Hi everybody!
i have been spending a lot of time on my computer these past few days, just trying to stop the glitches and keep it going, and it is sometimes rather frustrating. For now, it is still working, but I will be sharing some 'old stuff' with you for PPF this week, as there was not time to finish anything more. I think I did show some of these paintings, made back in the nineties, but I am not sure if I showed them all or not. Anyway, they are from a series of nudes I made using mainly blue, green and orange, and are painted in gouache.
This is a caricature of me, drawn for me by a friend back in 1990. He drew caricatures and cartoons for newspapers, and I love this 'portrait' he made of me, with my red hair (where did all the colour go?), green eyes and of course, my dear dog Scruffy.
Yesterday I 'met' the sheep on my walk along the Rhine. The herds are 'employed' by the town to keep the grass short and the Meadows and embankments well trodden, which makes them stronger if the Rhine floods. They get a new grazing place staked out each day, and always have plenty of green and juicy grass - they seem to be happy at their work. They were 'working' on a patch directly at the embankment yesterday, so was able to get some photos without wading through the meadows. Some had bells round their necks, although I don't know why.
Time for a drink after eating:
I saw this beautiful decorated Easter tree outside a house in a neighbouring street, so wish you all a happy Easter:
Have a great day, take care, and thanks a lot for coming by!
The paintings are wonderful Valerie and style all your own with the bright colours and bold shape of the figures.
ReplyDeleteLove the caricature of you and Scruffy. I wonder where the hair colour goes as well. Bet yours was wonderful-mine just had shades of red here and there.:(
Terrific photographs and the lambs are further along than the ones here. What agreat idea to have an Easter tree--never seen one of those before.
Thanks for sharing
Love Chrissie x
Wonderful post. Love the bold paintings, and the 'portrait' - just great! Lovely photos, too, I love watching sheep, too, it's very soothing. Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteDeine Bilder sind klasse - besonders die Karikatur ist der Hammer!
ReplyDeleteBei uns sieht man leider wenige Schafe - ich liebe es anzuschauen wenn im Frühjahr die vielen Lämmer herum toben.
Dir auch schöne Ostertag. Liebe Grüße, Dagmar.
tolle Bilder,besonders die karikatur ist richtig klasse.
ReplyDeletedie Schafe sind zu niedlich,ich liebe sie,sie sind so kuschelig und süss :-)
Wünsch dir auch schöne Ostertage :-)
GLG Jeannette
Oh wow, Valerie, never knew you could paint like that, those nudes look amazing!!! Love the caricature too, the touch of the UK flag in the corner is very apt I'm sure!!! Great photos as well again, I always love how people in Germany decorate for Easter! And of course Happy Easter to you too and good luck with your PC!!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are fabulous Valerie, you have such a talent and the facial expressions of yourself and Scruffy really made me smile. I'll tell you where the colour goes - it somehow finds it's way into a little bottle and every so often you just have to pour it back on your head! Lol. Have a nice day. Xx
ReplyDeleteLove your womanly nudes. Nice to see "real" woman curves, not skeletal maidens...Cute caricature....love the armor...sheep, so wondeful to see them grazing so peacefully, most bucolic...xox
ReplyDeletedie Akte sind sooo schön Valerie und Dein witziges Werk ist einfach nur gekonnt und klasse!
ReplyDeleteDiese herrlichen Impressionen mit den Schafen und den Ostereindrücken erfreuen mein Herz heute wieder mal ganz besonders!
Danke!
knuddel
Susi
beautiful painting and the caricature is so much fun!! I have never heard of a city employing sheep to do this job of grounds keeping, that is utterly amazing, I am over joyed to hear this!
ReplyDeleteYou are so multi-talented! The nudes looks great! I spied the very appropriate shield in the caricature right away. Happy, hard-working sheep, and a great idea.
ReplyDeleteThe paintings look so curvy and womanly. Love the caricature and the red hair. Great photos as well.
ReplyDeleteYvonne xx
beautiful nudes, and love your caricature! Pretty colouring you have Valerie! The sheep look happy.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful nudes, and I adore the caricature your friend made of you, how sweet and flattering too. Lovely walk in the meadow today, Happy Easter to you my sweet friend. Big hugs, ~Diane
ReplyDeleteGreat paintings! Love the photo of the lone little sheep - - one of my favorite animals. The cartoon is wonderful - so good you kept it. Take care of yourself and have a happy Easter. hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie, Beautiful paintings and the caricature of you is wonderful. Your friend is very talented.
ReplyDeleteGreat walking pics too. I love that Easter egg bush in the neighborhood. The sheep is a darling.
Wishing you a very Happy Easter!
Hugs
Your paintings are great, I love the bright colors and the blue and orange you used. Thanks so much for all you share with us, such lovely photos filled with Spring, happy Easter to you too! xx
ReplyDeleteBeautiful paintings with gorgeous colors. Some of your nudes remind me of paintings by Matisse.
ReplyDeleteNow that caricature of you doesn't look anything like you - why you are much younger than that and I have NEVER seen you wear a metal bra.
Sweet little lamb - at first I thought it was a heard of goats but then I realized the hair is curly - a goat's hair is straight. But the faces are so much the same. I have heard of black sheep but I have never heard of brown sheep.
I hope you get your computer problems straightened out.
Sandy xx
Don't tell, but I don't have any bras, let alone metal ones! The sheep are sweet, huh? I loved those chocolate coloured ones, too. I am working on my computer!
DeleteI see where you are getting your computer to behave -
DeleteI have never seen a chocolate sheep!
