Tag Tuesday- Cats and Dogs

On Tag Tuesday this week our theme is

Cats and Dogs

For my tag I used the embossed frame I made in

my mixed media group this week. We followed a

technique by Andy Skinner to create a rust effect.

I don't think mine worked well as rust, but I like the end

 result! This was achieved with a combination of black gesso,

ink and gold paint. I added some braids. The frame was

the perfect size for a cat portrait!

Cake in Latvia

In my previous post I wrote about my visit to Riga in Latvia.

I remember one evening, just after a magnificent organ

concert in the cathedral, we went out for tea and cake.

The cakes tasted as good as they looked, and I thought

they were so prettily arranged on the blue and white china.

In the bottom picture you can see a glass of the famous

local liqueur, Balsam, which is drunk frequently. 

Chocolate cake

Shortcake, chocolate and blackcurrant cream

Apple and plum pie

Latvia

During the summer break, my husband and I spent a long weekend

in Riga, Latvia with some friends. It is the first time I have been to a

Baltic country and I was very taken with it. We went to a couple of organ

concerts in the cathedral, which has amazing accoustics, spent a day

 at Jermala, on the Baltic coast, took a canal cruise, shopped at the

market, and ate wonderful food.

Beautiful old buildings

Traditional Latvian Menu

The Beach at Jermala

Datcha at Jermala

Riga Cathedral taken on a canal cruise

Riga Central Market

Dried fish

Market produce

Tag Tuesday-Paper Dolls and Paper Doll's Clothes

I am back to Tag Tuesday after my summer break.

This week's theme is "Paper Dolls and Paper Doll's Clothes"

Here is my little Scottish boy paper doll.

I thought he was really sweet, maybe "bonnie"

is the best word for him. I found him on my

old favourite site The Graphics Fairy.

I had fun assembling him, and have mounted

him on a mixed paper background.

I wanted to finish it off with a piece of

tartan ribbon or some thistles, but don't have 

anything suitable in my stash!

INSIDE Artists and Writers in Reading Prison

"INSIDE Artists and Writers in Reading Prison" is a newly opened exhibition featuring contemporary artists , writers and readers from all over the world.  Readers are to perform Oscar Wilde's work "De Profundis", written during his imprisonment here in 1897.

Reading Prison makes an amazing art space.

The list of artists taking part in this exhibiton is impressive :- Vija Celmins, Rita Donagh, Peter Dreher, Marlene Dumas, Robert Gober, Nan Goldin, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Richard Hamilton, Roni Horn, Steve McQueen, Jean-Michel Pancin, Doris Salcedo and Wolfgang Tillmans.

Amongst the artwork woven through the prison, "Letters of Separation" is interspersed. Letters by nine contemporary writers to a loved one separated from them  echo Oscar Wilde's "De Profundis" which was composed as a letter to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas.

The writers are:- Ai Weiwei, Tahmima Anam, Anne Carson, Joe Dunthorpe, Deborah Levy, Danny Morrison, Gillian Slovo, Binyavanga Wainaina and Jeanette Winterson.

For details see the website:- 

www.artangel.org.uk/inside

Ai Weiwei's script

Silent Prayer by Doris Salcedo

Water by  Felix Gonzalez -Torres

September and Back to Blogging

It is September again, and time to resume the blog. 

I had a lovely summer, with a short break in Riga,

Latvia and a longer holiday in Tuscany, Italy. There will 

be some photos for you to see in the following posts.