I have been absent!

As the title suggests, I have been absent for a long time. Busy times and then emotional family times made blogging a very difficult thing to do.
In fact it made everything difficult to do. I feel that I'm appearing out the other side but consequentially I have a lot of catching up to do.

I reasoned that playing catch up would not be beneficial to me so thought I'd just jump in again now.

I will be slowly publishing previous posts that describe and illuminate some of my adventures during my online silence but this is a beginning which will make it easier to carry on.
Much more to follow.

See you all very soon.

More Gamrie (Mon and Tues)

Today is Monday and the event was checking out the Gannet colony. I've never been this close to so many birds. Beautiful to watch swooping, diving, and most certainly making plenty noise.

Gannet colony

close-up

It was a short drive from Gardenstown and then a shortish walk towards the cliffs. A beautiful day too. I took plenty photos and a bit of video - could have lain in the grass watching them for hours. Or rather, I'd like to but usually I don't let myself just be, something I am working on.

Loved-up

Now it's Tues and I went to spend my sweetie money at the shop, which also happens to be at the top of the hill and it is no mean feat walking up that hill. We were all given Gardenstown wee packets from Derek and Rosie. In the packs were a badge, sweetie money, voucher for the Gannet Colony, a Gamrie passport, all tongue in cheek but sweet too.

Tope of the hill

Up by the church

On a stretch of the hill were all these garages, in various stages of repair, or rather disrepair for some, and I had to take some photos.

 

Then there was a walk up to the derelict church on the hill, amazing views and as I love derelict buildings and graveyards it was great for me.

the church

inside looking out

inside the church

And finally, to end Tues I got on with the painting/drawing I'd begun the day before. Really pleased with the result. Although I couldn't get a decent photo as you can see, due to shadows, but love the effect.

 

Gardenstown or Gamrie

My first time visiting this amazing coastal village/town.
Here on an artist's residential and intending to enjoy every minute.

Love doorways

More doorways

A quick walk out from the house on arrival and straight away I find doorways, not that much of a surprise, but I have a love of them (interesting ones anyway).

A doorway, the liminal space, between, almost a Schroedinger's cat of what's on the other side.


An easy day, we all ate together in the main house then chill.

Sunday arrived and of course, more exploring, more research images for possible artworks. If nothing else, a sense of being in the place begins to occur.

Stumps from the beach, these photos don't do the colours justice but they were all things of beauty, natural sculptures.

Senor Stump

I love the face on this one, Senor Stump seems somewhat bemused by our interest.

And yes.... the rocks really are this red. Such beautiful forms.

minescule worlds

nets in a tangle

On a walk to the next village along the coast and there were plenty of stops to photograph, listen to the waves playing with the stones on the beach creating a loud soundtrack for the walk and to enjoy the scenery.

 

Such a gorgeous coastal walk, quite short in comparison with others but nonetheless remarkable in it's interesting photographic elements. The sea rusts metal in a glorious way.

Going Slow

The last few days have been a little stressful, not due to anything in particular,  but more because I've been feeling overwhelmed. The list of things needing doing has become more than a little long.

Until, I decided to cycle into town, pop into my favourite bar and hang out with some friends. It was certainly a great buzz on the way in. Passing under the Tay Road Bridge, the sun still out and the water doing it's glittery thing in the sunshine. Very lovely, even more so due to the changes along the river front as the V&A slowly grows up and out into the Tay.

Along past Slessor Gardens with a stop to stroll and view the exhibition of masks on show for Dundee Mental Health Awareness Week.

Check out some of the masks.

The way back though, inspired this post's title.

As I cycled home through the shadows and sunspots, past blossom that I had time to smell, over the rail tracks I spied this... looks old to me and probably part of railway dealings but I had never seen it before. Going slow allows a different perspective on the world and one I'm happy to have.

It's been a good day. 😀

April is fast disappearing, what is happening to the year?

seventh

eighth

ninth

tenth

eleventh

twelfth

thirteenth

fourteenth

fifteenth

sixteenth

seventeenth

eighteenth

nineteenth

twentieth

Another dose of self-portraits and only another ten portraits and I'm at the six month mark. I doesn't feel quite real.
I think I'd like to get an empty room and put them all up when I'm finished, a whole 365 self-portraits.
Quite a disturbing experience.

Number ten

tenth

I appear to have mislaid number 11 so will either look harder or redo.
Possibility of it being in my studio at uni which I won't be back to until March.

Thirteenth

Very happy today because my computer has been returned to me from the fixers…. whew!

So everything computer based is much easier hence the new self-portrait.

thirteenth

Another line drawing… yes I know… but I like them, and this has the added bonus of being done with my left hand.

Twelfth self-portrait

I did try to post this yesterday but for some reason the computer decided it couldn't see the jpeg, so her it is now.

twelfth

 

This was just a 4b pencil but I do draw quite lightly, really enjoyed this one and I think I went a little over the half hour I allowed myself.

self-portraits

I did say that I would be doing a self-portrait every day and of course I have posted nothing.
But.... I was doing the portraits so here we are from 1/11/14-11/11/14. Todays hasn't been done yet.
Before I post them please understand that there is no deliberate attempt to make them lovely as will be patently obvious. I fact the idea is to try different mediums and ideas.

I don't like them all but I did enjoy drawing something that doesn't have to be correct, or to the best of my ability, the concept is just to draw for its own sake as well as retrain my eyes back into looking.

Here they are:

1/11/14

 

 

 

This one was drawn by looking at myself but not the paper and its actually one of my favourite so far.

2/11/14

 

For No.2 I just grabbed whatever came to hand, ink and a yellow pen.

3/11/14

 

 

A little severe for No.3 but I like the lines.

4/11/14

Not a good day as you can see, the name Smeagol comes to mind.
It was definitely a low.

5/11/14

 

Moving on to No.5 and I'm beginning to relax and most certainly a better day.

6/11/14

 

Today I wasn't feeling well.... Hmm, can you tell?
Although I did also pick up an envelope with pastels in and this is all the colours I had.

7/11/14

I think I was a little annoyed with myself today. Burnt sienna ink,black pen and a little blue pencil.

8/11/14

Soluable ink pen and small paintbrush and water.
There's a little softening going on which I'm glad about.

9/11/14

 

No. 9 and all I used was a white pen. The paper is from an old sketchbook that I'd painted washes on. I like the effect so I think I'll use the rest of the sketchbook up.

10/11/14

 

Graphite stick is the medium this time, and I was
aiming for using straight lines completely which
is a favourite method of mine for helping me look
properly.

11/11/14

 

And now for No. 11, which surprised me.

Just painting in the shadows with a very watered down ink wash, I had intended to then draw into it but then decided to leave it.