Felicity's Postcard

This lovely painting from Felicity was such a pleasure to receive. She has captured here in this rendering of this colorful flower a special botanical just for me. I and thrilled to add it to my collection of treasures. I have to point out the spatter of paint identifying the opposite corners of the card from the stamps. This delicate detail is just another variation of eye candy that Felicity has provided for the observer.

Felicity Grace
Watercolor on paper
Postcard

I was surprised to find out that I had missed calculated in my last post.  I thought Ronelle's was my last postcard but now I have found one more in my mailbox.

Thank You Felicity for my Postcard From Your Walk.

What a Finale!

My last postcard has arrived safely and how appropriate that it is from Katherine Tyrrell, who brought us all together through Sketchercise.

Do click on the image and you will see I've posted a large version so everyone can enjoy Katherine's beautiful fine penwork and her skilled approach to overlaying different layers of coloured pencil to achieve wonderfully natural colours.

This is certainly more painting than postcard - 16.5 x 24 cms on Arches HP.  It's a drawing of the new Chinese Pagoda in London's Victoria Park.  Such beautiful reflections in the West Lake which Katherine says is not yet full again following the major desilt operation. 

Thank you so much, Katherine.  This one is now in search of a suitable frame.

Postcard from Pat

I can't really call this a postcard from Pat as in reality it is 10x8" and is so exquisite it needs to be framed and hung on a wall! The scan doesn't really do all the colours in this card justice but it shimmers with warm Californian sunshine and the darks lead you into the distance and draw you along this beautiful path.

Pat's great sense of humour comes across with these gorgeous little painted stamps on the back!

As if all that wasn't enough, there is also a fabulous pen and watercolour sketch on the envelope! Thank you so much, Pat!

Postcard from Ronelle

I've been greatly looking forward to getting Ronelle's postcard as I've been a big fan of her work for years. What a lovely surpise it was to see her characteristically fresh, vibrant style coupled with a cool, muted winter palatte! It was done in inks, watercolour, gouache and pen and in the flesh it has wonderful texture too with raised splatters of gouache.

 

The envelope, containing some lovely arty goodies, was instantly recognisable with another beautiful splashy guoache sketch! Thank you Ronelle, for this amazing treasure!

A winter cliff walk with Bridget

Bridget Hunter, The Cliff Path near Ayr

This lovely moody card of a walk along the cliff path near Ayr arrived from Bridget.  My last card of the exchange.   I've had it a while, enjoying it, but it had to wait in the queue to be shown here.   Her paintings of the area make me want to visit.

She says that the view across to the island of Arran is always beautiful and that there is a 'great wee coffee shop'!   always a good thing :>)  I can feel the struggle of those trees to grow in their exposed position, stunted and gnarled by the winds.

Lovely loose marks and great use of colour, capturing the essence of a scene - typical of Bridget's work.

A lovely last card and well worth waiting for :>)

It's sad that the exchange is over for me now - but look forward to seeing the last arrivals for others.

A Scottish Country Garden

I've had Bridget's card, my last one of this exchange, propped up on my mantelpiece for a week or more, to gaze at and enjoy - and think of what I could say about it that it doesn't eloquently say for itself. Gorgeous rich colour, expressive and varied marks that describe her winter garden so vividly - the dormant stalks, withered leaves and brave new snowdrops in the muted, wild looking landscape. I absolutely love my little piece of Scotland, and of the painterly way it's presented - apparently casual yet so masterful! Thank you Bridget - hope that back is well on its way to recovery so you can get to zumba and walking again - though you clearly don't need to go very far to produce wonderful work.

Tea and Victorian Filigree from Australia

I apologise for being so late to show this beautiful final card that I received from Liz Steel already at the beginning of February. The stylish building fits very well to the scent of the High Mountain Oolong tea from Taiwan, served in the most precious cup you can imagine, a real Shelley. It is worth while to check out the Victorian filigree in Sidney, which I never heard of before.

 Thank you Liz for this stylish card!

The Willow Tree always look beautiful... my Card from Alison

Willow Tree Across the Lake February 2012

This card from Alison is the last one of this great project. She wrote me... 

The weather is now a little warmer, so I was able to sit by the lake in Richmond Park and paint this by any freezing! It was a day with grey sky, but the willow trees always look beautiful even in the winter. I know that you especially like willow trees so it seemed appropriate that I tried to paint it for you!

Well done Alison! Thank you very much Alison for this thoughtful and special dedication. 

Now I'm proudly present my collection of cards you have sent to me in the last month. Thanks everybody!

Roof Top Ambiance

Here it is….Ta Da! 

Ronelle’s postcard. 

Roof Tops of Vayrac, France

Ronelle said she painted this scene, from a hill top, of a cute little village she likes to go to, for the best coffee and ambiance. You can see even the roof tops have ambiance, let alone having a bistro that serves great coffee. I am on a plane tomorrow for that…..I Wish! Of course when you have something like this in your hand every line and wash of vibrant color just makes your heart tingle.

Here is a corner of the envelope.

As always, when you get something form

Ronelle, even the envelope is deliciously rendered.

I am so sorry to say that this is the last postcard I will receive from our 14 month adventure of the blog “A Postcard From My Walk”.  And Yep!, I have 14 original paintings from 14 great artists (that I soooo! respect) and from all over the world.

Winter Trees and Warm Wishes From Heidelberg

This is my card from Albrecht in Germany.  It really shouts of stark cold winter.  Albrecht is a true master draughtsman and it is such a privilege to receive something like this. On the reverse he has taken time to show step by step, how he builds up the composition to it's final stage.  I have learnt so much by looking at it, such as how the pencil should move and twist to produce the twigs.

Winter can sometimes seem a gloomy time of year for artists, but it's a great time to draw trees. The bare branches have so much character. Thank you so much Albrecht, it's a wonderful final card!

Sheep - With a little French Chic!

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

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(detail)...

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

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!