Making a difference – with the understanding that all of life is interconnected.

When I change one tiny section of a ten meter mural…everything is changed.    The rhythm, balance, composition, everything.    The same is true for life.

The other day I watched a documentary about Clive James  (Australian critic, broadcaster and writer.)      Filmed in 1991, London looked like a different world to the one we are inhabiting now.      Much less crowded….no one carrying i phones….generally speaking a seemingly more manageable place.

Since 1991 many things have served to change the rhythm, balance and composition of our beautiful world.    So much has changed in such a short period.    Far too rapidly for we human beings to assimilate in a balanced fashion. Today we find ourselves with leaders who clearly have no understanding of interconnectedness, rhythm, harmony and balance overseeing and governing our collective futures.      We wake each day alert to what new form of madness, they have imposed upon us!     

Meanwhile, our beautiful world becomes more and more unstable……and mental disease more prevalent in humans of all ages. 

So many feel a deep sense of frustration and loss.     How can we make a difference?   How can we help to bring some form of equilibrium back into our lives…..?

There are ways as individuals we can make small but significant differences…

For the last two evenings, I watched The Choir: featuring Gareth Malone and the inmates of Aylesbury Prison.      Not only was it uplifting and moving, it showed how  differences can be made.    I highly recommend anyone who hasn’t seen this to watch on BBC 2 I Player.  

Gareth Malone did more in a short period of time with minimal funding than all of our politicians put together.  The power behind Gareth’s work is of course creativity….in his case music.

Anyone who has followed my blog will know that I am constantly talking about creativity being the key to emotional, physical and spiritual well being.      In The Choir we see the creative process achieving these goals. And so my friends, at the beginning of a new year and decade, I suggest that everyone find a form of creativity that works for them.     Something that calms and heals the mind  and body.

Then think of the small ways you can make a difference…….

I found this on FB yesterday.

And of course don’t forget the unseen energy that magical hummingbirds show us.

A Bientôt

Janet

 

 

FIRST LIVE WORKSHOP SINCE LOCKDOWN – at THE HUB

On Friday I gave my first live workshop since lockdown and it felt wonderful to be with a group of real human beings…:)

I mentioned in a previous post that during lockdown something quite magical was unfolding where I am based in Hampton. A wonderful centre called THE INSPIRED HUB – http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk was being transformed and so it was there that I held the workshop.

After our small, socially distanced group met in the relaxing garden….we moved into one of the rooms within THE HUB.

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I always begin with warm up exercises and give demos throughout.

In this simple warm up I ask participants to explore what their brushes can do. Using a mix of BURNT SIENNA and PRUSSIAN BLUE – I encourage everyone to PLAY. Several people did some beautiful warm up pieces on brown wrapping paper and newspaper.

With the Prussian Blue/Burnt Sienna mix many different tones can be achieved. The only way to discover these joys is to PLAY and PRACTISE. I never use black in watercolour, but rather make my darks using this mix,

These were the tools I used for demos. One large brush, one rigger, a Tomboy water soluble pen, knife, Burnt Sienna, Prussian Blue, and some marigold yellow.

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As I have said many times on this blog, by PLAYING and WARMING UP on newspaper, envelopes, inexpensive wall paper lining, fear and anxiousness is removed and consequently people tend to do their best work. Most importantly it gets the juices flowing and brings us both physically and emotionally into the room.

Using a mix of Burnt Sienna and Prussian Blue I make marks with my large brush and small rigger brush. I use a clean wet brush to pull out colour……Note I have scraped out colour using the knife.

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The Th

In this rapid warm up the darks are the mix of Prussian Blue and Burnt Sienna. The Yellow is Marigold Yellow….and again you can see where I have pulled out colour with a clean wet brush…and scraped with a knife.

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My second demo – was to do a simple exercise that uses basic watercolour techniques.

In this instance I am working on white paper.

I begin by adding water to the sky area….and then introduce colour into the wet. I then allow the colour to run (bleed – do its own thing). The beauty of watercolour is the spontaneity it brings to an image. If the paint begins to puddle simply hold up the paper, move it around and allow the paint to run.

I then add some colour along the bottom of the sky line to indicate trees in the distance. Where it is wet, the paint will bleed.

At this point the bottom of the picture is still DRY WHITE PAPER.

