I have an artist- in – residence? Do you?
As a way of bringing a lighter, brighter look to my house, I have let her creative spirit have free rein in my domain. There are new paintings everywhere. And some of her old ones, too.
They make me smile. They remind me that spring is nearly here; that the magnolia is about to bloom again. They remind me that my dreary, old soul will soon be revived by longer hours of daylight; longer hours of sunshine.
Here’s a look at some of my artist’s work. Do you know who she is? If you are long time reader of this blog, you have met her before. Of course, she isn’t physically in residence, but what fun it would be if she really were.
I haven’t taken photos for a while. I am out of practice. It shows. I think I need a photographer-in-residence!
© silkannthreades
Great collection of paintings. ❤️
Thank you, Laleh. The paintings bring me such joy. And, just by the way, the magnolia in my garden is blooming again. It looks glorious, as always. 🙂
Wow, such a bf day flower.❤️
🙂 🙂
Such a beautiful art collection ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you, Violet. I hoped you and Malus would enjoy it. 🙂
Lovely schnauzer!! Great work!
Thanks Raider. 🙂
Youre very talented. My favorite portrait is the one of the little girl. Did you use water colors to paint them?
Thanks Vinny. A friend of mine used watercolours to paint them. I wish I were that talented!
Oh ok. Nonetheless, they came out great. Your friend is talented.
She will be pleased to read your comment. 🙂
Good. You’re both talented
Thank you Vinny. My friend painted them using water colours. I wish I were as talented.
very nice… I’m impressed, as I have NO artistic talent(s) at all!!!
* * *
welcome back to “blogland” and tons of inspiration! 🙂
Thank you. And hopefully I will have tons of blog reading time , too.
That was a nice little art tour. Thank you.
Thank you Juliet. When I clicked on your name it says your WordPress site has been deleted. Is this true?
Absolutely not! Here is the link: http://www.julietbatten.co.nz/blog/
I’m not using blogspot any more, but am posting my blogs on my website blog page now.
Thank goodness for that.
I came across this reference to Cairns a moment ago:
https://lauralecce.com/2016/08/23/turtles-always-look-sad-photo-by-laura-lecce/
I have yet to see turtles in Cairns but this post reminded me that sea turtles cry. http://www.sciencefocus.com/qa/why-do-sea-turtles-cry-when-they-lay-eggs As for sad, I am very sad that we once thought it appropriate to display a turtle shell on the wall; like a trophy. 😦
Such cheerful watercolours – like to see you and your Jack together. So nice that you have art on the wall that means something special to you – me too. Spring – a season of rebirth – is always a gift.
Do you have any paintings of your horse or pets?
Both you and Lucy are talented. I love the paintings and the photos. My two favorites are the first painting and the one with you and Jack! Sending warmth your way from the tropics. You’ll have enough of it there soon.
Thank goodness I checked my spam today. I can’t believe I found your comment there. The warmth is certainly coming. You are welcome to send a little more. 🙂
Darn that spam. I’ve oddly ended up in a few spam queues lately 😬. Sending more warmth your way 🍃🌷🌞
Thank you!
I love the way the little girl is looking up. I have a favorite photograph of my younger son when he was about the same age and he has very much the same expression on his face. 🙂
Hello Bun……I had to sniff you out from the spam. But I am glad I found you and your blog. Lucy painted the little girl for me as a healing/memorial/a symbol of hope after our earthquakes. On Sept 4th it will be 6 years since our first devastating earthquake. Unfortunately, I am seeing it all again in the horrible earthquake in Italy………..recovery is long and hard. I am weeping for them.
Thank you for finding me in the spam folder. I have a tendency to get lost and fall into them. I was also very sorry to hear about the recent earthquake in Italy. I can imagine how much more painful it must be for you to watch given what you went through six years ago.
I rarely check my spam; I may have been missing out on all sorts of exciting things. 😀
Could be! 🙂
😀
I’m glad to understand spring is coming! And with such beautiful art on your walls, the very look and thought will keep you smiling. autumn is closing up on us here, and there is much to do with berries and fruit. But fun!
