To Susan LeBarron

This is my reply postcard to Susan.

Susan was another person I couldn't find much personal information on so choosing a subject took some consideration.
I decided to continue her meditative theme and painted her something from my imagination. I always find this relaxing, my mind can just drift as I don't have to concentrate on anything.

Hope you like it Susan.

To Shevaun Doherty

Here is my reply postcard to Shevaun.

I couldn't find a profile or blog for Shevaun to do my investigations into her preferences which is part of the reason this reply has taken a while...What to draw?
In the end I decided to 'doodle' with my sepia pen and used a beautiful photograph from a shooting magazine as my reference.

Hope you like it Shevaun, sorry for the delay...Hope to have it posted tomorrow!

From Susan LeBarron

Namaste By Susan LeBarron

This beauty arrived from Susan a couple of days ago and I finally got around to scanning it this morning.

Susan believes that she and I are one, that she is the procrastinating, less accomplished side of me. I think we can all see, from this fabulous sketch, that Susan is wrong!

I love it Susan, thank you!

From Shevaun Doherty

These two beauties arrived from Shevaun this week, a coloured pencil piece and a watercolour.

I love them both!

Shevaun was kind enough to include a little information with each and I learned that Egyptian coffee is brewed in a small pot called a cannaca and served in a small cup or glass. Often flavoured with cardamon, it is very strong and aromatic...YUM!

The camel's name is 'Nandu' and he spends his days under a plam tree on the beach. His obliging character makes him a huge tourist attraction and Shevaun's Daughters often clamber on his back, stroking him and feeding him cucumbers and carrots.

I love little bits of information such as these Shevaun especially when they arrive on the back of such beautiful artworks...Thank you!

To Cindi Bessent

Doddington Clock Tower by Anita Davies

Cindi sent me a beautiful pen & wash painting of a local chapel, so I thought I'd go with this theme and paint our local church....However, just recently, every time I try to park in a decent spot to sketch from someone has beaten me to it...Hence the delay with my reply.

So, instead I decided to go with the 'local history' theme and this morning I parked outside The George public house and sketched the clock tower in my village; Doddington.

The clock tower was erected to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee in 1897, costing just £80. The spire and weathervane were added later in 1911, but in 1937, the county surveyor suggested it should be removed from the middle of the road to its present site.

Hope to post it out today Cindi, sorry for the delay!

From Cindi Bessent

'Wedding Chapel' by Cindi Bessent

Wendy sent me this gorgeous pen & wash postcard of a wedding chapel on Elkton Main Street.

Apparently Elkton was once known as the wedding capital of the East because of it's short waiting time of just 48 hours. In 1936 Elkton issued 11,791 marriage licenses and chapels lined Main Street. This is the last remining one.

It was such a wonderful bonus to have this snippet of history included with such a lovely painting.

Thank you Cindi.

To Margaret Hunt

Margaret sent me the most beautiful fabric postcard, hand stitched from back to front with tender care. My Dad does all my sewing, so a similar creation in reply was going to be a little difficult!
Then I remembered the quilt I sketched, from imagination, back in October 2007 and realised I could send Margaret my very own 'handstitched' postcard using a pen and a little coloured pencil.
Above is the result. A magical, imagination quilt that can take you anywhere you wish to be with one simple hug.

Enjoy Margaret!

From Margaret Hunt

This beautiful card arrived this morning from Margaret, completely covered in fabric and deep, luscious red!

It is just gorgeous Margaret, thank you so much!

To Lyn Feudner

'Sunset' by Anita Davies

It has taken me a while to create a reply card for Lyn, I had planned to return a landscaped sunset of my own to her but the weather has made it difficult, if not impossible.

Then today, while playing with a new idea in my sketchbooks, I finally came up with a compromise...My interpretation of a sunset in the female form.

I'll post it after the Easter break, hope you like it Lyn!

To Leslie Brasher

'Fresh & Juicy' by Anita Davies

When Leslie's card arrived the first word that popped into my mind was 'FRESH'.
As I caught sight of the fruit bowl, while watching a film with my youngest this weekend, the same thought passed through my mind and immediately knew what my subject would be for her reply. These pears looked so fresh and juicy that I couldn't wait to finish my painting so I could ravish one!

I used gouache in this piece with a flat brush and challenged myself to create a watercolour effect with them, working quickly and with very little preliminary pencil sketch.

I'm pleased with the result, hope you enjoy them Leslie.