Leafy's Art Blog

How to build a boat.

2012-01-24T15:41:00.000Z

Happy New Year

2012-01-06T19:15:00.009Z

Welcome to the 2012th year of exciting adventures, fanciful painting, drawing, making and all manner of seaside shenanigans to keep you and me amused... see you soon.(I still have absolutely no idea exactly how old Mariner's Way actually is, and nor have the inhabitants.)

Mariner's Way

2011-12-06T12:19:00.007Z

This gorgeous old house is full of gorgeous small people. They are my lovely neighbours, a pebble's throw from me and a pebble's throw from the seashore. The plasterwork on the front of Mariner's Way says 1624, but apparently the inside dates from even earlier. I'll do some finding out and let you know...

This is how alot of my work begins; I draw then I chop, stick, and chop again, re-sizing, scribbling and jiggling until I am happy. Then I draw it all again!

B is for Beatrice

2011-11-30T11:12:00.008Z

Meet baby Bea, I like her alot. She is destined for a nautical life, so I made her a little picture,
and here she is in her lifeboat jersey, lovingly knitted by brilliant Lil.

Quiet Expectations

2011-05-19T17:18:00.003+01:00

The trouble with a long silence is the growing pressure to break it with a post that is brilliant.

Boat Sewing

2011-03-15T19:18:00.006Z

I'm feeling a bit cold turkey-ish (in a boaty sense).

I have been lucky enough to have had a few commissions lately which is a great thing, but none of them are boat related so here's a quick boat fix (well actually it's some sewing).

This is one of Ed Burnett's gaff cutters, but Ed's are real and not made of silly sewing. I am rather pleased with the ric rac sea.

mural thumbnails

2011-03-08T11:38:00.003Z

Some of the rest of it.

2011-02-06T20:06:00.004Z

I am delighted to report that I have nearly finished. The boys are still footless and all sorts of bits and pieces are not quite as they should be, but soon they won't be (or will be, as they should be). If you screw up your eyes and imagine that that enormous in-the-way telly isn't there, you will see a puppy behind it.
I'll report back with my favourite bits when I've finished completely.

Ben and Tom at the Seaside.

2011-01-28T17:29:00.008Z

I've been painting like billy-ho and feeling too tired most evenings to post up my progress, but here I am at last and Ben and Tom now look like this...
I'm having trouble with their feet, and Tom's stance (lefthand figure) took a while to get right. I'm still not happy with his skin tone, but there are bigger things to get right before I fiddle about with that.

The whole mural is quite a mad one. There is a lot more going on than Ben and Tom at the seaside. There are to be skiers and cricketers and Russian onion-dome churches, French chateaux, the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, a cracked globe like a Faberge egg, champagne, golf clubs, Jamon Serrano (that's Parma Ham to you and I), a tarte aux framboises and a leonberger puppy. It's rather a challenge.

Ben and Tom at the Seaside

2011-01-18T21:03:00.006Z

My year has started with a mural commission...

More Bits of Wood

2010-12-14T21:17:00.008Z

Some of you may know how especially fond I am of bits of old wood.
It was only recently that I discovered I am not alone in my world. The lovely Ingrid has made me most happy as it is obvious to me that she too is unable to throw out an old bit of wood. She is however one step ahead of me, by making brilliant things out of her bits of old wood. She has given me kind permission to show her wonderful Christmas trees. I love them.

Proper Boats

2010-11-20T21:14:00.009Z

Found on YouTube, this has got to make you smile... The brilliant Cocker Freeman goes East on the River Blackwater in proper boats.

As for the clips being used without permission... Dylan Winter left a gracious comment on YouTube saying,
"this is bloomin brilliant -although the shots look vaguely familiar, have em with my love, Dylan."

I don't know how to stop Blogger from chopping the very far right hand side off? Maybe my blog layout is all the wrong width? Does anyone know?

Salty Dogs

2010-11-12T20:51:00.007Z

Here's a small peek at some of my rather measly contribution to this year's Salty Dogs Christmas Show.

Described by Claudia Myatt (Queen of Scows and boaty pictures) as a unique emporium of all things nautical, Salty Dogs is the brainchild of Den Phillips. This year the venue is 14 High Street, Maldon, (up at the top on the left), and the Show starts tonight.

My boggled brain has a headache; peculiar questions against the clock keep flying my way.. (Yes, the 11+ exam is only a week away)

If tomorrow is the day which comes three days after Tuesday. What then is the second letter of the day which comes four days before yesterday?