To finish I add some juicy paint to the dry area at bottom of the picture (this is called DRY BRUSH, because I am now working on a dry surface) It’s important to leave some DRY WHITE AREAS. This brings a sparkle to the painting. I then take my knife and scrape out colour while the paint is still wet…..

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Remember to look at your warm ups in many different ways….also cut them up..use them for collage…the important thing is to PLAY.

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My third demo was taken from a photograph I took in Portugal. I prefer to work from life, however we are not always in a position to do that…and so working from photographs, preferably ones we have taken ourselves and using them as a JUMPING OFF POINT is fine. I prefer that people don’t copy photographs verbatim. Be creative.

In this instance, using watercolour and gouache, I worked from an ORANGE GROUND (note that any orange you see in the picture is dry paper). Because I am working from an orange ground any opaque whites you see are PERMANENT WHITE GOUACHE

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My fourth demonstration was of lilies, emphasising the NEGATIVE SPACE – the space that surrounds the subject.

As artists we need to train our observational skills so that we automatically see the NEGATIVE SPACE in everything rather than focusing purely on our subject. Remember everything in life is interconnected.

in this instance there is no detail, just the simple shapes of the lilies surrounded by rich colour. The colour in the NEGATIVE SPACE – REVEALS the flower heads.

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I I TT

This was one of my watercolour/gouache paintings we used as the JUMPING OFF POINT for this exercise. Note how the colour in the negative space, surrounding the lilies REVEALS the subject.

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The workshop lasted for three hours which seemed like a lot when we began…however as always the time flew by……..

I definitely plan to do more workshops at The HUB and hope to do some portrait demonstrations. Watch this space.

Please scroll through my posts to see other demonstrations….

For now stay safe, keep painting and always remember to WARM UP

JANET 🙂

THE THREADS THAT BIND US…

Part of large symbolic mural commissioned for a public building in the States thirty years ago. When I was commissioned to paint this mural, based on the theme that all of life is interconnected, climate change and many other elements that have become part of our daily conversation were rarely discussed. 

We believed that if we put a border or line around something, it was contained.      

Artists of all disciplines understand that when we change one small part of a creation, the whole is changed and so it is true for life in general.   

Today we see how an unseen virus has dramatically changed the world we live in. A virus activated by an ever growing and unsustainable population with  disregard for the laws of nature. 

This week I received a beautiful hand made gift from my dear friend Kat Ranalli – who I met in the States in the early seventies.    The gift is a symbolic reminder that we are all connected BY THE THREADS THAT BIND US…….

When Kat and I first met in West Chester Pennsylvania…our world was very different.      I am not imagining it when I say things were simpler and calmer – (definitely not without problems) but nevertheless a healthier and happier time to be alive. 

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On the same day that I received this beautiful gift my daughter Christie Reed, who was a baby when Kat and I first met, wrote a blog entitled LIVING LIFE IN BLACK AND WHITE – 5 which taps into this subject of there being no lines or borders around anything very eloquently. I am also proud that she has chosen to use one of my watercolours to demonstrate her point. (please read)

HUMANKINDBYDESIGN.LIFE

This morning’s headline notes that DAVID ATTENBOROUGH MAKES A STARK WARNING ON EXTINCTION.…

Attenborough, a man who has been actively involved in the care of our environment for sixty years. We must listen to him and the others who have been working tirelessly to educate and warn us.

It seems that we have been sleep walking as we have doggedly plodded on destroying so much in our collective paths.

Bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger planes, bigger resorts, bigger hamburgers, bigger cruise ships, big containers to ship all the crap that we have and continue to consume….and the list goes on and on….and then we are

STOPPED

STOPPED BY AN UNSEEN THREAD THAT HAS NOW CLEARLY BOUND US TOGETHER in ways that we could never have imagined.

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It is my sincere hope that we all learn from the virus. That we wake up to our vulnerabilities and at the same time wake to new and wonderful possibilities.

CHANGE is NECESSARY

We must recognise that we really are all interconnected and that we need to support and cherish the fragile threads that bind us.

I see Kat’s gift as a metaphor for a new way of thinking and being.

watercolour/gouache

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Janet:)

Watercolour demo – using the Cala Lily

“Human subtlety sill never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking, and nothing is superfluous.”     Leonardo da Vinci. 

