13/05: WATCH THE BIRDIE !!

Our house is 'tucked' away from the main roads in Tankerton/Whitstable - slightly off the beaten track.   So we are fortunate to have a wide variety of bird species visiting each day.     I have a soft spot for the Blackbirds and the Robins because they are such wonderful songbirds - by the same token I'd happily endorse a cull on woodpigeons whose tuneless call starts outside our bedroom balcony window at around 5am and goes on relentlessly most of the day :-{

But beautiful as they are, Blackbirds and Robins are also quite ruthless when defending their 'territory' and last year we witnessed the harrassment of a beautiful young female blackbird by senior birds (male and female) until eventually I found her dead in one of our flower borders.

For the past couple of days I've been watching another lovely female blackbird who is quite conspicuous as she is more 'ginger' than most ... she is under constant attack so I just hope she finds a 'protector' or at least a safer garden to seek refuge in. 

For the first time in weeks we had a free Saturday morning ..... and we had sunshine in Kent!!   Double whammy!   So we walked into Whitstable and just enjoyed the scenery and the weather (to say nothing of the bag of chips and the ice cream on the beach - for David that is)!! 

As well as all the usual seagulls I was pleased to see this character who I later identified as a cormorant - not a Shag as David had thought - giving rise to all manner of risque Blog Post headers - as you can probably imagine :-)

The tide was a long way out so I got as close as I could without getting my feet too wet (and please do note the BLUE colour of the sky and the BLUE colour of the sea (something we haven't seen for many weeks/months here)!!

I've got quite a few photos of the cormorant drying his wings and this is probably the makings of a drawing sometime (another one on the 'to do' list)!!

I have two pictures nearing completion - can't be shown just yet although I've been struggling with the current one.  For the first time I'm using mount board as the support for a coloured pencil drawing and it isn't going very well.   Not sure if the mountboard is 'at fault' as I bought it a year or so ago or whether its just that I've become used to working on more textured supports - pastelmat etc.    Anyway, I'll persevere and finish these and reveal them 'warts and all' in a couple of weeks.

I was expecting to start another commission this week (surprise wedding anniversary gift), but my client hasn't been able to get good reference photos so I've been asked to supply a Gift Voucher for presentation instead.   That means I've got more free time than anticipated this month but have another voucher which might be redeemed at any time (just hope they don't all materialise at the same time as there are several outstanding)!   Makes life interesting anyway :-)

Hope you all had a good weekend.     Having some warm sunshine made ours very enjoyable and we met some interesting characters whilst out and about ... more tomorrow ;-)

10/05: ENDANGERED SPECIES - WHITE LIONS

A fairly well kept secret here in Kent is the presence of the Wildlife Heritage Foundation (big cat sanctuary). It isn't open to the general public except for bespoke photography or art days - the fees from which help the charity's work. I was lucky enough to attend a Vic Bearcroft 'pastel day' four  years ago and got the opportunity to take some wonderful reference photos and learn about the big cats and the centre's conservation work.

As I mentioned earlier, it is a well kept secret and I wonder how many of the 'fun seekers' at nearby Headcorn Airport are aware that when they are taking their 'FLY DAYS' microlighting/skydiving/gliding experiences they'd be potential meals if they happened to come down in the wrong place ... some of the cats enclosures have very high fences but no roof!! ... just a thought :-)

Anyway, earlier this year I noticed the Foundation was appealing for donations to help them  bring a pair of white lionesses from South Africa to widen the global gene pool of white lions. They needed funds to pay for transportation and vets bills (to ensure the lionesses remained in good health during the trip). The lionesses will form a pride with the centre's resident male white lion, Themba. White lions are nearly extinct in the wild (just 5 known) so its vitally important to increase numbers and hopefully eventually release some back into their natural environment in S Africa.

I was happy to see this article on the BBC website today showing that they successfully raised the funds and transported the lionesses to the centre.

Hope this link works .....

WHITE LIONS

Now .... can I convince David that I need to spend another day at the Foundation to get even more ref pictures.   I note the cost has increased to approx £150 - but that is for a fairly full day with tuition from professional photographers and guarantee of getting 'up close' with these magnificent cats.

09/05: THE WAY WE WERE

Guess what we were doing 10 years ago today?

As you may have guessed we are both 'second time around'  but sometimes 'second-hand' is best :-)  which leads nicely into my next subject ......

We're off to do our Wednesday stint as volunteers for Pilgrims Hospice eBay shop but will be going out for a nice meal tonight at a local restaurant on the seafront.  Its within walking distance (weather permitting) so no worries about enjoying a glass of bubbly or two!!

