From 2013 for a year or so I painted many ACEO’s. These are small pieces of artwork traded on Ebay to collectors around the world. Harvey the Aardvark was featured on the majority of them and looking in my PC files I produced (and sold!) over 160 of these tiny pieces of art measuring only 3.5 x 2″ (or 9 x 6 cm).
I had some of them printed up to a larger size; and have now put the remaining of them in my online shop. This is one of my early designs and one of my favourites, the original art being sold to a collector in the USA.
“It wasn’t Me” – with Harvey The Aardvark and Digger the Dog – print available to buy £10 Free P&P here.
If you have seen any of my recent printmaking artwork (for sale here at www.dianeyoungartist.weebly.com) you might be wondering what is going on here. My paintings (mostly created between 2000 and 2019) often have some sort of storyline going on, and most of my paintings are inspired by animals or birds. Creating an imaginary image of animals behaving as humans that looks convincing is a challenge I have always relished!
The original of Daft Cows (Cows Life Drawing class) was painted when I was at Uni, around 2005. I have some cards left over still, I am not really sure who shares this sense of humour enough to send to someone else!
I make artwork which quite often gets surreptitiously tucked away; I am sure artists are all the same with this. This print of a painting has emerged from me turfing out some drawers and was from a long time ago, painted before the Life of Pi film was made and inspired by me reading the book. Only when these works have been hidden for some time does it enable me to become objective about the work as a whole. I left this style of painting behind some years ago now and since that refreshed my style completely on discovering Collagraph printmaking. Rediscovering this painting and looking at the brushstrokes I really like it a lot now and no longer feel the frustration of them as I did then.
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.
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.
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.
Diane Young Artist 