A word from Alice - studio stories from Alice Draws the Line
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Apples for breakfast
Sometimes something will catch my eye, and that’s it I’m completely distracted and focussed only on that. This happened this week. You may remember me saying that I have apple trees in my garden?
In the autumn there were so many apples that I had to keep clearing them from the lawn, and so I rolled them (as I if was playing lawn bowls) onto the ‘will-be-veg-patch/flower-bed’.
In the cold snap this week the birds (and a squirrel) have been loving the apples that remain. They are nice and soft, and are probably a bit like stewed apple now!
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Under the oak
This Oak tree made an amazing base to sit at, lean against, and look out through the branches. I really like looking out through a canopy, and especially if there is light behind, playing on the leaves. -
Spring seasonal studies
I had a panicked thought -that I hadn't done any seasonal sketches recently. I had sketched a view and day to day items, things in the house, pot plants and still life type compositions and not my favourites - things growing at this time of year.And then I looked through my camera roll and on my iPad. Here are 5 studies I have done recently. -
Sketch Across the World 2022 - Park Wood
This year I joined Kath (The Walking Sketchbook) for a sketch adventure in Park Wood, at Hergest Croft Gardens. It's not too far from the studio which is great.
It was lovely sat on a log drawing the bluebells with all the bright green beech leaves - and then a cuckoo called from the ridge - and continued to call as we drew and had lunch in the woods.
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Bluebells and Cow Parsley
I spotted my first bluebell of the year a couple of weeks ago. Six days ago I returned to see how they were getting on and there were many more appearing.
This morning I went to find them before opening up the studio.
There is a carpet of blue now!
I paused for a minute and did some quick studies in the A6 sketchbook I'd put in my coat pocket.
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A Creative Adventure with The Walking Sketchbook
So far this year I have done quite a lot of very neat, considered work. Yesterday I went on a creative adventure with my friend Katherine Owen (aka The Walking Sketchbook) and it was the perfect way to mix up my creativity.We had the date in the diary for weeks and I was really looking forward to getting outside and sketching somewhere on location. -
Sketching in the rain
Last Saturday, my friend Kath and I went on a wet weather sketching adventure.
It was so wet that we wore full waterproofs and both were armed with a large umbrella each.
I found a couple of different positions to draw from, this one (below) being the first. A forked branch above me made the perfect place to hang my umbrella and I was able to sit underneath it in the dry. I had a seating mat with me as I didn't trust how waterproof my trousers were, plus it provides a bit of comfort.
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A golden hour sketching… and jogging adventure!
I am not a jogger. I like the idea of it however, and have tried to go for a few runs this year. While on holiday, it was a beautiful evening, Louise went for a run, and so I went for a run... with a difference!I packed some sketching kit in a brilliant art bum bag that my neighbour gave me recently to see if I could make use of it.I took my small watercolour set, an A6 sketchbook, my new graphite stick, a water brush and some other pens and bits and pieces (just in case!).It was such a beautiful evening and the sun broke through the cloud for the most spectacular golden hour while we were out. I stopped at a wooden gate - the perfect width to balance my sketchbook and paints on. -
Spring time sketching
I had a really lovely moment during the Easter weekend, where I was able to visit my parents and sit in their garden.
I collected some spring time blooms from their garden and sat at the garden table with my sketchbook, in the sun and drew them - just like old times.
It made me remember just how much I love to do this - see something, collect it (where possible) and sit and study it with my pen and paints.
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Springtime Sycamore
I stood in the lane and grinned last week. I had spotted my first sycamore leaf of the year. In the hedgerow was a great display of sycamore buds through to opened new leaves and flowers. Here are some photographs of some of the stages. Although it was sunny which was encouraging the leaves to open, -
March meet the maker, part 1
#MarchMeetTheMaker is an excellent project set up by Joanne Hawker, a creative who lives in Somerset. Each March she shares prompts for fellow make... -
Gathering inspiration and documenting the process
Andrea and I first met last summer when she hosted an Insta-meet at her beautiful holiday cottage and shepherds hut, Wild Meadow. Since then, Andrea has started her photography business. She has a great lifestyle package where she takes 'photos that tell your story, reflect your brand and connect with your community' which is exactly what I was after.
Andrea took a lovely selection of images and we had a really enjoyable day, with me doing all the things that I like doing and Andrea documenting it all.
As those of you that have followed me for a while will know, I love collecting botanical finds and drawing them. My favourites are fallen treasures - seeds, leaves, fruits etc, and next to that I love to collect examples of seasonal species that grow in abundance - grasses for example.
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