Sharing Some Scow Love

2010-10-30T20:12:00.007+01:00

The dinghy on my website header and also on my blog profile is my Scow. She's a brilliant boat. I found her under a bramble bush in someone elses back garden and loved her immediately. Our family had owned one when I was a child so it was a pre-programmed attraction, and I nostalgically reminisce of days of yore when all five of us would pile in and head off for Swallow-and-Amazon-esque adventures. She's a pretty little duck shape with a very simple lugsail rig (just a halyard and a mainsheet to worry about). Roomy enough for a gaggle of friends and small enough for one. Absolutely perfect.

And Look! Mr Bursledon Blogger has got one too. He has put a link to me in his latest post, and all the lovely people visiting my blog from his are probably thoroughly disappointed because all they find here are nautical christmas cards, so I have decided to tell you a bit about my boat.

Like Mr BB's, my scow began her life with me in a bit of a state. After sitting forlornly in someone elses garden, she sat forlornly in my garden until my father came to the rescue. He helped me put on new strakes which we steamed into shape with a piece of pipe and the kettle. We also replaced part of the hog. We added another thwart (made from our old kitchen shelf) which tied in & strengthened the centreboard case (it still leaks, but is less wobbly now). We gave the hull a new gelcoat, epoxied up the splitting spars and scarfed a new piece of wood onto the top of the mast (it was a bit thin and rotten to hold the main halyard block). A lot of epoxy, varnish and paint later she was done.

Her rudder was a bit of a whopper and has been cut down a bit since this picture was taken. The pink was a bad choice and the boat is rebelling slowly... it's peeling off in places all by itself. I will probably repaint her soon in utterly boring colours that reflect my conservative middle age. We shall see...

If you click here and scroll down, you might be able to spot us sporting a very fine jib on the Round-the-Island Race earlier this year. That's round Mersea Island, not the Isle of Wight!

Shop Update

2010-10-22T11:56:00.005+01:00

I am slightly horrified. I know it's only October. I know the clocks haven't even changed yet, and my boat knows it's still rigged and ready... hoping for one more splosh and chuckle.

Yes, despite clinging to the last vestige of summer, I am going to annoy you all by announcing that I now have Christmas Cards available to buy in my shop.

I feel a little bit absolved in this because I know that West Mersea Lifeboat Station have been selling their Christmas cards all summer long (which won't make much sense to you lovely lot in the southern hemisphere, but for all of us over here summer and Christmas don't equate).

Talking of the lifeboat, this year I have decided to give 10% from online sales of my Christmas cards to the RNLI. I'm hoping we'll raise a fine amount. Click here to pop on over and see if you'd like a pack.

Pink Scallop

2010-10-14T13:17:00.002+01:00

Toot Toot!

2010-09-16T11:07:00.009+01:00

Bring out the trumpets and smash the champagne. May God bless her and all who sail in her.

My small fanfare heralds the absurdly belated arrival of my shop. Do have a look and a click. This link should take you there; Leafy's Shop.

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop," was something the King said to the White Rabbit.

Likewise, I have begun at the beginning and I am going on. I am not sure where the end is, but if you watch this space the shelves will get fuller with time.

Fast Classics and Smacks; Mersea Week 2010

2010-08-25T21:37:00.014+01:00

Fame

2010-08-20T22:00:00.004+01:00

If you click on the picture I think it might get bigger.

Summer Days

2010-08-03T17:01:00.008+01:00

The days are long and warm, friends pop in and out and I have forgotten about leaky roofs and rotten windows. Samphire fattens in the marshes and the sea lavender is flowering. Dinghies chuckle through the water, children skip past with crabbing lines and daytrippers queue outside the Company Shed. Coast Road is heaving; it's almost impossible to get to the lifeboat station by car. The seal is back, bobbing around the hammerhead hoping for raw bacon from the crabbers.

The garden drips with early apples; drunken wasps gorging themselves on windfalls. The pear tree is burgeoning and the cherries (still sour) have all but been stripped by the blackbirds. It's Mersea Week next week, an annual gathering of boats and boaty folk will grace our estuary. With all this going on one has to be quite strong-willed to sit inside and think about work. Phoebe has put together a basic outline of the postcard section of my soon-to-be-webshop, but I still need to finalise the details.

I took some prints to the Art Cafe today, one of which was my Fishpie illustration.

On a technical note, all my prints now have acid-free mounts which means the pith inside the mounting board should stay a pristine white and won't turn a nasty yellowy-brown with age.

Salty Sea Girls

2010-07-10T22:12:00.012+01:00

It's been another scorchingly beautiful day.

A gaggle of salty sea girls (and boys) set sail for Ray Island. They reminded me of this vintage illustration of sailing girls which I absolutely adore.