On a daily basis here at home I do not wear a bra - Lord how I hate them!!!!
Great graphic paintings, the first one especially is very dramatic.
ReplyDeleteWhat a super "portrait", did you wear trousers and green glasses like that, and always carry a spear, especially on the underground, you would probably have been allowed to do that in those days. I like Scruffy's blue bow and his fierce look.
Of course I did, it's really a very realistic portrait of me!
Deletegreat caricature Valerie and Spring has certainly sprung. I love that you decorate the trees etc for Easter and I have been to an Easter Fire too...great fun x
ReplyDeleteTFS and Best Wishes for a Happy Easter
Annie x
Loving the bold colours of your paintings Valerie and love the caricature of you, a great keepsake. Thank you for sharing the photos and have a Happy Easter, Annette x
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter, Annette x
http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/
Stunning paintings, Valerie. Your caricature is fabulous.
ReplyDeleteHäve a Happy Easter,
Huhs,
sirkkis
The nudes are great, but I love the caricature, wonderful colours .
ReplyDeleteDas ist ja interessant, einmal ältere Werke von dir zu sehen! Die Akte sind toll! Ich mag die ausdrucksstarken Farben! Besonders das erste Bild ist wunderschön ... toll diese Reduzierung auf das Wesentliche! Die Karikatur von dir sieht sehr gekonnt und klasse aus.
ReplyDeleteSchöne Fotos mit der Schafherde ... und dann noch das schwarze (oder braune) Schaf mitten unter ihnen! Wie schön!
Ich drücke dir die Daumen, dass dein Laptop wieder richtig funktioniert ... und dich nicht mehr ärgert!
Schöne Ostertage für dich, LG, LonettA
I think it's fun looking back at old work. They look great!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are very good, no wonder you looked back. Happy Easter to you too!
ReplyDeleteFabulous paintings from the 90s and that caricature is just priceless...so fun...great post! Happy Easter to you too!!
ReplyDeleteHugs Giggles
Lovely paintings and caricature. Valerie, you live in paradise, my friend.Love to visit your blog and see your pictures.Your world is so different from mine but each has its own beauty and charm.Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteYour paintings are beautiful, Valerie. And I enjoyed the warrior princess "portrait" of you. Happy Easter weekend!
ReplyDeleteOOOhhhh what a very nice post. I love your art work, the photos of the sheep too. One of my favorite animals.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter
Nicole/Beadwright
I like the color world in those nudes, beautiful contrast, very powerful.
ReplyDeleteLambs, so sweet!!!!
Have a sunny Easter!
Its fun to look at old works, your nudes are very good and I love your red hair!. Thanks for sharing your work and all the lovely photos. Happy Easter :)
ReplyDeletewonderful paintings Valerie-and what a fun caricature illustration! I could stay and watch those sheep for hours. Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteSorry you are having computer problems. Many of us have had problems the last couple of weeks. The hackers continue to make our life miserable and old operating systems can be troublesome too. I love the caricatures of you. Reminders of fun times. Also your paintings amaze me as do your beautiful photos. We have a farm nearby that rents out their sheep to keep the weeds down. It certainly is better than chemicals. HAPPY EASTER to you, Valerie.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
C
Yes, the sheep are an environmentally friendly approach to mowing grass.
DeleteGorgeous colours and lines. Your photos are so clear, bright and springy. The grass is just starting to turn green where I live, but the birds are singing cheerfully! I used to have sheep to mow our corral grass. When the lambs were born, I would rush home every day after work to see them. We don't miss how "dumb" the sheep were. They would get themselves into all kinds of pickles and were impossible to help because they are so worried about not being with the flock. Best wishes to you and hope your computer issues get solved promptly!
ReplyDeleteTolle Bilder! Happy PPF - Irma
ReplyDeleteLove your caricature Val, it's hilarious and such a beautiful keep sake. We seem to be on the same brain wave : ) Lovely work on the nudes.
ReplyDeleteThere is something about sheep that give me the warm and fuzzies, beautiful creatures! You live a very beautiful country Val, love Germany!
Hope your computer glitches are soon fixed.
Hugs Annabelle Have a lovely Easter.
Lovely nudes! Gouache has always intimidated me, but you do great work with it!
ReplyDeleteThat caricature is too great!
Lovely paintings, and those sheep photos are beautiful! Happy PPF!
ReplyDeleteLove the first painting, it speaks volumes in its simplicity. The sheep wer fantastic, I loved seeing all those pictures.
ReplyDeleteSuper paintings and great photos. x
ReplyDeleteI love the expressive nudes -- your line an color work are very compelling. Thanks for sharing the delightful caricature. And what a wonderful way to keep grass down -- we have a few goat herds here in Portland, Oregon, that do that sometimes. I wish it was standard -- nice to see the animals rather than the big noisy mowers. Thanks for sharing your great work!
ReplyDeleteTechnological glitches are always frustrating for me. It is good to see your skilled paintings. I like them all though I favor the first. Look at the full belly on the sheep. They look so well fed. I have never seen a Easter decorated tree. Love it! Thank you for the full sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post. I do remember the paintings and still love them. The cartoon is priceless. I would love to have that talent. The Sheep, OMGosh, love them. Blessings, Janet PPF
ReplyDeleteWhat fabulous painting Val, those colours are so vibrant. I love your caracature too, very British lol, though Scruffy doesn't look too happy to be wearing a bow :-). It's nice to see the sheep so happy in their work - there's something soooo relaxing about sheep xx
ReplyDelete