Thursday 10 January 2013

First drawing this year

 On the first of January I went for a walk on a gloomy grey day.   It was a high tide and as I looked out of my window I could see the wind was whipping up huge white waves against the banks on the shore and no doubt causing more erosion.  Although I would have loved to have taken a walk on the shore  it looked so wild and windy,  the ground so wet and muddy and with the tide coming in too,  it seemed much too dangerous.   So I kept to the road.   I soon realised I had made a serious mistake and left my gloves behind,  it was icy cold and my fingers were tingling with the cold and turning red.
The view was shrouded in clouds and the dampness seemed to cling to everything.  I stopped to look at the hawthorn trees, just a few blackened berries remain and I noticed how the green and grey lichen had grown on the branches this past year.  A few red berries were on the ground but in a poor state as they had been squashed or just rotted with all the rain.  Yes the rain,  it seems to be dominating our weather and has been  relentless.
 I was glad to have a walk,  it was fine and I really needed to blow the cobwebs away.  The chance of it pouring down was very likely but I didn't have much choice and it felt  good to be outdoors.  I  decided I would  enjoy looking and observing  as I walked along with just my thoughts for company.  I saw one person with a dog and wished him a happy new year as not another person was out walking.
It seemed such a grey day,  grey stone walls,  grey mist, and  I was pleased and cheered up to see the bright red glowing post box.  I glanced over the wall at the hens scratching at the muddy ground,  they ran to the wall expecting some bread but were disappointed to find I had nothing.  The red comb on the heads of the beautiful black and white speckled  hens was a wonderful flash of colour to my eyes.  
As I watched the hens I decided I would pick the rose hips from the bush hanging above the wall.  I reached up and snapped off various little stems and was careful not to cut my fingers on any thorns.  When I started to look at the berries I realised they were all different shapes and colours,  all in different stages of decay, the reds had changed to black bruises, brown, even greyish shades.  I collected more and knew this would be my first drawing of 2013.  Some of the berries had turned to a soft mushy state which just squashed in my fingers.  With a hand full of rose hips I quickly made my way home but it would have been a miracle if I had made it without a real soaking as the heavens opened and  I arrived home rather wet but my treasures intact.
So here is my drawing, I lined the stems in a row according to their state, with the decaying ones at the end of the row,  as I wanted to record the changes to the rose hips. 
I used my acrylic inks and painted with a fine liner brush number 3.  The painting has been difficult with such poor light and also explains why the photographs are not the best quality. Hopefully you can see what it is all about.
I have spent a little time each day working on it and now it is completed.  Yesterday we had a lovely walk on the moors and I have collected some treasures so hope to get started on my next little picture. 
Hope you enjoyed seeing my rose hips.  Thank you for all the comments with help and advice! I am  reading and  researching ideas.                                                              Bye for now    Millyx

14 comments:

Vicki Lee Johnston said...

I admire you going out in that awful weather but it's just so good for the soul.
And I love the hips ...
Looking forward to a very productive arty year :)

Acornmoon said...

How relentless is this rain and gloom! There is a kind of magic in mist but enough is enough, we need a bit of sun and light. Your drawings always manage to shine however.

Unknown said...

What a tonic to see one of your new paintings. Happy new year to you.

Feathers said...

Hi there, and Happy New Year to you! Rose Hips abound on this side of the pond too, and are something I've enjoyed painting also. Loved reading about your walk--a little wet, but nice to be out in spite of the lack of gloves. I'll be watching to see the next treasures you paint. Hugs, Anita.

Frances said...

Milly, it's interesting that your new year's weather has been as grey as much of ours has been in NYC. Mostly unseasonably warm, but very grey.

Good for you having the urge to go on a walk no matter how wet the return trip might have been. Your red berries line up so beautifully, showing how nature's time line develops. I very much like the composition, seeing it as different from earlier paintings and drawings.

I also very much liked your reporting about those hungry hens, hoping for treats, even as they became possible painting subject matter.

It will be so interesting to discover what the rest of this year's weeks will provide.

Best wishes! xo

Lynn said...

Beautiful - I love the stark composition.
Wishing you a wonderful 2013!

katherine said...

This is a lovely post...I love your art work...details of nature's beauty!

Claire said...

Dear Milly,Beautiful work as always.
I just saw your previous post about a book,it's a wonderful idea and wanted you to know that I just self published a book with blurb.co.uk
I found it user friendly and I am very pleased with it (its a photo book tho' not art). I can give you some tips or advice if you decide to go for this option. xxxx
Claire

Pondside said...

What a beautiful study.
All is grey, black and black-green here in the dead of winter. As I walk down the lane, though, there are still flashes of the rose hips the birds haven't yet found.
I think of you every time I mark a page in whatever I'm reading - love the feather bookmark!

Jill said...

The first of very merry, and I am looking forward to them all.

Michelle Palmer said...

Hope you have a sun-filled day to make up for that chilly walk!
Happy New Year, Sweet Friend~ beautiful illustration!

Jarnie Godwin said...

What a great start to the new year, these look great. Shame about the weather though! x

Debbie Nolan said...

Dear Milly - your cold walk on a grey day certainly brought with it a lovely drawing. Your work with ink is awesome and those rose hips look so real on your drawing. Thanks for sharing and have a great day.

Kim Henkel Creations said...

This is stunning, absolutely and unbelievably stunning. There is such beauty in all stages, and you have captured it so beautifully.