It's a great compliment when people pay me good money to make a special painting for them. If it's to be a portrait, not everyone can come and sit while I push paint around a canvas for hours on end. So they send me photos of their children and grandchildren, pets, and even houses or favourite landscapes.
They want me to re-create an image that is personal to them, realistic and instantly recognisable. They choose photos that are about how they see themselves, and how they want others to see them.
I love the continual challenge of striving to meet the very particular expectations required of me. It means I get the opportunity to paint subjects I wouldn't normally be able to choose, and develop delightful friendships with people all around the world. And I get paid for doing it - how cool is that!
But there is a flip-side to my passion for painting, which may be more about myself. It starts with a pure white blank canvas, and no plan. If thoughts and imagery try to butt in, I push them away, until my mind is completely cleared. Only then, do I pick-up the first brush to hand, dip into a random colour, and just paint. If the brush is large, the paint strokes turn out broad and flowing; sometimes the marks are small scribblings that make no sense at all. But on I go, putting one colour next to another, adding shape, tone and texture, until suddenly, to my own amazement an image emerges, that 'speaks' to me. And then some other part of my brain takes over.
The 'Red-Haired Madonna' was created this way. I have loved being a mother, and somehow with this painting I said everything about how it felt when my boys were small enough to keep safe in my arms. For a few short years, I had the power to protect them from the bad in the world. How different that painting is compared to 'Mother of the Missing'; the fear and terror in that haunted expression were dredged-up deep from some frightened place.
The still watcher 'In Disguise' could be a metaphor for those times when I can't always be what I want to be; occasions when I have to adopt an extra personna to hide behind, or get to fight for me; then biding my time until the crisis passes, I can then remove the layers and relax into myself again.
When I was younger, it seemed that any troubles I had were mostly self-inflicted. Being a quick learner, I dealt with that. As I get older I'm having to fight on the side of the angels, against forces outside my control, or experience. The old skirmishes have provided a useful apprenticeship.
I used to dream of living on a Mediterannean island where I could spend my time languishing in a 'Summer Daze'. I live on that island now, atop a mountain overlooking the sea, but still I dream of being somewhere else. (see Figure in a Landscape)
Friends and other artists are a constant joy. I paint about those I meet day to day, in reality or in cyberspace.
At the end of the day I have the love of my life and best friend. We're an 'Odd Couple'; my grandmother would have understood us. People likee us, she would say, were "Somat together and nowt apart". And if you don't understand broad northern English dialect, that means 'something together and nothing apart'. So are my abstract expressionist paintings autobiographical? Or are they like characters in a book, conjured by artistic licence and imagination? You be the judge ;)
A friend and I recently took a stroll around Limassol with our cameras. Hey ok, we also lunched on kalamari and drank white wine.
It set me thinking about folk art at street level and found art in general. Whether it's flashy wet pebbles on a beach to collect and turn into something else, Tracy Emin's 'Unmade Bed' or these prancing figures, I've decided I'm all for it. Not everyone will be with me on this ... so shoot me ;) Graffiti at it's basic level was featured on an Artfire forum recently. Among those who accept graffiti as an artform and actively create it, there does seem a trend towards quality development. But along with all other art, it's always going to be subjective. One man's vandalism is another man's Banksy.
I've always loved the idea of 'finding' art that some mysterious creator has left for my delight, in a cafe, or between the pages of a library book for example. But perhaps my favourite street art of all time is that practiced by Jafabrit who is a genius IMO.Wish I'd thought of clothing trees in wooly sweaters.
It was Sally's turn to accompany me to the beach this morning. As we headed west the sun was feebly doing it's best to polish the sea. The coastal path looked messy and forlorn. Sally sniffed the winter storm debris suspiciously. We passed by Ancient Amathus; the main archaeological site is across the coast road, but I snapped a pic of this small excavation right next to the sea.
It was fairly quiet with just the odd jogger passing now and then. I saw a couple of swimmers making mad dashes for the waves and decided they must be tourists as every self-respecting expat or local is still sewn into winter woolies. As we reached the Old Amathounda Harbour Wall, a bare-chested adonis was doing vigorous press-ups on the pebbles. He stopped when he saw us and decided to to take a leisurely stroll instead. eyeing my scarf and sweater as he passed. Did I imagine that slight smirk on his face. Sally chose that moment to decide she too had had enough physical exercise for one morning and turned for home. I'm not working in the studio today, but below are 4 collages I finished yesterday; SUNSHINE, WONDERLAND, MUSIC, RHAPSODY.
I've finished two more collage; 'Inspired by the Past' and 'How Do I Love Thee'. One a simple backward look and the other equally simple inspired by something rather more profound.
The rest of the initial collection of blank greeting cards are now available. They feature those drawings and paintings that are slightly quirky, as in the ones above.... they make me smile. Plus others that I like for other reasons.Some of the originals are now sold, so it's good to be seeing them again in another form.
I've begun creating the new range of greeting cards and this group featuring a few of my animal paintings is now available. I know these faces so well, it's like a party of old friends come to greet me.
Next I shall add a group of cards featuring some of my more quirky illustrations. Here's one for starters. Some women will do anything to keep their man happy on Valentines Day!
A big 'thank you' for your patience to the people who have been asking for greeting cards featuring my artwork. At long last I've actually got around to doing something about it, and today the first of an initial collection of around 20 cards is available.
'Best Buddies' is 5.75" x 4" printed with archival inks on fine quality matt photo card. It comes with a white envelope, all protected and sealed in a clear plastic bag.
I hope to have the rest of the collection online over the next few days.
My arty friend Carole and I got together in the studio last week and set about making collage. We had such fun! Threw lots of paint around and cut and stuck stacks of painted and found images. Inbetween we laughed, drank red wine, cooked and ate a good old Cyprus favourite, Fasolia Yiahni (see recipe below).
I don't know if it was the wine or the collective enthusiasm and inspiration, but a lot of work got done. I've continued to refine and add to what I started that day. Can't wait to see what Carole has made.
Here's the first one of mine completed. It's 4"x4" mounted on a gorgeous piece of 5"x7" art paper.
This is how it might look when framed.
Fasolia Yiahni
Ingredients 2 cups dried haricot beans (washed)
2 large chopped onions
2 medium carrots (optional)
1 celery stick (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley for decoration and taste (optional)
2 fresh lemons
Method Soak the beans overnight in water (covered with at least 4 inches of water as the beans will swell). You can add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda as this helps soften the beans.
Drain and rinse and put the beans in a casserole pot covered by at least 2 inches of water and bring to the boil for ten minutes taking care to remove the scum.
Drain beans, return to pot, add boiling water (get this ready when boiling beans), turn heat down and simmer for about 30mins or until beans are soft.
While waiting for the beans to cook fry onions, garlic (optional carrots and celery) until golden then add tomato puree, stir and cook for a few minutes then turn off the heat.
When beans are ready, add the onion mix to beans and if necessary add a little water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30mins. If there's still a lot of juice, take the cover off and cook for a further five/ten minutes as this will reduce liquid.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon, good crusty bread and salad.
ey send me photos of their children and grandchildren, pets, and even houses or favourite landscapes.
o paint subjects I wouldn't normally be able to choose, and develop delightful friendships with people all around the world. And I get paid for doing it - how cool is that!
other part of my brain takes over.
t haunted expression were dredged-up deep from some frightened place. 
lax into myself again. 
ther artists are a constant joy. I paint about those I meet day to day, in reality or in cyberspace. 
northern English dialect, that means 'something together and nothing apart'.
