LIKE AN ADULT ...

My apologies for being completely flattened by a virus last week - I was reduced to lying on the sofa watching "Say Yes to the Dress" (our daughter is getting married), between extended naps.  Not yet 100% and still resting a lot, but am getting back to something like normal.  There do seem to be some nasty bugs around this winter, as well as the severe flu problems.

Anyway I made this before I got sick, in response to someone who was, um shall we say, being annoying.  Or it could have been me being short-tempered, I admit it.  Either way, I was trying to be very calm, sensible and grown-up while they weren't, leaving me struggling to "love my neighbour" as I should!  As ever, such feelings found their way onto the pages of my journal.

You know by now how much I like Australian Aboriginal art, and I'd recently seen a painting done in blue dots on a deep blue background, so that was my starting point.  One of my favourite Modigliani ladies got things started, but it didn't seem to need any more collage since I knew I wanted LOTS of dots.

Then, having chosen a black and white figure I wasn't sure I liked it, so cheered her up with red hair and began the dots process, as ever done with my trusty Posca Paint pens.  I love this kind of work - it has a meditative aspect - and I like seeing the shapes grow under my hands.

That was when I wrote down what was on my mind.  I'm not proud of it - my inner child was rather cross in fact - and wanting to tell somebody where to go ... but actually I managed to persuade her not to.

I had so much fun with the dotty patterns and the wavy lines.  At some stage the dress got coloured yellow as well - it seemed to need it.

So with that off my chest I was able to continue behaving (if not feeling) like a grown up.  I am reminded of the part of the Desiderata which says ... "avoid loud and contentious persons, they are vexatious to the spirit".  Not just me then.
Love
Rosie

TEMPORARY INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE

Alas, Rosie has a nasty virus and will not be posting any time soon.  Sincere apologies to all my readers.  Normal service will be resumed eventually ...

BEST FRIENDS ...

 

My other half brought me flowers the other day - yes he still does, after more years than I care to confess to.  I know that makes me lucky, and I wanted to record that truth.

So I prepped a page with gesso followed by lilac acrylic, which I then rubbed off here and there with a wet wipe.  Easiest way I know to start a page and get rid of the glaring intimidating white expanse!

Then, to give you an idea of how I work, I pulled out some bits and pieces of collage which just happened to appeal to me.  Yes I know they are all blue or lilac - I seem to get stuck in the tone on tone mode where I use a palette of similar colours.  I just got made that way.  Not all of the pieces made it into the final page, but that's just my process - try things, keep some, discard some.

Sorry about the apparent colour change below - its the difference between natural and artificial light, the former being in short supply during these dark January days!

Having got some collage pasted down I was beginning to draw some hair around the face, then as usual I outlined the collage pieces with a black line followed by a shadow (done with a marker).  I love how it always makes the pieces 'pop' off the page.

And finally the words and the inevitable doodling.  As you probably already know that is pretty much my favourite part, and very few pages feel complete without at least a few dots!

It would be so frighteningly easy to take my Beloved and everything he does for me as carer, chief cook and bottlewasher, housekeeper, driver, etc etc, but I really REALLY don't want to do that.  I so wish he hadn't had to take on caring for me, but he says he does it because he loves me.  That's pretty special, and the feeling is entirely mutual.  We are, as ever, best friends.
Rosie