Finished Freddie

2010-07-06T22:00:00.002+01:00

Freddie

2010-07-05T06:47:00.002+01:00

Okay, here's a sneaky peak at something I've been working on.

Goosey Loosey

2010-07-03T22:14:00.002+01:00

Chicken Licken

2010-07-01T21:20:00.003+01:00

The chickens were commissioned for a tray, and they weren't to be straightforward happy chickens; I was asked to paint a cockerel who was cocky and a hen who was bossy...

I only hope Mark & Charlotte don't mind!?

I'm back

2010-06-30T10:05:00.003+01:00

It's been a while...

There has been a gremlin in the telephone exchange but the Shed still stands, the sun shines and I am back with some Muddy Island chickens.

Pip! Pip!

2010-04-29T09:05:00.010+01:00

Dear Everyone, I had high hopes of keeping you updated and carrying on the Life of Leaf unphased whilst moving to The Shed, but it seems this is not to be. I have moved alot of stuff but there is alot more to go. The computer Gods are about to take away my internet and I don't know when they will give it back? I will be away for a little while whilst I attempt to sort it all out and transfer everything to Little Grey Rabbit's House.

I'll be back soon.

Shedworking

2010-04-10T07:24:00.004+01:00

Hip Hooray I now have electricity, and two out of three ceilings up. I also have a pot of chalk by the door, and strange messages keep appearing...

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T07:05:00.007+01:00

At the moment the only artycraftiness going on in this house is that of my salty seagirl.

The Shed is coming on nicely though...

I am sawing and drilling and sanding and painting and cutting and filling and nailing and screwing and mixing and scrubbing and sweeping and scraping and sticking and wishing you a happy Easter.

Drascombe Lugger

2010-03-22T20:44:00.005Z

This is not just a drascombe lugger, it's also a family portrait.

And Another One.

2010-03-20T06:45:00.018Z

It all began around Christmas time when everything was frozen solid. Now it is nearly Easter and I am STILL battling with insulation and pieces of timber in the Shed. You will have to bear with me, dear readers, and make do with old boat pictures while I build my house.

I am thinking you might be wanting house pictures, not boat pictures? In fear of disappointing you I will see if I can rustle something up.

Scrutinizing the lovely Boadi in the post below, the peak halyard looks a bit wonky and wrong. Why oh why did I do it like that? I don't know what I was thinking?

This watercolour is of Our Boys, a mighty Rowhedge smack. She's enormous (whereas Boadi is sweet and small) and her gaff is held up by magic... I haven't given her any rigging at all.

Another Smack

2010-03-10T20:49:00.007Z

This one is two hundred and two and she is still sailing.

Smack

2010-03-04T20:18:00.006Z

This is Kate CK52 (oil on canvas) chomping through an east coast chop. She's had a makeover since this portrait and is now a beautiful cream with duckegg bulwarks. I'd better paint her again.

Postscript addendum for the shed-building fraternity... No more mushrooms. I am very happy today because the raingods answered my prayers and so did the roofer. I have a brand new(but-not-quite-finished) ironingboard-smooth perfectly-angled watertight-hopefully flat roof on the south side of the shed. All I need now is some rain so I can test it out...

Straying from the Path

2010-02-28T19:57:00.007Z

My Salty Seagirl and I had stewed apple with our porridge this morning for extra energy. She was off visiting friends and relations, and I went to build The Shed. I am doing more pulling apart than building at the moment and the electrician will be annoyed with me. He has spent days putting wires in the walls and now I am knocking the walls down.

My mother thinks blogs are okay if they stick to a subject, and not if they digress into how you had a cup of tea this morning. She has a point, and for the most part I agree with her. Here I have a problem; there is nothing remotely arty about this post; I have not picked up a paintbrush for weeks; I am rambling about porridge and electricians; this is turning into "Leafy's Building Blog".

My saw is blunt, my knuckles are skinned, my hammer won't hit straight, my lungs feel clogged, my teeth ache (I am incapable of removing nails without grinding my jaw), the sooner I sort out The Shed and get back to drawing and painting the better.

Old Workspace

2010-02-23T20:09:00.014Z

New Workspace

My new workspace needs a bit of roofmending so I am really hoping the rain will go away (just for a bit) but low after low keeps rolling in. Despite the leaky freezing drippiness I am really looking forward to moving in, getting organised and becoming a super-new productive and super-new efficient me. My space in the Shed is altogether nicer with more light and more room than I have ever had before. The consequence of this is that my artwork will be nicer and so will I. I am not sure if that last sentence is actually a truth? ...we shall see.

Please let me have a few dry days.

