I was delighted to receive notification of a fabulous review, written by members of the Cam Valley Forum (CVF), about the River Friend Series of little books. Download the review HERE
Purchase the books from Amazon: VIEW HERE
River Friend Website: Details of available books in the series
I am hoping to publish the seventh little book in our River Friend Series within the next couple of months. With many other projects going on, it has taken some time to push through this particular book entitled “Water: Clean and Dirty”. Here are three little illustrations which are destined to be in it (only photographs at this stage I am afraid; they will look much better once professionally scanned!). Originals were pen and ink only so I scanned them and printed them onto water colour paper and put in a colour wash (media = printers ink and water colour).
Come along to the most beautiful, ambient atmosphere of St Mary’s Church, Comberton to view the Annual Arts and Crafts Exhibition (usually held end of November, but delayed to now). Original artworks are very modest prices and the diversity of subjects means there are paintings to suit everyone’s taste. It is a wonderful exhibition so do get along for tea, coffee and biscuits, and of course for a good browse! What about for the new year, owning a new, original painting to hang on your wall?
CHECKOUT ALL THE MANY LOVELY ARTWORKS AVAILABLE TO BUY BY BROWSING BELOW for details of all Artists’ work with their corresponding exhibition paintings, in no particular order. I profusely apologise to artists and viewers where the church windows have unavoidably reflected in some of the photographs. Prints, cards, jigsaw puzzles, knitted and sewn animals and dolls, and many other beautifully handcrafted items are also for sale (view some here below the Artist pictures)
It is not a strange title really. My little wild garden has changed enormously since its original inception when we had myriad visiting animals and birds, as well as hubbie’s vegetable patch beyond. There was also a beautiful privet hedge along the bottom, which, along with mature ash trees, was supposed to be protected from removal, but which have now been removed (housing development). The photograph shows the original wild garden design which flourished with all manner of incumbents. We had hedgehogs, pheasants, muntjac, woodmice, the occasional black rat (which, in full view, chomped the seeds of common vetch), and black and grey squirrels. Birds galore included chaffinches, greenfinches, goldfinches, longtailed tits, coal tits, blue tits, great tits, red poll, starlings, blackbirds, crows, magpies, jackdaws. Amphibians and reptiles: common frog (about 50), two little toads, common newts, grass snake (from next door’s compost heap). We even had a green parakeet visit the bird feeders (view story here).
After the removal of ash trees and the privet hedge by the owner of the new property at the rear of our garden, I planted lots of trees to shield the view of the new buildings which had taken away our beautiful green-space views (and, sadly, for a while my sanity—there is so much heartache and sadness associated with losing nature, when the loss of the trees and hedges which we had enjoyed for over 40 years were very suddenly not there). Planted tree species include: holly (x2), yew, rowan, walnut, oak, cobnut, horse chestnut, larch, Scots pine, crab apple, sweet chestnut, hawthorn, box, gorse, cooking apple, mulberry, and a loquat and olive tree which have since been moved to the front of our house to the Mediterranean herb garden where they are more protected from the cold.
And so to the present. After much deliberation and angst, it has come to what you see below. The outlook is promising. The “chalk” stream is functioning well (Ranunculus is growing), and blackbirds and starlings have started to bathe again. The transported water plants in the pond appear to have survived, although the pond is now used so much by pigeons for their daily bath, there is much green algae growing due to the added feather-dust and poo nutrients. (Sadly, my 2021 big garden birdwatch only listed 2 blackbirds, 2 starlings, 2 wood pigeons, 2 ring-necked doves and 3 greenfinches, which have not been around for a couple of years or more.) I await the spring to see what flowers pop up, including the Pasqueflower whose seeds I will be planting on my little south-facing chalk hill which you can see in the next photograph left of centre with a large piece of chalk stone at the top! Because we are mostly clay-based soil, I have had to improvise a bit – but it is working.
I have quite a few packets of wild seed to sprinkle about, plus I purchased some wild flower plugs last year (some of which have survived!) and intend to plant them soon. Hopefully there will be an abundance of flowers like I had before. One can only hope!
I have just been updating my latest artwork to the website and my Artwork Catalogue to end 2020 and start afresh with a new website layout and shop in 2021 (hopefully!). The new website will have a much-needed “s” after its http! (Don’t worry about it if you do not understand that phrase—it is all automatic.)
I have just added the last Picture Profiles to the 2020 Gallery and all is now complete.
These are the four final paintings to be added for 2020. Two new and two rediscovered old ones from the 1980s (it is lovely that old works come to the fore and bring back memories—when I can remember that is!)
Not had much time for personal painting (Turtle Doves) because there is an unusually high amount of river friend stuff to sort out. Thank you to all those lovely people and organisations who are furnishing me with plenty of news about rivers and rare plants—it is all very much appreciated.
Here is the latest on the “Queen” and her Beau (Artist Code 2017. I know—not much to look at yet, but there are never enough hours in my day to do all that I wish to be able to do!):
And Artist Code 1808 “Moon Eyes Tawny” is now ready to fly to his new Lincolnshire home. All sealed and varnished with fixings.
I was fortunate enough to be commissioned to portray the beautiful turtle dove for a “birders” 80th birthday—being his favourite bird. The commissioner contacted me on a Monday when the birthday was the next Saturday. In that short time, all I could produce was a graphite drawing, see bottom of this post.
I was much taken with the beauty of these birds so have decided to use my preliminary sketch from that commission to produce a water colour painting. Heart on sleeve, I shall post progress as and when. Below is my preliminary drawing which today (Sunday 29 November 2020) I have just transferred onto my lovely Aquarelle Arches cotton rag paper ready to paint…. (pencil lines have been enhanced so that you can see it better).
Resources for this work are my own photographs taken at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve in Norfolk a few years ago. The doves and other wild fowl, including Bearded tits/reedlings (painting already done of these), were in a very large aviary, and the birds were acting as near-normal as can be in such circumstances. Ruffs were cavorting, and the male turtle doves were parading—hence the title. The background is a sawn tree-stump surrounded by wood anemones taken in Switzerland a few years ago (but which could easily be in Britain, so I am using it!).
After a successful run of jigsaw puzzles previously made especially for me by JHG Jigsaw Puzzles Ltd, I am very pleased to announce that a new series of 500 and 1000 piece puzzles will be out in the next few weeks.
Why “Nettie’s Nature Puzzles”? I just wanted something different and catchy and my “proper” name is NETTINA…!
Pictures in the new series include:
JHG Jigsaws Ltd is one of the UK’s few remaining jigsaw puzzle manufactures. Based at our converted farm premises in the beautiful countryside of Dorset, we now manufacture a wide range of jigsaw puzzles. “Made in England” on the boxes means just that, and we use materials that are as eco friendly as we can find. Our puzzle board is made from recycled card as are our puzzle boxes. The paper for the print is FSC certified and our Glue is starch based, made especially for us. Where possible we try to “Buy British” for the other components of our puzzles. This, we hope, all helps to reduce our carbon footprint.
We should have been exhibiting (with workshops) at Ely Cathedral, but of course everything is on hold. Please visit and check out the beautiful artwork by the IBA Artists.
Direct link to ONLINE EXHIBITION
Direct link to ICENI BOTANICAL ARTISTS WEBSITE
Direct link to IBA ON FACEBOOK
