JACK RUSSELL original painting

JACK RUSSELL

ACEO size 2 1/2ins x 3 1/2 ins

Acrylic painting on heavy acid free watercolour paper.

SOLD

DAY 49 Project 365

Birth of Aphrodite, my version of the old tale.

ACEO size painting 3.5in x 2.5in, acrylic on 250gr acid free watercolour paper. SOLD

According to local legend and Greek mythology Aphrodite was born out of the sea at a place called Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock) near Paphos, Cyprus.

"Kypros, godwelcoming island of the finefeathered Erotes (Loves), which bears the name of Kypris the self-born [Aphrodite] ... Paphos, garlanded harbour of the softhaired Erotes (Loves), landingplace of Aphrodite when she came up out of the waves, where is the bridebath of the seaborn goddess." - Nonnus, Dionysiaca 13.435

DAY 24 Project 365

LEMON MOSAIC.
SOLD

Acrylic painting on stretched canvas. Size 10cm x 10cm (4in x 4in).
Step by step images: The composition was drawn in pencil. Then colours loosely laid down. Finally, using thicker paint, shadows, highlights and detail were added. The painting continues down the 1cm deep edges, so no frame needed.

DAY 16 Project 365

ORCHID MOSAIC. Acrylic painting on stretched canvas. Size 10cm x 10cm (4in x 4in).

Step by step images: The composition was drawn in pencil. Then colours loosely laid down. Finally, using thicker paint, shadows, highlights and detail were added. The painting continues down the 1cm deep edges, so no framing necessary.

DAY 15 Project 365

The beginnings of another small format painting today, this time featuring orchids and mosaic. I drew the composition in pencil, including the canvas edges.

BLUE MOSAIC

BLUE MOSAIC
Acrylic on canvas, size 10cm x 10cm (4in x 4in). Painting continues on the 1cm deep edges, so no frame required.
SOLD

1.12th SCALE DOLLS HOUSE PAINTINGS

Whilst Grantie was here earlier this month, we spent a crafty afternoon at the annual Christmas Craft Fair held to raise funds for Friends for Life, our local hospice charity. As always it was a great event, made all the more special for me because almost every stall holder was a friend and it was great catching up with everyone.

I chatted with Sandra, who specialises in making the most fabulous dolls houses. She also supplies the tiny scaled down items of furniture and household equipment to go into them. Some little girls are going to be oh so lucky this Christmas.... so tempting even for a big girl like me. Like I need another obsession like a hole in the head! However, it got me thinking, that it might be fun to paint a 1.12th scale portrait to go in the cute little frame that Sandra supplied to me. Maybe some little girls, who are the proud owners of dolls houses, would also like a portrait of themselves to display too.

Stephie designed and constructed a dolls house for a GCSE project at school, so she was my chosen subject to give the idea a try. At the risk of embarrassng them both, I picked out a photo of herself and sister Zoe and taped up an area of heavy watercolour paper, to reveal an area approx 3 x 4.5 cm. I then made a portrait sketch of Stephie and painted it using watercolours and a touch of acrylic for highlights.

PET PORTRAITS

Baby Basset miniature portrait.
Sold

FISHBOWL ACEO

I recently joined the ACEO ATC forum and today had a go at this week's Challenge. FISHBOWL. It was fun!

SOLD

PRETTY WOMAN No2

Pearlised acrylic inks, acrylic paint, pen & ink on acid free watercolour paper.

SOLD

PRETTY WOMAN No1

This portrait started off with an abstract background created using pearlised acrylic inks, which gives a glow to the painting. The face, hair and jewellery are mainly acrylic paint finished with pen and ink.

GREET THE ANCESTORS

Thought it would be fun to create some 'vintage' ACEOs with a twist.

