Sweet Corn, Kindness from Nature, Ballpoint Drawing

Sudden cold snaps caused by recent Pacific cyclone can affect produces like corn, lettuce and onions. I managed to find some fresh corn to celebrate summer, simple and sweet. Because of sharp contrast of hot and cold swaps, these corn might not last even in the fridge. I boiled them up and have them for breakfast the next morning... part of my adaptability to climate change!

One of the classic old tricks to speed up is to use eatables as still life subject. I had to draw as fast as I could... then I can have it.

The taste of these first corn of the crop is superb!:-)

Ballpoint Direct Sketch, Sweet Corn

Dahlia, Plant for Climate Change, Ballpoint

Dahlia are amazing. They have a wide rage of flowers and bloom types. All seem to do well in the climate change conditions. I love the flamboyant, gorgeous huge flower heads. However, the common small size with a centre full of pollen is ideal for bees. As I watched an average size bee enjoyed the take, another slightly bigger came. The smaller immediately flew away.. later on it came back when the bigger left. I managed to take note of the two. Further away there're bigger dahlia bush. There're bigger crowd of bees. It seems there are territories and there're taking turn places. Bees do not fight or I hadn't seen them fight yet.

I went for an observation. This year the bees are huge. They look happy! I think the bee crisis is over... at least at these dahlia bushes!

Ballpoint Garden Sketch, Dahlia, plant for climate change garden

Petunia in Climate Change Garden, Ballpoint

Another observation of the effect of climate change in my garden is petunia. It was a plant that came back from last year. It survives but not great due to snap cyclone cold wind and rain. The mix with hot air of summer season helps it to survive only just. The old summer with lots of blooming petunia has gone. It has some protection from under a dahlia bush. The branches are adaptive to tight place... by taking notes of my observation through drawing, I am mentally prepared myself to be adaptive.. It's not going to be easy to cope with sudden changes .. but we will survive! .. hopefully better than the petunia! Take care.

Petunia, Ballpoint

Fever Few, Plant for Climate Change Garden, Ballpoint

hare on LinkedIn

This is a herbal plant that has some properties to be used for arthritis and migraine. I t is spreading and randomness with daisy like white flowers. It does not need much care. It can grow on poor soil, clay bank and cope with change in climate. The height about 1m make it ideal for backdrop of lower flowering plant, random in with taller flowering plant or just by themselves. It is an ideal feature for Fairy tale style cottage garden. For those who love simplicity, masses of pure white flowers against dark green is as fresh as a glass of champagne in a hot day.

I like to mix the random masses of fever few daisy whites with blue, mauve hydrangea and roses...

I do not like the taste of Fever Few much. Then I look at the behaviour of insects in the garden. They seem not to like these flowers either. The bees touched them and then moved away. Then I realised the plant can be used to deter insects. While loving nature, not many of us like to be disturbed all the time by buzzing insects.  I had a bite from a yellow jacket sometimes ago.  I was sore for three days. On a positive note, I think it was good for my immune system!..  It also raised my level of alertness and increased my observation skills! :-).  I think to have peace in the flowering garden, I'll have a place for myself. I think I'll plant fever few where I'd like to sit for a relaxing moment away from the buzzing bees!

When other plants are struggle with change in climate, this plant thrives without hard work, takes care of health as herbal, relaxes the mind with lively, elegant images and take care of the bees for your moment in the garden. It is indeed a fairy!

Ballpoint, Fever Few, Plant for Climate Change Garden

One and a Half Daisies, Climate Change, Ballpoint

I love the look of a weeping blossom to enhance the Japanese features in my garden. However, blossom only last for about two weeks. I notice the trailing and mass flowering habit of African daisies. The colours are lovely too, mauve, white, bronze.. their long flowering season and low maintenance gave me an idea.. I'd like to make a weeping blossom look alike summer daisies umbrella! African daisies are fast growing plant I would full fill my dream of sitting under the flowering daisies umbrella in no time! Imagine an umbrella with daisies flowering for all summer days! :-)

The plan was in action. The daisies was supported with strings on a pole. Half a meter up, the plant becomes bushy. The growth of the plant sudden stop at half a meter. All the buds were not open as usual. They turned black and dropped off. At the beginning of this year, the summer time. The plant was positioned away from wind and have all the warm north sun. After all the effort, I have one and a half daisies! Daisies are the most easy to have in any garden.. but NOT anymore. It's the climate change!

