Where has the time gone?!

Soon after the wedding, I thought I'd have time to get back to my art work. It didn't happen!

My wedding was wonderful as was our mini-moon. However, when I got back it was back to work- add to this that I needed to cover for a friend who had an operation and I was back working a full time job!

Christmas has been and gone with all the racing around that entails. It went well and I enjoyed the holiday but I'm left with this Christmases are no longer Christmassy sort of feeling.

Anyway I've drawn a picture it's called "Return To The Abyss". I was kind on inspired by a post from The Bloggess- called the Tightrope walker.

The figure in my picture is me returning to the edge of the hole. A place  I and others find themselves and desperately try not to fall in. Some times you fall in. It's hard to climb out. But when you do (and you can) you are are stronger for it. Like The Bloggess says "Depression is a lying Bastard"

For me this is what depression is like. The first time I experienced it, it was like being enveloped in darkness. You just find yourself in the bottom of this incredibly deep hole with sheer sides. The next time I knew the signs better... I could feel myself slipping and managed to catch myself before I fell in. Sometimes you fall in.

I enjoyed creating this picture, it was quick and simple but has real meaning to me. I used pastels and ink. The ink made the paper warp... I need thicker paper!

Wedding stuff

So our wedding is fast approaching. It really is quite scary how it creeps up on you! But most things are sorted including most of the things we've made ourselves such as place cards, gift bags and favour boxes.

I've enjoyed making stuff for the wedding but must admit its really dominated my thoughts recently. Will be nice to soon focus on other things. I'm sure, however, before then I'll be sharing lots of photos from the day that I've tinkered with :-)

Sickness

It's been a while since I last posted. The fact that I'm now back at work, after the school's Summer holidays, is likely related. What also may be related is the fact that in just under 3 weeks its my wedding and my brain is progressively turning to cottage cheese!!!

I've been making things for the wedding  like placecards and favour bag/boxes (I'll post pictures on here later). Not really arty, more crafty... I suppose there is still creativity involved.

Now I'm ill! Sick! My chest hurts and I can't stop coughing. However, being under the weather has inspired my latest piece of artwork appropriately titled: Sickness.

I used green and yellow ink and my own particular abstract style.

The Shattered Monarch

Wandering around the web as you do I stumbled upon and artist who was creating artwork with butterflies. Actually using butterflies! They print using a inkjet on to the wings. This is amazing but part of me thinks perhaps a little cruel. The page is here ... Butterfly Mimesis.

The artwork did however get those cogs in my head turning. Inspired I set about finding photos from Google to manipulate with photoshop. As a result, The Shattered Monarch was born.

Cat Dreams

This is a picture of my cat Elphaba who loves posing for the camera. I'm pretty sure she watches America's next top model and takes notes!

I've manipulated the photo with photoshop and included elements of a viney jungle surrounding.

I kind of think that's the way she see's the world; as this amazing  playground to explore.

Juliet

This is a still from the end of the 5th season of Lost where Juliet sadly dies. Not before, however, exploding a nuke that throws everyone back to the right point in time.

Again I used photoshop to combine textures, different photos and used different blending modes.

The awesomeness of Lost

So I'm wandering around the Internet and as usual end up at youtube. However, whilst refraining from looking for videos of cute cats, talking cats, angry cats or sociopathic cats I stumbled upon some videos that I liked ages ago... The final few scenes from lost.

I'll not go to in depth as I wouldn't want to spoil the Show for people who haven't experienced its undeniable awesomeness. But my reaction to the videos quite shocked me. Tears streamed down my face (especially the bit with Vincent the dog).

 This all lead to me losing about an hour to video clips where the shows characters remembered their lives on the island. What a truly amazing show and story! I'm so pleased we stuck with the show through the complicated parts; so worth it.

So here are the final two scenes...

With fresh inspiration I decided I wanted to create some Lost related artwork. I've every intention of doing some drawings but to begin with I found some stills and played around with them using Photoshop.

This still is of Jack and Vincent and an incredibly powerful moment in the last scene.