Having a bit of a silly sense of humour I like playing with words and especially in art form.
Author Archives: DianeY
Strange Owls and Coincidences
Sold! From Studio No 71 in Totnes, my Barn Owl with Stopwatch original painting with gold leaf.
Barn Owl framed
This weekend after a trip to Dartmoor we dropped in to collect some work from Studio 21 which has a great position at the bottom of the High Street. The shop is small but packed with interesting things to discover; pictures, sculptures, plates and bowls and glass and pottery and more!
Not only did we arrive on a day when a customer was about to purchase one of my original paintings, but Studio No 71 had also sold a framed Moongazing Hare print of mine during that day too.
How strange, not to have sold for quite some time, and then two in one day and when I was visiting!
It is so nice to meet the individual who likes my art enough to buy it and hang it on their wall. An image that I have formed from my imagination strikes its own chord with another person, and off it goes on its own journey, in this instance wrapped and strapped onto a bicycle!
Grateful for time with friends and walks on Dartmoor just as the season is turning and when such coincidences are a delight.
Playfulness in #Art – #Eagle Print
At times we get so focused on getting really good at an activity that time seems to run out for experimentation and playfulness.
I swim regularly and know that playing in the pool doing roly-polys or attempting handstands increases confidence and can stretch me out of my comfort zone. Yet on a day to day basis I only allow enough time to use the water to keep fit.
As an artist I like to create pictures that have a fair chance of being successful and that must mean following a well practiced strategy for getting a decent drawing transformed into a painting.
Playing with materials and ideas helps to break these predictable patterns and although there is a much greater chance of the exercise ending in an image that is far from perfect it is a route to discovering new techniques and allowing pursuit of different ideas.
The most difficult thing of course is allowing ourselves to have this time to be playful rather than pursuing a direct course to being predictably productive. The process of discovery through playfulness allows us to develop our practice further rather than stagnating and ultimately becoming bored with what we do.
Yesterday I allowed myself time to play; above is a print of my son’s drawing of an eagle which I transferred onto mdf board alongside is a print of my photo a well known local tree. I tried putting gold leaf on some buttons as a addition and sprayed around the board with gold laquer. Who knows where I will go with this, but my nominated play-day is over and now I must get back to work!
Llama Juxtaposition
Arty Words
This rather elitist and arty sounding word “juxtapositon” has become a bit more popular in recent times. When I first heard this word out loud it was in the context of some conceptual art TV programme it sounded a bit niche (and way beyond me), somewhat highfalutin and perhaps unnecessary? Since then if ever I have heard it used in every day speak it does sound a bit pretentious. But in reality the word does a good job of what it describes:
“the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect”; in effect “compare and contrast” .
And so here is my Llama Juxtaposition – a photo taken recently in a field on a hill (hence the slant) near my home, not strictly the way to use this word but where I might just about get away with it.
#Raven #Painting Original #Art
New Raven Original Painting
Here is my original painting which is now called The Gatekeeper in a nice chunky black A3 sized frame, it is a painting of a raven holding a key. Ravens are a common feature of ancient religion and mythologies from familiars of witches to the supernatural, from the carriers of souls and associations with good luck, to trickery and foreboding. According to legend, the Kingdom of England will fall if the ravens of the Tower of London are removed; care has been taken to ensure that they continue to inhabit the Tower as they have done now for centuries.
Sedna in Animal #Mythology
Stories and Mythology in my artwork
Sedna is mythological figure, a Goddess of the sea for the people of the arctic.
The Myth of Sedna
The young girl Sedna was tricked into marrying Raven, and later when her father tried to rescue her by kayak a raging storm brew and her father threw Sedna in to the sea in order to save himself. Her hands clung to the side of the boat and he beat them until her cold and frozen fingers fell into the sea and became sea mammals. Sedna sank under the sea and was transformed into a sea goddess, able to conjure up storms with her rage whereupon shaman must swim down to calm her by combing her hair.
The Innuits survival is dependant upon the success of their hunting animals. From this is derived a great respect for the animal kingdom. Part of the myth is that Sedna holds onto the animals if she is displeased with the people ( so that they will not be successful in hunting them) and untangling her hair is part of the process of calming her.
From this story I created my image of Sedna with fishes swimming amongst her tresses of red hair, she is looking up to the light of the sky on the surface of the water. The image at the bottom is a painting done some time later showing Sedna sleeping with three seals.
These three paintings on the left seen below featuring Sedna are for sale in Studio 71 in Totnes.
Badger Love
Artwork Originals and Prints for Sale
Last week I had an enquiry regarding some artwork which I made at a time here in the UK when there was great petitioning against the culling of badgers in a couple of counties including Gloucestershire. Farmers have a hard time with TB in their cattle, to great distress to the cattle, the farmers and the industry.
Unfortunately the native badger has been implicated in the spread of TB in the UK. Whether this is true or not it is difficult to tell in reality with the different sides providing arguements both for and against. I prefer to fall on the side of the badger, it’s population is displaced by culling leading to other complicated issues for both the animal and with regard to establishing cause and effect of the problem of TB.