Just wanted to give the volunteers at Pilgrims Hospices eBay office a big pat on the back.   We raised £108,000 for the Hospices last year (year ended March 2012).   The charity has several shops around Kent selling items donated by the public and periodically the 'better quality' items are passed to our office to be photographed and listed for auction on eBay where we can reach a wider audience and hopefully realise higher prices.   Its such a shame that so many worthwhile causes have to be reliant on charity to survive .... but David and I enjoy the 'job' and have met some lovely people as part of the group of part time volunteers.  

03/05: PEOPLE PICS

I'm getting behind with my Blogging again .... somehow this horrible wet/windy/miserable weather we've had for weeks has made me very lethargic and slow.   We have had lots of appointments and been dashing around for a few days but today was a 'free day'.  

I started the day with a plan to finish the current drawing and make a start on tidying my studio.   Since taking down the pictures from my last exhibition in Whitstable they've remained stacked on the floor against the walls and need to be rehung or tidied away and the room 'spring-cleaned'  -  the current picture was almost finished today but won't be shown here for a few weeks.  I have a gap till the next commission so will select one or two of the recent ref. photos to work from as exhibition pieces to meet competition/exhibition deadlines in a couple of months time.

My last post showed a few photos of the beautiful spring flowers at Keukenhof, Holland.     As I became bored with flowers I started to photograph some of the people in the park ..... always a 'naughty' feel to doing this - trying not to be obvious but judging by the expressions on some faces I think I was spotted!!    I'm always trying to find a 'character' or two to draw or at least incorporate into a drawing somehow.  There were a few I quite liked so ... watch this space

Sisters do you think???

I think some visitors to the park had set out to 'outdo' the colourful blooms judging by their attire!

What was noticeable was that very few people were smiling ..... perhaps tulip spotting is a very serious business? .....  I did get some great shots of a group of young girls petting and grooming a calf in the childrens zoo area - they might feature in an upcoming drawing as I'm sure will this brother and sister - I took a few sneaky shots of these two as they posed for the camera for their mum.    The little girl spotted me and my camera and gave me a beaming smile later on - bless!

I know of some artists/bloggers who use Google earth photos for inspiration for their 'character' paintings but I've never found enough detail in the pictures for my liking ... so I'll have to continue to be 'secret squirrel' and carry on snapping this sort of hurried shot at every opportunity.  Having taken the photos myself I know I can use them as reference material for art exhibitions - the rules of many exhibitions  now insist that ref. photos must have been taken by the artist and not 'borrowed' - even with the photographer's permission.

That's all for today.   Sorry I can't show the current work for a few weeks hence filling the gaps with photos rather than drawings ;-)

30/04: NOT MORE BL**DY TULIPS!!

Not more bl**dy tulips!!

That was David's reaction upon turning a corner in the Keukenhof Gardens (Holland) last week and finding yet another stunning display of colourful bulbs stretching into the distance.

The Spring Gardens are wonderful but the sheer scale of the place is slightly overwhelming and although we both love pretty spring flowers we were getting bored after 2 hours.   Photos really don't do justice to the gardens (or the bulb fields surrounding the gardens).   We decided that the best way to view this spectacle would be from the air - it would be an amazing sight from small plane or helicopter (perhaps there's an idea for a business there)?

Unfortunately we weren't able to see some of the indoor displays as they were being rebuilt.

The Gardens only open for 8 weeks each year and so get absolutely packed with visitors from around the world.  Too many people for my liking I'm afraid!

Here are a few pictures which give an idea:

You can see from this photo just how crowded some of the walkways were ... not my idea of fun really

I tried to get some close up photos - just in case I get the urge to try my hand at a 'still life'  :-)

Now by this stage I guess you'll all be in total sympathy with David and groaning ... not another bl**dy etc etc .. so I'll call a halt here - but there may be more tomorrow :-)

28/04: LOVELY WEATHER FOR DUCKS

That well known saying is very appropriate for the filthy weather we've had here in Kent for a couple of days (and forecast to last tomorrow also) .... wind, non-stop rain and low temperatures YUK!

I photographed this wonderful duck family at the Zoo in Antwerp a couple of days ago.   The ducklings were very tame and very, very cute.  Proud Mum and Dad were very happy for me to stop and talk to their little ones and Mum joined in the conversation quite noisily herself

Mum, Dad and a few of the ducklings

The little ones ...

