Watercolor on paper

This postcard comes from Desiree's creative brush during a moment to herself near a garden retreat. The welcoming cushions on the chair and the open door to the garden allows us to experience the wonderful garden exterior with beautifully accommodating weather but blocked by the bench, keeping us safely cocooned in the cool interior.

Receiving this card lifted my spirits and kept me smiling for the rest of the day. I have placed it on the desk that is now holding all of my postcards.

Here are the cards I have received up to this point.(right to left)

Bridget, Desiree, Katherine, Charlene

Martin, Vivian, Liz and Cathy

Kew Gardens

2011-09-27T01:00:00.022+01:00

This exquisite colored pencil and sepia ink painting is from Katherine Tyrrell . She said this is a sketch of one of her favorite views in Kew Gardens. It’s the east/west axis from the Palm House looking toward the Chinese Pagoda. The Pagoda in reality is a deep crimson but Katherine said it always looks blue when viewed from a distance.

It was such a treat to come home from my vacation/working week away to find this wonderful piece of art just sitting there waiting for me. I can’t even put into words the beauty of each colored pencil stroke combined with another color to magically make shape and depth and glowing contrast.

A ray of Tuscan sunshine!

2011-09-24T12:00:00.003+01:00

This beautiful card came from Robyn in Tuscany. I'm afraid my scanner hasn't captured the colours at all well but the stone walls are painted in a range of very delicate pinks and soft browns which seem to radiate with the warmth of the Tuscan sun! I love the shadows playing across the blue/green door and it's all been painted so delicately.

On the back Robyn has written "This is the door to the old convent house we rented when we first arrived in Castiglion Fiorentino. I stop by often because it is now owned by friends but mainly because it holds such great memories of our first year in Italy with an open fire, two dogs and no television!" Isn't that wonderful? Now I want to open the door and go inside!

A beautiful tree and a bit of the Californian Hills

2011-09-22T12:04:00.004+01:00

I am so excited to received this stunning card from Pat - for days the card has been sitting popped up on my computer(a reminded to scan and post!) and I have been admiring the seemingly effortless way she draws trees! It has been such a treat to be looking at it for the last week now

And then when I picked it up to scan I suddenly remembered that this was only half of it...look what is on the back- beautiful blues, purple, cream and yellows!
thank you Pat! I love it!

Salsa anyone?

2011-09-20T12:00:00.001+01:00

Its not often that postcards make my mouth water, but this delightfully illustrated recipe version managed to do that - you may start a trend here, Desiree, or a new exchange... She says these purple fruits grow like Chinese lanterns (or Cape gooseberries?) inside papery, puffy balls until they bust through the cover revealing the fruit inside. They are apparently usually pale green, though I've never heard of tomatillos, let alone purple ones - but I love the colours and the lovely loose way they've blended into the shadows. On the envelope is a sketch of Desiree's labours to produce this interesting food. Now all I have to do is find me some purple tomatillo seeds!

A Great-looking Canadian in Germany

2011-09-18T12:05:00.002+01:00

Isn’t he/she (it’s hard to tell with Canada Geese) a beautiful bird! This one looks especially striking painted by Albrecht Rissler in gouache on (IMHO) the perfect shade of softly grey-toned card.

I’d have to say, however, that the appearance of Canada Geese is just about their only redeeming feature. Albrecht was nice enough not to refer to them as an invasive scourge, but the Americans are not so forgiving… I’ve heard they regularly bag a few hundred Canada Geese and feed them to the homeless, and I wish somebody would do the same here in Victoria! Our defenses have been limited to barking dogs – quite effective, on golf courses for example, where they employ Labs and Alsatians. But the geese do not respond well to condominium-sized dogs, whom they out-weigh and ignore.

The Value of Strong Values

2011-09-16T13:30:00.000+01:00

Watercolour 21 x 15 cms

The richness of the values in this beautiful postcard from Cathy Gatland is a fantastic demonstration of the power of deep, contrasting values in watercolour. The painting pops right off the card. The beautiful detail of the Sparaxis on the reverse side is stunning. A real prize! Thank you so much, Cathy.

