Forty-Three: Experiment with collage

Yesterday afternoon just before Neil mowed the lawn taking all the leaves with it, I scurried round collecting some.

As you can see, I hastily laid some newspaper on the carpet, and proceeded to 'play' with paint and leaves and stuff.

Snuffles was extremely interested in the whole process and wondered why she wasn't allowed to join in.

I didn't actually stick the leaves down, merely laid them around, then took a photograph.
I quite like this effect.



Then I painted it, using only kitchen towel, sponge and aluminium foil, scrunched up, to daub the leaves, with a roughly sloshed tree trunk.

Of course, I like the more precise one above, but I suppose you, my critics, will prefer the lower one, which looks like no glasses and using my left foot!

Mmmm, I wait with bated breath....

Tangent: Trick or Treat

At this time of year when ghosts and witches are abundant, I would like to write about something serious, which is so prevalent in our communities today.

Child abuse.

I painted this very quickly in an attempt to show the guile of many adults in their shoddy dealings with children (often their own.)

They censure them with one hand while enticing them with the other.

We always talk to our kids about 'stranger danger', but nowadays it's the very hand that feeds them that wields the pain and horrors.

Happy Halloween,

Please protect the children!
IF: Trick or Treat

Tangent: No glasses, left hand

Ellis suggested that I tried to paint this again, without my specs and using my left hand. I also tried Teri's 'spongey' method of doing leaves.
All in all, messier, umm...too similar...umm...don't like it....umm....not much else to say.
Except - maybe next time I'll paint it with my eyes closed!

Tangent: Tagged: seven weird things

This is one of my favourite pictures done by Steve quite a few years ago.

He called it 'Life is a beach'.

It fits this post.

Lynn has offered anyone to consider themself tagged, and contribute their own 'weirdities'.

I just can't resist!

Here goes:
1.) I've been married three times, twice to the same man.

2.) I've lived and worked in four different countries, don't feel I belong anywhere.

3.) I loved my 'divorce' years more than any other times in my life.

4.) I had a 'boob' job done nearly 30 years ago, long before it ever became popular.

5.) I am an Aquarian, but I don't really like people.

6.) I miss my anorexic/bulimic years.

7.) The only person I truly admire is myself.

Strange, strange, but all true!

Go on, have a go, it's very cathartic!

Tangent: NO art class

I woke up feeling 'under the weather' on Saturday, so decided NOT to put myself through another 'weasel' session.
Instead I painted this, and rather liked the result.
It is the house across the road, viewed from an upstairs bedroom.
I tried doing the autumn leaves with a scrunched up piece of roller towel (kitchen paper) and it worked.
I also tried doing the walls using a toothbrush to get a 'speckled' effect, which wasn't too good, so I slopped white acrylic over it.
I played around with the windows,as they were completely flat and uninteresting at first.
It was a very satisfying exercise.
Certainly more satisfying than any art lesson I've attended in the past weeks.
Please give me some comments on how I could've improved it.

Forty-Two: Watch a rugby game

I have never watched a whole rugby game, but tonight's the night.

England vs South Africa in the final; of the rugby world cup and I WILL be watching.


Mind you, wish they were playing in their 'birthday suits', I would certainly become an avid fan!

GO BOKKE GO!!!

Tangent: Grow (IF)

She looked in the mirror and what did she see?

Something, huge and monstrous.

Who could it be?

Surely not her.......

As it grew and grew.

She blinked her eyes,

This couldn't be true.


Little did she know .......

Only she could see this show!

(Dedicated to recovering anorexics.)

IF: Grow

Tangent: The Weasel

This is the nickname I've given the teacher at my 10 week art course.
In fact this picture makes him look quite hip and 'together', but this is not how he comes across at all.
He is shaky, sweaty, dandruffy and nasty! he doesn't inspire me at all.

Never mind, 3 down, only 7 to go!

Tangent: Extremes #2

Lynn said she'd like to see this in colour.
Here it is.

Of course the 'weasel' would say 'Bold, too bold!'

I wonder which one is better!