One daisy is half open and the other is drooping. One and a half, that's all I have. My summer dream is shattered. I am keeping them in this drawing!

The leaves react to the cold snaps, heat, sudden rains by contracting to a third or fourth of normal size. They are also more curly than normal. I also made notes of flowers that were not there by recording the stalks where the buds dropped off. This year there're a lot of horntails. I included two dancing in the air.

I still have memories of lots of daisies hanging off walls in warm summer days.. what I see in front of me under effect of climate change we are facing, memories probably stay as memories forever.. Good bye daisies!.. Good bye the dream sitting under flowering summer daisies umbrella!.. Good bye daisies!.. Good bye!

Garden Sketch, Daisies in Climate Change

Sherlock, Weta and the Ants, Ballpoint Art

Time to pull up finished bulb plants, I was amazed to find a few seeds every time I pulled up a dead stalk. "Ah! this is how this bull plant multiply". I was so happy to learn that I could have some more next year! so I went and planted them. I found a weta, NZ native insect, under a tree. After examining it, it was not a shell. It was a dead weta because of the uneven colour! I was so proud of my observation! so I put it on a plastic garden scoop. Some ants were around so I waited for them to go away.... I looked at the dead weta and tempted to use it as a subject for drawing

Suddenly I saw the tail end of the weta moved from side to side. "Oh! my God it's still alive" " No it could not be" then I think of Sir David Attenborough of the art of flying of birds.. the wing mechanism. I thought there must be a mechanism at the tail end of the weta to make it move with air movement. There was no air movement around.... 

I thought of the case of Sherlock I watched late last night and could not understand the images and the things in the head! Then I realised it was something between our observation and the truth, illusion. Sometimes observations do not give us the truth but illusion instead and illusion can be so big that truth is an illusion! To know the truth we must use speculation, interpretation .. at the end the truth come to us through logic, science!

"Ah! the tail must be moved by the ants! There're must be more ants inside!" Another few minutes, I was right. I was so pleased that I could solve the mystery of the dead weta! :-D... and understand what Sherlock was going on about .. :-DD

After all the ants were going away (because of rocking barn scoop!), I moved the weta inside for drawing!.. It was a bit of a challenge. I was not sure whether it was a good idea either. Anyway, I tried at least I might have a chance to see where I fail!.. It was hard to see even under the glass. The weta was half eaten. Some parts were transparent, some were not... After a moment, I thought I had the drawing look like the weta.. then to finish off I add some ants!.. It was fun!

More, now I understand Sherlock Holmes' shows a bit more. All thanks to the dead weta... and.. the ants! :-DD

Marvellous Insect Ballpoint Drawing, Weta and the Ants

Connect with Nature, Impatient, Ballpoint Garden Sketch

After two day rain and cyclone wind, I went out in the garden. While waiting for better weather, I took little cuttings of impatient for drawing. They were a bit battered so I included the falling flower.

The hand made pottery art of the country died years ago but I still hang on to a few. They are perfect as a way to bring beauty of plants and flowers to the eyes.

Impatient has many colours, white, pink, salmon orange, light red, magenta..It is very easy to grow and perfect to fill in shady places. Because of a wide range of colour, I think it is perfect for floral home garden themes. More importantly, it shows great ability to cope with climate change.

Certainly this plant will bring charm, beauty and excitement to garden lovers! More joy and less work! Enjoy!

Beautiful Ballpoint Sketch, Impatient

Black Berries with Climate Change Effect, Ballpoint

After two days of rain, I went out and checked the black berries. It was hot when the wind stopped. Some berries were forced to be ripen early so they were under sized and the taste was not good. Many fell onto the ground. I managed to collect a few. I missed the drawing exercise. I made a selection and arranged them for a drawing. I noted that even there was no time gap between the time I cut the leaves off the plant and the arrangement on the table. The leaves immediately curved up like they were drying out. This is the effect of the intensity of the heat in the garden. It's the effect of climate change!... The story of climate change seems to be even in these small berries and its leaves! I wonder how the climate effect would be in larger scale of our food production in the near future..

