Autumn Days

This is my favourite time of the year. Autumn days are just perfect for the walk through the nettles...

Amongst the wild mushrooms and hedgerows

Finding, foraging and collecting natures free gifts to us ,

I sometimes feel like a squirrel collecting and gathering during these warm and sunny autumn days.

Five minutes walk from our house, crossing the narrow wooden bridge

We are in such a tranquil and peaceful place, where you see lots of wild flowers, squirrels and hear the chirping birds.

Vintage lace are beautiful, but do stop and take a look at the beautiful natural lace by your feet when you walk through the woods on a autumn day.

This is the bench I often sit on to have a picnic during the summer days

But today was a different day, a perfect autumn day for foraging and sitting down with my little journal recording the beautiful nature.

Days like this is what I like to do. What about you? do you like walking, foraging like me or rather sit down with cup of tea and a nice book.

So this is what I recorded today my readers, while I was away for a walk on a autumn day.

Also, this is the time of the year when I pull out of my cupboard my yarns and knitting needles. I just casted a new jumper for me other day. Yes, you heard me right, its for me this one but do have plans to knit other members in the family something in future.

Melbourne Art Festival and Garden

I must admit that ever since I have started Instagram, I feel a bit lazy to blog. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy blogging, but it does take a lot more time and time is so precious to me as every little bit I get I like to spent my time creating rather than spending on computer. I am aware of the importance of social media but without my work I have nothing to say. So hope you understand and am sure you lot are the same like me.

Anyway here I am with rather late post on the Melbourne Arts Festival photographs and rest you can see that I have also being very busy in my garden. Garden is looking good still and very productive one too. A good news I received other day that I have finally got my plot. So, next year I will be growing more and will be able to share with you some allotment news too. For a long time I have been dreaming of a land and couldn't believe it when I got it.

So my dear readers, I hope you have a good end to your weekend too xox

Thirty Paintings in 30 Days - Day 4

Mixed media on altered journal - Thirty paintings in 30 Days - Day 4

(Close-up)

Wow! another days challenge done. I am happy. This little mixed media painting is done on a altered old book. I love painting on them. The paper is so nice to work on. I prefer old books over the shop bought sketchbooks. I have used here my rust dyed fabrics, vintage lace, some hand stitching and acrylic paint. Day 4 - Thirty paintings in 30 Days done.

Old books and New Paintings

 Old books make me happy when I find them in charity shops. They really make my day.

Yesterday I added three more books in my studio. To tell you the truth they can be found in almost every room in my house.  Maybe I should keep them all in one place, in my studio.

I love the cover of this book and the paper inside is nice and thick too.

This book now has such a beautiful painting of the Queen and some illustrations inside the book are worth framing. Hmm... Might do that one day.

For a while now these old books are my art journals. I really like to paint on them. Some of the pages are so lovely to work on. But I never spoil an existing illustration.

 Moving on from the old books now I have another finished mixed media en-caustic painting on the shelf above. The painting on the left which you saw while it was still work on progress is now finished.  I also mentioned in my previous post about health and safety working with hot wax.

So, I wanted to try cold wax medium for my next painting. Yes a lot of experimenting going on in my studio. And that's what it is all about I guess. Trying new mediums and techniques until you find the right one for you. Now cold wax medium can be safely mixed with oil paints and doesn't need any exhaust or fan in the room. Still, good ventilation in the studio is always better anyway. So I am still working on my mixed media paintings more or less effortlessly...sometimes adding oil, wax, emphera or even a vintage piece of fabric.

April Showers

We are not yet into April, but the painting above was inspired by the weather couple of years ago around this time and last week, I sold the painting! The painting was called 'April Showers'. If you are interested in purchasing any of my work you can contact me by email or through my website www.sujata-art.com. Not much has happened in my studio recently as every opportunity I get I step out in my garden.

I have been busy planting lots of flowers. A Gooseberry plant (above)

Rhubarb plant is growing very quickly. This one was planted only last year so I guess wont have too much to harvest. My other two rhubarb unfortunately got caught under the hens feet.

 Autumn sown broad beans and garlic are looking good. Some more broad beans and potatoes have gone in now, along with some onions in the ground.

 Indoors plants are also looking good. Last year  I bought two bonsai's, however one didn't survive.

Happy to see new shoots and leaves coming out on the other one.

Lots of salad and herbs on the windowsill.

My favourite indoor plant has to be this one.

New growth everywhere.

 

The three picture frames on the wall - my owl painting and the Stag which was started at 'Mandy Patullo's Workshop' I finished it back home . And the handsome hare is one of 'Mrs Bertimus' work, which I am a very proud owner of. This feels like spring now to me.

On a bit sad note, last year just before Christmas we lost two of our pets. Nibbles who gave our children so much joy for over eight years and Maggie, for two years. This spring is not the same without our loved pets and Peggy (hen) under the blossom tree is now sadly on her own but hopefully not for long. In couple of days we are off on Holiday to Spain. After we return back home we shall find a friend for Peggy.

With a hope of growing lots more potato and other edible fruits and veg in my potager garden this year, I am just posting this picture of Olivia (thirteen now) six years old and loved helping me in the garden. Now I have two helpers so will grow twice as much to harvest.