New paintings for Dawn Fires

I have been continuing to explore this more symbolic and mythical strand to my work where symbols like the moon seem to appearing in abundance. I am still working intuitively with these paintings, reflecting and allowing forms to arise in my mind or directly on the canvas.

In Tree of Stars, and Homage to the Moon I was drawing on the traditions of the Tree of Life, or World Tree. The tree that links the levels of the world from the underworld to the heavens. In Tree of Stars, there is also reference to alchemical texts, where symbols are often depicted on a tree. Here stars in red, white and gold hang from the tree, and a large blackbird who can often be heard singing late into the night, also holds a luminous star on a red thread.
The star seems to be an offering of light to any traveller who intends to enter the doorway set inside the hill and venture on the paths below.

A standing stone inscribed with the marks of the Goddess stands outside the doorway guarding its entrance and symbols of the labyrinth are marked in the fields. As I was painting this picture it seemed as though it was taking on the qualities of a talisman itself.


Homage to the Moon, as the title suggests began with not one but two moons in the rich blue of the night sky. More and more moons have been appearing in these more symbolic paintings over the last few months. I'm not sure where this will lead but for now I paint the moons.
The World Tree in this painting has rich foliage and the celtic and Goddess marks upon its trunk and branches and a white bird with echos of the luminous moon flys across it.

A dragon lies uncurling under the roots of the tree contemplating or watching a smaller moon and a monk sits meditating infront of the entrance to a cave, with his own luminous moon in his lap. It seemed that everything in the painting was paying homage to the moon.

Some of my paintings will be in a Dawn Fires exhibition in the Atlantis Bookshop Gallery.
Link to Dawn Fires here The exhibition runs from 17th to 29th October, link to Atlantis Bookshop address and contact details here

High Street Fashion Week at Oxford Street

Early Monday morning Oxford Street's High Street Fashion Week, , got off to a colouful and dynamic start with acrobats, unicyclist, jugglers and a human spinning wheel. I really enjoyed the vision of circus performers and the circus music playing in the heart of the West End.



Traffic was brought to a standstill and early commuters watched as the fashion themed circus performers took to the centre of the iconic Oxford Circus. I liked the idea of having real circus performers in Oxford Circus and less traffic.

Oxford Streets High Street Fashion Week includes events and promotions in shops along Oxford street info here

E 17 Art Trail part 2

Vestry House Museum was the scene for a drawing event on saturday that Julie Caves, Julian Beere and members of the Waltham Forest Art Club organised. It was a perfect afternoon, the sun was shining and the gardens were moving into Autumn with plenty of apples on the trees.




A number of younger visitors enjoyed themselves studing and drawing the plants. I got chance to make a quick sketch of one of the apple trees there.



I also had chance for a quick look at some of the art works on display in the museum as part of the Art Trail. I was attracted to the birds and feathers of Naomi Kane's work. Naomi writes that she is a scientist researching avian cognition, which sounds really interesting to me, with my own love of birds. Here she has persued her other interest in art with very dynamic images of crows.




Julia Spicer website doloresrocket .co.uk is showing some great collages, following the theme, on your marks, by using National Geographic magazines from Olympic years. The collages juxtapose landscapes and figures making new connections and creating new dynamics of form and playing with the picture plane.

Amy Blum's contribution is a draft selection of her work for Teal Heise on the Olympics, here on the theme of the Olympics. Amy is one of the new generation of American feminist artists, her work including the words, "Racing to Take Part- A Graphic History of Women in the Olympics," is particularly striking.

E17 Art Trail Art Grows on Trees part one

It was great yesterday to meet up with a group of fellow artists to hang our art offerings on the Lime trees near Walthamstow bus station. It was part of the E17 Art Trail, Art Grows on Trees.
I have been part of this from the beginning some years ago, and it was good to have some new artists involved this year, with even more art work on the trees.



I had been making lots of tiny Tree Spirit faces to put in the trees this year, (below)plaster, paint and pen work. More to follow for next Saturday, we arrive about 9.30am so you need to get there early to pick your own art work.



Amongst the artists taking part, Julie Cave put up delicate bird watercolours,(above) Julie's site here

Dean Roddick brought along a new variety of fruit his hairy pears, Deans site here. He also brought along one of his sparrows, there are more on display as part of the trail. That was snapped up with in minutes.



Katja Rosenberg included some cacti in great pots decorated with quotes among her offerings. Katja's exhibition site here.

Rachel L'Anson brought some lovely photographic prints, from urban scenes to trees and snakes.
Rachel's site here.

Alban Low brought more fridge magnets, this year with great birds and tweets on them.Alban's site here.



Valeria had some great climbing pictures colouful prints and bark, appreciated by one young art picker here. Valeria here


Helen Porter, used one of her umbrella frames to hang a variety of decorative and quirky prints.