After drawing, it's time to taste. It did not take long. The chemical free berries just turned into liquid when they touched the lips. They are extremely delicate with a little bent in taste at the end... I gave back a third to the birds and the rest for ice cream dessert after dinner..

Garden ripen black berries is my favourite little step in the relationship with nature..

Direct Ballpoint Sketch, Black Berries

Chamomile and the Bees, Ballpoint Art

Here is a ballpoint sketch from my garden seat. Masses of small white flowers with protruded centres, slender stalks and delicate leaves are features of Chamomile.

Chamomile is a herbal plant. It grows anywhere. Chamomile tea is also popular, very affordable. I have a few in the garden just for the pleasure of having it in full circle. I keep looking at plants that are performing well in all aspect of climate change. It is a sign of low maintenance so that I do not have to make constant extra effort looking after them. Look like Chamomile is a good candidate. The bees love it too.

Another little step for a relationship with nature.. enjoy and God bless!

Wonderful Direct Ballpoint Sketch from Nature, Chamomile and the Bees

Art Of Earth, Passion Fruits on Vine, Ballpoint

It's the third year the plant is in production. I've noticed this year, the plant have more fruits than last year.

My favourite Xmas decoration! I've just discovered these green passion fruits look like decoration on xmas tree! Maybe this is where the ball shape xmas decoration idea come from. Can't help but looking at them. They are my favourite decoration! After summer, I can taste them with a spoon! It becomes my favourite plant.

Sketching them with a cup of hot chocolate drink in a comfort garden seat ... I am not sure whether it is the ballpoint hobby or my imagination of ice cream dessert with passion fruit.. that kept me going .. :-D ..another direct sketch for "From My Garden Seat" Series .. my little step to develop a natural relationship with nature..

A good relationship with nature will surely give some comfort for the rough road ahead with climate change! Enjoy!

Beautiful Direct Sketch from Nature, Passion Fruits on Vine

Flowering Japanese Maple, Ballpoint

From my garden seat, I think I am going to create a series with ballpoint pen and paper for the time our life facing climate change and economic difficulties. It's called recession art! Starting with the garden, I think it is about time to get in touch with nature.. to know is to love it!

Naturally leaves cover flowers of Japanese maple. That's why I did not notice them for so many years. We are all too busy with everyday duties or routine. In this drawing I deliberately show the flowers. There are seven arms of each leaf, very beautiful and elegant. Sound simple? Yes. Then I keep going until I was puzzled and dazzled with the drawing like I'd been with the real tree. After the features and characters of the subject, I hope to capture the feel. These effect is the thing that takes my mind off and leave my bare soul with nature.

Do you see the flowers behind the leaves?

Wonderful Ballpoint of Japanese Maple Tree

Sparrow, Ballpoint Sketch

I had a good observation of this young male sparrow when I was sitting in the porch having some time out. I did not have anything in hands so I recorded him in my head. I thought surely I would remember him. Drawing from memory is one of "ancient" techniques, I believe, practiced by artists since stone age!

After dinner I decided to give it a go, even after saying about stone age memory technique as above, I was not so sure. I did not practice ballpoint as often either. Here it goes. I think the drawing looks like the sparrow I saw. I am happy that I tried.

I noted one advantage. Ballpoint give speed. I can draw faster than with pencil. This drawing took a couple of minutes! It is the simplest way to enjoy two minutes something from my garden seat! :-)

Beautiful Ball point Sketch, Sparrow

SURPRISED PROPOSAL FROM YOUNG CRICKET, Watercolor Black White Gray Insects, Flowers and Plants

My final Black White Gray world is a dream!.  It's a fancy bedtime story by myself.

