Artist's sketches, new and old and beginning.

The last couple of weeks have been beautifully sunny and very warm, sometimes reaching up to the mid 30s. Summer is here at last and the garden is looking amazing this year with all the flowers and our honey bees are doing their magic travelling from colour to colour. After finishing a few commissions this last month, I have had a look back at some of the sketches I have kept in my art draw and decided to draw with pencil and pen and ink to create small pieces of art. First I'll show the older sketches. A sketch for each month for 'Earth Pathways Diary' 2012. This morning I went for a wander through the woodland behind my house, 6am and everything gleaming in the summer dew. A few photos of the woods and garden before I show you the newer sketches. The few new. There is a folklore tale that inspired me to draw 'The Keeper of Special Things'. To cut a long story short, and once upon a time, a young princess was lured into a Kings ancient greek kingdom by the most beautiful bright and shiny jewels of crystal and gold. Not so long after, when her father found out he was so angry at her he changed her into a jackdaw. This is why the jackdaw loves bright and shiny things....but look at where she is now and what she has found. I might make this into a story to write soon.

New Giclee prints of fairytales and folklore

During the long Winter months and icy cold nights I created a few new paintings inspired by folklore and fairytales.  By the end of February, I longed for the first signs of Spring after a beautiful 'Snow Queen' english Winter.  The first snowdrop flowers and crocus arrived, showing their faces to the sun.

Crystal and Amber by Amanda Clark 2013.

By the Blue Moon by Amanda Clark 2013.

Moonlit Tale by Amanda Clark 2012.

Luna by Amanda Clark 2012.

The First Snow by Amanda Clark 2012.

Shea by Amanda Clark 2012.

These original paintings are for sale and giclee prints will be available very soon . I am working on a new website for my original paintings and giclees so you will be able to see these and more in a few weeks.
Please contact me with any enquires, email:  amandaclark@hotmail.co.uk.

New herbal spirit dolls

Try as I might, I cannot just paint pictures. So I have been making new spirit dolls with herbs inside such as dried rose buds and lavender.
These ooak dolls look lovely standing among plants at an altar.

I love hand sewing. I do have a sewing machine, for I find hand sewing is so therapeutic and peaceful.

So back to the goddess and mermaid world to sew on crystal chips and gorgeous beads.

Some of these are in my etsy shop and I'm working on the beginnings of another workshop for September.