Tangent: Wake - up Call

Found Mr Spider outside my front door this morning
Looked at him with awe
Made me realise yet again
That
We are all striving to 'make ends meet'
W are all striving to keep our homes together.
We are all striving to do whatever we have to do to survive.
Before it's too late.
Mr Spider you are my wake-up call for today.
I thank you.

Tangent: Extremes (IF)

Having just posted an item about Johari's Window, and thought about the adjectives that desciribe me, I looked back at an old drawing I had done ages ago, and decided to post it for 'extremes' as it shows some of the extremes in my personality over the past 60 odd years!
Luckily I didn't reflect on Nohari's Window!
IF: Extreme

Forty-One: Find the Unknown

A Johari Window is a psychological tool to help people better understand their interpersonal communication and relationships.

When I did a 14 week course to enable me to answer the telephone at a crisis line centre, this was one of our exercises and it was fascinating.

You are given 55 adjectives from which you choose 5 or 6 that you feel describe your own personality.

People in your group are given the same list and choose the 5 or 6 they feel will describe you.

These adjectives are then placed into the 'arena' quadrant.

Adjectives that are selected by you, but not by the others in the group, go into the 'facade' quadrant.

Adjectives only selected by the others, not you, are placed in the 'blind spot' quadrant.

Of course, those not selected either by you or your peers remain in the 'unknown' quadrant.

This is either because they don't apply, or there is collectiove ignorance about their existence.

This is the quadrant I'd really like to find out about!

I looked at the 55 adjectives again, and these are the ones I chose to describe me:

able, intelligent, caring, bold, complex, friendly, giving, helpful, nervous, searching, wise.

(By the way, a Nohari Window is the inversion of this one, and is a collection of negative personality traits instead of positive.)

Tangent: Lesson #3

Am feeling a lot more positive after today's lesson.

I now know that my style is 'bold' and it probably won't change.

I'm actually okay with this.

The 'weasel' was nicer today to all of us, but that's because he wants us to fill in an evaluation form next week about him and the course.

Prick!!

Tangent: Creative Blogger Award

What a thrill. Found Focus_ret has bestowed on me the title of 'Creative Blogger'.
Thank you F_r.
The rules state that I should choose 6 deserving people who might appreciate this award and pass it on.
That's easy.
Here they are:
1.) Prozacville
2.) Auntie Mim's
3.)Switchsky
4.) ElizT
5.)TeriC
6.)The Finest Muffins

You all brighten my days!

Oh, by the way, this is me striving to be better every day in every way!

Tangent: Getting better

Had another go,
copied four nude men from the my Library book,
this one seems the best.
He's rather 'yummy'.

Forty: Sort out my cholesterol

I got a book out of the Library today about drawing nudes. This was after a very unsuccessful art lesson, where we had to draw some vases, plants and an ugly shop mannequin all intertwined, and I could'nt do it.
Any of it.
What a frustrating 2 hours that was.
So, I've spent the evening trying to draw nudes and this one is the best so far.
It got me thinking about my cholesterol (which was coming down nicely and has now flown right up again). HDL's and LDL's have obsessed me for the past year and I decided that- before I hit 60 - I will somehow manage to get this bloody 'number' down to a 'normal' level, or die trying!!!!

Not funny FY!!

Tangent: Pandora's Box (IF)

'Finally she could stand it no longer. One day when everyone was out she crept up to the box, took the huge key, fitted it carefully into the lock and turned it. She lifted the lid to peep in but before she realised it the room was filled with terrible things: disease, despair, malice, greed, old age, death, hatred, violence, cruelty and war. She slammed the lid down and turned the key again...keeping only the spirit of hope inside. '

Are

YOU

sure

you

want

to

open

your

box?

IF: Open

Tangent: Jeans for Genes

Damn, it's 'Jeans for Genes' day tomorrow at school and I haven't bought that pair of jeans yet.

Wonder what would happen if I went in my 'birthday suit?'

Would it give my colleagues some 'joie de vivre?'

Or would someone shout out 'your suit needs ironing!'

Tangent: The Blues #2

Blue, bright and bold.
That sorta sums up my stuff.IF: The Blues

Tangent: Practise

He said,' go home and practise'.

So I did.

Charcoal and chalk.

It felt good.