Just to let you know, I have added a page to my project pages on this website – for my garden paintings of earlier this year.
These mixed media drawings and paintings, looking close-in at very small growing things. They were made in my garden during the coronavirus lock-down here in Wales.
To put it simply, they are about drawing attention to ordinary things and opening up to momentary joys, and the feeling of being in love with the world.
Today an online session with my arts group led by the photographer Ray Hobbs. Ray showed photos from his own home, photos of family pictures, objects, places. And encouraged us to walk around our home mindfully, and with a camera, looking at things around us. At the end we shared our photographs and stories. It was a very simple instruction, and seemed like a very small thing; but it was not so very small, and not so completely simple after all.
I took my own photos within a few feet of where I am sitting here – photos of the shelf, the table, under the table, outside the door. In the first, the wooden bricks my father made for me as my first toys, that have been with me from before memory starts; my brother’s small pop-up painting journal that arrived here a few months ago, via a Devonian chimney-sweep lady. In the second my books, the work I am doing right now. In the third my yellow bag, a gift from my mother. In the fourth my dog, working hard with me from her suitcase bed under the table. In the fifth, the music station outside my door that fills up the space at the top of the stairs.
I am happy to announce that I have built new pages here on my website, for my small joys project.
a box for joys, made today and sent out in the post
works in progress on the bench – carrying on with watercolours, for my collaborative work with Suzie Ross – text transcribed from the small joys that I collected a few weeks ago from friends
a very lovely and simple one: “collecting blackberries this morning from a bridleway where I spotted a ripe patch yesterday”
the colour I used matched the blackberries, but that was by chance as I had already painted the paper before I read it
this time I’m putting the first marks down and Suzie will add to them – mindful that I need to leave enough space for a conversation!
