A Snippet, an Ode, and a Story to Show...

Let me start by saying that Spring has finally sprung here in the UK and we have been experiencing the most beautiful, warm sunshine over the last week. I hope you are all enjoying the same :0)

Anyway - as promised, here is a very small (uncompleted) section of my latest bear painting...

© Sandra Busby

Hmm... I ought to warn you in advance that this is the best bit! 

This particular bear painting is proving to be an unexpected challenge, since there are issues with the composition that I didn't spot early enough, even despite my initial preparations.

Still, I am hoping that I will find a way around the problems, but it's not yet clear whether this particular painting will be a success or just a very time consuming lesson learned. 

Time will tell!

Meanwhile, I offer you some more speedy sketches, of which I always find myself apologising for! Until a new follower of mine, John, had this to say about them...

"you really shouldn’t call any of them ridiculous –  but rather, see them as actors, waiting in the wings, rehearsing and hoping you audition them to play a part in one of your productions"

And then John followed it with this little ode, which he wrote for me... 

Sandra’s Sketches,

Like actors in the Wings,

Each with lines unspoken

About unpainted scenes. 

Some just marking time

and sketching out the plot        

Well, what a refreshing way to look at them! :0D

John has a new blog dedicated to intricate and quite remarkable pen and ink drawings. Some of the stories behind them are fascinating.  They are most certainly worth checking out! You can see them here.

Meanwhile, in that case I make no apologies for sharing with you some more random and speedy musings of mine...

© Sandra Busby

I have very nearly finished this sketchbook. And the new one, which arrived in the post earlier this week accepts watercolour. So, soon my sketches will be all lovely and colourful!

© Sandra Busby

Just before I go, I would also love to share with you a short story written by my Uncle Danny, AKA George Elliott, just a few days ago, which I found really enchanting...

Taking Nono Out' 

It was a fine spring morning; it broke very silently and there was a mist floating in the valleys. The sunlight strengthened and the mist dissolved,  leaving lawns and gardens transparent with dew, even the very air was clean and sparkling. On this morning Robin Oscar and Will decided they would take their Granddad (who they called Nono) to an antiques fair at Herstmonceux Castle because they  knew he loved old things and magic. He had shown them many old things in his workshop and they remembered sword fights with his old swords that hung on the wall; he also had shown them magic and had told them "Those who do not believe in magic, will never find it."

   They arrived at the Antiques fair and were interested in an auction of artefacts. Nono explained that whoever offered (bid) the most money won the object that was offered. So they all sat and watched. They were interested that some antiques went quite cheaply, and some seemed lots of money.

 Then came an item that many people thought was of no importance. It was a battered old violin in an even more battered case, much like the one that their step sister Lucy played.

 The auctioneer asked for bids starting at £10 and every body laughed. So he said "Has anybody got an offer"? Somebody shouted £1 and everyone laughed again. Then an old man walked out of the crowd, he picked up the violin and handled it lovingly. The crowd wondered what he was doing and went quiet. He plucked the strings and tuned them. Then he took the bow and started to play. The notes were magic

they soared to the ceiling, and then to the floor, and then back again, such a wonderful sound that left one breathless and restored ones soul. The music was so wonderful and the whole crowd was absolutely silent and enthralled. Higher and higher the magic notes flew into the air. Finally the old man put down the bow.There was complete silence as he again lovingly caressed the violin and then laid it back in its battered case, and then disappeared back into the crowd.

The auctioneer returned to the sale of the violin. Someone bid £500 and then they kept bidding to own this violin. It was finally sold for a large amount of money. The children were puzzled. They said to Nono

"Why was it suddenly worth more money? what was missing before."

 Nono said, "what was missing was the touch of a master's hand."


© Author - George Elliott

I loved his story so much that I just had to share it with you :0)