New Zealand

Reinventing myself (an annaversary post)

| Anna Cull

Today is my little blog’s fourth anniversary🎈🎈🎈🎈 and so I thought I would go back in time to the very beginning. Here is my first post from 13th March 2012. Have a creative day.

A couple of years ago, I started an illustrated journal. I was inspired by Danny Gregory and his book The Creative License and I wanted to see if I could draw.

One month and 19 sketches later, I drew Villa 10…

…and the road home (among other things).

I enjoyed sketching so much that I decided to take an art course at the Design & Arts College in Christchurch, New Zealand.

originally posted 13th March 2012

From the sky

| Anna Cull
work in progress, acrylic on canvas
Work in progress, acrylic on canvas

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.” Pablo Picasso

Decide what to do

| Anna Cull
Shabby Chic Market Day, Christchurch — original photograph, 2012
Shabby Chic Market Day, Christchurch — original photograph, 2012

“It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires a great deal of strength to decide what to do.” Elbert Hubbard

Having decided to paint this photograph of bunting flags and sun umbrellas, I played around with colour options and cropped them to fit a square canvas (see below), and I ended up with two versions that I like equally — and so I’m now going to paint both of them.

Yes, I think Mr Hubbard makes a very good point.

WIPs to follow soon.

Market Day colour option 1 (digitally edited)
Market Day colour option 1 (digitally edited)
Market Day colour option 2
Market Day colour option 2 (digitally edited)

Doodlemugs

| Anna Cull

Doodlemugs (front)

Doodlemugs (back)
Photos courtesy of Della’s Pottery

Our first ever Doodlemugs have turned out beautifully. They will be for sale at the Lyttelton Market (Christchurch, NZ) on Saturday 19th March — or contact Della’s Pottery on Facebook. Individually designed and handcrafted by Della’s Pottery and Anna Cull Art.

Five years and counting (pen vs earthquake)

| Anna Cull
Pen vs earthquake #6 – Christchurch Art Gallery, 2016
Pen vs earthquake #6 – Christchurch Art Gallery, 2016

Anna Cull Pen vs Earthquake Art Gallery 2016

I’ve finally been into the city to take the last of my ‘pen vs earthquake’ photographs. The Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu was closed following the 22nd February 2011 earthquake and only opened its doors to the public again last December. The building may look fragile but it not only survived 2011’s big shake, it was used as Civil Defence HQ for seven months after the event. Most of the repairs to the building are now complete and the new and improved gallery looks better, and shinier, than ever.

The sketch was originally part of a student project in 2011. The art gallery photographs were taken a few days ago. Ben Heine’s ingenious Pencil Vs Camera images inspired the series.

P.S. Five years on and we’re still getting the odd quake ― we had quite a big one on Valentine’s Day, of all days! My thanks to those who contacted me to see if we were okay. Yes, we’re fine. We’re still not in love with earthquakes, but we’re fine.