Signs of Spring

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor.
Painted for the Daily Watercolors Blog Wednesday Watercolors Weekly Challenge.
For this weeks theme, "Signs of Spring" I painted some purple crocuses from the garden. It always such a pleasure watching the garden burst into life and the green shoots push up through the earth. The crocuses were first to bloom, small clusters of yellow and purple all over the garden.

Elizabeth of York

4 x 6 inches, watercolour and gold ink, 2008.


Elizabeth was born in 1466, the first child born to Elizabeth Wydville and King Edward IV (though Elizabeth had two children from a previous marriage). After her father's death in 1483, her younger brother briefly became King Edward V before their uncle Richard imprisoned and murdered him and proclaimed himself Richard the Third. Elizabeth, her mother and other siblings stayed in the Sanctuary of Westminster Abbey, her mother arranging a marriage with the exiled Henry Tudor through his mother Margaret Beaufort. In 1484 Elizabeth left sanctuary and joined the court of Richard. It was rumoured that Richard planned to marry her after the death of his wife Anne but nothing ever came of it. In 1485 Henry Tudor defeated Richard at the Battle of Bosworth and became King Henry VII. Elizabeth and Henry were married in early 1486. It was a successful marriage and produced eight children, among them the future Henry VIII. Their first son Arthur died aged 16 in 1502. They tried for another child and Katherine was born in 1503 but she died within hours of being born. Elizabeth herself died from infection 9 days later, aged 37.

Henry VII

4 x 6 inches, watercolour, gouache and gold ink, 2008.


Henry Tudor was born in 1457, the son of Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort. His claim to the throne was on his mother's side as she was a great-granddaughter of John of Gaunt, third son of Edward III. When the Yorkist King Edward VI came to the throne in 1471 he had gone abroad to Brittany and had stayed there for several years, until in 1485 he returned with an army and defeated Richard the Third at the Battle of Bosworth Field. He married the daughter of Edward VI, Elizabeth of York, so uniting the two houses of York and Lancaster that had fought so bitterly throughout the previous century. His children included Henry VIII, Margaret, who became Queen of Scotland and Mary Rose who was briefly Queen Of France. He set about reducing the powers of the nobility and collecting taxes. His policy was to maintain peace, which he did through various treaties and marriages, and to gain wealth - he had £1.5 million at the time of his death. His first son and heir Arthur died in 1502 after marrying Katharine of Aragon and then Elizabeth died in 1503. Henry died in 1509, aged 52. He had ruled for 24 years and left his son a rich, peaceful and stable kingdom.

Judge Judy

Media: watercolor
Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.5 inches
Date of Work: 2008
Painted for the Daily Watercolors Blog "Wednesday Watercolor" theme. For this weeks theme, "Things I Love" I thought I would have some fun so painted a portrait of Judge Judy Sheindlin. For anyone who doesn't know, after many years as a Family Court Judge, she was offered a TV show which began running in 1996 and is still going strong today. In the UK we are WAY behind, the current episodes being shown are from 2001, but it's possible to catch recent epsiodes on You Tube. She is famous for her straight talking, no nonsense attitude and while I don't always agree with her decisions she is never less than fascinating to watch. Judge Judy Rules!!

Lady with Art Deco Wallpaper

2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, 2008

One of an occasional series. It's of no particular person, more of a face and character study. She is, I think, at a party and her lover has just entered the room and is caught in conversation with another person. She is watching him and waiting for him to escape and join her.

Eleanor Of Castile

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, 2008.

An ACEO portrait of Eleanor of Castile, the mother of Edward II. She was born in 1241, the daughter of Fernando III of Castile and his second wife Jeanne. She was married to Edward I, son of Henry III in 1254. The marriage was a happy and successful one, producing sixteen children in all, though only six surivived to adulthood, the only surviving son being the future Edward II. She died in 1290 aged 49, at Harby. After her death and burial at Westminster Abbey Edward had memorial crosses placed at every stop he made on the journey from Lincoln to Westminster with her body. There were twelve in all, of which only three remain, none complete.

A print of this painting is available to buy from HERE!

Say I Love You

2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor with gouache, 2008

This was painted for Daily Watercolors Wednesday Watercolors. This week the theme is "Say I Love You". To know you are loved is a wonderful thing.

This panting is available to buy HERE!

Adonis

8 x 9 inches, watercolour and gouache, 2008

This piece was painted for the EBSQ Nude In Art Show. It shows Adonis sat under a tree on a summer afternoon faling asleep. My aim with the piece was to create a painting with the feel of a pre-raphaelite painting but with a male as the subject . Adonis' mother was Myrrha, and she committed incest with her father Theias at the bidding of Aphrodite. She tricked him by slipping into his bed in darkness but when he discovered her deception he was enraged and she fled from him. Aphrodite turned her into a myrrh tree and Theias shot an arrow at it. The bark split and from it was born Adonis. Aphrodite entrusted him to Persephone's care but she refused to return him. Eventually Zeus decreed that he should spend four months of the year with persephone, four with Aphrodite and four alone. Adonis was killed by a boar sent by Aphrodite's lover Ares. He was essentially a vegetation god - The Festival of Adonis was celebrated in midsummer and was essentially a female cult. Women would plant gardens of Adonis, such as fennel and lettuce, that grew quickly and had short lives.

Pantalone

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, 2008

Pantalone is another stock character of the Commedia dell'arte. His character is a vecchia, an older person and upper class, usually rich and greedy and often libidinous.

Columbina

Media: watercolor and gouache

Dimensions: 2.5 x 3.5 inches

Date of Work: 2008

An ACEO portrait of the character Columbina/Columbine. Inteligent and witty, she is a servant who helps her mistresss gain the affections of her one true love. She is also in love with Harlequin.

Waterhouse Rendition - The Siren

5 x 7 inches, watercolor, 2008



A rendition of J.W. Waterhouse's painting "The Siren", painted for this months WnW Masters challenge. Sirens lured sailors to their deaths with their song.

Harlequin

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor with gouache, 2008

Harlequin is a clown, acrobatic and full of mischief, stupid but graceful. He also loves Columbine but she mocks him.

Waterhouse Rendition - A Mermaid

A 4 x 6 watercolor rendition of J.W. Waterhouse's "A Mermaid". It was painted for the eBay watercolor group WnW's Monthly Masters Challenge. This month the theme is "The Sea". Waterhouse has been one of my favourite artists since I was a teenager, and I bought this image as a postcard then. I love the peaceful scene of the mermaid brushing her hair and the gorgeous blues and greens.