Heart

2010-02-14T08:51:00.006Z

The Fish Shop

2010-02-10T19:29:00.019Z

My postcard rack has found a new home in the fish shop. Here it is sitting on the counter.

Moving

2010-02-05T19:39:00.008Z

For the last nine and a half years Leafy HQ has been a Victorian terrace half a mile inland. This is all about to change as we are moving. We have found a dear little cottage a stone's throw from the tideline where you can hear the ching ching of the rigging and smell the mud. It has apple trees and roses, a farm gate, little leaded windows and a privy. It looks like just the sort of place Little Grey Rabbit herself might once have lived.

Now if you are thinking this is just too peachy perfect to be true, then you are right. There is a catch.

The new Leafy HQ is an old shed in disguise. The roof leaks, the electricity is antiquated and dangerous, the plumbing is clanky and seized up, the windows are rotten and don't open, there are mushrooms growing in the ceiling, the privy door is falling off, and mice and various other creatures have comfortably settled in.

I am busy making a clean dry corner to lay my paintbox and my head.

raison d'etre

2010-02-02T20:56:00.004Z

Some of you may be wondering about the point of this blog, and why progress on my website is slow.

My plan is to post up new work, ideas and arty stuff I am up to, and to generally nudge folk in the direction of my website (which will show you what I do in a more coherent fashion, & will also have a shop for those of you who'd like to buy something Leafish). My website is a work in progress, still unfinished, infact hardly begun. The trouble is it has to vie for my attention, and my attention is elsewhere at the moment.

I will leave you with some painted stones, and a promise to be back soon with news of what's afoot.

Ta daaaa!

2010-01-28T21:56:00.003Z

Bits of Old Wood

2010-01-26T18:59:00.008Z

I do like it when I manage to use up an old bit of wood. On Sunday I managed to use up thirteen old bits of wood. I made this...

Can you guess what it is yet?

Muddy Island Musings

2010-01-21T12:18:00.006Z

If you hop over here you will see Juliet's Musings. Yesterday she mused about me. Today she mused thus.

Clickety Click

2010-01-18T21:01:00.006Z

I am creeping forwards in this techie world. My website (though still embryonic) now links with a clickety click to this blog. Clever Phoebe.

Treasure from another island.

British Sea Power

2010-01-17T20:28:00.004Z

Saltmarsh Plants and Seabirds

2010-01-14T22:17:00.003Z

A lovely customer collected three of my prints today. Saltmarsh Plants, Seabirds and an Island Map.

Little Red Dot

2010-01-12T20:02:00.005Z

Oh I love the cleverness of this. I can see a little red dot on my visitor map. It's all the way over there in Australia and I know that it is my brother.

Box

2010-01-11T19:59:00.011Z

This is what was in the box...

...mainly cards; little handmade cards, lovely lithoprinted postcards and nautical Christmas cards. Also a couple of framed prints, an old Bovril box and some bubble wrap. My cards are currently available to buy in the Art Cafe. I hardly dare say this, but they will also be featuring in my soon-to-be webshop. My webshop has been 'soon-to-be' for rather longer than it ought. I am hoping that by announcing it's imminent arrival to the world I will be forced to make it real. I am not sure that any of you should hold your breath. If you are desperate for a card in the meantime you can always leave a comment or email me.

This Frozen Isle

2010-01-07T21:16:00.004Z

The Ninth Day

2010-01-03T20:18:00.015Z

There are still three days of Christmas left but it feels like the end. It's Sunday evening. I picked up the leftovers this weekend. That's all my leftover unsold stuff from the Salty Dogs Christmas shop in Maldon. The Salty Dogs are a group of nautical artists headed by the photographer Den Phillips. She runs an exhibition for a couple of months every Christmas in Maldon. I am pleased I only have one box of not-very-much left. I'll show you what's in it soon...

The Second Day of Christmas

2009-12-27T19:05:00.017Z

Voila! The Christmas Seal.

Here is my sketch for the last illustration of the book 'The Christmas Seal'. The book was written and published by Veronique Eckstein. Veronique loosely based her story on a baby seal who turned up in true life one Christmas time on the beach near her houseboat. Wanting to make a children's picture book, Veronique asked me if I would illustrate her story. You can see more of my seal book illustrations (and even buy the book) on her website www.merseaislandtales.co.uk (being new to this blogging lark, I don't know if I can do links? ...I'll have to wait and see if this works).

I got a big surprise earlier this month to see The Christmas Seal book in Coast magazine.

The Very Beginning.

2009-12-24T17:11:00.005Z

It's Christmas Eve and I will be thrilled to bits if I can manage to post a sentence and a picture. The header and all the rest of it has defeated me for now. Thankyou JAL for this gorgeous little bit of material.