Tuesday 12 March 2013

Advantages of Having an Invalid!!

As most of you will know my husband had a hip replacement two weeks ago and people have been so kind bringing him all sorts of goodies from DVD's to books, biscuits to jigsaws, shower gel, a plant and a beautiful bunch of daffodils. Apparently they are expensive this year as there is a shortage and of course here in the bleak Northwest they are barely raising their heads so I am taking on board Jean Haines advice from her recent blog and doing lots of paintings of daffodils playing around with the composition each time so that I get to know them well and can then use my imagination....

I worked on these today in between the streetscapes... yes I know I am a fast painter but just kept adding a few blobs (technical painting term there!!) as I waited for the others to dry

These are the lovely flowers



The first is looser and I prefer, the second looks a bit contrived but did that to try and get a feel for the shapes and how the flowers are formed. I am finding that once I learn the shape and form of the flower I can then go on to lose the edges and detail just adding it at various points to give the impression of the flower. So, will be doing more daffs in the next few days, nursing duties allowing of course, and then will be doing a few more primroses as my lovely sister in law brought a gorgeous spring planter when she came for dinner on Saturday, with primroses, daffs and some surprises (not sure if there are narcissi and hyacinths or something else?).

BTW didn't get flowers for Mothers Day, got a voucher for Ken Bromleys (yea!!) and a ticket to see the Full Monty at the Lowry with my sons' girlfriends and their Mums then joined by the boys for Teppanyaki in Manchester later. My son and both girlfriends (my other son is in Australia with work) also prepared Mother's day lunch for 12 at our house which was a truly lovely treat. Think I was a little bit spoiled, don't you?

14 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Replies
    1. Thank you Margaret... lots more to come I hope as I "feel" my way around them!!

      Delete
  3. I love daffodils but they area late flowering in our garden this year. We are flying off to our holiday home in the Canaries tomorrow for some warmth/sunshine so I've just picked a big bunch of budded daffs from the garden to take with us in a protective cardboard tube. We don't see them in the Canaries (too hot) so it will be lovely to see these open and smell that lovely Spring scent.

    Both paintings are lovely but the second is my favourite - more vibrant which is how I perceive daffodils.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucky you!! That is just what I could do with... we do normally have some Winter sun but with this surgery, have missed out this year.... hope to put that right next year!!! Maybe you cold paint your daffs as well... hope you have a lovely time!!

      Delete
  4. Lovely work on both paintings :) Best of luck to your hubby's recuperation (mine has had both hips replaced and was up and running around in no time with no complications and no pain other than normal arthritis). We don't have Mother's Day until May - perhaps you'd like to celebrate both?! ha ha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rhonda... good news about your husband, mine may have to have the other done, just depends if it starts to bother him, the x-rays were equally bad on both but the other doesn't cause him any trouble. Think I might be pushing my luck with another Mother's day but I may show your post to my two sons. think I know what the answer will be!!

      Delete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll try again with getting my spelling right. Lovely Daffs Judith. Hope you hubby is on the mend, isn't it great to get so much from a live model, I have always loved having fresh flowers in the house but now I paint the reasons are doubled

      Delete
    2. Hi Lorraine yes it is good to use the "real" thing, and I also love fresh flowers in the house so like you will be getting double use out of them in the future!! We don't get enough good weather here to really be able to do much plein air, even in the garden... managed to paint outside once last year am not really up for going in freezing cold wind and rain!!

      Delete
  6. Dear Judith, I am very sorry that your husband had this problem. Even my husband had a knee problem but was resolved without implants.
    His movement is limited now and must rest more often the leg. I hope that everything went well.
    To us in these days we had the Women's Day and soon, Tuesday 19, that of the father. Mothers must wait for May!

    I wish you all best for you and your loved ones! The action of painting will always bring the joy which then communicates to the viewer, as in the painting of daffodils! Hugs,Rita.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Rita.... yes he is doing well, we are hoping that the new joint will allow him more mobility and the early signs are looking good!! You are so right about the joys of painting something only other painters can realy understand!!

      Delete
  7. Love your daffs Judith and a good idea ( for me to adopt!) to 'draw' them with paint first....i will give it a try xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Helen... lovely to see you here!! Full of good ideas here... will be very interested to see what you come up with.... knitting indeed!!!

      Delete

Would like to thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog, why not leave me a message then I know you've popped by!! If you have any enquiries please send me an e-mail to

judesfarnworth@hotmail.com