One day, Young Cricket set off for an adventure. He could not fly yet so he climbed and he hopped. Soon he found himself in an amazing world of flowers. There he met an amazing creature. He thought she was an angel. It's even better than that she was real, a real butterfly. He was shocked, he was amazed, then finally he proposed something. I could not hear what he said. I could not hear what she said. But I saw the butterfly was taken aback, her tummy dropped and she nearly fell off the sky. I did not know what happened next or after that. I know since then life of Young Cricket would never be the same. He looked at the sky a lot. A day dreamer, so all other crickets said. With that story, I fell asleep. The dark sky, the dark in the painting make your eyes seek dark. So they close and your mind seek a passage into dream. This painting gave me a good sleep!. A surprise treat! it's another secret of painting that I found. Hope the story explains the composition, the color choice and the painting technique!...Oh I also found black watercolor is softer than ink. Try black and white painting, it might be the sleep therapy without medication!

Beautiful  Black White Gray, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm,

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

THE RISE OF TIGER LILIES, Watercolor Painting and Drawing Flowers

I love the expression of Tiger Lilies.  Like a tiger in the bush these flowers shoot up from nowhere.  They have the most glamorous curves, graceful manner to greet the summer sun.  They often gave me pleasant surprise!  I used the illusive softness of watercolor and simple tone to capture the profusion of the plants and wonderful features of leaves, buds and flowers 

Black Grey and white watercolor painting nature, plants and flowers, 29.5x42cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

DRAGON FLIES AND THE SWAMP CHASE, Watercolor Black White Gray Insects and Plants

I painted this picture from imagination and observation.  I live near a swarm reserve.  I love the tropical heat, the breeze of summer and I imagine the dragon flies of my childhood.  Obviously they're always there!  Just look at them!... like fighter jets on a chase!  Painting this picture made me realized my childhood walks with me every time!

Unique Black Grey and white watercolor painting nature, plants and insects, swamp, 29.5x42cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

COSMOS AND THE BUTTERFLIES, Watercolor Painting and Drawing Insects and Flowers

What can a butterfly see?  Leaves, buds, flowers, seeds, coming and going are all the excitement of a flower garden life cycle and the butterflies with wings like flying petals!  I tried to see beauty beyond colors.  The other reason was I wanted to put more and more like life in the garden in abundant and does not have an end.  Everything in a A4 size.  Amazing what a small piece of paper can contain!  The whole world of the butterflies with all intricate details!  I think the picture summarizes the butterfly vision! :-)

Black and white watercolor painting nature, plants and insects, 29.5x21cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

SEEING BLACK, Watercolor Drawing and Sketching

During the posting of my Black-White-Gray work, a thought came to my mind.  I recorded it on an A5 Visual Diary.  I get fond of the irresistible old bamboo brush after a light wash an the lips and eye.  It made them feel alive.  To show the brush I took the photo with my left hand.  I was excited with the useful left hand on the use of camera!  Seeing black with lines, shape and human form portrait and figures is a temptation I would love to indulge one day....

Brush sketch study on lines, shape, face elements with Ivory Black watercolor

I

DAMSELFLIES IN THE WILD, Watercolor Painting and Drawing Insects, Plants

Emerge in the summer grass were wild flowers and transparent wings.  In the breeze, the damselflies managed their delicate balance.  That's how I remember them.  The delicate gray tone was used to depict the light effect in the field.  I also tried to show how delicate damselflies naturalize themselves in the environment.  I loved the rare minutes to be alone in the field with them.  After I painted them I knew they were always be with me somehow.  That's probably the reason, my brush chose the damselflies instead of others! :-)

Black and white watercolor painting nature, plants and insects, 29.5x42cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

DAMSELFLIES ON BAMBOO, Watercolor Painting Insects

Tiny damselflies were my childhood favorite.  They took me into imagination.  Watching them help to relieve stress and relate to nature with their liveliness.  I painted them with my imagination and bamboo bush outside the window.

Black and white watercolor painting nature, plants and insects, 29.5x21cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.

THE LATE SUMMER GRAPE VINE, Watercolor and Pen Drawing and Painting Plantscape

Grapes and more grapes, I love the heavy loaded vines.  Here is the last of the four plantscape painting and drawing balck, white gray using pen, a brush and ivory black!  Simple pleasure!

Beautiful  pen and brush work, watercolor on paper, 42x29.5cm

If you have any queries relating to the painting, please leave me a message via the contact form gadget on the top right corner of the blog.  Thank you for your interest.