Butterflies, Flitting from flower to flower; Peace.
The end of July and the beginning of August, is the traditional festival of Lammas, a time of abundance and in the pagan calendar, seen as the beginning of autumn. There are so many flowers in our tiny garden but this Buddleia, a dwarf variety, is a favourite. Known as the butterfly bush or shrub, we can see why it is so called. I didn’t manage to capture on camera the other butterflies in the garden but I am working on a further linked post with some artwork which I shall publish shortly. 🤞🤞
The Kick-About prompts from Phil Gomm’s blog at Red’s Kingdom, are an amazing way for me to explore my own visual creativity. For too long I have ignored the artistic side of who I am, and so the K-A is helping me recover my art……..literally! On and off throughout my adult life I have tried something to launch into the visual arts but nothing has worked until now, and the K-A is helping me! The work below is something I did over 20 years ago on a weekend printing course in Wells-next the Sea!
The latest K-A prompt was Lee Krasner, a female American artist involved in a movement known as Abstract Expressionism. The quote below comes from internet searches and I think it also perfectly fits my own point of view:
Abstract Expressionists value the organism over the static whole, becoming over being, expression over perfection, vitality over finish, fluctuation over repose, feeling over formulation, the unknown over the known, the veiled over the clear, the individual over society and the inner over the outer.
That was written by William C. Seitz, an American artist and Art historian (1914-1974).
Head on over to Phil’s blog to see this submission and the work of the other amazing artists, such wonderful ingenuity and creativity. Here is the link:
We had a short break in Dundrum, County Down, staying in a fabulous apartment that overlooked the bay. We were a little unlucky not to have the warm sunny weather of the previous three weeks, however, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. There is a small supermarket and petrol station, a pub and a couple of restaurants and eateries! I shall add a couple of links at the bottom of the page.
Here are a few of the photos from our visit:
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There’s a ruined castle to explore and some really wonderful walks around the area, Murlough National Nature Reserve being exceptional. There is also a Coastal Rowing Club; one of my photos shows a couple of boats being launched. Just a few miles south of the village is Newcastle with plenty of shops and places to eat.
It’s been a really busy time, and we’ve also been on holiday (more later) so I’m pleased to say that I was still able to take part in the latest Kick-About. This time the prompt from Phil was the artist JamesTurrell. Please follow the link to see my work there along with what others have submitted.
When I was opening the vertical blinds in our sunny bedroom, the effect of the bright sunshine streaming through the blinds triggered something in my memory of one of Turrell’s artworks. That was my starting point, although something else I’d read about his work also slipped subconsciously into my own artwork. For decades, Turrell has been constructing a “naked-eye” observatory………..in an extinct cinder cone volcano!
Turrell has been called the “master of light” and I cannot ignore what was going on musically in the 1970’s with one of my favourite rock bands, Electric Light Orchestra. The song Mr. Blue Sky was originally released in 1977 but here is a brilliant and colourfully illustrated video from 2019.
Another in the Kick-About series of artworks. Below is a link to Phil Gomm’s website where I and others were challenged with the title Semper Augustus. Head on over and see what we’ve come up with:
Another challenge for those who participate in the Kick-About. I love the way each person’s interpretation is so different. This time the prompt was LIGHTHOUSE and below is a link to Phil’s page:
Describing this pagan Cross Quarter festival, it is probably best that I quote from Glennie Kindred’s book** Sacred Earth Celebrations. She describes this period as “a celebration of the fertility and rampant potency of the life force.” Goodness, how accurate that is! Stepping out into our little garden, I wonder at Mother Earth’s amazing energy during these days.
(Please click on the images to view clearly) 👀
These photos show the 7ft hedge that is currently fizzing with new growth. It’s an old hedge, as it was here on our northern boundary 20 years ago when we moved in. Somewhere in there, are a couple of old unknown trees that a previous owner of the house must have chopped down, and that has allowed the ivy to flourish. Also, there is privet, holly, beech and some blackthorn. I love it, because it accommodates so much nature as a food source and a place of safety for so many insects like butterflies and bees! The downside is that it is also about 6ft in depth and as someone who cuts the hedge with a pair of shears…..well, it can be a chore. I gave up garden machinery many years ago but if I’m honest, it helps me to keep mobile. Another joy is that garden birds also use the hedge for safety and for nesting. We are currently being entertained by juvenile sparrows, a robin and several species of young tits.
The sky is filled with birdsong, The trees and hedges, greening; Mother Earth is bourgeoning.
NB. I don’t understand why my uploaded photo appears to be out of focus. My original is perfect and if you click on the image is appears to be okay. Technology! I’m not coping well with it! It seems to change daily and sometimes it’s just too much! Is it just an age thing?
A Different View 