I made this drawing today having spent a long while circling it and gradually making my approach. I was going to paint some more on my acrylic on canvas final piece, but wasn’t ready, so decided to make this drawing. Don’t forget to click on the image to enlarge and see the colour and marks more clearly.

Our fundraising campaign for the collaboration based on Norse Myth is now live with Indiegogo. Do take a look and support us if you can. It’s really special. I have really enjoyed my journey responding to the realm Vanaheim, here’s the link

http://igg.me/p/the-nine-realms/x/10086902

I approached todays painting session slowly. I knew I wanted to bring in the weave motif from the base of the Gosforth cross representing Yggdrasil the tree of life from Norse myth. To me it means community and connection something Freyja shunned in her pursuit of the necklace which she had to have at all costs. I had to be careful how I introduced it. This is the result. Click the image to enlarge and see marks and colour more clearly.

Here’s my experimental painting so far in response to the Vanaheim realm for the collaboration I am involved with for Artipeeps arts group from Cambridge England. This exploration in paint and indian ink forms the latest outcome in a series of drawings and paintings made over the winter months and back into last year as shared on this blog. Freyjr’s necklace seems so central to me, not just because it was so important to her, but that it led to all sorts of trouble down the line, not just for her but the whole kingdom as told in the saga. Her greed for this piece of jewellery knew no bounds, and it represents her sensuality in so many ways. It represents so much to all of us I feel, so I knew that it would be central in my response. Vanaheim as a realm continues to elude me as I have already shared, so I accept this nebulous quality and have tried to convey that in the use of layers or veils of colour. Don’t forget to click on the image to enlarge for more detail. There’s a Franz Kline painting that inspired me in terms of brushwork first which he painted in 1953.

Here is the latest update from Artipeeps about our collaboration on Norse Myth. It’s all gathering pace! Watch this space for updates. I’m still exploring my response to the Vanaheim realm in paint. Will keep you all posted. Exciting times! ) http://wp.me/p2tYft-2KB

This is my latest drawing exploring this theme made on Tuesday. I’m still playing with layering colour and marks. This time I laid down patches of oil pastel first to go under the graphite and dark pastel marks. I’m letting the blue and turquoise slide from under the marks. Don’t forget to click on images to enlarge to see the marks folks!I may make a painting developing these ideas over the Easter holidays, watch this space. I’m grappling my way towards something!

Here is the logo for my new collaboration with Artipeeps for this year. It is based on Norse Myth and the artists, poets and musicians contributing have each been assigned a realm to respond to. Mine is Vanaheim, and I have shared my explorations thus far and field visits on this blog. Really enjoying it all as I did the Transformations work last year. Will be painting this Easter hols in response, although I may have already made my final piece! Not sure, watch this space.

I made this large A1 study of Frejyr’s necklace as a further development of my collaborative work on the Vanaheim theme for the Nine Realms project for the Cambridge based arts group Artipeeps. I’m never sure if I’ve finished my investigations so am just going with the flow. I knew I wanted to make a larger piece with the necklace as a real focal point as it is so important in Frejyr’s story. The fact she had something so precious to her taken  by Loki from around her neck as she slept fascinated me. The story goes that Loki turned himself into a fly to get through the keyhole in the door of her room. She wore the precious necklace even as she slept and had the clasp against the pillow as she lay on her back. So Loki turned himself into a flea to get to the fastening and undo it and steal the necklace away which led to a whole bunch of other trouble. I love the imagery in this story and it stays with me. So that’s the motivation behind this piece. I loved making the marks and seeing what wanted to be brought forward and what wanted to disappear. The knitted motifs seem to be fading too. I’ll see if this takes me into a painting over the Easter holidays.

I made this little acrylic and pencil study today on this glorious spring day in the afternoon sun. I had thought I wouldn’t be able to fit it in as I had several appointments earlier in the day (pleasant!) and thought I may miss the glorious light to work in, but no managed to fit this one in. It’s on the wonderful rabbit skin glue sized linen that I prepared last summer. A delight to work on. I used pencil and acrylic this time. I love all the stages cut flowers go through in a vase, this is probably the final one before they have to go out. Don’t forget to click to enlarge and see the marks.

I made this study this afternoon whilst I had the light. I’ve always loved these flowers and their jewel-like quality. Don’t forget to click the image to see the marks in more detail folks! This may become a gift, or I may do more we’ll see.