Sunday 7 August 2016

Nearly Spring

Spring is not far away, only a month, but for now it feels far away.
Spring Birds nest
The South Island is in the grip of winter and it has been snowing in many places.
The top of the South Island were we live has a more tempered climate, so snow is not common,but frosts are and last night was one of the coldest nights we had this winter.
Oke, I find it cold, but minus 5 is for many places in the world a bit of a laugh, I know!
But in the garden the tops of Spring bulbs are appearing and the snow drops are flowering. 
I make up little Spring posies to sell at my plant stall and they sell well, I think a lot of my neighbours are waiting for the beginning of Spring just as much as I am.
I painted a little birdsnest with eggs to remind me that warmer weather is on its way.

Honor
Also I painted a little water colour portrait of Honor I send to Paul and Emma, as a memory keepsake for them.

A few weeks ago I taught a mixed medium workshop at a drop in center for people with mental health illness and we made collages with old magazines.
I was really impressed with the collages, not all the work is finished, but I post some examples.
Some collages took three sessions to finish, but we hope to work towards an exhibition in the near future.


Flowers in vase
All blacks Rugby player

Cup cake
I am part of bluechairdiary.blogspot.nl/2016/05/sunday-sketches-pocketful-of-memories.html

16 comments:

  1. Lovely work this week! Glad spring is coming your way but not ready for our summer to leave.

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  2. As we approach Fall in the U. S. I particularly enjoyed your rendering of the birds nest. Ours are all gone now but spring will be back next year.

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    1. You have to go through winter first,are your winters very cold? I am happy Spring is only a month away for us.

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  3. Your post was refreshing! Sorry it is so cold there, but it is nice to be reminded of snow when it is so hot here...we are melting!
    Your spring flowers are lovely and so are the collage pieces. Visiting from Sunday Sketches.

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    1. Thank you, I can't image hot weather now, so cold this morning. I was very impressed with the collage work as well.

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  4. Wow, those are amazing collages and the eggs/nest painting is beautiful. Love the tender details in the nest. I'm sure the dog owner is so happy with the dog's portrait too.

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    1. Thank you for your lovely comments, its so nice to get encouraging comments from across the world.

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  5. Beautiful portrait of Honor and the bird's nest is definitely a good sign that spring is on its way. Brissie doesn't usually get below 5°C in winter and some complain that's freezing. I love winter and, after experiencing a Wyoming winter one year, I know that our winters are more like a Wyoming fall. hehe

    Your students should feel very proud of themselves...those collages are awesome!

    Have a lovely week ~

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    1. Thank you Serena, you have winter too, yip New Zealand can have very colds winters. Oueenstown were my son lives had minus 10 this weekend and snow, wonderful for winter sports.
      Some collages are made up from very small pieces of paper, so patient.

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  6. Wonderful paintings. LOVE the bird nest. :)

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    1. Thank you Alexandra, its so nice I can post every week Sunday Sketches and share a bit of my art.

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  7. Your picture of the bird's nest is so pretty and the portrait of Honor will be a lovely gift for your friends. But the collages made by your students really pulled at my heartstrings. Mental illness eats at your life, but it cannot take your love for music and art. I truly believe this. Their work is beautiful. I hope when they they have their exhibit, you will share with us the pictures. genie

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    1. Thank you Genie, it was so great to see them work on the collages and with so much patience to finish the work. I hope the exhibition is not to far away, I will post some pictures.

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  8. the birds nest is so pretty

    -5, is cold, -25 is a bit colder. doesn't get that cold here tho, hardly ever gets to -5 here. if I move back to Canada, I will die :p

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    1. My son Paul spend a winter in Canada and that was an eye opener for him with temperatures up to -30 and more, can't imagine!

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