This series follows on from others depicting the same locale/wildlife, but created in different media (oil on birch, and watercolor or pencil crayon on paper). Photos capture a moment. The "happy art”/mixed media illustrations, as shared here, go beyond. They breathe life and add meaning for audiences of all ages. Art therapist, as well as artist, I develop “snapshots” that promote places, people, and possibilities. Each is thoughtfully crafted and engaging, whether viewed individually or all together. 20 images have been completed, but there are more to be added to the series
My tendency is to paint first, add names second, and suggest or invite stories third. Names for pieces in Celebrating the Round Pond, Kensington Gardens are: (1) The Bench; (2) Victoria; (3) Oasis and Tower; (4) Fly-In; (5) Waiting and Watching; (6) A Mother Goose; (7) Camouflaged; (8) Parenting; (9) Listening and Learning; (10) Look Out; (11) Wakey Wakey; (12) Younger and Older; (13) Light and Time; (14) Love and Heart; (15) The Perfect Loo; (16) Full Sail; (17) Independence; (18) Sticking her Neck Out; (19) Senior Savvy; 20) Solo.
All images celebrate the Round Pond, but they are also work well as stand-alone series
• Images 1 - 4: “Palace-Side Oasis”
• Images 5 - 11: “Kensington Chicks”
• Images 12 - 20: f“Swan-Spotting”
All artwork is original and has been scanned true to size (5 x 7 in) in high resolution files. This makes it easily applicable to a variety of surfaces and products.
Captions have been included, and these show potential for story and message. These can be changed or omitted completely.
Palace-Side Oasis
1. The Bench: Arrive early, barely another being in sight. Sit back, and enjoy the view.
2. Victoria: Watch seasons change, just as Queen Victoria did—and does. Once leaves have fallen, the view will be different, as well as what we notice.
3. Oasis and Tower: Enjoy an oasis where wildlife and walks come first, Post Office Tower and city life distant, hidden behind trees.
4. Fly In: Notice regular visitors fly in. Suzy and Sammy are two big royal swans, who like to land as close to Kensington Palace as possible.
Kensington Chicks
5. Waiting and Watching: Learn from Egyptian Geese, Gerald and Gabriella. They are a great team, always looking out for each other and their little ones.
6. A Mother Goose: See the nurturing ways of a Mother Goose. Mandy, with feathers fluffed, keeps her newborns warm, even on the coldest of days.
7. Camouflaged: Look carefully: an Egyptian gosling who is well-camouflaged can stay safe. Well done little Georgie! You would be hard to find in the long grass…
8. Parenting: Know that little ones are safe if they;take swimming lessons early and stay close to adults who care. Egyptian geese parents, Jenny and Jack, lead the way.
9. Listening and Learning: Listening to those who know better never hurts. All lined up, these Egyption goslings get ready to hear what Mum, Juliette, has to say, Dad, Jim, on look-out.
10. Look-Out: Checking who is around is important. When little ones are new to the world, best to make sure that those who come close are friendly.
Swan-Spotting
11. Wakey Wakey!: Waking up is easier for some than others. “Morning people” get moving right away. Others prefer to stay in bed like swans with heads still tucked in.
12. Younger and Older: Hanging out with adults is a good idea. This cygnet, Chris, realizes he has a lot to learn and is happy for the extra attention they are giving him.
13. Light and Time: Observing how swans like Stephanie and Salam look from day to day depends on light and time. As the sun rises, water and feathers glow and appear magical.
14. Love and Heart: Finding love—and heart—is special. Swans don’t break up. They partner for life . Watch Sandra and Sid coming together in the pink light of dusk Romantic!
15. The Perfect Loo: Eating is essential, but what goes in most come out. Pond side swans seem to have found the perfect loo Watch where you walk!
16. Full Sail: Swimming full sail, Samantha the cygnet looks very relaxed. Maybe her confidence comes from being alongside Dad, Stephen ,who seems to know where they are going.
17. Independence: Taking alone time and establishing independence builds confidence, as this Cygnet shows. Look at the sunlight haloing him.
18. Sticking her Neck Out: Sticking your neck out is sometimes necessary. If this swan doesn’t grab the bread, podgy pigeons, Paul and Petal, will.
19. Senior Savvy: Notice a senior ready to dive in. At any age and stage, with big feet or little ones, staying active matters.
20. Solo: Think heart and hope! Even on a very dark day, light falls on solo swan, Seth. He knows the importance of staying positive.