First drawing of 2021 in the shadow of the window frame.
Tree
Tag: Art
Tiny hand
Twenty five years ago I took a few photos of my firstborn’s hand on my hand. Since then I’ve made drawings from the least blurry pictures, and transferred one of those to a little piece of lino. Sketches and lino blocks go missing during house moves and home improvement projects.
Finally, after years of dithering, I have cut enough of this lino to make a test print. It might benefit from more little dots in the background and a different colour ink but that’s for another day.
The Goose and the Common
This began as a sketch for a black and white linocut a few years ago. Various interruptions later, it’s been coloured with pencils, biros and watercolour crayons. Not finished yet…
Dereliction
A bit of urban sketching, except it’s drawn from a photo I took on a sunnier day last week.
I wonder if others see an attractive corner shop, or maybe a cafe. It might be that people like me, who cannot see the ‘unique’ history of the town I live in, can only see derelict buildings here. Optimists will see the potential for improvement.
This building should be a time travel portal, or at least a gateway to another dimension.
Midsummer 2020
Linocut, 7 x 15cm approx. After the test print I noticed she has a nosebleed. Maybe this is a long lost part of that Lincolnshire folk tale about roses drinking blood.
Whether…
I enjoyed cutting a little raincloud lino block. For once, patchy inking helped the image to shine!
Can’t see the wood for the…
Daffodils
Every year this poor pot loses another coil. A bit of his ear has gone.
Lincoln Imp
The Lincoln Imp is a small devilish creature who was sent from the underworld to cause havoc. In theory, to put an end to this destruction, an angel turned the imp to stone. The imp has been watching from his position on an arch inside Lincoln cathedral for a few hundred years. Visitors spend a long time hunting for him so I won’t say which arch…
Last October I noticed some plans for a Lincoln Imp Trail. A design for a large impish creature was unveiled. Its facial features were too small and it had an unfortunately positioned leg which was regarded as phallic by some observers.
I emailed the imp makers to suggest they looked closer at the real imp’s face. Maybe they could reconsider their design? They thanked me for my feedback but claimed their imps were not based on any specific imp(!) It must be a coincidence that their imp has been designed to perch with hands resting on one leg. Sitting in that position fits a character who peeks out from an arch of greenery, artistic license would allow some movement.
Recently the full size imps have appeared in the city. The tale of the hilarious phallic statues has reached the national press. Not all publicity is good – but maybe a shameful council that plans to close Lincoln’s Usher Gallery will realise that people really do need to be more visually literate.
A Wild in Art spokesperson said: “The mischievous response on social media is in the spirit of the imp and shows that people are looking forward to this event”.
“Once decorated the sculptures, which are based on Lincoln’s iconic imp will make a vibrant, colourful and fun art trail celebrating the city.”
Now they’re saying it’s based on a specific imp, will they admit it lacks any mischievous spirit? It’s dispiriting to think that sculpting skills were so much livelier in previous centuries. My own stonemason ancestors must be whirling in their tombs.
Full Cold Moon
Linocut on Japanese paper, 12 x 12 cm.
Full cold moon; a time when we’re naturally accelerated, energy is flowing and things will naturally come to a conclusion. Time to consider that ridiculous ten year project which we can now let go of.
Today’s full moon coincides with a general election. There was a double rainbow in the sky when I went out to vote.
berry daines 