Before & after together! Poor squash looks a bit like Humpty, all taped up, but I want to paint him again so the inside needs to stay good. Was going to bring it home and put it in the fridge, but then remembered that the studio is colder than my fridge ; )

Brush & ink studies of phormium seedheads. Mainly with a view to doing a large painting, but also for a few seasonal greetings cards!

I like the severity of the shapes, which appear to be accentuated by the tonal contrast of the studies. But in fact this is quite literal as the seedheads are raven black, and even the stalks are black, with a mauve-grey bloom.

Inspired by the art of Rousseau, these fabulous collages were created by young visitors to the Lee Green Open Studios event (Nov 09).

Great pieces of team work, well done all who took part - I was impressed by your self-direction and enthusiasm! Maybe see you again next year?

I had to include this painting in my blog, first because the sunflowers were an unexpected gift - which always adds resolve to my endeavours! Second, I'm so very pleased with the goldfinch...a tribute to my childhood idol, Raymond Harris Ching who illustrated the Readers Digest Book of Birds. I still look at those illustrations and think that they are stunning.

The demise of the still-life; I like the way the subject crumbles away as the painting takes form. It helps me not get too caught up in detail.... although watching 6 episodes of Desperate Romantics has given me a temporary longing to paint individual blades of grass. It will pass I think....

Ella getting busy at the studio! Nice choice of subject....errr.....what else is there to paint but flowers?!

... its those small abstract spaces inbetween the leaves, and cast by the light, that I like most!