Art&Ghosts Blog

Sylvia

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Sylvia. Digital painting.

A new Imagined Portrait (with teeth)

I wanted to portray something vulnerable yet pure; fragile, exposed, yet somehow unreachable, inviolate. The result? She seems somewhat startled! She is Sylvia because of Silver. An angel, perhaps. I'm not entirely sure that this is quite finished just yet.

I am planning to begin work on some 'older' characters soon (I am also plotting new twins and triplets). This may or may not be my last cherubic childface for a little while. Who knows. They will return though, I am quite sure of that. The old levitating girl theme keeps pulling at me, so maybe something in keeping with this .....we shall see.

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Sylvia detail

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I shall be announcing the calendar competition results this Thursday (probably around UK evening/late night), but in the meantime, do feel free to wander in and contribute to the steadily growing 'ark'.

Each and every entry so far has become quite precious to me, more so because I had not remotely anticipated just how strangely moved they would leave me (I'm odd), which is something that I find difficult to put into words. They're so beautifully candid, perfectly hilarious in parts (yes, Kathy, I mean you!) yet so revealing and mysterious and.....fascinating. I sincerely love them all.

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Thankyou for taking part xxx

Calendar Competition

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I am deliriously happy to present my new, 2010 calendar, at long last.

The first sample turned out to be just perfect, comprising of large, beautiful, excellent quality colour reproductions. Lucky is very excited to appear on the front cover (which also has a frosted plastic protective 'lid' to ensure flatness in transit, as well as providing Lucky with an ethereal, ghostly sheen when the calendar is closed). 

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If you should like the chance to own a free copy of this A3 sized special edition, here's what to do: In the comment area below, explain briefly which animal/living creature your character/personality most closely resembles. Mine, for instance, might be a fox, for I feel a curious, almost painful empathy with them, for reasons that I am not fully aware. The mere sight of a fox scuttling across a moonlit stretch of road can bring me to tears in an instant. This may seem to be a somewhat vague explanation, but as examples go, it is most adequate for the task at hand! A small paragraph should suffice, although if you wish to elaborate, do feel free!

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There will be two runner-up prizes (modestly modest little things, regardless), consisting of a postcard sampler pack and a 10x8 reproduction print featuring Lucky. The winning contributors will be plucked at random from a bowl (I do not posses a top hat as yet) and announced on the 1st of October (my most favourite day of the year). I just do things by numbers, it seems.

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The calendar has occasional special/significant days and holidays in print throughout, which are, incidentally, British/Jewish/Irish. This came as standard, although if you are in the US, I am sure that the sudden, if unexpected appearance of a random British Bank Holiday should not ruin your calendar experience altogether too much.

For more images, please click here

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I shall also be adding new, print sampler packs at the shop later this week. The packs will contain 10 5x7 archival prints featuring both random selections and themed works (Anomalies, Portraits and so on) for that extra slice of variety! (see below for examples)

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I appear to have become rather fond of Lucky. Having spotted this little trinket whilst shopping this afternoon.....it had to travel home with me: charmed I'm sure.

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Lucky necklace (Monsoon Accessorize)

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I shall leave you with a recently re-edited (smiling!) self portrait, and a gratuitous photograph of my pointillistic little kitten. We are presently quite smitten indeedy with heart shaped Swiss biscuits.....

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Back soon! xxx

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♥

Merry Weather

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Merry Weather

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Let's not concern ourselves about her feet reaching the pedals.

To view the image larger, please click here.

I cannot stop to chatter at the moment, but I shall return very soon!

Take care 

x

Lucky

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Lucky

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Digital painting with paper collage and bunting. 

Lucky and the forest of charms. perfect winter stillness and a curious, small bird. I thoroughly enjoyed creating this work. A strange, magical evening.

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Lucky (detail)

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Lucky is supposed to represent purity and enchantment. And the wilderness. Dreams.

Quite a pleasant change to work without a human character. (I may add a more detailed image of the smaller parts later!)

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Above, what I like to call my digital sketchbook, of sorts. Pieces and parts of recent works. I generally collect/store them as psd files, so that some of the patterns, shapes can be re-used in future creations. I have so many of these now, although I don't think that I have actually presented one online before. So, voila! Sometimes they are quite pretty in their own right, like a little mood board. And the above illustrates this weeks mood.

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I am deeply lost inside of another compilation of British short stories at present, reading late into the night, the cat snoring beside me. I can hear cows moo-ing in the fields behind my house. There is something infinitely soothing about this, this sound, but I have no idea why. Everything is still, moonlit, pretty.

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Oh, and happy birthday to you, dear Lynne! (my favourite and only big sister)

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Take care, and thank you for visiting, as always  xxx

Postcards and new prints...

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Brand new postcard packs in sets of ten: complete with envelopes and little cardboard carrier carton. All cards are printed onto professional standard, glossy card stock, with regular postcard backs.

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I am so so pleased with this recent batch of new prints and cards! Minty actually turned out quite suitably pretty after all, contrary to my initial expectations:)

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The shop will undergo a generous update this evening (UK time). I have had quite a lovely afternoon browsing around town with my mother, obsessing over Green&Black's ginger chocolate, delicate spiders-web cardigans at Topshop, a mustard yellow winter scarf and the promise of a relaxing evening with some favourite DVD's...... So I shall resume the update after a brief little rest and a few more rounds of tea....

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xxx

Charlotte

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Charlotte's Dream

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Please view much larger here

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Digital painting with (a little bit of) photomanipulation. The pom poms were most definitely inspired by the Monsoon fashion catalogue, which I featured a week or so ago. I had an inkling that some sort of fixation would develop...

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Charlotte and her companion are quite possibly one and the same. Kindred souls, they journey to the furthest reaches of this world together in dreams. They share a secret, a burden, which will remain forever unspoken. Their sympathies are telepathic. Charlotte wears the pom poms on her wrist, in miniature. 

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I am currently catching up on some overdue reading (nestling with my boy and the cat), plotting my way around a seasonal batch of calendars (they are rather expensive to create in GBP, so this remains a dilemma - how to price fairly, etc), and awaiting new postcard stock in the post, which is nice! Ten new sets, with a focus on my Imagined Portraits series - plus a few old favourites - shall be arriving at the shop any day now.

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I am also somewhat behind updating the Milk Tooth blog.....a very busy week, and the craving for a little me-time having brought about a few delays....so, watch this space.

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Take care ♥

The Audreys

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The Audrey Twins

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Initially supposed to be a portrait of Alice Liddel, until something changed its mind along the way..

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(detail1)

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Audrey (basic)

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I thought that you might like to see the basic painting, prior to me working into it. She possesses a strange sort of 'purity' that appeals to me. 

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xxx

Birthday Boy

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My littlest sweetheart turns eight years old this week. 

Still crazy after all these years ♥

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To view Mirlo's very own photo album, click here.

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xxx

Oh

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Minty

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This fails on so many levels, for me; although I'm fond of the bathing suit and the profile (I find profiles pretty difficult to create). Sort of 1930's beach house/circus.... or something. All that I can tell you with any actual certainty is that she did not turn out quite as I had planned. 

I shall name her after my first horse, Minty.

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September is here, at last, oh joy!

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xxx