Hi folks! I've finally got around to posting some more of my Raven series to show you! Time has been even shorter than ever so I'm amazed I managed to paint at all as the weeks whizz past far, far too fast!
Between the usual juggling act of running the business full time and being Mum, with Elswyth's 5th birthday skipping briskly along (an arty party to organise as we speak!) dummy book work and portrait commissions (one down to show you soon...) we are also preparing to move house after being well and truly settled for almost eight years. Its proving to be a bit of a wrench for me but anyway, more on that another day!
So, on to the Ravens...
These first two smaller ones I will be putting into a local Art Show in March which will be interesting - I've never exhibited work before, and I happen to know there's some really seriously good professionals entering work too... gulp! They'll be joined by two of the larger paintings in the series but I haven't decided which ones yet...
'Thought'
'Memory'
Here's some closer details of the two...
I am having my trusty fine art repro chap make me some Giclee prints of these two on lovely Somerset Velvet paper and will eventually choose two of the larger ones to do as Signed Limited Editions as well (when I finally paint some I like enough!)
So I have decided to celebrate reaching my 100th post by having a Giveaway to win your choice of a mounted print of either 'Thought' or 'Memory'.
All you need to do is to be a follower of my blog, and leave a comment on this post answering the question:
If you could take any winged form and travel anywhere in this world or another, where would the winds take you and to what purpose?
Answers can be as long or as short as you like. Just a bit of fun really! Though I put it to my daughter at bedtime because she couldn't sleep and all sorts of fantastical flights leapt to mind! I will run this until Sunday the 12th which is the day of Elswyth's birthday party, to give everyone plenty of time to dream of wingbeats on the tides of winds....!
So, if you haven't had enough of Ravens yet, I'll show you a couple more....
These next two are studies for the larger one coming up...
And here is the next large one, though its a bit blurry and hard to photograph... I guess this will be called 'Huginn & Muninn III' to follow the series so far...
Huginn & Muninn in case you haven't caught the previous posts, are the two birds of the Norse God Odin, who fly all across Middle Earth and Asgard bringing him news of all the going's on of Men, Beasts, Gods and Giants. He gave them the power of speech and they were seen to be birds of portent, wingbeats tracing feather trails of Omens across the storm-wracked skies...
Here's some details of 'III' complete with some rather self-indulgent shots of the wet-on-wet washes as they were drying. I wish they could stay like that sometimes with all the lovely rich liquid depths of colour, paint for paint's sake!
I hope you've enjoyed this rather long Raven post! I've nearly got it out of my system now, just one to be finished on the drawing board and the one still in my head which is still stubbornly refusing to manifest on the paper!Can't wait to hear some of your ideas for the Giveaway... Bye for now!
I love how your raven portraits are coming along, and your thought processes explained alongside. Fascinating series...
ReplyDelete...As for flight itself, where does one start? I think I'd just like to be something big and strong, and fly upwards and upwards over hills and wide open spaces, to see the land laid out below and before me. To trace out patterns of hills, lines of rivers and ancient roadways, see the land rising up into the backbone of Britain and change colour with height, to see the dusting of snow revealing ancient settlements and tracks that no doubt the Eagle of Gwernaby remembers being built, and eventually being high enough to lose all trace of anything but the whole shape of the land itself.
Freyalyn, I love the sense of journeying in this and the sense of the land, especially '...rising up into the backbone of Britain'
DeleteDid you see any of that 'Flight' I think it was called series recently, with amazing film footage from within flocks of migrating birds? That gave a fascinating viewpoint indeed!
Love your Raven portraits!! I think i'd fly over to Iona, or Orkney, I've always felt drawn towards the Scottish Isles, so much history and so many magical ancient sites. What better place to visit, and I hear Ravens are most welcome there!! :)
ReplyDeleteMe too! I would love to go to the islands and visit Scara Brae, and to Skye to imagine traces of Cucullain and Scathach in the ancient landscape (and visit the distilleries of course!) ;)
DeleteCongratulations on your 100 post! If I had the wings to fly I would like to be a red kite. I love the way they ride the thermals. We often see them when we visit Henley-on-Thames.
ReplyDeleteI think they are a new introduction into the region.
Hi Valerie, I have a thing for Red Kites, aren't they magnificent! I only ever see them when I go to Wales and then I am spoilt by sightings all along the coast roads. The first ever Kite I saw was in Snowdonia years ago on a tiny mountain road - it lifted up on a thermal from behind a dry stone wall right next to us, so, so close. Made a big impression!
DeleteI think I'd like to be a firefly. Light as air on a summer breeze, illuminating a magical forest landscape inhabited by fairies, goblins and trolls.
ReplyDeleteLoving your recent work Carrie (as always!)- and hoping Elswyth gets to enjoy her special day at the weekend.
Lovely eldritch reply Kate! That could be a Brian Froud illustration the way it pops into my mind's eye, fantastic!
DeleteOOOooo.... the ravens are really powerful!
ReplyDeletewoops, forgot the flight part!
ReplyDeleteWell. I once burst into tears when I saw a photograph of an Andean Condor flying way up in the mountains. I said out loud, "oh, I can never go home in this lifetime." I sobbed for a long, long while. I still don't quite know what to make of it, but I think I will need to answer here that I would like to be an Andean Condor and fly way up in the Peruvian mountain thermals, bringing the dreams and prayers of the shamans to the gods.
Thankyou Valerianna for sharing this experience, I can understand that feeling I think, its funny how some deep connections can take us unawares sometimes.
DeleteI have always felt so drawn to birds of prey, I can't say why, but I have always drawn strength of some kind from them and it always lifts me when I see one circling high or hear them cry on the wind.