ink

Polishing cats

| Anna Cull
Unpolished cat sketch – ink on paper, 55 x 60 mm, 2012.

My friend has introduced me to the wonderful world of polishing cats.* Closely related to procrastination, it’s a term for doing things that don’t really need to be done right now but which mysteriously rise to the top of your ‘to do’ list when there is something important that requires your attention.

I’m supposed to be working on a logo. I have the concept, the reference material and I’m now ready to draw it. I really like drawing and I enjoy designing logos but, for some reason, I can’t seem to settle into the sitting-down-and-getting-on-with-it stage. Instead, I have posted a birthday card, put petrol in the car, done the dishes and finished my mise en place for dinner. I’ve also written to my friend telling her all about it and now I’m preparing this entry for my blog. That’s a whole lot of shiny cats… and still no logo.

*DISCLAIMER ~ The author of this blog does not advocate or in any way condone the literal polishing of cats. That would be silly.

Mole in New Zealand

| Anna Cull
Mole in NZ – ink and watercolour on paper, 290 x 410 mm, 2012.

MOLE THE WORLD — international art project

Mole the World is a global connection of artists from many countries through photos, drawings, graffiti, graphics and any other creative use of the project symbol: Mole. The goal of the project is to spread the idea of ‘moling’ — using the symbol in artistic ways.

Feeling creative? Visit the website: Mole the World.

My thanks to Katya for her post about the Mole the World project.

Shower rose

| Anna Cull
Shower Rose #2 – ink and watercolour on paper, 245 x 185 mm, 2012.

Something just for fun.

I came up with the idea for the shower rose a couple of years ago. It was a student project where we had to make a picture by combining a man-made object and something from the natural world. I wasn’t happy with the drawing I submitted (done in pastel, see below) but I’ve always liked the concept. I had another go at it a couple of weeks ago, this time using watercolour (Shower Rose #2).

Shower Rose #1 – pastel on paper, 350 x 280 mm, 2010.

This was my first attempt to draw with pastels. It’s not a medium I’m drawn to (no pun intended) but perhaps I should give it another chance. After all, I had fun with charcoal — eventually.

And this is the photo I used as a reference. The rose, for anyone who may be interested, is French Lace and is one of the few plants (other than weeds) that has managed to thrive in our garden.

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.