A postcard from Lisbon and London!

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)

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!