Nature Diary

June 3rd

Overgrown woodland teeming with life, stagnant ponds, hot and humid air (24 degrees celsius), partially dried up lake, baby frogs making their journey from water to grass land, dragonflies mating - a fluttering routine in mid air and pausing on a reed to catch sun rays, water boatman, bubbles appearing on the water’s surface, damselflies, gloomy swamp with flies and gnats, a wasp snacking on pollen, newborn animals everywhere - ducklings, cygnets, chicks, seagull fledglings, wagtail and magpie young...

A waterfall at the end of the stream where we once saw a white crane, the green lands, luscious meadow bathed in balmy light, the river at Devoran, boats bobbing on the tide, an island with a moored boat, swan feathers washed ashore and the sound of oars hitting the water.
 
 
June 6th
Stumbled upon two mute swans with their six juvenile cygnets. They were wandering on land, between sand and sea. The pen and cob acted as protective guardians, snapping at neighbouring ducks and jackdaws scouring the ground for food. My love fed the small but healthy bundles of feather and down, while I captured their charm on camera.
It was such an incredible, heart-warming sight... I felt blessed to witness such a beautiful ritual of swans tending to their young.



The Magpie Nest

At the end of March I put down a deposit and one month’s rent on a small but quaint art studio room situated in a three story building. The building itself is called The Old Bakery Studios, and there is a large eerie basement that will eventually be transformed into a gallery space and café.

I’ve come to think of the studio as my magpie nest or faerie hollow, a place for muse and reverie. I am collecting natural curiosities for the walls; roe deer antlers presented in a shadowbox, bird skulls and corvid feathers, butterflies, taxidermy and pressed flowers. It feels awe-inspiring to finally have somewhere to create and claim as my own.

♥

The Forest of Childhood Dreams

The story behind this painting derives from a childhood memory. The girl child sat upon the bear’s furry back is named Sugarplum (after a fairy I suppose), and the bear acts as a father to her after her own kin vanished when she was a small baby.
Together they wander through the enchanted forest of faeries and trees in search of nursery rhymes and dreams.


May ~
A startled magpie pursuing an owl, jackdaws nesting in the crumbling remains of an engine house, a lone raven collecting bread for its nest, raggedy ponies grazing, geese and chickens roaming farm land, the winding roads of Brea, gypsy horses and caravans, the watchful gazes of rooks, fox resting by the roadside, shipwreck coves, swallow tailed birds flitting back and forth to the cliffs, black-backed gulls circling above the sea, forgotten feathers, caterpillar cocoons nestled amongst gorse.

Forest Maiden

I dwell in the forest
Amidst the oak, birch and ash
Branches and roots intertwine at the hollow of a tree
Where a nuthatch drinks from a shallow pool of water
Beyond the enclosure of trees are open fields
Where wildflowers, primroses and dandelions grow
A swift fox emerges from the tall grass
Its gaze transfixed on a juvenile rabbit
Two tawny owls swoop close to the ground
Keen eyes watching for movement in the rushes
And a flock of rooks startle the tranquil sky
Ebon silhouettes against the hues of sunset
My sanctuary is a treasure trove
Furnished with feathers, acorns and a carpet of moss
A cloak of leaves keeps me warm at eventide
When I embrace my faerie disguise

April Bluebells and The Tale of a Faerie Door

Bluebell woods; a solitary mute swan guarding the placid lake overgrown with weeds, yellow brimstone butterflies, horses grazing in a field, animal runs, curling ferns and ivy, lavender and bluebells perfuming the air, a faerie door at the base of a tree, badger sets, a pathway of blushing fuchsia petals, faerie offerings (shards of coloured glass), meandering stream, bird bones and a torn wing...

Tales from Pendarves Wood :

There is a leaf carved in wood, this is the trail that leads to the bluebell glade... Bluebells have sprung early this year, a sea of amethyst, lilac and deep violet blue scattered between trees and crooked pathways. Light dances in the thick of the trees; evergreen oak, beech, willow and English oak. Cobwebs hang from dragon shaped branches, dewy webs with critters dangling on gossamer threads.
A trickling stream weaves its way towards the lake where a graceful swan watches from afar. There is a stately home in the distance with views of fields and the surrounding land. The water is beautiful and serene, overgrown with water lilies, pondweeds and water starwort. The lake seems unfathomable, perhaps an Asrai dwells beneath the reeds and algae.
 
