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Tracey Fletcher King

Art and Illustrations

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Blue digits ...


It is a bit of a rare occurrence
but not only did I get a couple of the 5 squillion unfinished drawings painted
but I also don't have much to say
shocking isn't it ... me with not much to say
you never thought you would see the day did you


part of the reason I have so little to say
is because out of nowhere wintery weather has arrived
I am strictly a warm weather creature
which means at the first hint of cool weather
I completely freak out and need to take to my bed with extra blankets and hot water bottles
I am truly that much of a wuss


So as my shaking and slightly blue hands are typing this
in fact I think my fingers are in fact the exact blue of these brushes
I am madly thinking of moving even further north than we live
and wondering how I am going to get my poor frozen digits to grip a paint brush
while considering if I need a heater in the studio
or if I could paint in one of those blanket things with sleeves
which I am starting to think may be a bit of pure genius to be honest


It is possibly quite lucky that I got some work finished off
because I may need a week or two to adjust
or come up with a heating solution
and while I wish that I could blame the cold for the lack of creative subject matter
that led to two separate paintings of water-well brushes
I have to say I drew them both up on days when it was much toastier
and in fact are the result of having the same half lame idea on different days
my memory is in that sad a state




Add this poor mental state to the cold and who knows what you may be in for in coming weeks
now I know some of you are shaking your heads and snorting that I am so lily livered
especially given the fact that the weather I am complaining about this morning was 8 C / 46 F and it is now a shiver inducing 17C / 63F
but it all a matter of context and around here this qualifies as half frozen

So I am going to take my shivering pathetic self and swathe it in a million blankets
happy Sunday Sketches everyone...xx

PS Stillman & Birn have shared my Chilli peppers over on their facebook page and their blog
which makes up for the horrid cold and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy
here are the links if you are interested...xx


My last two post links are here...


Friday, May 17, 2013

A Fraction Of What I Deserve ....


Have to say the Mother's Day haul was a mighty one
a new wok, some perfume and this lovely tea cup for my collection,
lots of fun was had ordering my slave, Phantom Steve around
not to mention Ice Cream for dinner
in my own tub
that no one else was allowed to touch, or taste, stick their finger in, or sneeze into
and none of this sharing or tasting each other's flavour business
we each sat with our own tub... which was totally glorious
so all round the day was a raging success
and you know what
I totally deserved it


One day a year of being spoiled is hardly too much to ask for putting up with the madness
in fact I think there should be one day a quarter, at least
which may seem extreme, but before you judge me
here is a snippet of a conversation to back up this statement

5.34 am this morning
I am sitting reading the paper and I asked Phantom what she thought of human cloning
and can I clarify that this is not common breakfast discussion
I was reading about it in the paper

all for it she says
really??? I ask
absolutely... the world would be a better place with a lot more of me in it...
Sinus and I looked at each other and just shook our heads
and she countered with a 
tell me you didn't see that one coming... disappointed you guys have no come back
no my dear child I didn't see that coming because it is 5.30 in the freakin morning
zingers will not be replied to before 7am at the earliest


Sadly this sort of conversation is all to common in our house
and though there was a moment of shining highlight this week
when Phantom actually washed a tea cup... big news trust me

 I also had the dubious pleasure of proof reading
a 10 000 words chemistry assignment ... twice

checking her editing of articles for the cultural magazine 
at 9 pm on a Saturday night

endure a discussion on carbon pricing... at 6.28am

endless questions looking for feedback on her feminist transformation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which is one of my favourite books I have to say but there are limits to how much I want to hear about what theorists she should be using to defend her transformation
sort of takes the shine off a favourite after a while

and watching her hold a discussion with a bit of scone dough
because it looked like a little bald man's head
and when I questioned her sanity for talking to scone dough
she rolled her eyes and picked on the fact that I have moved
Trevor the Pocket Buddha into the car to help me get good parking spots
scoff all you like I have been getting some cracking parking spaces
so Trevor is staying where he is


Looking back on the week I have to say that though it is never boring
I totally deserve all the mother's day loot that I got
in fact I am starting to think it was a bit light on actually...xx

Linking up with Paint Party Friday....

and my last post link is here ...

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Manon's Miracle Tea Cup ....