I love the autumn harvest; and your berries look so delicious. Today a magnolia bloom started to open on my tree. It is a little damaged from recent rain and frost but it is still a lovely sight.
Always lovely! And so is spring ahead.
🙂 🙂 🙂
All the photos and paintings are beautiful, but especially the little girl one.
She’s gorgeous, isn’t she!
Love the expression on that wee girl’s face! That must be how I look as I wander through my garden. (If I’m not being chased by mosquitoes!) This post makes me wish I could pop over for some baking (or candy!) and just have a chat…
You would be most welcome! And you could wander in my garden without fear of mosquitoes. 🙂 Snails are plentiful though.
I’m already dreaming of retirement travel… I have a few years to go yet, though. 😦
More time to dream bigger dreams then. 😀
Wonderful paintings! I’d be happy to have them hanging in my house. 🙂
Thank you. Wouldn’t it be fun if people were willing to lend people their paintings just as they lend people their books!
Yes, it would! That’s a great idea actually. 🙂
We might have to’ micro chip’ them first, so we can’t forget where they came from, or to whom we lent them!!!!
Your photos are wonderful; you definitely don’t need to apologize for them. Is there a candy dish in the corner of the picture with the chair? I own a candy dish that looks very similar to it.
Well spotted! It is a candy dish. I am not much interested in candies but I love the dish and other people seem to love the candies! There is also a fruit bowl so people have a choice of sweet things. 😀
Absolutely brilliant! You are so incredibly talented, my friend!
Awww…..thank you.
All of your art is stunning, Gallivanta, but my favorite is “the little girl” in you. So sweet.
You have not lost your talent!
Thank you, Marylin. What I do seem to have lost is my ability to keep track of comments and whether or not I have replied. Sorry for the delayed response.
Your home looks so divinely peaceful and so YOU. 🙂
Thank you! I am happy if I can offer peace and love to all who visit my home. But sometimes things go awry and there is chaos. 😀
There is nothing wrong with your photos, Gallivanta. Your paintings are lovely, I can see why you enjoy them so much.
Thank you, Karen. For many years I was a trailing spouse http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/trailing-spouse , so now my husband and I have a home to call our own, it’s lovely to fill it with things we love and treasure.
Lucy and you make an amazing team. Love you and her talented work!
Thank you Cindy. It’s great to be among so many talented friends.
Thank you Cindy. Your bright photographic views of the world are lovely too.
When we visited the Mission House in Kerikeri I was surprised to find a prominent magnolia on the property. What great trees they are, and how fragrant their flowers.
And my magnolia will soon be in full bloom again. I can usually count on the flowers being out in time for our wedding anniversary towards the end of August.
Our 29th was yesterday. Happy yours later this month.
Congratulations. 🙂 May you have many more happy anniversaries.
💕Congratulations!
Thank you!
Paintings and art beautify a home as warmly as the fragrance of fresh baking, fresh flowers and good friends. Lovely post.
Blessings from over the ocean ~ Wendy
Thank you Wendy. Throughout my house there are reminders in art and books and belongings of the kindness and thoughtfulness of friends and family.
That is something every artist should do time to time: just create art. Wonderful works, they fit in the interior so well.
Thank you. 🙂
Such beautiful work – your lucky to have parts of your life captured this way. Painting often captures more soul than photography, I find. Give a hug to Jack from me!
It is lovely to have another type of record other than the usual photographs. Jack says thanks for the hug.
Jack had a huge walk yesterday, so today is a rest day. 🙂
Both days sound lovely 🙂 Our little Lupa just got spayed so we have a very quiet puppy right now 🙂
Aww…… she will soon be bouncing again. 🙂
I am also partial to the portrait of you and Jack. Firstly because it is very nice (Jack looks the perfect fit in your arms) and also because I now have a picture of you rather than a mind’s eye impression which wasn’t based on much of anything.