Towers and Tea From Sydney

2011-09-14T12:00:00.003+01:00

My turn to receive a card from Liz Steel. Another super combination of architecture and afternoon tea!
I particularly like this side with the Sydney Town Hall tower on it. The unfinished towers in the rear, which i guess are office buildings, give a great insight as to how Liz works. Basically no hesitancy and no fuss! I need to try and instill that into my own pen work.

The rear as ever has beautiful stamps and the special one of Borromini. I met up with Liz while she was in London a few weeks back and we had tea and scones then too. Sadly our tea didn't come in such a brilliant tea pot. This colour red is lovely!!

Thanks Liz, it's a super card and a wonderful reminder for me too of our afternoon. I hope you'll make it back to London soon!

Postcard from Maulbronn

2011-09-12T12:00:00.001+01:00

Founded in 1147, the Cistercian Maulbronn Monastery is considered the most complete and best-preserved medieval monastery complex north of the Alps. Surrounded by fortified walls, the main buildings were constructed between the 12th and 14th centuries. The monastery's church, built in the transitional Romanesque-Gothic style, had significant influence on the spread of Gothic architecture over much of northern and central Europe.

The water management system at Maulbronn, with its elaborate network of drains, irrigation canals and reservoirs, is exceptional. (from UNESCO's World Heritage List)

After Reformation Duke Christopher of Wuerttemberg established in 1556 a Protestant monastery school, which was converted into a Protestant theological seminary in 1807 and still exists today. Johannes Kepler, Friedrich Hoelderlin and Hermann Hesse studied there.

More informations: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Maulbronn_Monastery_complex?uselang=de

Martin painted and drew this atmospheric view in the shady depths outside of the fortified walls, looking at the monastry forge. And in contrast to some of his cards in the past, there was obviously a sunny day. As usual Martin made some funny remarks. This time they are about visitors at the place where he was working for this card. I'll quote his words in German because its difficult to translate. I'm sure you will find out the meaning yourselves.

Martin wrote: »Lieber Albrecht, ich gruesse Dich herzlich von den Untiefen des Maulbronner Klostergrabens. Rocky und Herrchen kommen auch vorbei. Rocky will mich fressen. Herrchen traegt Zopf, Hosentraeger und Schmerbauch. So geht ein beschaulicher Nachmittag zu Ende. Dein Martin«

Lieber Martin, vielen Dank für diese schoene Karte. Sie bekommt einen Ehrenplatz in meiner Mailart-Sammlung!

Leaves and bugs - discoveries from the garden

2011-09-10T12:00:00.016+01:00

Felicity Grace has done a beautiful postcard painting for me. The card came in an envelope per snail mail. The materials, paper and colours are wonderful and so is the work! The beauty of nature is perfect and so is this postcard.

No matter to whom I show it, all want to have it, frame it and hang it in their home ..thank you Felicity!

The Butchart Gardens by Charlene

2011-09-07T19:14:00.002+01:00

Charlene sent me this wonderful postcard depicting a deep ravine below the Butchard Gardens. She says that it is so shady that everything, even the lanterns are covered in moss. It is described as the North American version of a Japanese Garden.

I have been to the Butchard Gardens, it is so amazingly beautiful and the fact that it was her husbands depleted cement quarry that she managed to turned into an breathtaking garden is quite remarkable. In the early 1900's, without a formal plan, Mrs. Jenny Butchard vowed to create a beautiful garden that everyone could enjoy. She requisitioned horses and carts to bring in loads of topsoil. Little by little, a garden emerged where and ugly scar had been! If you ever are able to see these gardens you will be amazed at the lovely garden areas she created. This is where my husband first saw tuberous begonias and we still grow them to this day. Thank you Charlene, I loved the memories it brought back, making me drag out my photos and pamphlets I saved from our trip!

Desiree

Ripe red berries fom Coin Perdu

2011-09-01T12:05:00.005+01:00

Ronelle van Wyk sent me this lovely little painting from her summer place in France. It’s on papyrus, of all things, which adds wonderfully to her spontaneously exuberant style. As always, Ronelle cradled the painting carefully, along with some lovely surprises, in an envelope sporting another of her unique splashy pictures. Isn’t it a treat?

