Gōtokuji, Tokyo
#gotokuji #tokyo #luckycat #manekineko

Today I turned 52, and my husband bought me a turntable. I haven't played my vinyl records for 22 years, due to break ups, life changes, house moves and plain never getting around to it. Goosebumps when the first one started to play...

When I'm really struggling with winter (usually when it's especially grey and gloomy) I know that watching the birds will pick me up a little - outside the window of my painting room today is a pair of collared doves.

#birds #birdwatching #collareddoves #winter #sad

so loud in the dark
his song is like no other
repeat and move on...

#littleseasonsoftheartist
#songthrushjoinsthedawnchorus
#bushwarblerstartstosing
#72microseasons

the bravest flowers
are those that dare to blossom
in February

#72microseasons
#littleseasons
#littleseasonsoftheartist

And we're off...

#littleseasonsoftheartist
#littleseason #snowdrop

My head hurts...
What with spending hours on gpsr again (and still coming up empty) and then an afternoon of tinkering with ratchets...

#automata #ratchet #brainbending #mechanical #mechanisms

I stuck this collage Oni mask into the front of my little seasons sketchbook to get me ready for the new sketchbook year.

Demons out! Fortune in!
#setsubun #lunarnewyear #onimask

The little segments of my dragon in the clouds automaton when I was painting them...

#dragon #automaton #automata

Bits painted for a little collage Oni mask - get ready to chase away bad fortune and ogres on Sunday! I can just imagine the fear and excitement present in a little kid as they throw roasted soy beans at a roaring family member in an Oni mask...
#setsubun #demonsoutfortunein

From dragon to snake...

#yearofthesnake
#yearofthedragon
#knots #dragon&snakeknot #sketchbook #sketchbooklook #littleseasonsoftheartist

As the dragon leaves,
cinders from his tail linger.
Now, enter the snake.

#haiku #senryū #poem
#yearofthesnake

Welcome to the #yearofthesnake this is my little carved stamp for postcards going out with orders at the moment - I love to combine knots with things when possible.

Started getting the sketchbook ready for my next little seasons project on IG. It will be a little of this and that, thoughts, scribbles, stars, household monsters etc. I'm going to post more 'in progress' and random here. I see that video is now possible here too.

This snaky group got their starting point from an 1847 painting by Katsushika Hokusai, called 'The Lute and White Snake of Benten'.

Ready for the Year of the Snake?

A dragon/ snake related side project - my playful take on a mythical creature from Scottish folklore - the Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie.

#woodenart #nessie #folklore #mystery