Sitting Pretty by Alison Day
Autumn has arrived—green leaves turn to red, yellow and brown as they wither and conkers fall to the ground—
#PaintingSeptember #Paintseptember
Showing posts with label red. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red. Show all posts
Friday, 26 September 2014
Monday, 22 September 2014
Friday, 8 August 2014
Pastel Landscape
Landscape by Alison Day
Day 4. Prompt 4: Landscape - #spoonchallenge via @spoonflower #illustration #alisondaydesign
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Cretan Magic
Sitting in a lovely little restaurant, in the old town of Rethymnon, under the hanging strands of flowering bougainvillea, its blooms in variegated and intense pinks.
Our waiter arrives. With our meal I order a glass of white wine—the local krasí—the waiter bobs a pony-tailed head and disappears into the restaurant. When the Cressi arrives, instead of a glass of white, it's an enormous glass of red.
'I didn't order red,' I say politely, 'I want white.'
From behind a bohemian moustache, he regards me with mild suspicion, as though I must be mistaken and then says bruesquely:
'I will change it.'
He returns a couple of minutes later with the desired glass of white Cressi - an equally enormous glass - generously filled. Depositing it demonstratively and without slowing his stride - to take the order from the next table—he places it on the table in front of me and says quite seriously:
'There—I painted it!'
Monday, 31 March 2014
Roman Racer
Recently, whilst browsing the over-priced trinkets in the Ferrari shop in Rome, I came across this little red number!
Although I'm not a great fan of a 'sport' which I consider to be a waste of our diminishing planetary resources and an event which sounds little more than a swarm of angry bees... it was a rather splendid looking machine.
Posted with BlogsySaturday, 16 June 2012
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Invisible Body
Recent artwork of Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes’ has her disappearing into the backgrounds of her artwork like a chameleon to his habitat - not through magic but with paint. Via Design Taxi
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Spam-A- Lot
Whether you accept it, ignore it, or turn the other cheek, everyone at one time or other has been on the receiving end of Spam.
It is with this in mind, that I wanted to share a rather original spam action. Outside the train station in Groningen, I came across, amongst the zillions of bicycles stalled in racks, a large proportion of them sporting a bright, red, plastic seat cover. On closer inspection, they turned out to be an advertisement for a sports school, with the aim of bringing in more clientele. A visually bright and slightly more original way of trying to interest a broad cross section of the city's inhabitants in becoming clientele. Also, unlike most spam, it is inoffensive, the seat covers are useful, and free.
So, I vote this a great little idea , which not only enhances your business visibility, but also brightens up the greyness of concrete city life, in the bleak winter months. What do you think?
Monday, 26 December 2011
Gingerbread from Hell
Looking for presents that will fit
into Santa's Christmas stocking, for Christmas Eve, can sometimes be a trial.
They must be not only be inexpensive, but of course the aim is to fill up as
much space as possible in the stocking, thereby reducing the remaining xmas
shopping trips necessary. The other ulterior motive here is that originality of
ideas aren't too taxing for the brain, as that stress level has already been
achieved, by the all important main present,
waiting beautifully wrapped under the Christmas tree.
Although my son is actually no longer a 'believer' in Santa, he
is still young enough, where, if he pulls the baby-eyed 'pleazzzz, can I have a
stocking?' I will still oblige (In a couple more years, I'll be able to
extricate myself from that obligation totally).
With this in mind, I was delighted by one stocking present I
came across, which happened to be a DIY Gingerbread House Kit, complete with,
yes you guessed it, gingerbread, icing and little kitsch and brightly-coloured
icing-sugar decorations, in the forms of a gingerbread man, a gift, a Christmas
tree, a festive wreath and coloured dots. Assembly seemed fairly straight
forward, 'Fun to Make' was emblazoned on the front, and the end result looked picturesque.
Christmas morning duly arrived as is its wont, and
the stocking was enthusiastically unpacked, wrapping paper tossed
aside on the floor, treasures revealed. Of course once opened the DIY
gingerbread house was top of the agenda, and, had to be made. What could I
say...'sure, go for it, don't expect me to join in, and let me finish my tea in
peace, please... '
In the first instance everything went
fine, the pieces of gingerbread and coloured sugar icing deco's were taken out
of their packaging and laid out carefully, in anticipation.
The minuscule text of the instructions on the back of the box was read, and the images viewed, whilst the packet of icing (for the glue and snow decor)
was softened in a bowl of hot water.
Simple procedure - no chance - the
aforementioned icing softened but instantly solidified again before ever reaching the
gingerbread pieces! This meant my tea and I parted company, as I was roped into
holding various walls and roof bits, whilst the sugary 'glue' supposedly set.