Card of Cornwall from Vivien

2011-09-01T10:02:00.005+01:00

Along with the July postcard from Charlene this beautiful August card of Vivien was also in my mailbox when I came back from vacation. The picture shows the wild Cornish coast near Porthgwarra the way I've experienced several times. It's done with water soluble pen, watercolor and gouache white. I love very much the spontaneous technique of this small painting, the circle composition and especially the harmony of colors.

On the reverse is another treasure. The collage represents very well the colors and atmosphere of a country I love too. Thank you so much Vivian!

Postcard from the Mayan ruin of Copan/Honduras

2011-09-01T09:30:00.004+01:00

I don't know how long this July postcard was waiting for me in my mailbox in Heidelberg. Yesterday I came back from vacation at the Baltic Sea and in Berlin. So I'm sorry to post it so late. (The card was postmarked on 20th July – I left for vacation on 14th August. So the card needed quite a long time.)

Charlene, thank you so much for this impressive historic image. You wrote: »... The painting is of hieroglyphic stairway at the Mayan ruin of Copan. It is currently under a protective tarpaulin, so it's tricky to paint – and impossible to photograph in its entirety..«

A postcard from Lisbon and London!

2011-08-30T12:00:00.005+01:00

I feel very privileged this month to get two postcards for the price of one! On the front, Liz has drawn a view of the Belém Tower in Lisbon, when she was attending the Urban Sketchers Symposium with the equally famous (in the Sketchercise group, at least!) Portugese Tarts in the foreground. There is a lovely balance between the loose and colourful watercolours and the very delicate pen lines.

Later in the month, Liz went to London so on the back is a drawing of St. Pauls with a cup of tea from Fortnum & Mason's tea room in the foreground. The colourful stamps and the lovely handwriting enhance these wonderful, vibrant images. Thank you so much Liz, for this amazing card!

Something Very British In Germany! .....(summer weather)

2011-08-28T12:01:00.043+01:00

I received this wonderful depiction of brooding, dark clouds from Martin in Germany which he painted at the end of July. On the reverse he wrote
"It seems we have a very British summer this year.

Lots of clouds, rain and cold, which now travel to you by card."

Looking out of my window right now it's absolutely bucketing down and Martin I blame you! The rain clouds have definitely followed your card here! Obviously your painting is just too realistic! I love it though, especially the bright of the lush grass against the shadow of the cloud.

Martin I do hope you have had some sunny days since you painted this. On the other hand sunny scenes produce far less dramatic, interesting paintings. So in a way, I am glad it rained on you,...... I got to benefit with this super card!

Looking at the River Thames

2011-08-26T12:00:00.014+01:00

This lovely view on the River Thames was in my post box last week. Alison did the sketch from the balcony of her kajak club house. I believe it is a view near Richmond Hill, a gorgeous piece of landscape with a history in art.

Once Alison mentioned in her weblog that William Turner had been sketching in the area and some photographs of today showed an almost unchanged still and peaceful place.

Looking at a big flowing river like the River Thames can bring us in connection with the flow of the eternal forces of nature no matter what turmoil might be around or within us.

Thank you Alison for this beautiful card which made my mind take a rest from the busy everyday routine to contemplate in peace.

Some seeds and a hot chocolate from Felicity

2011-08-24T12:00:00.000+01:00

I was SO excited to receive this wonderful card from Felicity. I wish you could all see up close the incredible detail of these leaves and seeds - it is mind blowing particularly for someone like me who is so loose and casual. Very interested that the seed pod comes out halfway up the leaf - never seen anything like this before.

On the back is an exquisite sketch of a hot chocolate - yum! and on the envelope a delightful sketch of a snail....this made me feel guilty because I had only just posted my postcard a few weeks late!

Thanks again Felicity - I love it!!!

Sunflowers of Summer

2011-08-22T17:43:00.003+01:00

Robyn Sinclair
Watercolor and ink on Paper

This wonderful postcard arrived on just the day I needed a fresh look at a gloomy day. It brightened my attitude and the rest of my day. Thank you Robyn, you made my day so much better. Can you imagine sitting in front of this wonderful vista? Robyn has these picturesque scenes all around where she lives in Italy. I dream of one day visiting and painting with her at all the wonderful places she sees every day.

A Beach in London!