On the 18th September I will be giving my first live workshop since lock down at THE INSPIRED HUB in Hampton http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk       

I first mentioned the inspired hub two months ago on this blog in a post entitled ‘CREATIVE THINKING, PERSONAL WELLBEING AND COMMUNITY.’         The HUB is proving to be a wonderful addition to the Hampton (SW London)  community. 

Using watercolour, and beginning with playful exercises the workshop will focus on spontaneous painting and loosening up.      

Watercolour is a beautiful medium.        There are a few basic techniques to learn – each one taking time and patience to master.      Allowing ourselves to play with the medium will help build confidence and ability.     

In this instance I have sketched out two cala lilies – using yellow ochre.    I am working on a Saunders and Waterford Hot Pressed – heavy paper.  (more about papers at end of blog)

Having sketched the basic image I add ‘juicy tube paint’ into the negative space (the area surrounding the lilies).    I am using a mix of Daniel Smith Perylene Maroon with Winsor & Newton Winsor Violet and a little Winsor & Newton Cadmium Orange. 

When we add paint to the negative space – we automatically reveal the subject…..Using very small amounts of pigment I begin to add colour to the lily.    For this I use Winsor & Newton Green Gold and a touch of Windsor & Newton Cadmium yellow. For the dark green in stem and shadow I mix some Winsor & Newton Burnt Sienna with a tiny amount of prussian blue and Gold Green. 

All the whites are dry white paper. 

I begin to build depth inside the lily using small amounts of pigment – making sure to leave dry white paper for highlights. As I build up the colour I am mindful of bringing the background colours into the Lilies.    Everything is connected….nothing is isolated.     By moving colour around a painting we bring a sense of harmony and rhythm.

It is important to note, that when we change one fraction of a painting – (no matter what the size) we change the whole.     This is true for everything in life. The finished watercolour is an observational exercise revealing the subtlety of nature….. and at the same time honing watercolour technique.       I hope that there is an element of energy and movement.  The most important thing is to PLAY  and warm up.    This can be done on any paper including newspaper…..The key is to release any fears or anxiety about messing up a good piece of paper.  Ultimately this is a freeing up mechanism.

When purchasing watercolour paper – it is measured by weight and surface quality….Cold Pressed for rougher surface.  NOT (meaning not hot pressed) is smoother and Hot Pressed is very smooth.    My analogy is that using cold pressed is like roller skating and hot pressed like ice skating – NOT is somewhere in the middle.

When we purchase a piece of lb140 weight paper – this simply means that the ream of paper (500 sheets) weighs lb140 – and of course the same applies for all weights.    It’s a good idea to purchase a sample pack of papers.…and again PLAY.

Another example of where I have used strong colours in the negative space to reveal the image.     After I add colour to the flowers – leaving dry white paper for my whites. 

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J

Caught with their pants down!

My title refers specifically to British politicians who have been well and truly caught with their pants down!

At this point in time, there is a whole list of things that would fall into that category but the one I am referring to is the total lack of understanding politicians seem to have when it comes to human nature and what their constituents really want and need.

watercolour/gouache – David

Early on in the pandemic Boris Johnson asked the British public to work from home – something I have been doing for many years and so know it offers a much better quality of life.

It didn’t take a heartbeat for the British public to recognise that their lives were greatly enhanced by not having to commute on crowded, very expensive and unpunctual trains. Let alone fight to get on buses (as very few people seem to honour the British queuing system anymore) – or drive in bumper to bumper traffic….pay congestion charges and so on.

On top of this employees and employers alike were surprised to learn that people working from home are on the whole happier and much more productive.

watercolour/gouache portrait demonstration – Paris. The expression people have on their faces when commuting to work……:)

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Of

Of course not everyone can work from home….but it stands to reason that if a vast swathe of the population is, public transportation is greatly freed up for those that have to travel every day……a win win situation.

Last weekend I travelled by train to Kent (for the first time since lock down) and experienced one of the most civilised and pleasant rail journeys I can remember. Given that there were very few people on trains and stations, social distancing was easy and trains clean and punctual! I travelled on Friday and Monday – days that would normally be busy and crowded….not this week – it was a delight.

Little Cosmo who I spent time with last weekend.

