Rachel Lévy

(all images Rachel Lévy, her work is on show at Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, 17 Walton Street, London. SW3 2HX)

Today while browsing last weeks Sunday Times, (I know it's Friday, but sometimes life is a little topsy turvy.) I found these beautiful photographs of decaying flowers by Rachel Lévy, and I thought you might like to see them too. 

 I love flowers that are past their best, they look like fragile sculptures, especially tulips, all twisted and contorted, like they have been caught in a dance. I suppose they provoke a memory I don't want to let go of, so they sit on my mantle until the last petal falls.

So when I saw Rachel's photographs it touched a cord within. I like the faded fragility mixed with the steeped saturated colour. 

Rachel has captured a beautiful dance on cotton paper, creating a still life that will last forever.  

A dream's a dream

A small part of what I am working on at the moment.

A dream's a dream.

Largely influenced by a book on ornithology I got for Christmas.

It has some wonderful specimens.

Fancy pants birds with large plumes....which gives me an idea for another painting.

A little pink for Monday morning.

Another open house studio in June for me, and you, should you choose to join me.

I am painting smaller pieces and once again following nature.

I still have other ideas, to put down on canvas.

So there will be lots to choose from,

should you want a piece.

I went to see Blue Valentine yesterday.

Still thinking about it, like a good book it stays with you for a long while.

Can't get the last scene out of my mind.

The love, the pain. 

Heart wrenching.

Treasures and secrets.

via prettylittleacorns- such a beautiful tumblr, sometimes I feel I have left my heart there.

via prettylittleacorns

via chestchest

via yama-bato

Yes I am addicted to tumblr

I can't stay away

it pulls me back.

Imagine the clouds

via lullilooblog

quizz via cafeliving

My tumblr

Simply too beautiful

Somethings are simply too beautiful to keep to yourself.

Stunning pieces from Lyndie Dourthe.

James Welling: Flowers.

Aren't these photos amazing?

 James Welling is the creator of such magnificent pieces. 

He exposes blooms onto 10 x8 film in the darkroom, he then processes the negatives.  Then using different colour gels behind the negative, he prints in colour onto a chromogenic paper called Kodak Endura Metallic.

I hope one day these come to London. I would love to see the colours first hand. 

The blurring and blending is dream like.

These came from his book; James Welling Flowers.

PS The January post from The Anthropologist is wonderfully written, with photos that make you feel you are part of the picture. Shawn Davis is a chemistry teacher and has a passion for fly fishing, and most of all enjoys the process of making his fly. 

This makes me want to gather some feathers and have a go, altho it looks fairly challenging. My husband went fly fishing for the first time recently and came back with nothing for supper. 

Challenging is one word, hungry is another.

Check it here. 

Snow drops

Here is my first painting of the year.  

Made me smile  

putting my brush upon the canvas

there is no feeling like it.

Snow

Mixed metal leaf

acrylic

on canvas.

60cm x 60cm

A favourite Book.

Snow

Yuko Akita comes of age and has to decide if he is to become a warrior or a monk. 

He chooses to become a poet.

He has a love for snow and this is his enchanting journey. 

This is the first page;

Yuko Akita had two passions.

Haiku.

And snow.

A haiku is a Japanese poem. It has three lines. And only seven syllables. No more no less.

Snow is a poem. A poem that falls from the clouds in delicate white flakes.

A poem that comes from the sky.

It has a name.  name of dazzling whiteness.

Snow.

Writing that is clean and crisp, just like snow.

If I could give each and every one of you a copy of this book, I would.

It reads like a long poem, less than 100 pages long, it is easy to catch in one sitting.

And it is magical.

Have you read anything worth sharing recently?

Elle Decoration UK highlights.

Jelte Janmaat/House of pictures.

Elle Decoration this month has inspiration tucked into it's pockets.

I am looking at ways to re decorate some of our rooms in the Spring. 

Dillon might enjoy a sprig with some birds, singing to him above his bed.

Home of Sara and Louis Capelli. Photography Julia Mincarelli/Sisters Agency

Calm grey mixed with a little floral. 

Colour palette of the books and the gorgeous built in book cases. (actually wallpaper).

I am thinking our bedroom, might just welcome these colours.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer/Sisters Agency

The colour palette is doing it for me again, it is the splash of pink.

Birgitta Wolfgang Drejer/Sisters Agency

Ditto.

Chris Tubbs

Curious details, with vibrant red and turquoise hues.

Chris Tubbs

A place I would like to experience.

The V&A Reading Rooms.

I think a jaunt round the museum, followed a stop here for a bit of bookshop inspiration and a glass of wine sounds wonderful.

Just wonderful.

And may it be a good one.

May 2011 bring you some wings, 

a sprinkling of bravery,

and a chance to use them.

Go on...you can!

x

 (please come back and tell me)