Art for art's sake

Properly impressive, still a lot warmer and drier in Waitrose!

Lovely spuds tvman. Well done you.  Have a lovely Christmas. Rainie x

Well, here we are at Christmas Day and this is my last winter picture for my 12 Days of Arty Christmas. It's a picture simply entitled 'Christmas Day 1900' and is by the Danish artist Michael Peter Ancher and is of family members. Back then the celebration of Christmas was obviously totally different to what we envisage today. I don't know what they're all looking at, (the artist himself perhaps?), but somehow I don't think it's the Christmas dinner being brought in. Maybe they're all just a bit brassed off at having to sit there reading the Bible and are all gagging for a glass of something. Or maybe The Chippendales have just arrived? Suggestions on a postcard. I hope that wherever you all are you manage to have a better Christmas Day than this lot.  Love and hugs to you all. Let's raise a glass to ourselves and to being bloody minded in the face of adversity. Happy Christmas.   Rainie x

I think we have all done better than that lot. I was looking for something attractive about the picture, failed miserably. Great line up of pictures, I have learned to appreciate not deprecate. I do hope that's the right word , cannot be bothered to check!

Thanks for your efforts Rainie. Xxxxx

I think that’s how they all looked then when they 

had their photo taken. They were told not to smile 

Very satisfying to get your own spuds.

Ours didn’t do as well this year. We did eat our own sprouts on Christmas Day xx

Believe this would be a painting of Puritans, a sector of Christianity, similar to Cromwell, who didn’t believe in fun. Their Christmas would have been spent reading the bible or something dull.  They didn’t even sing hymns. I guess the picture warns us not to take ourselves too seriously, we’re fleeting in the timescale of the planet, we live on in the hearts of those we enriched with our company, such as the friends we gain on here. It’s been a tough few years for everyone, and the last year we’ve lost those who enriched our lives, brought comfort when we’ve been down, 

As religious art I prefer to see a jolly carol singer or something of joy uplifting. We don’t need to look far for sorrow so let’s hold onto any joy we can,   Hope you all had a great Christmas, thank you @rainieday for sharing such beautiful and thought provoking paintings

John

A bit deep YoungMan! I think our mentor is going to be mighty pleased with you. She is finishing up her Prosecco as we speak, I am sure we are due more enlightenment from the talented Mrs Kay once she has stopped hiccupping!

This is just to let our new friends know that we have an Arty thread on here. If any of you think that a little creative art therapy would help you in the distraction department, please do message me and I can send you some simple project ideas to do at home. You don't need any experience or be able to draw anything at all. It's just a bit of fun to provide a focus onto something positive. You don't have to share what you've done if you don't want to, but if you do, everyone on here will love to see what you've produced. Art - which includes photography by the way - is good for you. Making it can reduce your blood pressure, calm the mind and uplift the spirit. Even looking at art has a beneficial physical effect. So do consider making it a part of your everyday.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of hand coloured relief prints inspired by the interiors of Norfolk churches. If you want to plan a little break and like looking round interesting old buildings, we've got loads.  But the other reason I've posted these is that with a set of compasses and a little imagination, you can make your own 'colouring book' creating patterns and colouring them in. This is very calming and somewhat soothing. Both these pieces of work started out that way.    Take care all,  Rainie x

'Fully Comprehensive'(1)

 'Fully Comprehensive' (2)

Well, the year has turned and I think that in the arty department it's time to look ahead to warmer, sunnier and happier months. In anticipation of the chance for getting away, and because some of you may not feel able to get onto an actual beach, I thought that the next selection of paintings might bring the beach to you and with it, happy memories of beaches you have visited and loved to be on. I hope you will share your own pictures from holidays at your favourite seaside places. Maybe you can smell the salt and hear the seabirds crying???   

First up is Dancer on the Beach by Spanish artist Joan Miro.  He came from Barcelona and also produced ceramics and a whole host of other art forms apart from painting. Bright, colourful and happy. Do have a look at the prolific catalogue.

Rainie x