Slow Down and Look

I am a full-time artist working at home in Stonehaven, N.E. Scotland: selling work as a painter, writer and maker both online and through local exhibitions.

I am trained but prefer to remain UNTAMED, Unframed, Unconstrained and Unconventional. Here you will see art in progress: you can buy my finished paintings etc through the gallery link on the right ~ Bern Ross

Thursday, 30 June 2011

One Leg of Jeans

A couple of years ago I received a request from a writer in Aberdeen who'd discovered a new mode of transport, especially good for whizzing around on the Beach Boulevard. Trouble was - he needed to carry it through the busy town! So he asked me to make him a shoulder bag especially taylored to hold his mini-scooter.


My client brought with him an old pair of jeans and  - yes - I only needed to use one leg. I designed it, sewed in the zip and the D-rings but he supplied the strap.

Never give up on an old pair of jeans!

Monday, 27 June 2011

Busy, busy, busy

Here are a few photos of projects I've worked on recently, excluding all the textile thingies I'm doing which you'll see at a later date.

This sculpture is entitled 'Daffodil' and I've wanted to complete it for about 40 years! I just never had the time or where-with-all to do it.
Really it needs to be on a plinth at shoulder height; but at last I've created it and that's what matters.
Daffodil is made from wood and wool.

I promised myself I would do some painting en plein air and this subject especially leant itself. Painting outside did me a lot of good and certainly loosened me up so that this picture began to work when I'd originally  thought it was going to be a disaster.

When I brought it indoors for some finishing touches I felt more free to paint what I wanted on it!



You can probably see (from my surroundings en plein air) why I have a penchant for messy organic-looking paintings.


In contrast, however, the clean stark lines of the sea, the crisp air and clear light we have here in N.E. Scotland all make me want to paint pictures that convey the purity of it all too.

Seeing this 'Harbour Lights 2' on thumbnail helps me realise the red harbour light needs to be bigger. Work in progress - ah... there's always work waiting to be done! Always, always.

Thanks for reading!




Friday, 24 June 2011

Urgency to paint instead of blog

Forward, in the general
direction of joy.
Sunshine brings on a painting.

Haiku inspired by Muffinmoon

Thanks Jules. Gotta dash, while I've got time! 

Tuesday, 14 June 2011

Sewing and Painting

I am filled with joy today because I have moved my sewing stuff out of my studio into a new small room, making space to paint without worrying about splashing!
Although talking of splashing ... this picture is going to be called something like 'In the Wake of the Good Ship Lollipop'.
.... And here is my new sewing room - tiny but very light and cosy and warm!


It's very tidy at the moment because I've only just started using it!


Saturday, 4 June 2011

Popular Bags...

I'm pleased to say that the three bags I contributed to Izzy's craft fair, in support of her challenge for independence despite Type 1 diabetes, were very popular and sold straight away! She has a few more hundred pounds to raise before she can go off to the third world countries to do her volunteering but things are looking up and so am I.

Here's the type of thing I gave her.


These bags are VERY roomy, hardwearing, washable, with lots of pockets and each one is unique. They last for ages too.