Halloween witches

October 29, 2023October 29, 2023 / Robert / 8 Comments

I have found doodling is a successful catalyst when seeking inspiration. I can generally come up with concepts, it’s at the execution phase when where my inner voice/critic stymies my creativity. ‘Not good enough!’ is the most frequent thought.

Last Friday, I set out to to draw a witch for Halloween. Using the Freeform app on my phone, I scribbled a predictable silhouette of a witch in profile riding a broom in front of a full moon.

Grabbing a Winsor & Newton A4 visual diary, next I sketched out an imagined witch’s face with an oversized mouth.

Drawing on memories from reading Anne Rice novels, the second witch iteration became a glamorous vampire in front of a crescent moon. I paid attention to the lips and eye, inspired by the BBC One reality tv series, Glow Up: Britain’s next make up star.

After taking a photograph of the pencil coloured pictures, I applied filters in Google Snapseed, removed the backgrounds, and added black backdrops and text.

I imagined a heavily accented, Greta Garbo speaking the title of the vampire witch portrait as Fampyre Vitch.

My husband said, the initial sketch was scarier than the final one so I have included both. What do you think?

Backyard bounty

October 28, 2023October 28, 2023 / Robert / 4 Comments

The El Niño weather pattern is making itself felt in Queensland, Australia’s self proclaimed sunshine state. Long periods of dry weather have resulted in a crisp brown lawn juxtaposed with our backyard jacaranda tree in full Spring bloom.

We are experiencing the seasons of this first year in our new home through a garden lens. We are thrilled to see clumps of amaryllis.

One of the frangipanis is flowering before the leaves have emerged.

The Winter planted tomatoes are fruiting.

Complete serenity

October 21, 2023October 21, 2023 / Robert / 2 Comments

Buoyantly supine quiescent
Indolently inhaling
Exhaling
Heartbeats slowly strum eardrums
Muffled glugs and gurgles murmur
Sun’s sparkles glimmer
Traced out onto umbrella’s canopy
Stasis
Water and air embraces
Nine years awaiting this moment
Complete serenity at almost sixty

Coddled and cosseted

October 18, 2023 / Robert / 8 Comments

Epidendrums, cruciform orchids, poolside

On Saturday, we drove about one and a half hours north from home to arrive at our holiday destination, Noosa River Retreat. This was our self catering, home away from home for the next five days. We previously checked out the accommodation in June.

Noosa River Retreat is conveniently located less than 15 minutes walking distance from shops, cafés, restaurants, bars, and the Noosa river.

We were joined by family and friends for a festival of my 60th birthday. The line up of dining experiences include, Bandita Mexican restaurant and bar, Frenchies brasserie, Seasons restaurant and bar, Mr Jones and Me restaurant, and Whiskey Boy bar and grill.

Being the centre of attention of a group of fifteen has been an exhilarating experience. I count myself fortunate to be surrounded by so much love and feel thoroughly coddled and cosseted.

Brisbane gardens

October 13, 2023 / Robert / 4 Comments

After two nights of ‘Goldie’ coastal views we headed to ‘Brissie’ for a couple of nights at a recently renovated, hip Holiday Inn Express.

On Wednesday, we walked from the hotel in Spring Hill through the City Botanic Gardens to traverse the Good Will Bridge, and enjoy the South Bank Parklands.