I think I'd like to visit the Soekershof cacti garden today. One small problem is that it is in South Africa.
so a virtual visit will have to do! I love this quote from their blog.
“Soekershof is in the first place what a garden, in our view, should be; a place of calmness, relaxation and contemplation. It’s not designated for mass tourism but for people who can enjoy Life in a slow pace”
I'd sit and sketch all day long.
Whilst watching bad TV last night, I sat and sketched on the computer. I often do, just using the mouse as my pencil. Mostly I enjoy making patterns. I often start with one element and usually in one colour. This shape came from looking at so many cacti forms from a new book I bought the other day called Desert Plants at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
I then manipulate the graphic and play with line and repetition, colour, positive and negative space over and over again, until I get an image I am happy with. My two favourites are these.
So I used some of these patterns to create two new free wallpapers for your computer's desktop. 'Hiding in cactus' in a silhouette. I think the black is great on a monitor. But to celebrate the lovely summery days, 'Cactus Fanfare' is a little more bright. Click on the left for the links.
I hope they look better on your monitor then mine. Sadly whilst away, my monitor cracked internally and I now have a strange looking rip on the right side of the screen. It is getting worse, so it looks like I'll be getting a new monitor soon...and probably a new computer too! I'm so annoyed because I have a really good macbook pro that isn't very old, and works just fine.
But on a lighter note...
Announcing the winner of my 'Russian Doll" giveaway...........
The winner is, Christine who has a lovely blog I am pleased to discover. Thank you to all those who left a comment.
my cacti obsession continues. There is so much beauty to these plants. Their structure, shape, texture and colour.
I think when I'm old I'll join a cactus and succulent plant society and sip tea with other grey haired fans!
1. cactus 2. haworthia fasciata 3. seriously linear cacti
I spent the entire day painting.
and it was good.
I picked up a copy of Home Beautiful this morning after my artwork was
spied in a lovely nursery that is featured in a South Australian home.
It is so rewarding to see my own work in someone else's house. On the
back wall are two of my sewn shoes (this is one).
Apart from that, I've been working on some new works from paper dolls,
to birds and a new found theme I am exploring is cacti!
