No, this wasn't what was in the box!
I collected a sealed box today from the agent who acted on my behalf in obtaining a commission from Japan 5 years ago. I was excited to see what was inside and found these lovely sample items which had been sent at the time of the launch, by Afternoon Tea, who produced them, using my artwork, for sale in their many stores throughout Japan !
Look carefully and you will see my stamp collage designs on mugs, packaging and labelling on tea bags, bubble bath, body wash and bath pearls! I was so pleased to receive this prestigious commission and it's lovely to be able to keep these pretty items now ! And Emerald was just as excited to get in the empty box!
Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Thursday, 4 June 2020
Mobile Post office near the canal at Brimscombe on its weekly visit
Wearing my face mask, as was the counter assistant, I boarded the van and bought a few stamps!
Scribbling .. and connecting with Cy Twombly
I had fun recently, scribbling away, testing pens, felt tips, coloured pencils, some of dubious quality, and sharpening pencils at record breaking speed with my newly acquired battery powered sharpener.
A couple of sheets of satisfying scribble resulted.
A friend had mentioned the American artist Cy Twombly, whose work is, to be polite, beyond my understanding and I commented that this may be how he made some of his work. But joking apart, I recalled reading that he had lived for periods of time in Italy in a small town called Bassano in Teverina, an hour or so away from Rome where we spent a holiday, 7 years ago, staying in a very old house full of character. I tried at that time to find out where it was that Cy Twombly had been living, but I never knew found out exactly where, or indeed if he had ever lived there. But now, with time to look back at photos, sketch books etc, and doing a bit of research with a view to appreciating his work, as some obviously do, I finally located a photo of the Palazzo which he had owned and renovated, and where he produced a lot of his work, some of which I have found a little more interesting, and possibly even inspiring. The massive old building looked familiar, and we had indeed passed it on walks.
We'd been given use of a swimming pool in a large garden, which was a 20 minute walk from the house where we were staying, descending the cobbled streets of the town and meandering along pine tree lined paths. I spent a couple of afternoons sketching and painting the scene from the poolside but I didn't know then that I had unwittingly drawn the back view of Cy's house - with its three arched tower. This revelation is almost as exciting to me as my newly discovered electric sharpener.
I'm no closer in understanding his work but for some reason am now becoming more intrigued by it and I feel it may lead me to explore different ways of working,but hopefully something other than just scribbling!
A friend had mentioned the American artist Cy Twombly, whose work is, to be polite, beyond my understanding and I commented that this may be how he made some of his work. But joking apart, I recalled reading that he had lived for periods of time in Italy in a small town called Bassano in Teverina, an hour or so away from Rome where we spent a holiday, 7 years ago, staying in a very old house full of character. I tried at that time to find out where it was that Cy Twombly had been living, but I never knew found out exactly where, or indeed if he had ever lived there. But now, with time to look back at photos, sketch books etc, and doing a bit of research with a view to appreciating his work, as some obviously do, I finally located a photo of the Palazzo which he had owned and renovated, and where he produced a lot of his work, some of which I have found a little more interesting, and possibly even inspiring. The massive old building looked familiar, and we had indeed passed it on walks.
I'm no closer in understanding his work but for some reason am now becoming more intrigued by it and I feel it may lead me to explore different ways of working,but hopefully something other than just scribbling!
Bassano in Teverina |
Labels:
American artist,
Art,
Bassano in Teverina,
collage,
Cy Twombly,
drawing,
Italy,
painting,
Rome,
Scribbling
Thursday, 21 May 2020
Letters and cards in lockdown .. It's always great to receive letters!
I received a lovely letter today from an elderly lady, a customer who bought a collage from me years ago, and has also become a good friend. Like me, she has been busy, writing letters, phoning friends, gardening, reading and she lives with her family so is well looked after.
As she writes and receives so many letters, she often sends me stamps which I can use in my stamp collages and often buys a selection of cards. I hope I've chosen well this time : 5 large A5, 5 medium A6 and 5 square cards, all with envelopes in a variety of designs. There are many more on my website www.rachelmarkwick.co.uk including ships, flags, flowers, landmarks and some more abstract designs. I'm offering these at 5 for £10 to include postage within UK. Please get in touch by e mail :
markwickfamily@aol.com or facebook messenger if you'd like some too!
Tuesday, 28 April 2020
What's the story, Morning Glory?
I love Morning Glory, a beautiful deep blue climbing plant, which I remember seeing growing everywhere when we were in Turkey more than 20 years ago ..and had to get the photos out ...
I've tried growing it myself but without any success, but having given my green-fingered friend Beth some seeds, she has managed year after year to produce some wonderful blooms! And last year she gathered some of the seeds and gave me a packet which I've planted and also some seedlings she has grown, which look decidedly healthier than mine. I'm eagerly awaiting a brilliant show of colour in a couple of months time!
But if not, I'll have to make do with some Morning Glories on a couple of Japanese stamps I came across today .. they're going in my 2021 diary.See previous post of 30th March on how I made a 2021 dairy to put in all those dates cancelled from 2020. You can find it on my website,
www.rachelmarkwick.co.uk - blog. You may like to make one too. I'll be putting one of these stamps on one of next year's pages - and hoping to do that when the first flower appears.
I've tried growing it myself but without any success, but having given my green-fingered friend Beth some seeds, she has managed year after year to produce some wonderful blooms! And last year she gathered some of the seeds and gave me a packet which I've planted and also some seedlings she has grown, which look decidedly healthier than mine. I'm eagerly awaiting a brilliant show of colour in a couple of months time!
www.rachelmarkwick.co.uk - blog. You may like to make one too. I'll be putting one of these stamps on one of next year's pages - and hoping to do that when the first flower appears.
Monday, 27 April 2020
Stamp Rainbows and rainbows on stamps
Children everywhere have been making rainbows tohelp cheer us up during this dreadful time of Coronavirus pandemic and I was inspired to make one too, using stamps.
Yellow stamps, as always were the most difficult to find, but I eventually found just enough from GB, France, USA and Japan to complete the yellow band of the rainbow. On a second rainbow I cheated slightly and used gold 1st class stamps! This was an absorbing activity for a few hours and while making my collage, I was contemplating the sad reality of how many lives have now been lost in so many of countries where my stamps have come from. The iconic US stamp featuring the Statue of Liberty, a proud symbol of New York, is a poignant reminder of how tragically large cities are the worst affected by the virus.
Sunday, 5 April 2020
Teddy Bear on a stamp - Keep Smiling!
We all love Teddy bears, or Teddies for short! Originally named after the American President Theodore Roosevelt, who on a bear hunting expedition in 1902, refused to kill a bear which had been captured. He said the huntsmen's behaviour was "unsportsmanlike". When the story became known, an enterprising toy maker produced toy bears, and asked permission to call them "Teddy Bears".
Unsurprisingly, teddy bears also feature on postage stamps of many countries, and the delightful one shown hear is part of a set of Greetings stamps, issued here in 2000.
Known Smilers, they all feature smiling characters, such as the Mona Lisa, Laughing Policeman, and Cheshire cat, but this is my favourite and will be going in my 2021 diary to brighten up the week.
Unsurprisingly, teddy bears also feature on postage stamps of many countries, and the delightful one shown hear is part of a set of Greetings stamps, issued here in 2000.
Known Smilers, they all feature smiling characters, such as the Mona Lisa, Laughing Policeman, and Cheshire cat, but this is my favourite and will be going in my 2021 diary to brighten up the week.
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