There have been two special arrivals this week in our household
no not puppies, or new cars or even George Clooney
this is better than all those things put together
well maybe it is better than cars and Clooney
as I have to admit that I love puppies an insane amount
but puppies aside it is a pretty awesome week
because this week two new tea cups have made an my studio their new home


The first one I have drawn first is from the lovely Manon
and it is from her Grandma's set
which is crazy amazing  and it will be treasuered, but is kind of freaking me out
and led to Phantom shaking her head that anyone would send me something so special
which makes sense given my track record with dropping, elbowing and knocking things
but I did spend yesterday very carefully drinking from this precious teacup
and having a bit of a sketch up


It has now been carefully washed and dried by Phantom as she didn't trust me to do it
and hey if it meant she got off her skinny butt and she actually got her hands wet
then it should be called Manon's Miracle Inducing Tea Cup
because Phantom is not a fan of any sort of domestic labours
and I am a bit gutted that I didn't get a photo with hands in sink for posterity
but I was simply so stunned by the sight that I didn't think to get the camera


Once Manon's miracle cup was suitably spotless
it was placed in my studio where is will be safe from my elbows and knocks
and while I may paint it again now that these sketches are done
and I have its shape and measure sorted


until I do tackle a more finished painting of it
it will spend its days on my studio shelves
reminding me not only of how generous the lovely Manon is
but also of the time that Phantom washed a tea cup ... xx

My last two links are here...


Saturday, May 11, 2013

Hop and a Crop ....


To hop or not to hop
that was the question...
I took part in the Liberate your Art Postcard Swap again this year
but I am a haphazard hopper at best
plus it is Mother's Day this weekend
and I have done bugger all to get the house ready
or baked for the morning tea tomorrow
or done any of the things I had promised myself I would get done
so I am being up front and am saying that I have no clue when I will get to you all
 but I will get there... I promise

As to my Sunday Sketches friends
for you I just have a crop of a work... I think it is finished but sort of not sure
and I hope seeing the work from liberate your art will make some of you take part next year
I would love to receive cards from so many of you


The sort of creative shot in the arm that this event gives can't be underestimated
I stalk that postman... sorry mail carrier person
squeal with every piece of work that arrives
scan the Facebook group like a crazy person hoping to see if people have received mine
and ooo and ahhh over all the ones that are so fabulously awesome
and hope that by some miracle I will receive not my allotted six
but one of each of them
but alas just six it is

So here are the three I sent off
and yes the photography is rather ordinary and many of you are shaking your head at my skills
but I am a painter not a photographer so you can cut me some slack I am sure...


Here is what I got back...
from left... Angela Susan
then Barbara from www.funkyrosebudstudio.com
and at the bottom a gorgeous image from www.geetlee.blogspot.com


Then I received Grace by Will Conway


and finally
this fab painting one from Tina Wittmer
an extra from the lovely Snap Lane, who knows the way to my heart is with tea, flowers and books...
and of course Kat's ethereal image



Thank you all so very much, and to Kat for organising this event again this year
I love them all and they are adorning my studio wall
inspiring me to get off my butt and keep painting ...xx

My last two post links are here...




Friday, May 10, 2013

Peas, Peas, Peas Let Me Love You ...


In my last post I painted the silverbeet packet from The Little Vegie Patch Co
and today it is peas... this packaging is just fabulous and it great fun to draw
and I do love peas
not that I don't love silverbeet
in fact I really really love silverbeet
but peas are the bees knees so to speak


So why do I love peas????
well the truth is that they are endlessly funny in that juvenile way

They have fabulous projectile possibilities
and many were flicked across the dinner table at my pesky little brother while growing up
they were also an excellent puck for table hockey
they could be used to make fabulous patterns in your mashed potato
and were a great size for shoving up said brother's nose
not to mention there was the sniggering giggles when you ask if someone lost their pea/ pee
or needed some pea/pee on their dinner plate
and all those other juvenile hilarious goings on


Sadly we grow up and that stage passes too quickly
and they don't have quite the same comedic possibilities
until you are a parent

I used to put a handful of peas on Phantom's high chair tray thingey when she was little
then sit back and have a cup of tea and a giggle as she chased them trying to pick them up

there was also the fun of telling her that peas were actually little balls of giant snot
which led to her asking for Giant boogers as a side at a restaurant
she was all class as a kid


Don't feel bad her though because she paid us back with the endless pathetic joke stage
the most memorable of which are

Why did the tomato blush???
Because it saw Mrs Green pea over the back fence

What do you call an angry pea???
A grump-pea

She had millions of jokes of that calibre
and sadly her sense of humour has not really developed beyond that



So these packages are not just wonderful to draw
they also evoke many warm fuzzy memories
and gave me the opportunity to share with my dearest that someone peed on my table
comedy gold  I tell you 
Happy Paint Party Friday all...xx

PS the title came about because I was listening to The Smiths while I was painting
and forever more Please please please let me love you  has been revised
I don't think I will ever get the change out of my head now.... hate that ....xx

My last post link is here