brown

Green, yellow, brown abstract mixed media

/ Robert / 4 Comments

Quite a while ago, in fact when exactly is vague, I designed a zigzag pattern using a watercolour brush in a painting app on my iPad. Its purpose was specific, the background panel for the title block on this blog.

My husband returned home from walking Stan with the gift of a feather. We think it is from a rainbow lorikeet because of the green and yellow colours. I decided to use it as inspiration for a watercolour.

Being fond of ovoids, I sketched out an idea and painted the first wash. A few more layers followed.

Horizontally, it looked a bit like a misshapen footy ball. In portrait it resembles an avocado. At this point, I sprayed water onto it. A soft outline formed from the wet edge. Rivulets of colour settles in the warped dips of the contorted paper. I added reused salt crystals and left it to dry overnight.

The zigzag pattern remained in the back of my mind during the process.

I added the darker yellow oval, fresh salt and darker areas to the green and brown topped with recycled salt.

I think this is the finished piece.

Winter warmth

/ Robert / 2 Comments

The trees in Sydney are catching on to the fact that it is Winter. 

Winter warmth of russet, orange, 

Red, and some brown ‘gainst sky of blue;

Sluggish words rolling off the tongue; 

Round sounds linger in the crisp air. 

Autumn colours

/ Robert / 4 Comments

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Daylight saving steals and gives back one hour. I have spent every waking moment of today relishing the feeling of my hour being returned to me unharmed.

Imagine losing six months……

I have an affinity with Autumn, however to me October = Autumn, this is the month I was born, it is when the trees in the northern hemisphere change their colours and shed them for Winter. This is the time that there is still a chance of an Indian Summer, harvest festival, Halloween and the first sign of Christmas decorations.

When we moved to Australia in January 1998, we left Winter in Birmingham to be catapulted into Summer in Sydney and before I knew it was Autumn again, but in April. No matter how much I cherish those lost 26 weeks, it is not enough to return to the grey country.