Thank you. 🙂 The painting was based on a photo taken in about 2008, so your impression must now include even whiter hair and a certain stoutness of figure and face. Jack is however very little changed. 😀
Beautiful work – both the paintings and the photos – you’re doing just fine! 🙂 xxx
I am glad you think so. 🙂
A beautiful collection of Lucy’s artwork, Gallivanta! She is a very talented artist. I’ve always loved the painting of the little girl, but the one of you and Jack is precious too.
Art is Lucy’s joy and passion and, like most artists, (and writers and musicians) she works incredibly hard to perfect her art. Which reminds me, how is your wine making going? Making good wine is also a work of art. 😉
I also remember that precious little girl — and I remember when you adopted some of the same sort of flowers for your hair. The expression on the girl’s face suggests she might have seen kōtuku: that beautiful bird of a single flight. Perhaps, grown up, she has become kōtuku?
I enjoyed seeing the painting of you and Jack, too, although I think the photo of him is wonderful. His personality really does shine through. It’s a reminder to me that I need to take more photos of Dixie Rose, while she’s still relatively healthy and happy. Her vet told me on our last visit that she’s 81 in human years — no wonder both of us have arthritis!
I am sure Dixie Rose wouldn’t mind being photographed more. And I would enjoy seeing more of her on your blog! Does she assist you by sitting on your keyboard? Your mention of the white heron brought to mind a vague image of trudging along a path on the West Coast in search of the herons. I may have been about 7. It was a family trip. Did we find the herons…..I don’t recall that we did but I do recall the sandflies which were horrendous. 🙂
It is great to have an artist-in-residence! Even in spirit! She is inspiring with her beautiful works. I have a photographer and now a digital artist too in residence 🙂 I hope you winter days are starting to get warmer and longer. Hugs!
Oh I like your residents! Feeling a little envious. 😉
Such lovely artwork, Ann. My favourite is the one of you and Jack. So precious. 🙂
Thank you. It is precious, especially as it is the first time anyone has painted ME!
You’re beautiful. 😘
Aww….thank you kindly.
Enjoyed your images. The creative process takes us where we need to go. You obviously create through various interests, including cooking and flower arrangements.
Sally, thank you for reminding me that the creative process is fluid and ever changing. I like the idea of surrendering to its flow.
Absolutely…
They look beautiful and you are lucky to have such a talented friend who enjoys making your home perfect for you. 😉
I’m glad spring is around the corner and will look forward to sharing some dirt with you…you know, the latest flowers and fruit that have come to visit or perhaps the latest dish from the monarchs! 😀 😀
I’m a little giddy…going on vacation in two days. I think I have vacation fever.
Vacation time…….yay! Have a wonderful time. Perhaps the holidays will inspire you to paint some holiday scenes; beach ones perhaps?
More likely forests…I’m going to see my firs Renaissance Festival…yay! Oh well, off to work first…only two days…I can make it! 😉
That’s sounds very interesting. You are a great adventurer. 🙂 Will your knight in shining armour be going with you?
Oh, yes! 😀 😀
Good – o 🙂
Beautiful work! My mom was a watercolor painter, and in going through her things, we found works-in-progress. My sister and I latched onto these lickety-split! 🙂 All of us 6 children have a piece or two of her work, but I kind of find the ones that she hadn’t framed and gifted to be a little more special somehow.
I love your subject matter–magnolias and your furry friend!–true love shines through your art! 🙂 I hope you keep it up.
So sorry to take so long to respond to your comment. I am not well-organised. How lovely to have watercolors painted by your mother. Have you shared any of your mother’s work on your blog? Perhaps it’s too early in your grieving process to do something like that. 🙂 Hugs.
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I remember seeing some of these before but not the one of you and Jack–that’s really wonderful! In our front hall, “the family gallery,” we have paintings done by just about everyone in the family, from our grandparents down to my niece–not all equal in terms of artistic merit but all special!