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NNow

Now here’s the rub….Boris Johnson is now virtually begging (some have inferred threatening) the British people to get back on public transportation and the public is saying – NO THANK YOU. The Fat Cats who have also been caught with their pants down are worried sick that large corporations are not renewing leases…and people en masse are saying they don’t want to go back to the old ways….they want to continue to work from home and live differently.

On top of this when I visited my friends in Kent who have lived in their house for forty years surrounded by beautiful Kentish countryside and just one mile from their local village, I was invited to a community planning meeting about a new ‘country town’ that has been proposed – (mostly to entice people from overcrowded London to the countryside…..) which would completely change the demographics of their area.

quick sketch of wise little Cosmo…..

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And

And so here we are with our major cities looking like ghost towns and our countryside getting more and more developed.

Seems to me that we need wise, innovative and creative leadership…..and a leadership that respects and understands human nature and the ever threatening climate change.

Cosmo who represents the future of this country and the world enjoying simple, creative play….

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Something we discussed at length this past weekend was the overpopulation of a small country/Island such as the UK. I don’t have the answers for that, but surely it is clear to see that what we have been doing simply hasn’t worked.

The Pandemic has helped us all to see other ways of being….alternatives to the horrific treadmill that so many people have been forced on.

For those people running small businesses and relying on big cities to support them it is perhaps time to adapt to other solutions. Maybe this is where the Government should be helping and supporting these people as they adapt to our brave new world.

As a working artist and Mother for all of my adult life I had to learn to adapt…if I didn’t I simply wouldn’t/couldn’t survive.

watercolour of Margarida at the school in Portugal where I will. be on 30th Sept. Please do join me for a week of creativity. http://www.artinthealgarve.com

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SSepSSeptember is SepemI aa

September is always the beginning of a new year for me….probably because as a Mother it always was – back to school….etc:) This year will be about NEW BEGINNINGS….

Including my daughter Christie Reed has started to write a blog…one I am enjoying very much. You can read it at http://humankindbydesign.life

See you in September….Janet 🙂

Doodling for sanity……

Yes, it’s been a strange year.     For anyone trying to juggle work, look after children, and manage challenging finances or is worried sick about losing their job….DOODLING for SANITY can help regardless of what age you are and what you might be experiencing – and it costs nothing. 

Some ideas:- 

watercolour in paperback book…..

For those who are scared to mark a new piece of paper, or for that matter don’t have any paper – I suggest using newspaper, wrapping paper, envelopes or inexpensive rolls of wallpaper lining, – or maybe as shown above, playing with a well read paperback book….Why Not?

I recommend warming up and playing/doodling a little every day.      This will keep the creative juices flowing and is very calming.       Even if you do this for fifteen minutes a day you will feel better and it will benefit anything else you do during the day. 

You don’t have to produce a finished anything…far from it.    Artists often produce their best work through warm up exercises…..

Hummingbirds on newspaper. – watercolour/gouache

 

Newspaper is great for doodling….Keep doodling until you begin to relax….

Doodling is just doodling…allowing yourself to go into what is almost a trance…allowing your pen or brush to glide across the paper.     It doesn’t have to look like anything in particular  

If you need a prompt….use an apple……

watercolour in paperback bookIGNORE any Chattering Monkeys that might be filling your head with reasons why you should not, and cannot do this.    

A doodle/warm up in a sketch book

Special thoughts go to parents with young children who are trying to work and entertain at the same time, often in small spaces.

Although my children are adults, I remember very well what it was to work and look after children..and it’s not easy under the best of circumstances.

Maybe some newspaper, newsprint, wall paper lining, and felt tip pens could get those little ones doodling for sanity:).     Of course doodling with paint is great fun. 

“The creative process in all its many forms is the key to emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing”.  Janet Weight Reed. 

Janet…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growth in Isolation

I first wrote this blog in March right after lock down and thought it a good idea to post again….Be Prepared….

Having been a self employed artist since 1973, I know what it is to work and life in isolation.   In this post I  am offering some tried and true suggestions taken from my own experience.

At the moment a lot of people are talking about doing different things on line.   However, almost like New Years resolutions,  I have a feeling that if this goes on for weeks, months or longer the novelty of living this way might dwindle for many and so it is important to be prepared. 

