Monday 10 May 2021

In a Vase on Monday - Perseverance

 If there was someone who would wave a magic wand and grant me three wishes, one of those would be the ability to paint, draw, sketch etc. I would not ask to be an artist: famous or even selling a few paintings, just the ability to apply myself and end up with something reasonable that I would not be unhappy to hang on the wall. 

I've grown to understand that effort and perseverance is required to achieve many things, and without even first trying, or even 'try, try, try again' : My mother always used to add the extra try, and another word she used say was needed was 'Perseverance'. I just haven't tried enough. A few one hour zoom lessons from our WI group recently has got me going. I've decided it isn't too late to try.

Getting going: assembling materials for the task, and having failures along the way, is something I find hard. I have a cupboard with a couple of shelves of 'art' things: paper, pencils, water colour, and all my calligraphy things which have not been touched often, since calligraphy lessons and also a few art sessions with Helen Clues  at the Gecko Studio and Gallery in Old Town, Kenilworth.


So following on from the zoom classes, and from posting about one of the plants in the gravel area, this Sunday I spent a couple of hours with my pencils and brush trying to paint from real life.   I had doodled this on my lap whilst watching a film on the TV the night before, to obtain composition, layout etc, but drawing in 'my book' from real life, brought on a few butterflies! 


In my vase was a little spring of Phlox bifida Ralph Lauren. with its cleft petals and elusive light blue periwinkle coloured flowers. At breakfast this morning, with not a pencil in sight, I shall fall deep in the perfect beauty of each and every detail of this charming flower.


Having started In a Vase on Monday, arranging flowers from the garden and celebrating their beauty with others has brought a rhythm to my life. Will I persevere with art as I have persevered with gardening or picking posies, only time will tell. Cathy's weekly coming together  has been a worthwhile gift  with several In a Vase on Monday arrangement to view and ponder about. Having viewed her arrangement this week, I may well have found my next subject for sketching.



10 comments:

  1. Phlox bifida Ralph Lauren is a beauty. Excellent drawing. Do persevere as you described the experience itself of creating is a huge reward.

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    1. Yes, I just do it for the experience of observing and hand/eye coordination, and then being to appreciate the work of other artists even more.

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  2. I am very impressed with your determination to persevere in this way - and for all your preparatory work before getting started...the result is looking impressive. Is it likely to end up on your wall, do you think? What a pretty little phlox you shared - I had no idea what it was until you told us

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    1. No not this one, but in time, if I improve, who knows. Maybe I ought just to look at the sketch from time to time.

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  3. It looks like you're off to a great start, Noelle. The Phlox offers excellent subject matter to begin with. I hope the new endeavor sill bring you joy!

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  4. I like Ralph Lauren and your drawing..I like to draw and paint and you must persevere! You will be rewarded with your success and develop a finer eye for detail. Enjoy!

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  5. A beautiful flower. And it is looking good on paper too! I do admire your perseverance, and hope you will enjoy this new hobby and not put yourself under pressure!

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  6. I think that would be one of the three things that I wished for too Noelle if a good fairy granted me three wishes. My mum was accomplished in both water colours and oils and left me all her watercolours and brushes. They remain untouched but I must do them justice. I did have watercolour lessons some years ago and like you have had calligraphy lessons too.
    Like you suggest some of it is down to practice but I'm sure that some talent is needed to excel. Hope that you do indeed persevere. My other wishes would be to be able to sing and to sew 😂

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    1. I certainly can't sing, and I choose to knit, rather that sew, but love a little bit of embroidery or little sewing project. I used to go to a great WI group led by Kay, who has become a great friend, despite us both moving away. She took me from doing mundane things to quilted bags etc. Off my own bat I made a pen roll for my calligraphy pens, again these have been languishing since moving away from Kenilworth.https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2013/03/calligraphy-pen-roll.html

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    2. How nice to have your mother's watercolours, I am sure you have a latent worth resurrecting. I suppose it is just finding time, space and a desire to get started.

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