2011-08-20T12:07:00.000+01:00

You wouldn't think that Katherine had been going through a torrid time in London, looking at this tranquil scene in her local park. She transformed the drained lake into an 'urban beach' scene in her distinctive cross-hatching with coloured pencils style - so beautiful to see in the original. I love the clean, elegant composition and the lovely cool colours - gives me a feeling of a real haven of peace in spite of what had been going on very closeby.
And don't the British just do the most beautiful stamps!?

Peek into a Creative Corner

2011-08-18T12:35:00.000+01:00

Pat's card has arrived and transported me into her private, creative world. This beautifully rendered study is a corner of her den. It has such a calm elegance I just want to take my mug of coffee and a note book and sit there, confident that it is the source of inspiration. Pat obviously took her mug of coffee in there with her because a little of it has added to the antique style of my card. You'd never pick it because it has been transformed into a grape vine, above a lovely splash of summer landscape on the reverse side of the card.

Beautiful environmental stamps too. Thanks Pat, I love it!

Apple trees and sunlight from Albrecht

2011-08-15T11:51:00.025+01:00

An apple tree on his balcony by Albrecht

This beautiful study of sunlight filtering through the leaves of an apple tree on Albrecht's balcony arrived today. I found it quite hard to scan because of the lovely subtlety in the tones and colours in the leaves and the glow of those slightly rosy/russet apples. If you have a better photo Albrecht, I'll substitute it.

And on the reverse one of his great pen studies of a tree boll

Another gem :>) from someone who really understands trees and draws/paints them so beautifully.

Thank you, I love it.

Sunshine and Summer happiness from Ronelle

2011-08-13T11:50:00.000+01:00

Pure Sunshine from Ronelle

I have to start off by apologising for not posting this earlier when it arrived - it's part of last months exchange.

This delicious piece of sunshine and pure exuberant happiness dropped through my door at just the right time when things weren't good for me with family health worries. What a lift!

On the reverse a lovely study of the leaves

That plant is just bristling with life and energy and the spirit of summer :>) You have such an individual and expressive style Ronelle.

And even the envelope is beautiful

Ronelle thank you :>) - it really did come at the right moment - and the secret extras that I can't talk about because some of you have those yet to come - fantastic! again merci beaucoup.

Fever Trees on the Zambezi River

2011-08-11T15:00:00.000+01:00

Fever Trees on the Zambezi River
watercolour sketch by Cathy Gatland

Cathy Gatland's postcard to me was sketched on the banks of the Zambezi River in Zambia where she spent an amzing week with lions, hippos and elephants.

Her lovely watercolour sketch is of the fever trees which are scattered about on the banks of the Zambezi River. I must confess I never expected to get a sketch like this when this project started and I'm delighted to have it!

I looked up the Zambezi River on Wikipedia and found that it's the fourth longest river in Africa.

The Zambezi (also spelled Zambesi) is the fourth-longest river in Africa, and the largest flowing into the Indian Ocean from Africa. The area of its basin is 1,390,000 square kilometres (540,000 sq mi),^[1]^[2] slightly less than half that of the Nile. The 3,540-kilometre-long river (2,200 mi) has its source in Zambia and flows through Angola, along the borders of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia again, and Zimbabwe, to Mozambique, where it empties into the Indian Ocean.

California Dreaming in a Winery

2011-08-08T12:00:00.009+01:00

What a lovely way to spend a day - in the company of a good friend at Southcoast Winery and Spa in California. Even though there was a little rain, a very rare event in July, the mountain scenery was beautiful in the misty weather. Hasn't Desiree caught that effect and the recession of the landscape perfectly on my card in the skillful way she's used the different tones of pure fresh watercolour.

Desiree describes the vines as heavy with maturing grapes. Her lovely portrayal of the bottle and glass of red wine seems to sum up her wonderful day there. I can just picture the experience. Makes me quite envious. I love my card. Thankyou.

A visit to Culzean Castle with Bridget

2011-08-05T12:00:00.002+01:00

Bridget sent me this wonderful postcard of the cornfield at Culzean Castle that they sometimes cut into a maze that she says is great fun to get lost in.

Her postcard also says that she often drives the 10 miles to the Castle to play with the grandchildren. I am shocked too, you don't look old enough to have grandchildren!!

She will also go to walk with friends along the beach or in the wooded grounds. The castle dates back to the 1400's but was rebuilt into a classical mansion in the 18th century, www.culzeanexperience.org is the link to learn more about its history.