My cottage garden in Wales with Christeve the Cat and friend on shed….This little garden taught me so much, not least of which was patience……A DAILY ROUTINE  

It is important to establish a daily routine that works for you.     Write it down.  

For single people this can be easier given that there are no interruptions.

However,  having raised a family I know what it is to live and work in a very busy household and at the same time stick to schedules. – not easy therefore structure becomes even more important.

An added plus is that by establishing a good daily routine you could encourage others in your household to do the same.    A learning experience for everyone.

All of this takes a level of discipline – a word that many people shy away from today.   I believe that Discipline equals Freedom….

If I have a good structure in place, it gives me the freedom to do the things I enjoy doing….painting, cooking, writing, and so on…..

watercolour/guachePURPOSE

Make sure there is a purpose to your day.

I knew when I went to bed last night that my purpose today would be to write this blog along with some watercolour painting,  reading a good book, and then catching up with my murder mysteries on I player this afternoon:)

However, someone else’s purpose might be to cook a lovely meal or do a jigsaw puzzle.   There are no rules, except to make sure you have a purpose.

Don’t wonder aimlessly through each day….this can only cause frustration and distress. 

Beautiful Brecon Beacons – Wales – watercolour/gouacheEXERCISE

My daily exercise routine is fifteen minutes of stretching every morning.   I have been doing this for nearly 45 years, since my daughter was born.    It’s like brushing my teeth and makes a huge difference to my day and my overall feelings of well being.

Throughout the day I take a walk and make sure to move around…i.e. going up and down the steps that lead to my studio.

Play music and dance…..guaranteed to lift the spirits.

watercolour/gouache

PREPARATION – BE PREPARED

Set up a space that works for you.    It can be as small as a card table.  (no one else in the house is allowed to use that space).

If you have work equipment, (for me my arts supplies) make sure everything is in order and easy to access.

Choose the best time of day for you to go to your work space.   Make it a ritual. 

Air circulation

Try to keep air circulation within your living space.    Always have a window open….and if possible have some plants to look after and benefit from. .

DAILY SIESTA

I am seventy four years old, and thankfully in good health, and part of that I believe has to do with my stretching routine and taking a daily siesta.    For me that’s around  3 p.m. and lasts for approx 30 mins.    It never fails to refresh.

My work day begins at 8 a.m. and pretty much finishes at 3 p.m.   After that I watch my favourite European box sets….and murder mysteries…Oh how I love them.      Then maybe in the evening read or write some personal e mails. or whatever else floats my boat………

SLEEP

Sleep is so important – and particularly today to boost the immune system.

To achieve a good sleeping pattern it is important to understand our own personal body clock.

I am naturally a morning person…and so wake with the larks, and go to bed at 10 p.m.    I like to read before going to sleep.

Diet

Keep it simple….which during the next few months shouldn’t be too difficult.

Although I have lived alone for a long time, I always cook for myself.    More than ever nutritional food will be key during this period.

Millie visiting the studio…:)

Back to the title of this blog….

BEAUTY, GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY IN ISOLATION 

I see this time as an opportunity for individual and collective change.   If we are able to turn this around into a positive and use this time to FOCUS on what it is we love and who we really are…..we might all come out of this a lot stronger and happier and find that we have produced some beautiful work……

I will be posting art tips and tutorials on a regular basis so that everyone (including me) can keep their creative juices flowing.      Don’t forget to put 15th April into your diary when I will start a week at the School in Olhao –  http://www..artinthealgarve.com.   just as if we were there……

More than every before it is vital to stay in the simplicity of the present moment.    ONE DAY AT A TIME…..

ACCEPTANCE will be key during this period.     Denial won’t work anymore….

May the magical hummingbirds be with everyone….spreading their unseen magic.

Oh and I couldn’t close without saying – WASH YOUR HANDS…….:)

A Bientôt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I had to accommodate

I had my first large solo exhibition at the Chester County Arts Association in 1976 – a year after my daughter was born.

 

Creative thinking, personal wellbeing and community.

We need and depend upon one another and our environment so that we can flourish and live meaningful lives, rather than simply existing in our individual pods, hanging on for dear life!

watercolour 

On my recent VIRTUAL trip to Crickhowell, Wales, I spoke about the importance of community many times, and how Crickhowell exemplified that for me.