A giant tree with a faerie door lies ahead, vast enough to house a whole tribe of woodland faeries. I imagine there to be a spiral staircase with hallways leading to the kitchens, bedrooms and library. And an observatory on the highest branch where a wise old owl and raven keep a vigilant gaze over the majestic land.

Bluebells bask in a patch of warm sunlight at the waters edge and the remains of a bird carcass is laid to rest on the bed of the stream. At the boundary of the wood, horses/mule drink from the small watering hole.

Swan Maiden Horns

Cornish Folklore

I have begun a new sketchbook project that is based on the myths and folklore of Cornwall. The wind has carried many tales and retellings of ancient history. I aim to visit standing stones, haunted coves and fairy dells, wild woodlands and sea-lashed cliffs. I will document my findings, collect fallen treasures and work on bigger and more detailed paintings.

~


Pixies (piskies) are mythical creatures of folklore. They are considered to dwell in the areas around Devon and Cornwall, usually depicted with red hair and pointed ears, wearing layers of green and a pointy hat. Some say that the origin of the name pixie comes from the Swedish dialect pyske meaning wee little fairy. Others have claimed that due to the Cornish origin of the piskies the term is possibly Celtic. Pixie origins have also been connected to Puck; a mythological creature sometimes described as a fairy.

They are said to be helpful to humans, sometimes lending a hand with the housework. However, pixies are not completely harmless as they have a reputation for misleading travellers (lured astray / pixy-led), the remedy is to turn your coat inside out.
Pixies are said to be uncommonly beautiful; some have distorted and strange appearances, some have goat-like features and some are coltish in character.

Pixies are frequently confused with fairies, sprites and other creatures of the fae, but they are quite different. Most can be described as having heart shaped or angular faces, strong lines and a short stocky build (earth pixies). Air and water pixies are more slender and ephemeral. They range from child sized to a small tree dwelling size and are often ill-clothed or naked. They like to dance in the moonlight amongst the standing stones. A fairy ring of pixies, grinning from ear to ear under the haunting moon.


Excerpts from nature diary:

March 15th
Country footpaths, sunlit fields, daffodils growing on hedges, the most perfect stream with wild overgrown branches, fungi, ivy and lichen, two ponies at a fence, forty two white ducks on a pond, goats and chickens, mud streaked pathways, swans building their nest on a remote island, steps leading up to the cliff, gorse and heather, rabbit burrows, sea gazing, a mermaid cove.

March 24th
The scent of the ocean, riverfront houses, a peaceful village with narrow roads, the winding river of Helford, gulls flying the azure skies, moored boats, hidden creeks and footpaths, fifty four arduous steps that reach miles of open fields, newly planted trees, bird song, longing for boat rides on calm water to observe whales and dolphins.

A Wood Beyond The World

I call this place the wild wood, it is unruly and untamed. The trees sway and creak in the chill easterly breeze, the air is filled with strange voices, whisperings and foraging in the thicket.
After waiting expectantly for a goblin or wood sprite to appear, the raucous noise turns out to be a blackbird or song thrush scurrying in the undergrowth.
The forest floor is caked with dried mud and puddles of rain water, vines and ivy creep along tree bark and crisp browning leaves await the arrival of sunshine for nourishment.
An atmospheric stillness falls over the land and root tendrils snake around my feet as I follow the meandering pathway.
I step into the cave and the air shimmers. Silhouettes begin to form as I glide into a sylphlike ethereal veil; the otherworld.


Nature observations ~
A squirrel pauses at the foot of a tree to nibble on a nut uprooted from the soil of winter.
Horses graze in the pasture; a stallion and two adolescents.
Daffodils (Narcissus) scattered amongst the long grass, bowing their petaled heads.
A cluster of wild snowdrops hidden behind a fence.
The fluty song of a thrush as it trills happily from the bushes.
Leafy glades riddled with ancient mine shafts.
A vast pond full of water creatures; frogs, frogspawn, toads, eels, tiny fish.
Hazel catkins swaying in the wind and scattering golden pollen; a sign of spring.

The Woodland Wild / Feral Creatures and Birds

A Horned Creature

I have been aspiring to make faerie horns for such a long time and here are two pairs; Obsidian and Vampira. These horns are for darkling creatures with a penchant for the mysterious and sinister side of the supernatural realm. Next in the making are… horns for forest dwellers and swan maidens.

I will be opening an Etsy shop in the next few months and I wanted to thank you all for such lovely comments and well wishes.

xxx