Illustration Friday - Reflection

The current topic for Illustration Friday (see link on the right) is "Reflection". My first thought was a reflection in water, however, then I remembered this picture which I did not long ago and which was an expreriment where I allowed myself only to use one single brush... It combines two types of reflection, the reflections of the moonlight on the trees and in the water, but also a place to reflect. Whenever I need to think I tend to go somewhere where there are trees or at least some plants. Makes it easier for me to think. I've been doing that since I was little.

Garden, Work and I am so shattered!

Started work again this week so things have been busy. I am so shattered... However, I thought I better put some nice pictures up. Maybe they'll cheer up not just me but someone else, too.
Below my favourite rose - it is REALLY called Happy Birthday and flowers in my front garden from late spring to late summer.



I love taking photos of plants and flowers from unusual angles or in unusual combinations. I also have thing about weeds. Some are really beautiful; as is the bindweed below - the bane of every gardener, unfortunately.



Something that struck me when I began illustrating seriously was that if you look at something closely - which you have to if you want to draw it - you suddenly see its beauty. I used to be scared of spiders, then came to only dislike them, however when I did some spider drawings for my son I saw their beauty. Needless to say I am not scared of them any longer. :-)

No spider below but some ivy although I am sure there's a spider hiding in there somewhere...

Illustration Friday - Wisdom

This week's Illustration Friday's topic was "Wisdom". At first, I had no idea what to do with it, then I began thinking of what I associate with wisdom. It was definitely something that was female for me. So I thought of goddesses and, ultimately, Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom; either a picture of the goddess herself or of her symbol, the owl. However, in the end I decided to go for my namesake, the sibyl, in this case the Sibyl of Cumae. I did incorporate Athena's owl in the picture (bottom right corner) as she seemed more relevant to me than Apollo who normally was associated with oracles of all kinds (especially, the one in Delphi). The person barely seen is a Roman soldier going to seek knowledge from the sibyl.

The Sybil's Cave

Botanical Gardens

The day after our seaside excursion my son and I went with some friends to the botanical gardens in Cambridge (UK). It was a fairly hot day and we were glad we went since the day after it rained. Trust English Summers to be rainy and wet...

Again, I took loads of photos and had a difficult time to choose just three.

Blue Hibiscus



Sunflower just popping out



Water Lily