Friday 3 September 2010

Little things

I had just finished a drawing and had lots of acrylic ink left on my plate. Looking around for something small I could draw to quickly use it up. The tiny striped feather was sticking out of the pages of my square book, found on the beach walk and placed between the pages for safe keeping. I quickly recorded the delicate shape and pale coloured pattern. Still more ink to use I decided to find a few other objects. That was easy, small objects fill dishes all over my house after I empty my pockets of newly gleamed finds, and there they stay until maybe one day they are chosen.
And so a feather, an oak leaf, an acorn, a sycamore and that looks quite pretty. I walk around the garden to stretch my legs and collect a red berry, a blackberry and a piece of seaweed, just to use the ink up, but now I need some new red ink for the berry. My eyes are fixed on the jug full of striped feathers and I know I must draw some of them soon, they are so lovely. I collected each one because, well because I couldn't leave them, each one a different shape and colouring and to me so beautiful. It always seems so hard to choose between them and leave them behind and when I brought them home I promised to draw them.
So I chose one, added it to the little things that were just to use up the ink. How things lead to others. Well I like little things and the feather I chose. Hope you do too.

11 comments:

Maria said...

WOW ! So adorable !

Pondside said...

I always love your feathers - these little things are exquisite.

Acornmoon said...

You will see the seasons change in this wondrous book.
Shiny red berries can only mean one thing!

Susan Scheid (Raining Acorns) said...

Such a beautiful painting of a lovely collection of little things. I enjoyed also reading of the serendipity that gave rise to putting them together. So appealing, too, to think of the dishes full of treasures waiting their turn!

Thank you also for stopping by RA--my writing mate WOS did indeed capture this time of year in a lovely way, didn't she?

Windsongs and Wordhoards said...

Ilove it, and the delicate shadows work so well to place them on the page, a particularly beautiful oak leaf too - I do love the whole idea of your book, like a visual journal of the sounds,seasons and memories that must be triggered when you look back and remember when and where these things were collected.
I'm sure you must cherish these paintings for all they represent... so nice for us to have a glimpse too!

Frances said...

Milly, I saw this post much earlier this morning before heading out for a long day at work, and I was determined to leave you a comment this evening.

I just love the notion of your having the ink on your plate sort of serving as your muse.

All that the ink has transported from the beautiful natural objects on to your square notebook are so beautiful.

You do continue to inspire me to get something in my sketchbook ... well, maybe at least four times a week. I do still feel a bit squeezed by my work schedule, and hunting around for time to actually see, really see, nature and respond to it.

xo

Posie said...

Milly, What beautiful artwork, the shadows make them jump out from the page, they look so real and hold such beauty.

S. Etole said...

Always enjoy your artwork ... feathers have such a fascination.

Tammie Lee said...

such a lovely collection! Each item a treasure and you show this so well with your art.
I wondered if other people have a need to not waste the extra paint... I am like that.

Patricia G said...

Lovely detailed work Milly. I too am a collector but feathers often get damaged in my pockets or bag.
Bonnet fabric is cut but I haven't done any hand embroidery since I was a child so I'm practising first.

Teresa said...

Beautifully drawn and painted. I do envy your delicate touch with paint :-)