No joy. So, we decided to make our own (from icing sugar and water, what
else?). This was certainly a more appetizing mixture to look at, but would it stick... Hell
No! Was I covered in icing by the end? Yup.
As if the above trials and
tribulations weren't enough, downside no. 2 was taste. If asked to rate this
culinary ruin as to its edibility, I can say without a doubt that is the most disgusting 'gingerbread' I have ever tasted! Not only was it
rock hard but scented with what can only be described
as lavender toilet freshener. The icing sugar deco's were
the same too, equally inedible and tooth-breakers.
As a result, the demolition team was
called for, and, amid peals of laughter, the walls were well and truly
brought down, and the ruins relegated to the bin!
So, be warned, not every gingerbread house is going to end
up looking like the picture on the box it came in, and, as for
tasty, unless, you are a witch, or named Hansel or Gretel, there's no
guarantee there either!
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Strawberry Snowballs
For a seasonal looking snack, dip strawberries in yoghurt and freeze
- et voila! A simple but yummy snack.
From Cool Hunter
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Own the Present
The Present from - m ss ng p eces more on @FastCodeDesign
Want to learn more about The Present? Join their mailing list: waitingforthepresent@mssngpeces.com.
Friday, 8 April 2011
The River Thames
The River Thames - A central vein running through the complex nervous system of a city. A life force meandering and connecting every facet of city life. Londoners and visitors alike, all must cross the River Thames in persuit of life, business, leisure.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Women of Clay - Hilda van Pop
Flying through the streets on my Vespa, destination
Paddepoel, for my next artist interview in Northwest Groningen. I arrive
outside an ex-office building from the 1970’s, which whilst waiting for new
tenants and in the care of anti-squat company named AdHoc, it is
filled with a number of small businesses. Number eight on the eighth floor are
my directions, as I gingerly step into a rather antiquated and scary looking
lift, which reluctantly shudders and shakes me up to the eighth floor.
Each level of the building is built around a central
lift house, the rooms of which are large and spacious. Hilde van Popta,
favourite colour pink, greets me; she loves bright colours, and has a smile to
match. She shows me around the different rooms: one where she conducts regular
workshops, (filled with partially finished female figures on tables and
ledges), another that exhibits examples of her finished works, followed by a
large room, which is the photographic studio of her sister, (a photographer and
visagist). The rooms are filled with images and trinkets, masks, beads, clothes
and scarves; a feast for the eyes, but what makes me smile is a bright pink,
feather-covered Barbie-esque 1960’s telephone, pontifically placed on what must
have been the reception desk in days gone by, and, it actually works!
Over a cup of coffee, I find out that Hilde is a
trained nurse and presently still works in the health sector (in an
administrative capacity). With no formal art training she dabbled in acrylic
painting as a hobby, but it was a six month clay-modeling course that became
the turning point, and her women in clay figures emerged. Her figures then
developed further as although she found them interesting in shape they lacked
something. Out came the acrylic paints, and she proceeded to paint them in
bright colours to “pimp up the images” as well as decorating them with fabrics
and other miscellaneous objects.
I ask her about her colour use, to which she says
that she loves bright colours; the colours pink, red, black and white feature
regularly in her work. Also, she uses acrylics because one knows what the
outcome will be, unlike glazes, which are generally a surprise until they leave
the kiln. However, she would be interested in experimenting with the latter in
the future, as she believes that it is important to continue to develop oneself
as an artist.
Subject-wise she chooses women, due to the fact that
women in their diversity are a great source of inspiration, and also her
clientele often recognize themselves in her work. There is no deep and
meaningful message behind her figures, with a lot of them coming into existence
quite intuitively, often making her laugh.
When asked if
finance was no object, whether there is an artistic project she would like to
realize in the future. Quick as a flash she tells me of an old empty factory
she drives past every day, by the side of the motorway. She would like to buy
something similar, do it up, and convert it into an enormous artists’ market.
With her as the owner, it would be a hive of artistic creation: with artists at
work, little individual shops, workshops and music would pervade the air.
If
you would like to become the proud owner of one of Hilde’s ‘Women of Clay,’ why
not take this opportunity and use the 10% discount voucher on this page? The
offer runs from 01 January 2011–30 June 2011.
Alternatively,
if you would like to take part in one of Hilde’s workshops you can contact her via:
hilde@vrouwenvanklei.nl / 06-21955117
To view her work: Vrouwen van
Klei
First published in the Connections magazine #30 Winter 2011
Read & download issue here
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Valentine's Illustrations
Here are a couple more of my illustrations that were recently featured in an article entitled: 'Valentines Oh Valentines...' by Hannah Bullivant.