I have seen the wild badgers who liked to frequent a friend’s garden, and enjoyed tidbits of peanut butter. Their coats were much shaggier that I imagined and it was so nice to see them ambling about the lawn in their element.
Badger Love
This original artwork Badger Love is now on its way to the USA to its new home.
Bumble #Bee Wings
Nature’s Beauty – Bumble Bee Wings
I found a bumble bee who had met its demise in a hot conservatory, it was too beautiful to just throw away without capturing these amazing metallic looking wings.
It had been placed on a white envelope I had not been aware of the placement of the written line until later.
#Art for #Sale in #Totnes by Diane Young
Studio 71 @ Totnes – A display of my artwork for sale
So a hint of the Summer season is upon us, quite a bit of sunshine and the beginning of holiday bookings. Here is hoping that lots of people will descend upon Totnes in Devon (UK) very soon in the hope that some of my art will find a loving home.
Simple Tastes; Happy Times for a #Cat.
Happy Cat Simba
Wouldn’t it be nice to be a cat…. hey I will just take up this cardboard box in the sun, settle down and not worry too much about anything. I mean what else is there to do. Simba loves boxes, the rustle of some cardboard and his ears are pricked. Such simple tastes and happy times.
Stone Circles and Tree Roots
A Trip to Keswick Stone Circle
Gambolling free these ancient stones are set high up in the Lake District and surrounded by a circle of mountains. They have stood here for generations against all weathers looking at the stars and even putting up with the Victorians chipping at them for souvenirs.
Castlerigg Ancient Stone circle in the Lake District UK
Here at this little “beach” at Loch Venachar in Scotland the bank of this tree has been washed away by the loch over time. But look closely what has the tree got suspended in its clutches?
At Loch Vernachar Scotland UK
Poor old Mr Rock ensnared by the trees roots, the rock might be superior in the rock-scissor-paper game but it does not hold true here. One presumes over time the water will erode the roots perhaps, but I think that rock has got a long wait for it to be set free.
Large rock ensnared suspended by a tree.
#Duck #Painting
Simple Painting for Pleasure
Ok so this a mallard duck. The colours were irresistible. What more can I say.
Oh and that funny mustard colour water, well that was how actually was in real life 
Scotland
I spent most of a week recently on holiday in the Trossachs in Scotland. Lucky enough not to be rained on, nor bitten by midges (timed it just right) and well able to enjoy the lush countryside, the watery brooks, lochs and dam, and also the broad and mighty mountainsides from the steam ship The Walter Scott on Loch Katrine. Loving the natural world here, seeing horned Highland Cows, watching scatty curly horned sheep and a rather domineering greater spotted woodpecker, and desperately trying to spot a golden eagle (like I was ever going to LOL). One highlight for us was a squirrel hide, set up so that visitors to the David Marshall Lodge (a natural park) could witness the antics of the pesky red squirrel, and even four at once at one time!
Castlerigg Stone Circle in the Lake District
Red Squirrels in Scotland
Loch Katrine in the Trossachs
Service Station Crow
Only I could be found taking multiple pictures by the car of a ragged crow at a service station car park for more art reference!
So the perfect location to stay as we did is The Ridings at Brig O Turk, which is in the middle of everything you need whilst in the middle of the lush countryside, with the Ben Venue mountain as a backdrop. Beautiful walks, the local pub (The Byre) and the Brig O Turk Cafe with legendary cream cakes!
#Cows and other legs
Locally cows are an easy subject for drawing as they roam far and wide on natural commons near where I live. The only issue with these cows was unless they were walking on the roads and holding up the traffic you do not get to see their feet!
I took on a walk this morning and came across the….
The Singular Lesser Legged Lama,
and a seemingly one legged Mallard Duck with the sleeping legless female. Note the angle of the supporting leg allowing that rather bulbous body sit centrally on one foot. And what glorious colours in that blue green head.
Time with the Duck in a Jug
Time to make Artwork
You hear of artists taking months or even year or years to paint a picture. Obviously they are not painting at it all the time, just as a writer may not be physically writing a novel over that sort of period either. I have just finished the painting below, but alongside this one I have four other paintings on the go at the moment. One of these has taken four months or more since its inception before Christmas. It is now loitering on a table in my studio sometimes becoming buried in paper and sketches, resurfacing to remind me that it still exists and that I need to pursue the finishing touches. Initially the painting had a lot of momentum, and I have recognised that areas that go slow or even grind to a halt are where there are areas where I was not thorough in my pre-planning. It is not the painting but the decision making that can take time. As an artist I might hope that I will find resolve with time almost as if the painting might just fix itself, but ultimately the decision may have to be forced.
The Duck In a Jug Painting
The Duck In The Jug below was kind of easy. I had produced an ACEO some time ago along these lines and so I already knew what I was going to do but then I wanted to do a much bigger painting which was a bit more sophisticated and to throw in the tulips as an extra feature.
And so now I need to get back to some decision making…
Diane Young Artist 