Vanitas..."Venus of the Bay"

 Part of my art practise is using gathered items that I keep in boxes in my studio to assemble as they appear to work together...and along with some of my writings and poetry  they often have a sense of "Momento Mori" about them.

I've always been a gatherer..and collector of ephemera and odd things!

It takes a while just looking at them and wondering what they are saying to me about the times we live in..and the time of my life too.

I sent off four of these hoping for acceptance in the next exhibition in Technically Brilliant Art Gallery in the Golden Square mall in Warrington.

I'm thrilled to say they were accepted.

"Foot of Clay"

"Venus of the Bay "

"Boxed in"

"Saint" 

I must confess that I've been very remiss this year in finding the comments that my lovely faithful fellow bloggers have left for me!

So ..many many thanks to you who have read my contributions on an irregular basis.

I'm really trying to get back to blogland a lot more...it's such a gentle place to be!!

The last of the sunflowers.

Walking in the woods.

 We drove to Arnside.

Through the Yealands...our favourite route...such wonderful names.

Yealand Conyers....Yealand Redmayne...Yealand Storr...makes us think of the Midsummer series!

Coffee and sausage rolls takeaway from the little cafe on the estuary of the river Kent.

Too early for the bore ...6pm they said.

We sat on a bench and watched the river flowing out to the bay 

and  ate lunch.

Then came the rain.

A dash for the car.

Through the woods of the old Ashmeadow Estate.

The discovery of an ancient walled garden with wild flowers and a recently planted apple orchard.

I love a walled garden.

I've written about them before. 

Pics  don't really do this day justice...we'll go back.

Thankful for the rain that found us sheltering by the river.

 

The yellow horned poppy.

 

I thought that this had gone forever from the West End Beach.

How wonderful that seeds long dormant in the shingle

At last emerge this autumn.