© Alison Day
Alison Day Design
Alison Day Design
Published: February 2011 in Amelia's Magazine
Saturday, 13 November 2010
What's Hot, What's Not - Rainbows
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high.
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
Rainbows are an occurrence of optical beauty and a
meteorological masterpiece, caused when the sun shines on droplets of moisture
in the atmosphere. It is no wonder then, that this natural colourful phenomenon
creates pleasant and positive mental associations in all who view them.
Aside from the natural world, it was the English
physicist, Sir Isaac Newton, who developed the theory of colour, when he found
out that if white light was shone through a prism, its refraction produced the
colours of a rainbow, particularly those of the colour spectrum visible to the
human eye. Clever chap for sure and that discovery was but one string in his
masterful bow.
As far as mythology is concerned, the world over,
the rainbow is seen as connecting heaven and earth and in the Dreamtime of
Australian Aboriginal mythology, the rainbow snake is the deity who governs
water.
In the film of The Wizard of Oz (based on the tale
written in 1900 by L. Frank Baum), the rainbow becomes a central theme when
Judy Garland sings the unforgettable song ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’, during
which we are led along a road of fantasy and colour as the characters each
search for their heart’s desire and ultimately their destiny, ending at the
Wizard's castle.
Finally, if you look around you, these days rainbows
can be found on a multitude of things. Rainbow flags for example, have been
around for quite a while. Many cultures around the world use a rainbow flag as:
‘a sign of diversity, inclusiveness and of hope and of yearning.’ Rainbow flags
of past and present include South American (Inca origins), Buddhist,
Co-Operative and Peace movements as well as Gay Pride. In the case of the Gay community
(LGBT), it is also known as the ‘Freedom Flag.’ Established as a symbol by
artist Gilbert Baker in San Francisco in 1978, the different colours symbolize
the diversity present in the Gay community itself.
Source: Wikipedia
First published in
the Connections magazine #29 Autumn
2010
View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
The Language of Flowers
The language
and the giving of flowers (known as florigraphy) can be said to have started as
far back as the 1700's by the Persians, as discovered by Charles II of Sweden,
who then introduced the practice to Europe. But it was the Victorians (during
the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901), who developed this into a whole
new language and their practices are best known today, because much of it has
been well documented in books and journals of the time.
In their
very protocol dominated society, the Victorians often replaced words with
symbols and gestures, and flowers became an integral part of being able to
express one’s thoughts and feelings to loved ones. The species, colours, number
and grouping of the flowers were of great importance and as there weren’t as
many flower species as there are today, each flower had a specific meaning. A
particular favourite was the red rose, symbolizing passion and love, and
meaning “Be mine’, whereas primroses stated, “I can’t live without you,” purple
hyacinths, “Please forgive me,” and pink carnations, “I’ll never forget you.”
For roses
there is a particular coding, but this can also be applied to other flowers as
well. Red roses mean romantic love, purple signify that the giver had
fallen in love with the recipient at first sight, coral and orange means
desire, yellow is joy and friendship, pink roses express gratitude and appreciation,
light pink roses show feelings of admiration and sympathy, peach can either
signify either sympathy or gratitude and white roses show reverence and
humility.
The
messaging didn't shop there, how the flowers were worn or presented was also
highly charged with meaning. If the flowers were presented upright it was
positive, upside down and you were less fortunate. Also, how a ribbon was tied
around the flowers was of importance; it referred to the giver if tied to the
left and the recipient if tied to the right. A question could be answered
depending on which hand the bearer had presented the flowers with. If it was
the right hand the answer was "yes" and the left hand "no".
Should you have the misfortune to receive a bunch of dead flowers, then not only
did you now have nothing for your vase, your love had been totally rejected.
In order to
attract positive chi in Feng Shui, flowers and their placement within the home
play an important part. Dried flowers should be avoided at all costs as they do
not ensure a good energy flow. Sunflowers bring stability and endurance,
cyclamen bring passion and romance, the spider plant encouraged calmness,
whereas African violets attract fame, or recognition. For calm regions of the
house such as bedrooms, pinks are best for harmony, for busy areas,
balance-inducing lilies and orchids are suggested.
These days,
giving a bunch of flowers is more about the sentiment behind the gift than its
actual meaning. We seem to have all but lost (with a couple of exceptions) the Victorians’
language of flowers. So go on, next time you give a bouquet, really say it with
flowers.
Sources:
Blooms for Flowers
Blooms for Flowers
View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)
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