Doing Art with Nicky

It is Saturday and normally by now I would have done my art entries for this week's challenge but for some reason I just hadn't found the time.  This is a sure indicator that we are coming out of lockdown .  

This week the challenge was Wheels - and it was proving to be a toughie - a challenge which is what it should be - get people out of their comfort zone and think!!!

Anyway it was something of a sad day when I received a text from Jayne Parker who has, for the past 15 months, collated and submitted entries from her local art group Park Rise who have been unable to meet because of Covid.  The group is based in the UK, Jayne was bridesmaid to my friend Kim and we got together through social media.  Everyweek, normally on a Wednesday my phone pings with the Park Rise Faithful's entries - and every week without fail there have been three entries from a gentleman called Mick Scott bless him.

Jayne contacted me to let me know that they are really hopeful that the group will be able to resume, in person, from the end of June and so after that date they will no longer be contributing but they had been extremely grateful to have been able to participate in my challenge.  I am thrilled that they will be getting back to 'normal' but sad to lose this fabulous bunch of 'virtual' friends - it was a bit emotional and became even more emotional when they sent me a little gift so that I could purchase something as a reminder of these times.  I didn't do it for that but I am humbled and grateful and have decided that, in view of the fact that last week's challenge was Buddhas, I will go and purchase one for the garden as there is a place nearby that casts them out of concrete.

John had organised a little boy's outing today and by that I mean a little outing for the boys as he, Rob and Mark were going to watch the Bournemouth play-off match at the Gin Bar.  He did so for a number of reasons: 1. to support Rachel and Savvas at the Gin Bar, 2. to get Rob and Mark out and away from their houses and various DIY projects and 3. to have a bit of Thai food as we had not had a takeaway this week!!!  As John says - It's a shit job but someone has to do it!!!

Unfortunately Di is still really poorly with her back so Nicky and I spent a couple of hours doing our art entries and having a chat.  We think it is important for the men to have some bonding time and to leave behind their various jobs which can loom large at times and it is quite nice to have an hour or so to spread out with our art stuff and just immerse ourselves in our work!!!

The picture on the left is my entry - an aging wooden wagon wheel which is based on a photograph I took one afternoon when I was down at Philippos's museum at the bottom of the hill going out of Droushia.

I did this with watercolour proper rather than with watercolour pencils and although this is not my favourite medium I was really quite pleased with the end result.

Nicky embarked on a very intricate pencil drawing of the inner workings of a clock with cogs and flywheels - she left when it was partially done and sent in the finished article a couple of hours later and was well impressed - she certainly has a real talent in that respect.

Between Nicky leaving and having to pick up the boys I spent a little while in the garden.  Mum is coming for lunch tomorrow so I wanted some flowers for the table.  This is my attempt - geranium. lavender and mint - could almost be a fragrance from Jo Malone!!!  

The boys enjoyed their couple of hours together - I picked them up and dropped Rob off and then Mark and John and I settled down to watch the reminder of the 'Quiz' TV series we had started about the Who Wants to be a Millionaire cheating scandal.  I can't make my mind up whether Charles Ingram was complicit or just a buffoon.