Oh, wonderful….. an entire gallery. Yes, art by family or friends is always special. Was it you I told about finding a sketch done by my mother when she was about 26? I had no idea she sketched. I must show it to her one day and see what she has to say about it.
Such lovely paintings … did your daughter do these? I just love the one of the little girl .. just gorgeous. And you don’t need a live in photographer either 😀 Is it raining down your way? Awful weather here in Akl.
No, not my daughter. I have the little girl on the wall next to my bed. She is the first ‘person’ I see each morning; such a cheerful greeting. The artist is Lucy at Visual Fling https://visualfling.com/2016/03/22/august-magnolias/ Lucy is another generous blogger, like yourself….:) And the weather is deteriorating rapidly. Snow tonight maybe?
These are beautiful. Such talent – and wonderful colours 🙂 Jack looks like he’s the king of the castle, what a handsome chap he is! xxxx
🙂 🙂 Perhaps I should have asked for a little crown to be painted on Jack’s head…..although in real life he hates anything on his head and is none too fond of a coat either.
Lovely paintings. Art so nourishes our souls; I’m glad you have have works of beauty and memory to enjoy every day.
Su, like many people, I have special things full of memories tucked away in cupboards and drawers. I thought it was time to bring some of them out to the light of day. The funniest part was when I went to switch my paintings, I discovered I had so firmly earthquake proofed the current ones on display that I could scarcely prise them off the wall. These ‘new’ paintings are secured in a gentler fashion. 😀
It is a such a good idea to bring out different things that hold memories for you. You’ve reminded me that none of our paintings (or mirrors) are really earthquake strapped. I think we get too complacent up here in Auckland.
I think you are fairly safe from earthquakes…..not sure about volcanoes 😀
True. And being an Aucklander, I’m torn between the fear that volcanic activity will interrupt my latte supply, and the important question of what a volcano in my backyard would do to house prices? How many townhouses could I build on it? 🙂
Lol, yes. And let’s not forget the NIMBY volcano issue. 😀
NIMBY unless there is money to be made. With all that extra land (ok, lava) generated by the volcano, I could increase site coverage, and with the new Unitary Plan, probably build a couple of apartment blocks. 🙂
Ha!
These are lovely paintings Ann! The use of colour in them is wonderful. I am glad spring will be with you again soon – longer and warmer days give us hope. Our days are slowly drawing in which makes me wistful.
Yes, I always feel sad when the days start to draw in. I love the long summer evenings (and those after dinner excursions ;). My magnolias will flower in a few weeks, and I am looking forward to comparing the paintings with the new blooms. Today the grey sky is reflected in the grey buds. 😉
😉
Such lovely paintings. Joy-making.
Yes, joy-making. 🙂 I would love to have a lot more paintings but, then, I would have to have a lot more walls, as well as a lot more storage. It’s such a pity that wonderful lending schemes like this one are no longer available. http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Collections/Art/History/
You’ve reminded me of the lending schemes we used to have in UK schools in the 50s early 60s. As a child I found it so exciting when a new picture arrived; it was my main intro to art – Van Gogh, Raoul Dufy, Picasso. We had to copy them of course, which was interesting in its own special way.
Oh that would have been wonderful. Was it this, do you think? https://picturesforschools.wordpress.com/about/
It may well have been, although mostly it was print copies of well known works. We did have one extraordinary modern piece of art in my all girls secondary school quadrangle. We thought our very uptight, seeming elderly headmistress had blown a fuse when she bought it. It was a large 8 foot tall abstract sculpture with 2 wavy metal arms in a sort of figure of 8 shape called ‘Feminity’.
Ah, yes, the elderly, uptight, upright, headmistress! I know ‘her’ only too well but I think my peers and I didn’t give her as much credit as she was due. We didn’t get an abstract sculpture out of her though. 😀
What lovely paintings. I do remember the little girl form an earlier post. Glad you can enjoy them on your walls. Lovely the one of you and Jack together. Great to have something like that. So nice to see a post from you! Hugs Ute.