In October 2005, during a personally challenging time, I had to move from beautiful Crickhowell to London.     My elderly Mother who lived in Kent was becoming very ill and a project that had been very dear to my heart was unsuccessful.

watercolour     

In 2008 I found a bolt hole in Hampton SW London….and brought my Mother from Kent to Hampton Care, a nursing home a few minutes walk away.     Prior to this I had been commuting back and forth from London to Kent every week, overseeing nurses, my Mother’s house and garden and at the same time trying my best to keep up with workshops and work commitments.

I thought my bolt hole would be a temporary measure – maybe a year or two at the most, after which time I planned to move permanently to France.

Nearly 12 years later I am still here in Hampton,  proving that none of us is ever creative enough to know how things will actually work out…….

watercolour 

Although a pandemic has been long predicted by scientists –  we  buried our collective heads.    None of us expected a global pandemic in 2020, let alone the ensuing consequences and fall out.

Just a few short months ago, we had no idea that we would need to let go of all pre-conceived ideas and that our lives on an individual and collective level would change in such dramatic ways?

None of us is ever creative enough to know how things will actually turn out………  

Because of the virus, we have been allowed to stop and think.

Like farmers who allow their land to lie fallow for a period without being sewn in order to restore its fertility…we humans have also been allowed to lie fallow for a short period.

Creative thinkers have seen this time as an opportunity to make positive changes, which brings me back to Hampton….

During the past couple of weeks I have been introduced to The Inspired Hub http://www.theinspiredhub.co.uk           Fortunately for me – right on my doorstep.

During lockdown Susan Green (a creative thinker) and Hampton resident along with others had been busily revamping an old building and site.       It is now a place that is very pleasing to the eye, focusing on creative thinking, wellbeing and community……

In short they have turned what is a very challenging situation into a positive.  

I have posted this before, but think it’s well worth reading again……

Janet.:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sketches produced by students on my Virtual Trip to Wales.

‘We are always learning – there is a great joy to be had in not knowing it all.   It keeps the doors open for experimentation, and following the creative path.’    

These sketches are in no particular order.    They were produced by some of those following my VITUAL VISIT TO WALES.  

Tree – Bob

 Welsh sheep -NanBluebell Woods – Dora

canal walk – Jane

Warm up exercise – Nan

Jacob Sheep – Tessa

Mists in the Valley – Moira

Welsh mountain – Dora

Mist over the valley – Laura Kate

Standing Stones – Jane

Detail from warm up exercise – Nan

Bluebell Woods – Nan

Flowers from Tretower Court garden – JudithJacob Sheep – Bob

 

Waterfall – Dora

Sheep and Bumble – Tessa

Mike Cashell the Butcher – Jill

High Street, Crickhowell – Coryn

River Usk –  NanWelsh Mountain – CorynWelsh ponies and sheep – DoraRiver Usk – CorynWelsh mountains – NanInside Tretower Court – Dora

Walking the canal – CorynTretower Court – TessaCanal walk – Coryn

River – Dora

Welsh Mountains – Coryn Sheep – DoraWelsh landscape – NanBluebell Woods – CorynTable Mountain – Dora

Thank you to all who participated.  

Remember to keep sketch books at hand and to warm up:)

Lechyd da 🙂

 

FINAL DAY OF VIRTUAL TRIP TO WALES – featuring some of the people.

This post is made up of random thoughts, paintings and photographs.      

Over the years I have painted countless watercolour portraits in many different countries.        In this post you will meet some of my friends from Wales.

Rain over the Brecon Beacons – watercolour/gouacheWelsh mythology is deep and rich.    It consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium.

Welsh mythology and history were recorded  orally by groups such as the druids (derwyddon).    Although much oral contact has been lost or altered as a result of outside contact and invasion over the years, the good news is that the Welsh language is now taught in all schools…and all signage through the country is written in Welsh. 

