Gilding the Lily

Gilding the Lily

The Lily … even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these’. [Matthew 6:28,29] Some friends gave me a large bunch of these beautiful flowers last week.  At the time they were all in bud, the tapered forms of which had a beauty of their own. Over...
Christmas greetings – and a pine cone

Christmas greetings – and a pine cone

Pine cones have a feeling of Christmas for me. We have some gold-sprayed cones on the Christmas tree, and others in a bowl. I’ve always loved the shape of pine cones, and the way they close up tight and open up to release their seeds.  Pine cones are fun to...
Forbidden fruit?

Forbidden fruit?

A friend kindly gave me these quinces from her Japonica to draw. I’ve been studying their knobbly apple shape, and decided to draw them in liquid charcoal with a bit of pen outline and in artificial light, to make the most of their interesting angles and planes. The...
Small delights: the gift of a plant

Small delights: the gift of a plant

Today I finally got round to drawing our beautiful orchid; a lovely gift from friends several months ago. I must admit to struggling to care for orchids in the past, but this one has flowered non-stop, and given us much delight. The beautiful shape of the flowers, and...
Small delights: more people watching

Small delights: more people watching

in the cafe People are endlessly fascinating. I love sitting in cafes surreptitiously drawing them, and seeing how few lines are needed to get the essence of them.  Snatches of overheard conversations are another delight- but I can’t listen and draw at the same...
Small delights: Old Man’s Beard

Small delights: Old Man’s Beard

Old Man’s Beard I always think of Hallowe’en when I see Old Man’s beard in the hedgerow. It makes a good stand-in for thick cobwebs for children’s parties. Other names for Old Man’s Beard include Traveller’s Joy, and it is part of the clematis genus....