A Postcard From My Walk

6" x 4" my watercolour postcard to Liz Steel in Australia

One of the great things for me about 2011 is a postcard exchange by our Sketchercise group. It's called A Postcard From My Walk. Each month I will paint a postcard during one of my walks and send it off to another Sketcherciser, by this time next year I will have received, in return, thirteen beautiful little original works of art from all over the world.

You can see the delightful postcard I've received from my Sydney friend, Liz Steel HERE on our official group blog.

6" x 4" my watercolour postcard to Martin Stankewitz in Germany

Both the above postcards have been a challenge in that they were painted outside here in Castiglion Fiorentino (Italy) in the winter. Roll on Spring!

None of us knows where our next postcard is coming from so that's a surprise to look forward to each month.

Many thanks to Katherine Tyrrell (Making a Mark) for creating the wonderful Sketchercise Group and to Ronell van Wyk (Africantapestry) for her dedication in getting this exchange up and running.

You can read about all the artists involved and see their postcards as they arrive HERE on A Postcard From My Walk.

Flying Pictures - Different Strokes

I've finally added the back cover to my Flying Pictures Sketchbook - Different Strokes and created a slideshow to present the completed book.

You can see the artist of each page by moving your cursor over the picture. It's a wonderful roll of talent:

Casey Toussaint - France
Nina Johansson - Sweden
Glen Heath - England
Vivien Blackburn - England
Ronell van Wyk - France
Lindsay Olson - USA

Thank you all for your gorgeous gift!

Thank you too all of you who've followed our travelling sketchbooks, offering encouragement through our creative angst and remedial chocolate. A sketchbook exchange is an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to all.

Slide shows of the other books and the story of the Flying Pictures exchange can be seen on the Flying Pictures Blog.

Nina's sketchbook with Lindsay's Leaves

Ⓒ Lindsay Olson mixed media on CP watercolour paper

Nina's Flying Picture's Sketchbook is here in Tuscany. I've been feasting on it for the last couple of days and getting rather stressed because I don't want to add something that will let down the stunning standard of work already done by Nina Johansson, Glen Heath, Vivien Blackburn, Ronell van Wyk and Lindsay Olson. It is worth going to the Flying Pictures Blog to see all the beautiful painting already posted from this particular book in our sketchbook exchange.

Nina's theme is Polychromatic Behaviour and it has inspired work of the most glorious colours. Lindsay's multi media painting of Cambria Leaves knocked my socks off and I'm sure anything I put beside it is going to look 'faded' by comparison.

I've got lots of juicy colours on my desk - if I can just squeeze them.....

Glen's Sketchbook

Lindsay follows Ronell in Glen's sketchbook

Glen's Flying Pictures Sketchbook is now with me in Tuscany, impatiently waiting for my muse to turn up. The book is already stunning with the latest contribution of a beautiful collage by Lindsay. I've posted a BIG close up of Lindsay's picture on the Flying Pictures blog.

Now I'm off to Venice for four days, hoping to find my muse to help me come up with something for this beautiful book.

Some Tuscan Rainbow Moments

In Jean's Garden - Watercolour CP paper

These are my additions to Ronell's Flying Pictures Sketchbook. The book is now with Casey in France. Ronell's theme is Rainbow Moments so these are some that sprung to mind. Above, a corner of a friend's garden here in Tuscany. The Rainbow Moment is actually when that old bell calls us to lunch!

First Scarce Swallowtail on our lavender

Our lavender bloomed on the terrace for the first time this year and attracted our first Scarce Swallowtail butterfly. Apparently this butterfly is so named because it is scarce in the UK, not here in Tuscany.

My Summer Desk - Acrylic, pencil & Stabilo fine liners

We are each attaching our own choice of paper to the concertina sketchbooks and it can be a challenge to carry an image across two different grounds. I resorted to an acrylic undercoat to try to pull this one together.

You can see the entire contents of Ronell's sketchbook, get a preview peek at what Casey is adding and follow its journey on the Flying Pictures Project blog.

Vivien's Flying Pictures Sketchbook Update

Cover ⓒ Vivien Blackburn

Vivien's Blackburn's Flying Pictures Sketchbook is now in Tuscany. It has become a daily treat for me to open out the ten beautiful concertina pages of original work by three artists - Vivien, Ronell van Wyk and Lindsay Olson.

You can see my post about Lindsay's stunning additions to the book HERE at the Flying Pictures Blog.

Scroll through the blog to find Vivien's and Ronell's earlier spreads. The artful journeys of all seven Flying Pictures Sketchbooks in this exchange are being constantly updated on the FP blog.

I have now started work on my addition to Vivien's book. It is a daunting task, as you can imagine.

Ronell's Sketchbook flies on to Casey

Detail of my contribution to Ronell's FP sketchbook.

Ronell's Flying Pictures sketchbook left me today for Casey in France. I'm thinking Rainbow Moments may well take the opportunity to check in with her creator while she's in France.

Above is a peek at what I have added to Ronell's book. Of course it's not the bit I had so much trouble with ;)

As usual I'm so sorry to let another of these beautiful books go, knowing it will never return but I know Casey is going to add something wonderful and we will all get to share the images on line.

Ronell's book rewrapped and ready to go.

I know most of you have seen how Ronell packaged her book, but it is so pretty I had to post it again.

Flying Pictures - Rainbow Moments

Oil Pastel - ⓒ Lindsay Olson

I didn't think I'd ever be posting an oil pastel painting on this blog. I'm hopeless with oil pastels myself. They are, however, Lindsay's great love and forte and she has chosen them for her spread in Ronell's Flying Pictures sketchbook exchange called Rainbow Moments which is now with me in Tuscany.

Beautiful work Lindsay and a sublime mood you've created with the still, reflective water and the lovely island trees. A 'rainbow moment' indeed. I keep glancing at the picture, waiting for you to come paddling by in your canoe.

It's also a great delight to finally have some of Ronell's beautiful original watercolours . Ronell has created a gorgeous polished wax finish on her cover. There is also a special personal gift from Ronell to keep, which I won't reveal because it will spoil the surprise for the other Flyers.

Flying Sketchbook Cover ⓒ Ronell van Wyk

If you want to peek inside, you can see Ronell's pages HERE on her blog Africantapestry or at our Flying Pictures Blog, where the journeys of all seven books are being recorded.

Lindsay enclosed a secret First Aid Kit to assist with the anxiety that quickly follows the delight associated with receiving one of these beautiful books. Anxiety because one now has to come up with something to add to this beauty. I painted half a spread before I realised I was using the wrong size paper, so I started over ... and over... Don't hold your breath Casey, I may be a while!