Ancient standing stones and burial cairns can be found all over Wales….including Crickhowell.Ley Lines are believed by many people to be a series of metaphysical connections that link a number of sacred sites around the world.   Essentially, these lines, form a sort of grid or matrix and are composed of the earth’s natural energies.     Where Ley Lines intersect, there are said to be pockets of concentrated energy.      I was shown a Ley Line map of Wales and on it many lines cross and intersect around Crickhowell. When I first moved to Crickhowell and was living with my cousin and family I met Ken and his dog.    Every morning we would meet up and Ken would tell me about his life growing up in Wales

I painted this portrait of Ken about twenty two years ago and taped our conversation as I painted.   I did this with many of the older people in the town.    The tapes are a living history of the area and life way before the internet. 

watercolourDuring my return visits to Crickhowell I stay with my dear friends Sally and Gareth Reese.    They live high up above Crickhowell at Curlews overlooking the Usk Valley and Glen Usk Estate – it’s a wonderful place to be and paint.     Over the years, I have painted all their children and now am beginning to paint the grandchildren….

Painting at Curlews – overlooking the Use Valley and Glen Usk Estate. There are waterfalls all around Wales…wonderful for dipping into during hot weather. – and of course lovely to paint. Llantony Priory  – not far from Crickhowell, is a beautiful place to visit and paint…another place packed with history and atmosphere.     There are so many ancient churches, holy wells, standing stones and burial cairns…Beth Harrison came to my cottage about 20 years ago and sat for me..     Beth’s family who are close friends of my cousin and PJ, were very kind to me when I first moved to Crickhowell.

What I love about these informal portraits is the intimacy.    During the process there is such a deep connection between me the artist and the sitter.    Portrait of Lizzie Wilson – artist, good friend – one of the most gentle, kind people I know.      Beautiful bluebell woods that can be found around Wales – this one in Crickhowell.

The perfume of the bluebells, along with birdsong open us to a deeper sense of reality…far removed from our every day 21st century lives. 

Mrs Jones who was always surrounded with numerous dogs, horses and cats…baked cakes and bread all day – a wonderful place to visit.    

Although Mrs Jones had a twinkle in her eye, she was tough and determined.      She would walk the dogs, (maybe eight of them – none on leads of course) through very narrow country lanes and if a car dared come behind her she kept walking at a very slow pace….I am smiling as I think of her:)Watercolour from Bluebell Woods above Standard Street looking down the valley to  Crickhowell. A recent picture of Cousin Lyn in front of a large ala prima (painted all at one time) oil on canvas that I painted of her 25 years ago at Ty Gwyn.    Note Bumble is on the wall next to her.My friend Heather with one of the ancient Yew trees that are found around Wales. 

Anyone interested in learning more about these ancient natural monuments might refer to my friend the artist Janis Fry’s books – they make for fascinating reading.     ‘The God Tree’ is a good place to begin.    My Mother sat for this portrait at 43 High Street Crickhowell soon after my arrival.     I am pleased to say that she enjoyed visiting Crickhowell and made some good friends like the wonderful Maragret Williams and Marion Fewster.     They are gone now, but never forgotten. 

watercolour of my Mother.During a service at St. Edmund’s Church a christening was being conducted at the font which happens to be in a darker corner.    I remember looking back at the font and seeing that the baby seemed to be glowing.    I rushed back to the studio and painted this large watercolour/gouache. A very quick sketch of my friend Heulwen – (a beautiful Welsh name.)    Heulwen and I are part of the Griffiths clan – (you see the name all over Wales.)      

My grandfather’s name on my Mother’s side was Henry Christopher Lawson Griffiths. A musician, he came from Leominster – about 30 miles from Crickhowell just across the border into England.    As a young man he hiked the Malvern Hills in the footsteps of Elgar, and of course the Black Mountains.    

  Beautiful ethereal mists over the valley….When this happens it really is magical.       This was taken from Curlews, Sally and Gareth’s house.   One of many paintings from Curlews…watercolour/gouacheI can’t finish our VIRTUAL visit without mentioning Christeve the Cat

Here she is as leaving the front door of 11 Mill Street where she and I lived very happily together.An illustration from the little children’s book I wrote entitled ‘Christeve the Cat Finds Her home’.        She is of course surrounded with hummingbirds:)

When one of my American friends who visited frequently kept saying that Crickhowell reminded her of Brigadoon and that she would call it The Magical Town of Crikadoon, the name stuck.

I hope everyone has enjoyed the trip.     I can see that  artists who have been following me have made some wonderful sketches which I will show here next week. 

Lechyd da….and don’t forget to Warm up:)