Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy and creative 2014. Also a BIG THANK YOU for visiting throughout the year, especially to everyone who takes the time to leave comments - it means a lot.  

Olive update

So much for my vision of eating home grown olives at Christmas. As you can see, they are still on the tree and have never ripened enough to be worth picking. It's disappointing but on the up side it has saved me hours of rinsing, washing .. etc. etc.

More instagram pictures of a mini adventure with My Jack Russell. He's been very lively recently and has demanded some longer walks, so I decided to take him up to the windmill - it's only 20 minutes away but for some reason I have never been. We had a lovely walk and I was surprised how much Autumn colour was still around in December. Bill loved it too but disgraced himself infront of several people by barking nastily at a very sweet donkey. But that's a jack russell for you.

Challenges

For a long time Gra and I have talked about having a joint exhibition and now he has started painting again we are working towards this. We have very different styles and thought it would be interesting for some of our work to be of the same subject matter. So this is our first effort - Chichester Market Cross, what do you think?
He is trying to paint more freely from sketches done on the ipad (at least someone is making use of it!) and I'm tackling subjects that I would not normally draw, which is a new challenge for me. We are hoping the exhibition will be next summer.

calm before the storm

                           

It's alternating between calm and storm here at the moment - the weather and our work situation too - strange.

are the fireworks over yet?

the process

I've been inspired to do a drawing from one of the photos taken last month - of the view from Pallant Gallery across the rooftops to Chichester Cathedral.

I start with a black and white illustration on bristol board, using a pilot v5 hi-techpoint black pen. I scan the drawing and then colour using coreldraw. I'm not a fan of illustrator - coreldraw is the freest programme (in the sense of fewest restrictions) I've come across. Sometimes I take one of my textural photographs and put it over the illustration using a lens - to dirty it up a bit and there you have it!

Autumn

There won't be any evening walks after next weekend when the clocks go back. It's already getting dark too early for my liking. 

A rare day out in London - so crowded, some vibrant shop interiors and the best bit, a restorative glass of wine in Hush, people watching.

The last fair of the year - Sloe Fair made me dizzy just to watch and some beautiful arrangements seen through a shop window.

October

Not bored with Instagram yet! Some pics from the past two weeks.

Autumny walks

 Great exhibition of Eduardo Paolozzi at the Pallant Gallery. 

I added My Jack Russell as he fitted in with the colours of the other photos. 

The sweetest public toilets I've seen, my favourite colours in hydrangea form, so much fruit and a different view of West Dean House.

The best eccles cakes ever from M&S - my latest addiction, lovely old wooded fruit box, nights drawing in and MJR again for the same reason as above.

Stop and stare 18

It's a long time since I had a 'stop and stare moment'. It happened on Sunday and I don't think words are needed to explain . . .

Coincidentally....

It's strange that my latest drawing resembles a scarf after some of the lovely comments on my last floral drawing. It is a complete coincidence as I had done this drawing before I saw your comments but watch out Marianna - I may well take you up on your offer!

This was inspired by gifts from a friend of beautiful yellow dahlias and ceramic blue plate.
© 2013 nicky linzey

Olives

My olive trees have produced a lot of fruit this year and I always have the urge to harvest it. I tried this once, with the naive and romantic notion of picking the olives, putting them in some pretty jars and eating them when friends came round on a summer's evening .. I didn't know they had to be cured which is a laborious job of cutting a slit in each one, immersing them in water and changing the liquid every day for 6 days. After that they need to be stored in sterile jars in brine for 5 weeks, then drained and flavoured with lemon, garlic, herbs and stored in olive oil for two weeks. Then ... you can eat them. I threw the lot away after a few days as they looked foul, however I am tempted to have another go this year.. I'll let you know how I get on.
© 2013 nicky linzey

creativity

My need to draw has come back - think it must have been the week off. It's so hard when creativity deserts you but the worst thing to do is worry about it - says I who does just that! I find that getting out and about, walking and taking lots of photos helps. Loving instagram at the moment as you can see from the past month.

© nickylinzey 2013

Away

I've been away from my computer for a week - a good break, although the weather change was a bit of a shock. Definitely picked the wrong week there!

A lovely new restaurant found and a content Jack Russell - a holiday isn't the same without him.

Some stormy walks, a trip to Dorset, an inspiring painter and wilderness.

The old and the new

I walked around Old Portsmouth for the first time the other day and saw lots of interesting things - I liked it, which I didn't expect to do.

at a glance

My August in pictures

smile

The very last August Break picture and I'm feeling quite sorry it's over. Taking a pic every day of a subject not chosen by me was more challenging and tiring than I thought but very inspiring too, thanks to Susannah Conway for organising it. This one is a bit of fun to end the month!

Sign

The penultimate day of the August Break - day 30 - the word is sign. This picture is not really a sign but the poster caught my eye and promotes the work of the RNLI who do amazing work saving lives at sea.

My favourite thing

This was a hard one but I decided upon the unglamourous picture of my walking boots as they have taken me on many great walks - which is my favourite thing to do - especially with Bill. Also I've posted so many pictures of him sleeping that I wanted to show he does still go for walks!

Smell

August Break - day 27 - number

YES

This painting has been underway for a year but yesterday he finally finished it - YES!

Sunday morning

We had a family get together on Sunday, which was good fun but quite a bit of preparation was needed in the morning.

Hear

Day 24 of the August Break is hear. My Jack Russell's hearing suddenly went a year or so ago, the only consolation being he is no longer terrified on bonfire night or frightened by thunder and lightening. He used to cower under the bed - a pitiful sight. I really miss talking to him though and getting a reaction, it's also difficult to let him off the lead as I can't call him back, he just trots along, faster and faster until I have to run and catch him.

Sacred

Day 23 and the word for the August Break is sacred.  There are many places that feel sacred to me - they are always outside when I'm surrounded by nature and the elements. Even better if I'm with my JRT - Bill. The first pic is Pagham Harbour, the second is Start Point in Devon. 

midday

I struggled with this subject as I was extra busy on Thursday - so at lunchtime I was eating a sandwich at my desk. 

something old

Well, what a coincidence, the subject 'something old' was on the day of my birthday - so I had to photograph myself!

Something old ... something new ...

taste

A lovely salad nicoise for the word taste - day 20 - the august break.

white

Day 19 of the August Break - white - although this is verging on grey!

looking down

touch

Floral

Books

Still on The August Break - books are the subject for day 15. This is an old pop up book of my mum's - most of the pictures are pretty scary except for this one.

stillness

Home

Far Away

Play

I think he loves his epiphone guitar more than me! For August Break - Day 11 - Play.

Red

These always make me smile when I see them and remind me of wonderful family holidays in Portugal.

Taste

I was a bit stuck on Friday for the word taste and I didn't have much time to do the pic - I think it shows! Anyway - for me a bacon sandwich is one of the ultimate tastes. I don't eat much meat but I'd find it hard to give this up.