Thursday 4 August 2022

Surprise!

Hello Friends!

Long time no see, but I'm going to give blogging a go again.  Little bit of housekeeping first of all.

1.  I apologise to anyone who has legitimately wanted to comment, but day after endless day I spent far too much time deleting spam.  I know many of you will understand, but it undermined my taking a break.

2.  I had to fiddle with Blogger, didn't I?  In doing so, I may have inadvertently unfollowed rather a lot of you, so if you read this, please leave a short "hello" to help me reconnect.

3.  Update on me.  As some of you who kindly kept in touch know, it's been a long, rough winter as I suffered many weeks of side effects to my medications.  Thankfully, I was over the worst by early February, but I still suffer from extreme tiredness.  Naturally, that is impacting severely on my day to day life.  I find myself experiencing sudden onset of going to sleep.  I sit down for a cup of tea and next thing I'm waking up two hours later.  This is not funny, it is very inconvenient and often I wake up in the arm chair after midnight, shivering with cold.

Onwards!

With low energy I haven't been going out very often.  Also, I have no walking buddy and so until this is resolved my witterings won't include much in the way of new photographs. 

This year, I did take part in the annual ICAD Daisy Yellow art challenge and was honoured to be invited to join a small, online group of sixty members taking part.  It's been my happiest, most productive ICAD experience ever!  It took me a week to find my stride, but then one of the other creative spirits introduced us to Neurographic Art practice and I flew with it!  

Here are my first week of cards, while I was following prompts

ASTERISK

PEONY

LABYRINTH

KEY {KEYSTONE}

FLAMINGO or PINK

DAYDREAM {Wales qualify for the FIFA World Cup}

ROOT

Then, I was introduced to Neurographic Art and took off running.  If you would like to find out more, there's plenty of information and examples on line, but here's my first week of exploring this new to me concept, it's the second week of ICAD.

My very first go



This was done using my non dominant hand, which also has the worst tremors.  You can see the difference, with more jagged edges and less smoothness.  There are some interesting shapes developing to which I can attribute personal meaning.  Consequently I decided not to colour it in, as not everything in my life is black and white now.  I can't go into more detail as it's too raw and personal.




Do you like them?  Do you have a favourite one?  It's no secret that I had the most fun ever this year, and it's the first year I actually completed on time!  I'm now doing another online art challenge, set by Rachel Greig, but more about that another time.  Oh, and I won a seat on Robin Sturis's "Flow and Line" art course too!

One of the last walks I managed to accomplish was a carefully paced stroll around the Cathedral at Easter.  I hadn't been there in two years due to both the pandemic restrictions and being poorly.  However, I wanted to see the Lilies of Remembrance which used to be at Christmas.  The list of names I submit is growing longer each passing year. 










I hope I haven't detained you, and that you've enjoyed my pictures.  I'll share more of ICAD next time!  

Until then, I hope everyone is doing well and life is being as kind to you as it can be in these strange days of continuing Covid, rising prices, and global climate issues.

Debbie xoxo

15 comments:

  1. It is SO good to see you back here and I hope you come more regularly. I know how hard it is to keep at it if feeling poorly and blogger frustrations certainly don't help. Email me if you have trouble commenting or finding comments to yours -- so many have been ending up in spam folders (people are complaining about it) and there are a couple of fixes to make commenting more reliable if you're having trouble with that.

    As for your art -- that neurographic is absolutely stunning. I love the color blends -- are those paint or alcohol ink? Marvelous. In fact, when you showed the beautiful windows in the church, they reminded me of your neurographics with the leading and brilliant colors. And are those poppies by the fence? I love that shot.

    Please check out https://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com and come back -- and if you have any questions email me (jeanie@wkar.org) and I'll do my best to help. If you haven't blogged in a bit there are stickly things but not too bad once you start to think like them (which is too darned scary to comprehend!)

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    1. Thank you Jeanie. It was tweaking my reading list that lost me the links. It's a strange new world on here since last October. Yes, those are poppies, very early too. The other photo, with purple, is a bluebell carpet.
      The neurographic pieces are a mix of media, a lot of alcohol ink and Inktense. Glad you like them, and yes, some are like stained glass. More to follow!

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  2. Oops. I forgot to add that the last photo with the purple -- stunner!

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  3. Glad to see you back. Your artwork is gorgeous and you are definitely sympatico with colour. It is the colour that speaks to me from your work. Please take it steady, sometimes we have to find new ways around old methods of doing things, and although frustrating those new methods may be kinder to you in the long run. One day at a time x

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    1. Thank you Pattypan. I have always loved colour. Yes, one day at a time now finding new ways of doing things.

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  4. So pleased to see you blogging again Deborah - your posts have been missed so much.

    I am so sorry about the tiredness and effects of medication. It must be so difficult for you.

    Your icad paintings are really wonderful - you have such talent and creativity. I can't pick one as I love them all.
    Sending positive thoughts and as the lady above says one day at a time xxxxx

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    1. Thank you, Ragged Robin. I'm doing my best to return to things I love and enjoy, although not all are possible. Glad you like my paintings, it keeps me sane! xoxo

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  5. Debbie, these are great. I especially like the one right below the caption "my very first go." And Keystone. The textures and colors are so perfect on the stones. I was so excited to see you back in the blogosphere! Your photos are stunning as well.

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    1. Thank you Jean. Doing my best to try to do the things I love, which is more important than ever now.

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  6. What fabulous pictures - you really clicked with the Neurographic art (never heard of that before). The first one you did is my favourite I think, although I also love the uncoloured one too.

    Thank you for the beautiful photos from the Cathedral - I'd love to go there again but it's a bit far now we're up in the wilds of Powys.

    I hope you can find a walking buddy soon, and meanwhile, SO good to have you back and blogging.

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    1. Thank you, Bovey Belle. Yes, I admit I have clicked with neurographica. No two will ever be the same. A visit to the Cathedral would be a long day out for you now, but who knows what a journey west might bring? I do hope I can find a walking buddy too, and it is good to be back, even if typing is taking it out of me. Very frustrating when I lose it all in an errant click of a key!

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  7. Hi Deb, great to see you posting again, sorry you had so much bad health. Your ICADs are wonderful, glad you were able to join in. Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Thank you Valerie. Sadly, my health will only worsen, so I'm immersing myself in art as much as I can for as long as I am able.

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  8. I've only just spotted that you are blogging again - welcome back/ Your last lot of artwork pictures remind me of art lessons when I was teaching. We called it taking a line for a walk

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