2015-01-29

Exhibition "Views of Richmond" 7 February - end May 2015


Gate on the River Thames as seen from Buccleugh Gardens, Richmond-upon-Thames. Oil on canvas 12 x 10 inches (350 x 252mm) unframed size.


This painting has been accepted for the Richmond Views open exhibition which will run from 7 February through until the end of May 2015 at Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham.

2015-01-18

Commissioned lino print as a wedding gift


The image size is 8x8 inches (200x200mm approximately). 
The brief was to design and make a lino print for the client to give as a wedding gift. The image was to have associations with Thailand - the honeymoon destination - and to incorporate the couple's names and the date of the wedding.
Altogether three prints were pulled: one for the couple and one each for the two sets of parents.
The image includes two fish meeting over a lotus flower - this is a Buddhist symbol.
According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Fish) the two goldfish represent fearless suspension in the ocean of things that happen (samsara). You can see that I have put in some ripples, which the client liked in my mermaid pictures. The fins make a heart shape. The male's tail fin rises protectively above the female's.
The lotus is a beautiful flower that rises up through the mud (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Lotus). 

The knots symbolise love and eternity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtamangala#Knot).