Ute, with the lovely smile, you have indeed seen the little girl before. I featured it here https://silkannthreades.wordpress.com/tag/watercolour-painting/ And, would you believe, it’s 3 months since my last post? Hugs to you, too.
It’s great to see that your home is decorated with such bright and cheerful works of art!
Thanks GP. Putting up new paintings was a reminder to me not to get stuck with the same old, same old decor. Much as we might be comfortable and happy with a room as it is, there’s nothing like a change of pictures, ornaments, cushions, curtains, or the like, to bring a breath of fresh air to our surroundings. And the cost is minimal.
How lovely, perfect and serene it all looks…and with art and a dog like that you do not have to have perfect photos! xo Johanna
Thank you, Johanna. You are right….nothing needs to be perfect when there is beauty and a dog to keep us company.
Amen to that!
🙂
I love the idea of having an “artist in residence.” It is a way to live within a creative and life-affirming environment that opens the way for new possibilities and adventures. We (Vancouver) are in the last stages of our summer months. Soon we will be seeing September colours and embracing coming of a new season. Hugs coming your way…
I would love to have a singer in residence or a musician in residence too. My daughter held those positions when she was at home. I guess you have a bag piper in residence sometimes. 😀 And thinking of new possibilities…..what about a knitter in residence, like our mutual friend Liz at Leaping Life ?https://leapinglife.wordpress.com/category/knitting-crochet/ What a wealth of creativity surrounds us.
Amen!!!! We are blessed!
🙂
I have a bag Piper friend who visited my camp one day and tried to teach us a few steps of the Highland Fling. It was great fun, even for those of us who fell down at it. Ha ha. Great Fun!
I would have been amongst the ones falling down!
She encouraged us to try, and it was fun even though I would not win any prizes at it.
Always good to give it a go, to try. 🙂
These are a lovely collection of artworks Gallivanta. Happy to read that the beautiful days of warmer weather are coming your way.
I love to have artwork which has personal meaning for me. One of my favourite pieces is a watercolour which my daughter did when she was about 8. I look at it every day and every day I marvel at it. Yet, today, my daughter doesn’t paint and doesn’t even consider herself artistic.
That’s too bad, but you never know one day she might surprise you and take up the brush again!
I do hope so. Actually you may have given me an idea for a blog post. My daughter did some wonderful cartoons when she was young. They still make me laugh and perhaps would give enjoyment to others via a blog post. A post would be a way of reviving her brush strokes. 🙂
Beautiful. I especially like the one of you and Jack. Is this Lucy’s work?
Spot on, dear Cynthia. It is indeed Lucy’s work. She signs her paintings Lucy Lowry, so it’s fun to be able to say I own several Lowrys….http://www.thelowry.com/ls-lowry/his-life-and-work/ 😉
Such a comfortable looking home, and I can see who’s master! 🙂 🙂 Spring can’t be far away, Ann. Your upside down friends are desperate to keep it at bay 🙂
Jack knows he’s adored beyond all reason. 😀 And I am content that spring is coming…. there’s no rush…..hang on to the loveliness of summer as long as you can.
Oh, Jack’s furry face! I fell in love in an instant. Give him a biscuit, bone, or bacon for me please. 😀
He will be only too pleased to accept a treat or two!
Then I think your inner girl should go get some and play!
Indeed, indeed! You should have seen Jack and I racing around the garden yesterday. We chased balls and had wild games of tug of war. 😀 😀
My dog and I had a day like that yesterday, too 🙂 I’m glad you and Jack did too.
Have you done paintings of your dog?
Nice pieces of painting (water?). Those are even greater if they are you own. You have deeper relationship than from others that may just be of beauty. Good to see Jack again.
Water colours, yes, but sadly I didn’t paint any of them. The last time I did a water colour I was about 10 years old. 🙂
I think that was about me too 🙂
I am sad now that I stopped so long ago. I really liked painting and even had art lessons. 🙂
You can get back to it again.
Indeed! I got as far as buying some art paper last year, but then life got in the way, as it often does.