I was inspired by some old photos from H's ephemera collection. Two were taken by a photographer at F Beales, 31 High Street, Boston, USA, sometime I guess at the turn of the 20th century. On the back of the photos is a really interesting advertisement, which I have used as background, with prints of the photo and one of my 2006 mini portraits collaged on top. The shocking pink punk is a nod in the direction of the look I wanted but when faced with the hairdresser never quite had the nerve :-))

The third photograph bears a handwritten inscription on the reverse 'RNC 14yrs 1912'. Who, I wonder, was RNC? Will try to find out. For certain in that year he was a school boy at Eton College, near Windsor, England. His photograph was taken by Hills & Saunders, who according to the splendid advertisement were 'BY APPOINTMENT TO HIS MAJESTY', which would mean King George V as he came to the throne the previous year, according to Google. Hill & Saunders had a tidy business by the looks of it. Apart from Eton, they were also at Harrow and Sandhurst. All those serious little boys and young soldiers. I wonder how many of them made it through the 1914-18 First World War?

CYPRUS VILLAGE 5

Red and green doorway, Omodhos. ACEO miniature painting size 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

SOLD

CYPRUS VILLAGE 4

This old lady was making beautifully intricate needle lace in a shady spot outside her house.

SOLD

CYPRUS VILLAGE 2 & 3

Here in Cyprus, Omodhos is a pretty village in a valley halfway up into the Troodos mountains. As you'd expect, the buildings are stone-built in the traditional Greek style. Some are rendered and white-washed, others are left showing the lovely old stone. The villagers are very proud of their beautifully maintained homes, and every frontage is bedecked with blooming pots and climbing vines. Mininiature paintings ACEO size 2.5 x 3.5 inches. SOLD
Inevitably such a little gem attracts tourists, and many locals have converted their homes to include a shop where they invite you to buy their handmade embroidery and jewellery. One enterprising entrepreneur has opened his space as a 'free to enter' museum. On leaving he offers to sell you a bottle of village wine ... who could possibly refuse :-)

Whenever I go to the village, which is usually in the summer, I'm surprised and delighted that visitor numbers are not huge, though I don't think the villagers would share my enthusiasm. The narrow streets are quiet enough to explore every corner and there's no problem finding a free table at the taverna.

The entrance to the stained-glass artist's gallery inspired one of these ACEO paintings. On this visit he was away in Paphos, but his assistant, a chatty german lady, brought me upto date with the latest news. Particularly about his cats! From his point of view he had a lucky escape, as if he'd been there I would have bent his ear! I know from earlier visits, that he refuses to have his cats neutered, and one of his females is now apparently half dead after continual pregnancies!!

CYPRUS VILLAGE 1

I can't actually remember the last time I painted with watercolours. I think I'm nervous of the technique. Not sure why, but always seems it needs more thinking about than the more forgiving acrylics or oils. You can alter things so easily with opaque pigments. With watercolour ... as far as I can work out, you get just one chance to get it right, which is far too stressful to my way of thinking. However, today I got brave and out came my tiny box of Winsor & Newton.

Last week's visit to Omodhos with Julie and the girls left me with fond memories and lots of digi pics to inspire more ACEOs. I struggled with the unfamilar medium, but hope to do better with practice.

SOLD

LAST EYES 8 & 9 ... FOR NOW

Our server was down yesterday and I have to admit I'm surprised how much I missed going on line. I'm more of a net junkie than I thought I was.
Miniature paintings ACEO size 2.5 x 3.5 inches.

Two more ACEOs. Eye'm upto my eyes in eyes now ..... think it's time for a change!

EYES 7

My latest EYE doodle again is mostly acrylic paint with a touch of watercolour pencil and gel pen. And yes that is a portrait of my wrinkley old thumb with what look like very dirty nails...the blood was artistic licence ;-) Loved doing all those dots to create the impression of fabric .... even though I've only just managed to uncross my eyes!

EYES 6

We always thought we ate pretty healthily, until H's heart attack. Didn't really give food much thought at all really, apart from how good it tasted. Now decisions about meals have assumed vast importance and we are boring everyone rigid with our lists of salty, high cholesterol 'baddies' and high fibre, Omega 3 'goodies'. Guess a foodie ACEO was bound to surface at some stage.

EYES 5

ACEO using acrylic paint, watercolour pencils, pearlescent ink and gel pen on 250gr acid free watercolour paper. Spray finished with a matt varnish.
SOLD