Monday, May 27, 2013

EDiM #16 Something that scares you


and the reason for my absence.

It scares me to see my mum so ill in hospital. This was drawn by her bedside last week.

Please keep mum in your prayers. She had a severe stroke 2 weeks ago and I flew home to UK to see her and stayed for the last 2 weeks. She is speaking and lucid but has no movement on her left. She may be in hospital for a long time. If you wish to visit her or send a card:
Patricia Pownall, C1 The Stroke Unit, Gainsborough Wing, Colchester General Hospital, Colchester, Essex UK

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Everyday in May (EDiM) 2013

#3 Something that represents joy: Degas
Crazily, considering my problems drawing at the moment, having seen a couple of EDiM posts from this year's challenge, I decided to join in yesterday (3rd). I last participated in 2010, when I was in Sudan. You can see the posts by clicking this link: EDiM 2010 

#4 Draw your socks
This year I have decided not to post all the drawings on my blog, but have an album on facebook here: EDiM 2013 Facebook album It's on my facebook page, so maybe you could "like" the page whilst you check out the drawings. Judging by these first two days, it looks like my interpretation of the daily prompts will have a Degas twist.

For more details on EDiM. check out the flickr and facebook groups below for fellow EDiMers. 

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Degas

From Degas at the Royal Academy 2011

No not That Degas, but this Degas...

...a four-month old lab retriever/wadi dog puppy.


On 1st April, I picked her up off the street where she'd been hanging around work. She has a sweet nature and I had fussed her and her brother (who had a broken leg) over the previous week. However, on the morning of the 1st, I arrived at work and the security guard told me the brother had been shot but Degas escaped. (There is a big stray problem on the industrial estate and without a dog home system in Oman the police shoot them.) After making some enquiries, I put her in a box and took her home (via the vets) the same day.
A 3-month old scared puppy. 1st April
I have grown up with dogs, and one of things I did not like about my lifestyle was the fact I couldn't have a dog. I think, that having made the decision that I am moving to Barcelona by next Easter, it was easy to adopt her.
One of my 1st degas sketches. 14 April.
Naturally, having a puppy in the house has meant some big changes. 
She is the reason I am struggling to do artwork. It's hard working when you have a puppy. Either she needs 100% of my attention, or when she's asleep I'm too tired to draw. Of course I have managed a few sketches, but not many.
In the month I've had her, she's had all her vaccines, been spade, and got a chip. 
Most importantly, she has put on 4kgs and is growing fast.
19th April
This is her PLEASE play NOW face!
How can I resist?

I apologise for the infrequent blogging, for not visiting your blogs, and for generally disappearing. Normalish service will resume in a few months, when Degas is a little older, I hope.