She goes on to say that there is so much to see that she often goes there just to paint and sketch.

Thank you so much Bridget, the painting is so beautiful! How I wish I could depict so much and still be so loose! I am off to explore the website, you made it sound so appealing that I wish I could walk and paint with you there!

Living in the states I really miss the history that you all have and I love the thought of old Castles and ruins!

Gallery - July postcards

2011-08-02T12:58:00.011+01:00

Just as difficult as it is to sometimes control our appetites, just as difficult or even more so is it to control life. And so our gallery for July isn't complete yet.

Life delivers us full trays. But we'll take it in the stride and add the postcards to the gallery as they show up!

In the meantime...hope you still all enjoy seeing the cards as much was we all enjoy receiving them!

A walk in Provence

2011-07-30T12:00:00.112+01:00

Last year a friend and I drove 3000 miles across France. Amid all the wonderful scenery one abiding memory is the bright, light greens of the vines. I don't know what I'd expected, but certainly not lines of almost lime green traversing the hillsides and valleys.

Katherine has captured perfectly that amazing colour and also the atmosphere of heat and sunshine using coloured pencils in, what I'd describe as, a very painterly way. This is a perfect reminder of my travels. Thankyou Katherine.

Detail showing lovely purple shadows and different greens.

This was the view Katherine saw frequently as she returned home from walks through the surrounding countryside when, with 3 other artists, she spent several weeks in Provence this summer.

This wonderful time has been recorded in the Blog Four Go Painting In Provence.

A willow tree at the river Neckar

2011-07-28T12:00:00.057+01:00

Late, but not too late hopefully, I post this wonderful postcard with line drawings by Albrecht Rissler. On the front there is a stunning drawing of a willow tree at the river Neckar, on the backside you can see views of Heidelberg.I guess Albrecht did the drawings with his Tombow pen.
Once I had the pleasure to see how Albrecht's hand would move over the paper like a human high speed plotter knitting a landscape in a most varied line grid.

Thank you very much Albrecht for this generous gift!

Hi from California!

2011-07-24T12:05:00.002+01:00

A lovely painting of a lovely day by Desirée Habicht

Isn’t this a great picture? Desirée’s card shows two wonderful ladies (probably watercolour painters) enjoying a perfect summer day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs. Unlike the dauntingly elegant, high-maintenance layabouts usually seen in spa advertisements, these ladies obviously deserved this iced-tea-drinking drift around the pool preceded by mud baths, massages and sauna… and Desirée accurately guessed that this might be my kind of place!

Memories of Winter

2011-07-20T12:17:00.003+01:00

What can i say, this is such a beautiful card, it doesn't need words!

Vivien's use of mixed media is always so inspiring! She tells me, this was started back in the winter as a demo for one of the classes she tutors. The first frostings of snow, done in oil with a palette knife on brown card. She then finished it off a couple of weeks ago on a scorching hot day "a nice antidote to cool me down" as she put it.

All the veil of colour on top of the white is coloured pencil. It's really lovely. No other medium lets you produce such delicate interweaving. I am definitely inspired to pick up my pencils again. I had no real idea one could get such effect over oil paint.

Thank you Vivien, it's such a wonderful mix of composition and colour. I think it will look rather good framed and on my wall!

Seasonal Beauty from Felicity Grace

2011-07-18T13:00:00.002+01:00

I've been an admirer of Felicity's extraordinary drawing talent for years now and her work never ceases to impress. Now she is combining watercolour with her coloured pencils so skilfully. I love the way she will take a small botanical specimen and focus on it until it reveals the beauty that many would overlook. This card is no exception with its little glowing berries.

I love the monotone study on the reverse side ...

and the wonderful little Swiss cow bell on the envelope. The bonus is the beautiful bird stamps.

Thank you so much Felicity, knowing you made this card just for me makes it extremely special.

A rampant garden, a postcard from Bridget to Ronelle

2011-07-16T12:00:00.004+01:00

Bridget's garden is only three years old, but already so rampant that she suspects something is buried there. I would like to believe there is...wouldn't' that be just a great story!

...a rampant garden.
acrylic on paper

This is a lovely Bridget piece, with her signature written all over it...beautiful in color and atmosphere and her free spirit and easy going, carefree character is caught up in every stroke.

