In between other activities I found time to paint for a few hours in the studio. It is so nice to focus on just one activity for a while. I had prepared my canvas earlier with some paper and gesso and then started on a beach view, in soft blended colours.
With my left over paint I painted some pieces of paper for the next project. I do not like to throw good paint away. I mostly use acrylic paint of the brand Galeria by Winsor&Newton.
Hi, on this so-called Blue Monday I am sharing another colour with you. On my forest walk I spotted the colour Hazelnut on several occasions. It is a colour which perfectly matches with blue, and it has been a popular colour for interior decoration. But outdoors you notice it a lot, so here is my little collage of inspiration:
And here is the blue-hazelnut combination in a small drawing:
I have been away, strolling along beaches, hiking paths, bird-watching and relaxing with my husband. It has been good, well the weather wasn't particularly good with storms and gusts of wind, but maybe those elements are needed to feel refreshed.
I found inspiration in the clouds, the muted tones of colour in winter and in visiting a small museum with works of a female painter. I am trying to hold on to this inspiration and look forward to go painting and making. When it is difficult to keep focus, Will Kemp (an art teacher from the UK), who knows about having too much ideas and distraction, advised: Just pick one thing and start.
Wishing you happy holidays, enjoy the small moments of happiness, we all need them! Looking forward to more creativity in the New Year. Thank you for following along, let's make beautiful things.
Bye for now, Christien
Currently in Christmas mode... I have had several Open Studio days, and have also been making Christmas cards. This is one of the handpainted designs.
I have tried to keep my schedule pretty free, because I want to work on some paintings in the studio and also enjoy the days before Christmas. I am also looking forward to the new year and am making plans.
We have got grey weather all week, but it was warm and cozy inside the studio:
This abstract painting is for sale, it is made on a wooden panel with acrylic paint. Contact me for info if you are interested.
In a charity shop I found this little book, with a lot of information about primitive art and drawings. It has always fascinated me to see how people thousands of years ago started to express themselves. In this book there is a lot of information about the drawings found in caves all over Europe. It makes me want to go and visit those places. In Scandinavia also a lot of drawings were found, they tell so much about the people who made them.
These last drawings were found in California.
Using charcoal or red clay or dirt, they drew their surroundings, their world. Persons, animals and later the stories came about the capture of a herd of animals. Interesting to read how it developed.
Yes, it is time for those winter accessories like gloves, scarves and... hats. So I took one page in the sketchbook to draw some of them. When I take some time I think I could draw a lot more of them, but this was the start:
My other theme was Christmas cards, I like making a new design each year. Overall just making and producing a nice product enlarges my creativity. Because: what if I made this in another colour... or in another shape? This is one I made, starting with the purple blend and adding on sparks to make it look like a starry sky.
