Showing posts with label Rachel Sumner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Sumner. Show all posts

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Pretty Flowers and Ritchie Collins

This is an ink and digital design which I have called "Fruitful". I have just noticed that my artwork is delicate and flowery this week. Quite spring like in fact.
Anyone who follows my blog will remember this lovely deer from around Christmas time when I used it for a Christmas card. It is a copyright free art deco design from one of my books. The stylised tree is my own design though.
I love fritillaries. This is a totally stylised one of course but I think it looks nice.
This is a beautiful bag which I saw on Etsy a while ago. It is hand knitted and felted and is in such beautiful shades of lilac and green. It is sold now alas....! It is by sassafrasstudio and she has lots more covetable bags in her shop.

If you are fond of a sweet, sentimental but rousing melody you will love the song sung by Hayley Westenra and Jonathan Ansell at the 2008 Festival of Remembrance on youtube. I have played it so often that I have almost worn it out on youtube...ha ha. You can find it here.



If you like hares and textiles you will love these gorgeous silk paintings by Rachel Sumner. I have followed the work of Rachel and her sister Mary for many years. Their lovely images can be found on ties, posters, greetings cards and wrap. These hares have a wonderfully illustrative and detailed look to them. I have wrapped up many a birthday present in Sumner gift wrap over the years. Rachel also produces embroideries and drfitwood boats. Visit her website here for some more images of her work.




I love these quirky ceramic characters from Sarah McDade from her stoneware range. She has lots more on her website here.


The detail and colour of this beautiful collograph is wonderful. It is by Australian printmaker Melissa Smith and is called Channel. It has an lovely organic quality to it.
Found some more Mocchi Mocchi cards I haven't seen before. I really like their style especially the trees and birds card just below. Their website is here but they seem to have a lot more cards than are shown on the site.



Lots and lots of lovely bluebells around at the moment. The woods are full of them and the subtle fragrance is heavenly. These are local views.

This is a photoshopped version of a bluebell wood in the picture below, hence the intensity of the colours.



A local lane at springtime.


My featured artist this week is a very popular Scottish painter called Ritchie Collins. Ritchie is inspired by the beautiful Scottish countryside, Celtic art, myths and folklore. All these influences can be seen in his beautifully textural and vibrant work. I think my favourite has to be "Where Angels Meet". I love images of angels. His art is a response to places he has visited and dreams he has had. I envy him his dreams...lol. He has a comprehensive website here. Ritchie's work can also be found at Ealain Gallery here and also Just Art Gallery here.


Where Angels Meet
Temple Night
Lobster Pot
Moon Blues
Moon Temple
Temple Cat
Boat Hoose
The Dreamer
Fisherman's House
Tea N Oranges
Love Hill
I visited a local town today and was very pleased to find that a book fair was taking place there. It was actually in the Elizabethan Court House which is an ancient building next to the church which I have long wanted to have a look inside. A heaven sent opportunity. They had some very interesting old and new books and the majority at quite reasonable prices. I treated my self to a book on poultry with lots of lovely paintings, drawings and diagrams of hens and cockerels. Very inspiring for someone who loves drawing same. The other book I bought was called Traditional Arts and Crafts of Yugoslavia which will also be a mine of inspiration for my artwork. The trouble is that every time I buy new (or old) books I have to get rid of some books already in my possession to make room. Oh to have a huge library, or alternatively, a huge house with a library. Either will do nicely.