The family wondered off, but Mum stayed behind to 'quack' a few jokes  .......  oh dear, sorry :-)

Right this was just a quick post as we're off to a birthday bash being held at the Hotel on the nearby Tankerton seafront.   We'd originally planned to walk there and back (only 15 mins walk each way) but the weather is so dreadful, I've volunteered to drive so David can enjoy a drink.   Fizzy water for me then :-(

26/04: ANTWERP ZOO (and other bits)

Blogging took a bit of a back seat whilst I was busy with projects (arty and personal/family) but I hope to be posting regularly again now.  
To summarise the past few weeks, I've produced and displayed pictures in two local exhibitions but sadly I'm not going to be able to retire on my earnings from picture sales :-)  

We have been back to our holiday home on Fuerteventura where we enjoyed lovely warm weather and caught up with our friends out there.  It was carnival fortnight so lots going on each day and a brilliant Parade of floats and marching/drumming bands on the final Saturday afternoon/evening (which coincided with St Patricks Day so there were lots of leprechauns and green attire on display).    The carnival season always finishes with the 'Burning of the Sardine' parade on the  Sunday after the big parade.    A huge effigy of a sardine is wheeled through town followed by the townswomen all dressed in black (widows attire) and crying/lamenting.   The sardine and its entourage end up on the town beach early evening where the sardine is ceremoniously burned.  Then there is a fantastic firework display and everyone stands around saying ooooh  aaaaahhhh (as you do)!!    All this is done with a great deal of noise - they do love their drums and drumming bands on the island :-)   Although I have lots of photos from the Carnival, its a little late to post them now I think.

We've just returned from a mini break in Belgium and Holland.   Living on the Kent Coast means its a very easy journey for us to cross the Channel to France by Ferry - or train/tunnel as we did this time.  From France its easy to drive to Belgium/Holland.

 When my computer went horribly wrong a couple of months back it had to be almost rebuilt and although my data was backed up I seem to have mislaid some folders of reference photos taken over the years of meerkats, hoopoe birds, domestic dogs/cats etc.  I still have hundreds of photos but nothing really inspired me - I guess they're too 'familiar' as I've viewed them so many times.   So our trip to Belgium took in Antwerp Zoo which was a great place to visit.   It is situated in the centre of Antwerp next to the Railway Station  in beautiful mature parkland -  and I got lots of good ref. photos.      

Starting with a selection from the (very many) big cat photos I took.  I have a soft spot for these wonderful animals.

 The male lion barely moved from this spot, dozing with his back to the 'human' passers-by but he did briefly raise his head to look around so I got a couple of quick pics

The females were a little more obliging:

Yawning lioness

Just look at the intensity of the stare

 

I have more tiger photos than anything else - but I kept hoping one of them would actually go in for a swim.  Too cold maybe??

or just can't be bothered!

Curious

Bling!

Drying off

 

Shoving Match!   This is obviously a game they play often but for a while there I fully expected the middle elephant to end up in the 'swimming pool' as the larger elephant was really pushing her around :-)

PORN!!!
Viewers of a nervous disposition should look away now .......   this is a photo that went wrong when I was trying to get a shot of the armadillos who were racing round like maniacs.  Then I realised that Spring was definitely in the air and the male was trying to 'jump' his fast moving lady friend.    I'm no expert with the camera so shutter speeds were wrong but I thought it made a fun picture :-)

Enough animals for now ....  I have many more taken in the aquarium, aviary, monkey houses etc but don't want to bore you all.   Just a few more pics showing the beautiful grounds/gardens.  It is a very tranquil, well maintained park.

I wasn't allowed to spend too long in Antwerp once we left the zoo.  You may know that Antwerp is famed as the Diamond capital of the World with more than 80% of the world's rough diamonds passing through the district.   Hubby (and accountant) dragged me swiftly past the jewellery shops!! 

From Antwerp we visited/stayed at Dordrecht (Holland)  in a lovely waterside B&B - very quaint town with cobbled streets and lots of galleries/chocolate shops/restaurants and bars.

Yessterday we drove to Keukenhof gardens in Holland to see the displays of Spring bulbs/flowers (mostly tulips).    The anticipated bad weather held off till mid afternoon yesterday so we were very lucky there.

I'll post some photos in small batches over the next few days ...

23/04: WETTEST DROUGHT I'VE EVER KNOWN!!

OK - after weeks away from Blogging my first post is a complaint about the weather!!  I must be a True Brit!!

Hosepipe bans have been imposed on many parts of the UK and here in Kent we're told the ban will probably be in place all year.  So we decided not to grow as many vegetables as usual this year, and not to grow/plant bedding/border plants and hanging baskets/tubs.     It has done nothing but rain here for more than a week (with the odd thunderstorm/hailstorm thrown in for good measure!!

I've seen more rainbows this past week than I remember seeing in several years - yesterday:

 

photographed in our garden yesterday ... just look at the filthy colour of the sky!

and then hailstones yesterday - not a great pic but these are lumps of ice landing in the grass (which incidentally was mowed a week ago but is just loving all this 'wet stuff' and growing at a great rate of knots ..

 

anyway, I know I've been quiet on the Blog front for a while - we have been very busy with projects (arty and non-arty) but should be back to normal fairly soon.     Off to Belgium/Holland tomorrow so will catch up soon.