Friday 16 June 2017

Ocean's Bane



Is it me, or has the ocean of plastic we use in our daily lives increased exponentially over the last few years?

A regular shop at the supermarket and the scenario when I get home is always the same. Remove the plastic wrapping or container and throw it away. What could I do with it anyway? Even stranger and I am ashamed to say, some of the aforementioned items, before being put into the refrigerator, are then transferred into a box from the plastic box drawer—yes, we all have one!

Above are some examples of plastic wrapping from food stuffs I bought recently. It's hard to find anything in a supermarket without a plastic covering these days. Even a cucumber has a plastic wrapping—can someone tell me what that's all about?

Eventually, the empty packets, yes you guessed it, get thrown away in black plastic bags and buried in dumps for all eternity. Or their contents find their way out into the oceans, to float around like macabre algae, until they end up inside and killing marine life and birds.
Did you know most plastics will take anywhere from 450 to 1000 years to biodegrade? There are even some that won't biodegrade ever
—so, what are we thinking?





Mild attempts to reduce the plastic bag flow are made by some supermarkets, with a money back incentive, to encourage you to reuse the bag on your next visit. Methinks this is merely lip service and a ploy to make you revisit their shop.

As remarkable as I think human achievements are and continue to be, when it comes to destroying the planet we seem to be experts in it and turn a blind eye to its ever increasing plight.

So, from now on, I've decided to change my shopping habits. I'm going to use the little shops and markets more often and go in search of food that isn't wrapped in plastic—who's with me?

You may also be interested to hear, as an artist, and in the light of environmental challenges, I'm currently writing a creative E-Course. Due to appear later in the year or early 2018. In it, the problem is addressed through hands on creativity, along with sources, resources and an informed environmental awareness.

It's an E-Course for adults wishing to take time for themselves creatively as well as meet others of a like mind. Regardless of artistic experience or creative level—so that includes you!

If you'd like to be kept up to date on my E-Course as it progresses, or have always wanted to take part in a creative class, with an environmental flavour, please, sign up for my newsletter to be kept up to date on my progress: here

The newsletter is a digital feast that will arrive in your inbox monthly, it also includes my most current illustrative work.


Thank you for reading!

Thursday 25 May 2017

Jardin d'Amour


The love of Gardening is a seed that once sown never dies - Gertrude Jekyll


Roses journal cover and quote by Gertrude Jekyll: garden designer, artist and writer.

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For more illustrations: Instagram



Sunday 7 May 2017

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Art of Courage


Life takes Courage by Alison Day



© Alison Day 2018



Monday 20 February 2017

People we Meet


Arial: Water nymph, loves to water ski and eat fish finger sandwiches




Mr Hedge: Retired horticulturist, confirmed bachelor and avid chess player




Waaaa! Baby: Just arrived, noisy, needs changing



Isn't it interesting how diverse the people are we meet during our lives? Some we feel we've met before and others may just have arrived, but everyone has an impact. Some enter and exit again almost immediately, as through a revolving door, whilst others, like scenery, linger a while and populate the backdrop of our lives. Eventually, purpose fulfilled all move on to another place.


Friday 27 January 2017

Tuning in



The last few days have been filled with challenges, both personal and work related. On the whole I'm fairly upbeat and tend to muddle through, but today, along with questioning what I really want in life—I hit a metaphorical wall.

The photos were taken in town at the local market in Groningen, Netherlands and based on a card drawn from a series to: Indulge your senses. My card's purpose changed from taste to view, I suspect to lighten my mood, I needed visual food, as opposed to actual food to satisfy my mental appetite.















Monday 23 January 2017

Taking Time

























Photos taken on today's walk to the post office in Groningen, in the Northern Netherlands,  with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. 
With mobile camera in one hand and four large envelopes in the other, filled with recent illustrations, with a destination of a few selected publishers.






Sunday 25 December 2016

Thursday 24 November 2016

Print Social

 



From January 2017, I will offering Printing Workshops for groups of up to 10 people, in the the northern Netherlands.
Printing using a silicone plate, acrylics and with a variety of techniques, resulting in a collage or greeting card.




Tuesday 11 October 2016

Choice Garb



When it comes to creating a character, accessories are key and interestingly enough, sometimes you don't always get to choose what they wear—the character decides!









Sunday 18 September 2016

Food Play



Playing with food whilst waiting for my lunch—no prizes for guessing what I'm making! ;) Tomato and flowers come from my garden.




Saturday 10 September 2016

Whose Shoes



Having designed a cover for a 1920s colouring book, as part of a creative bootcamp, earlier this year, I decided that I'd like to create the contents too.

Since May, I've been designing colouring pages for a graphic story colouring book. In it we follow the life and loves of socialite: Clarissa and Podge (her toy poodle), as well as touching on social occurrences of the time. The pages are influenced by styles and themes from the 1920s, but with a modern twist.

Above is a sample of one of the sketches, which go into designing a colouring page.