Memories of Winter

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!

Another Cool Cracker - The Comox Glacier

I have always admired Charlene's paintings of mountains, glaciers and lakes. I've never been to Canada but have visited the European Alps many times. Charlene's views always transport me back to that landscape. Bitter cold wind off the glaciers, even when the day is hot, and the sharp pungent tang of pine resin. Glorious!  I was so delighted therefore when this card arrived in the post!  (Not so delighted with the postmen though, who'd managed to print an orange serial bar top and bottom...... grrrr.  Thank goodness it's relatively faint!).

This is a view of the Comox Glacier near Mt Washington.  Charlene tells me they had big snow falls here late into the season and there was still a lot around at the end of May.  I love the colour and shapes Charlene achieves both within the mountain and the fir trees.  It has a lovely rhythm.

London today is overcast and windy.  I'd far rather be looking at this view for real.  Thank you Charlene, I'll look at your card and just pretend I'm there instead!

Sennen Cove

A wonderfully moody, atmospheric card arrived from Vivien this month. I feel very priviliged to own this as it must have been drawn when she was on holiday with her family in Cornwall and even more as she describes Sennen Cove as one of her all time favourite places. Vivien has painted and drawn a whole series of studies of Sennen Cove on her blog capturing the changing light, colours and atmosphere so it's amazing to have one of these.

I feel, even without reading Vivien's words on the card, that her love of this part of the world really shines through in this image. It's stormy and grey, not the sort of weather most tourists want to see when they come here, but it's still inviting - the lines are drawing us to walk along the path to the harbour wall and take in that sea air. And what view awaits us if we just walk a little further and see what's around the corner of the building?

In the flesh it has some lovely textures but I'm not sure what Vivien has used to achieve this - perhaps pen, pencil and charcoal? Whatever was used, it is a fabulous card and I love it - thank you Vivien!

Richmond Hill - a view protected by an Act of Parliament

The View from Richmond Hill by Alison Staite

I was absolutely delighted to receive a watercolour painting of the view from the top of Richmond Hill from Alison.

This is an absolutely classic landscape view.  So much so that it's actually the only view of a landscape in the UK that is protected by an Act of Parliament - the Richmond, Ham and Petersham Open Spaces Act passed in 1902 - to protect the land on and below Richmond Hill and thus preserve the fine foreground views to the west and south. This might possibly have had something to do with the fact that Sir Joshua Reynolds who was President of the Royal Academy of Arts used to have his home in a large house at the top of Richmond Hill and this was the view from his house!  Plus Turner painted this view.  It's certainly been painted by a lot of other artists since - and now that list includes Alison.

I know you loved views and vistas so it seemed appropriate for you!

Then I remembered that I'd had in mind to do the same view for her when her turn came round - so I guess I'm going to have think of something else now! :)

Alison has gone for an extended landscape format and she describes it as a rather oversized postcard.  She has painted the view on khadi which is a handmade cotton rag paper with an interesting deckle edge.

It was the first time I'd tried it for sketching, so what with all the greens to mix and an unfamiliar paper I was way out of my comfort zone.  The paper is really good fun though and I'll definitely be having another go.  I need Robyn's help so I can make a proper bound sketchbook out of it.

Looks to me like Alison has had a great time and I certainly recognised the view straight out of the envelope!