art

On a good day…

| Anna Cull
‘On a good day, the soul within sings’ – ink and watercolour on paper, 280 x 185 mm, 2012.

Here is my completed entry for the Chronic Pain Awareness Month (New Zealand) charity auction/competition. As mentioned in my last post, this year’s theme is ‘the soul within’.

The competition is open to anyone who has a relationship with chronic pain and I suffered from monster migraines when I was a child. Doctors and specialists told me that I would ‘grow out of them’ and I have to admit they were right. It took more than twenty years (!!!) but they did eventually, slowly, bit by bit, diminish over time. The headaches I get now simply don’t compare. I’ve also had RSI/OOS in my hands. With rest, therapy, and a complete change of lifestyle, the condition is now under control. I still have bad days but it’s something I can live with. And I am very, VERY thankful.

An ordinary sparrow

| Anna Cull
‘The soul within sings’ sketches – ink on paper, 2012.

Here are a few sparrow sketches for a painting I’m working on at the moment. I plan to enter it in a local art auction/competition which is held annually to promote awareness of chronic pain conditions. This year’s theme is ‘the soul within’.

The brick represents chronic pain (in my case, migraines and RSI/OOS) — enduring, exhausting, crippling pain. The sparrow represents hope of the soul — ordinary, everyday, garden-variety hope. On a good day, the soul within sings.

I may be wrong but I think my last — and only — art competition was when I was a teenager (maybe 13 or 14). It was a chalk drawing (on a sidewalk) of The Wizard of Oz. And I won. The prize was two tickets to see a live version of the musical. Ironically, I couldn’t use the tickets because of a monster migraine which hospitalised me.

Funny old thing, life.

Two birds, one stone.

| Anna Cull
Sparrow sketch – ink on paper, 95 x 105 mm, 2012.

Actually, it’s one bird and a rock — but that’s not the point.

I’m going to be working on a painting for an art auction/competition this week (at least that’s the plan) and I thought I’d make a start on the sketches for that project and write to my friend at the same time. We always include a sketch in our letters to each other, so here is the little sparrow I drew for her.

I hope she doesn’t read this post before she gets the letter.

Rose and Violet

| Anna Cull
Rose and Violet tattoo design and sketches – final design (right) ink and watercolour on card, 85 x 55 mm, 2012.

My first tattoo design! This is a commission for a mother whose daughters’ middle names are Rose and Violet. I’m really happy with the flowers and the overall design, including the heart-shaped violet leaf.

As I was sketching, the violet slowly transformed itself (quite inadvertently) into a pansy but I changed it back again for the final design.

Thank you

| Anna Cull

To all who have followed (that’s now 50 of you), liked, commented and/or visited this blog — a very big thank you. What began as a way of putting my portfolio online has kind of snowballed. I’m really enjoying being part of the WordPress community. You encourage, inspire and challenge me. So… thank you!!!

Procrastinating

| Anna Cull
Little lizard brooch – ink on paper, 45 x 65 mm, 2012.

It’s really good to be writing letters again but I’ve discovered a catch. Writing about doing something is not the same as doing something. I had the best of intentions today. I was going to photograph and catalogue some of the jewellery I’ve inherited in recent years. Instead, I’ve written a letter to my friend telling her all about it (which is why I drew this). And the necklaces and rings and other pretty sparkling things are still waiting. Patiently.

Maybe tomorrow…