...detail...

Few things please me more than experiencing the freedom of expression through either a painting or a drawing, a written piece, a poem, a design, a corner of a home, or even something as simple as a fresh salad...when it comes from the heart, it is honest. True and strong. Exciting. It brings along changes. What more do we want.

Thank you Bridget, for expressing yourself in such a free and spontaneous way. I love my card.

Balboa Beach Sunset

2011-07-14T12:00:00.001+01:00

From a park above Balboa Beach, California

I've received this delighful postcard of the view from a park above Balboa Beach in California from Pat. It's on heavyish watercolour paper. I couldn't quite decide whether it was NOT or rough. It certainly stood up to its travels very well.

Pat tells me that she climbs up the hill in the park so she can see the ocean, the rooftops and the sunset in the evening. She then sketches at the top before taking herself off a pastry and a coffee!

The view and her story took me back instantly to 2006. I whiled away some time during my drive down Highway 1 from San Francisco to San Diego having my Sunday morning breakfast in a cafe above Zuma Beach on Highway 1 in Malibu.

Pat's postcard reminded me so much of being up high looking down at the California coastline and the Pacific Ocean. It's great to have a reminder of what it feels like to look down at the ocean.

From Liz in Australia to Pat in USA

2011-07-12T12:45:00.002+01:00

I received Liz and Borromini Bear's postcard a few days ago and have been trying to figure out the best way of posting the image. My camera just hasn't done it justice so I am posting it anyway with a disclaimer that...In real life it is much much better. You will have to come to my house for tea and a rest in the garden to see the real thing though. It felt so special when my husband handed me the mail saying you will be happy about the mail today. Sure enough Liz's postcard has put a smile on my face for days.

Having a Cuppa in Nanna's China

Watercolor, ink postcard

I love the back of the card with all the wonderful
stamps and of course Liz's perfect handwriting.

These areas were so wonderful I wanted to highlight them.
Especially the tea cozy keeping Liz's
tea warm and ready for the second cuppa.

I want to thank you, Liz, for this wonderful addition to my growing collection of precious art from around the world.

Mt Blanc from Chamonix

2011-07-10T12:00:00.000+01:00

You can imagine my complete delight when I arrived home to this breath-taking postcard from Alison. It is from Chamonix in the French Alps and shows the view of Mt Blanc at 4,800m - its massif is huge and every view is dominated by towering peaks regardless of which direction you are looking it. She says "You would love it here... Early june which is when we visit is very quiet ... you can walk for miles and not see anyone.you'd love the architecture too, old interesting facades and in parts begging to be sketched" It does indeed sound like I need to plan it into my next European visit. Hmm... I wonder if there is a tearoom there....

Thank you Alison... I LOVE it!!!

A Postcard from (Four Go Painting in) Provence

2011-07-08T12:05:00.002+01:00

A little ray of sunshine arrived for me yesterday - not from Italy as you would think coming from Robyn - but from Provence, where she was sharing an artist's holiday that we would all have loved to joined in on with Katherine, Ronell and Sarah. Looking at this, I can just imagine the four of them sitting over... café au lait..? a beautiful beaujolais..? (a bit early for that judging by the blue blue sky perhaps - or perhaps not), gazing out of this window - see another version of it here - and talking and talking and planning what to paint and how to paint it, in oils, or watercolour, or gouache... It's such a lovely soupçon of their time together and a beautiful, bright souvenir for me to keep and treasure, thank you Robyn, I'm so happy to have a peep through this sunny window!

Zaisersweiher, Germany

2011-07-06T13:11:00.000+01:00

What a delight to recieve this card from Martin! On the back Martin has written 'These black and white greetings show a neighbouring village named Zaisersweiher (ink on paper).' From that description it sounds like a modest sketch but in reality it is very thick so perhaps it has been pasted onto board? I'm reminded of Cathy's words describing the back of another of Martin's cards as being like having a sample of his busy working studio, because it has some wonderful marks and textures, it's full of energy and industry. Also like Cathy, I put this on my mantlepiece, admiring the composition and the values, and then I found that it seems to change and reveal more details depending on the distance you are from it! It's a real treasure, thank you Martin!