Acrylic on Linen 50 x 50 cm
‘Spring has Sprung’, a deliciously loose abstract painting, is inspired by my beautiful town of Ilkley. The blues, purples and pinks of the ancient woodland bluebells sit softly amongst the bright fresh greens of Spring foliage. Water is all around; other blues suggest streams seeping out of the surrounding moors flowing in umpteen little rivulets down into the River Wharfe. The beautiful new fountain at the top of Brook Street, which will be fed by one of these streams (or brooks) has been designed by Juliet Gutch, a talented local artist.
.
The title settled in my mind as, whilst painting, it reminded me of my lovely father and his saying the verse ‘Spring has Sprung’ every Spring so this painting elicits that joyful feeling, and a smile, that he brought to many in his life.
.
A favourite of Spike Milliken this old poem is often attributed to E E Cummings or Ogden Nash but was apparently anonymously penned and has many versions. Below is the one I remember with great affection.
.
Spring has sprung,
De grass is riz;
I wonder where de boidies is?
De boid is on de wing – dat’s absoid,
How can de boid be on de wing when de wing is on de boid?
Original Abstract Painting – Acrylic & Collage on Paper – Image size 16 x 23cm – mounted
.
Mixed Media on Paper – Mounted & Framed 48 x 39cm – Image size 25 x 17.5cm
Flotsam is the floating wreckage of a ship, or its cargo or floating debris washed up by the tide. Jetsam and lagan were items thrown overboard to lighten a ship. Lagan was distinguished from jetsam by having a buoy attached so the goods could be found if they sank. Getting rid of flotsam in your home was a virtuous activity even before the pandemic, when lockdowns gave millions plenty of time to take a hard look at their stuff.
This artwork started off life as one experimental screen print. I chopped the paper into four and added collected studio paraphernalia and paint. Referencing the beauty of watery places and unexplored precious environments there is so much more to be discovered and to be done to prevent them from becoming polluted beyond recovery. Making artworks from my studio stuff accords this ‘rubbish’ a place for now, rather than ending up in oceans or rivers.
Growing up in Northern Ireland near Belfast through which the River Lagan flows, the word lagan stirs up memories good and bad and I love that a buoy is attached to prevent sinking. My internal flotsam & jetsam & lagan load is lightened by the peace I experience creating works of art.
Mixed Media on Paper – Mounted & Framed 48 x 39cm – Image size 25 x 17.5cm
Flotsam is the floating wreckage of a ship, or its cargo or floating debris washed up by the tide. Jetsam and lagan were items thrown overboard to lighten a ship. Lagan was distinguished from jetsam by having a buoy attached so the goods could be found if they sank. Getting rid of flotsam in your home was a virtuous activity even before the pandemic, when lockdowns gave millions plenty of time to take a hard look at their stuff.
This artwork started off life as one experimental screen print. I chopped the paper into four and added collected studio paraphernalia and paint. Referencing the beauty of watery places and unexplored precious environments there is so much more to be discovered and to be done to prevent them from becoming polluted beyond recovery. Making artworks from my studio stuff accords this ‘rubbish’ a place for now, rather than ending up in oceans or rivers.
Growing up in Northern Ireland near Belfast through which the River Lagan flows, the word lagan stirs up memories good and bad and I love that a buoy is attached to prevent sinking. My internal flotsam & jetsam & lagan load is lightened by the peace I experience creating works of art.
Acrylic on Paper & Mounted Image 12.5 x 18 cm
A cheery little painting completed at the same time as A LOVELY DAY this was a continuance of the feeling that life was going to become normal once more and to me is a bright little ray of optimism.
Acrylic on Paper & Mounted Image 12.5 x 18 cm
A cheery little painting completed at the same time as A LOVELY DAY was a continuance of the feeling
that life was going to become normal once more and to me is a bright little ray of optimism.
Acrylic on Canvas Board 42.5 x 60 cm
Soft pale colours punctuated with brighter highlights combine to suggest a dreamy, far away romantic landscape
inviting the onlooker to relax and imagine a gentle, peaceful and beautiful world.
Acrylic on Canvas 122 x 91cm
.
.
.
.
Acrylic on Canvas 91 x 61 cm
As I was working to complete this painting the sun was shining brightly into my studio and I was feeling that finally I was getting back into painting after having had a long interval away from my studio during Covid-19. There were many and various reasons for this lack of creativity and these are slowly dissipating.
I am beginning to see the world afresh and more clearly again and the song ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers became an ear worm in my head!
Bold, bright, cheerful and uplifting I found myself singing and dancing to this song around my painting which seemed full of positivity, love, movement, and dancing colour, and the title became obvious!
Acrylic on Canvas 91 x 61 cm
Painted using fluid thin layers of ink and acrylic paint overlaid with thickly applied acrylic using a palette knife this image reminds me of wild exhilarating walks along the shore where I grew up. Ambling home from school and squealing in delight as the breakers crashed over the rocks soaking my friends, and me! All our polished black school shoes were rimmed with white salt from dried sea water.
Shoe cleaning with thick black polish was a common chore.
Two verses of the poem ‘The Rising of the Storm’, after which I titled of my painting, by Paul Laurence Dunbar
make me smile and recall those youthful carefree days.
Now the winds well up
From the earth’s deep cup,
And fall on the sea and shore,
And against the pier
The waters rear
And break with a sullen roar.
And the waters leapt,
And the wild winds swept,
And blew the moon in the sky,
And I laughed with glee,
It was joy to me
As the storm went raging by!
Acrylic on Canvas 91 x 91cm
.
Painted after a long time away from my studio, during 2020 and 2021, I am finding my creative flow again. This painting is my first recently completed work and as such expresses the fire within me, reawakening my passion and my need to find time to do the thing that makes me feel alive.
