Birds in autumn

Hi Everybody!

We had some nice autumn weather today - cold and windy,

but sunny, and it was fun watching the clouds race across the skies.

For Art Journal Journey, Indian Summer, I made a hybrid/mixed media piece.

I used a collaged background, which I overlayed with a filter to give some interest, and then a cut out photo of a crow on a branch.  The other animals and pumpkin were added digitally. The beautiful quote is from the book of Proverbs.

It was fun reading the comments on the photos I showed yesterday, especially about that tall  piece of art in the penultimate photo. My visitors made some good suggestions for using it - as a coat rack, a climbing pillar, a phallic symbol, a bird perch to hang bird food on and a cat climbing post!

Today I am taking you on the next stage of my walk, to the old County Parliament building and the park around it. The politicians have a new domicile at the Rhine and this lovely house now houses the K21 - the museum of art from the 21st century.

The lake around it was also part of the fortifications which protected the town in the old days, and is called the 'Schwanenspiegel' - the swans' mirror. I saw lots of geese and cormorants and ducks, but no swans this time:

I'm glad I don't have to work on the roof, although there is surely a great view:

I will show the rest of the photos in my next post, but I do have some 

great shots of the heron in the stream  that I took this afternoon:

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Time to Fly South

Hi Everybody!

It's nearly weekend - enjoy!

For Art Journal Journey, Indian summer, and for Moo Mania and More, drips and splatters, I have a double mixed media page in my second 'new' journal, which is now nearly finished. The background was brayered with left over paint, and then sprayed and dripped. The images were stamped, and are from Lost Coast Designs and Artemio. I gave them some colour with water colour paint. The birds are from a Dina Wakely stencil. I am also linking to Paint Party Friday:

Last week I went on the tram again into the centre of Düsseldorf - not a place I really love - but I wanted to see how things are looking these days. The bridge here spans a stream which used to be part of the fortifications of the town in the old days. Now it flows through the middle of Königsallee, one of the most exclusive and ridiculously expensive streets in Germany. For anybody who has money to burn, this is the place to do it in style! But I do like the view along the water and the lovely statues:

The shops all have security inside and out so that the wealthy feel safe while spending their money there:

There are lots of restaurants where you can sit and enjoy your coffee at twice the price it costs anywhere else:

But I do like the lanterns, and the street has a lot of flair from the trees and the water:

The shops are mostly along one side, the other, quieter  side is filled with banks, lawyers, insurances etc. I was recently asked if we had any big buildings here in the town - this is one:

I like the lion:

And the girl playing ball, from the beginning of the 20th century, is really beautiful:

Is this art? or a giant thing to hang coats on? Any suggestions?

But I do like how old and new has been combined here:

I will show the rest of the photos from my tour in the coming days!

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

From the middle ages to modern times

Hi everybody!

We are still enjoying sunny days here, although it is much

cooler and really feels like Autumn.

For Art Journal Journey, Indian Summer, and for Paint Party Friday,

hosted by Eva and Kristin, I have a mixed media-hybrid piece. The background was painted, stamped  and sprinkled with brushos. The head was cut from water-coloured, brusho-ed and dripped paper. I put them together digitally, adding some more digital elements and photos. I am also linking to Moo Mania and More drips and splatters.

The photos are from my recent trip to Neuss. This is the 'Obertor', the second of the  town gates from the middle ages. On the right hand side there is a bridge across the road, connecting the tower with the Clemens-Sels-Museum on the other side.

Inside the museum there are collections from the stone age, the middle ages, the Romans, and a good selection of modern art, among other things - here I am showing just a few of my faves:

From the second floor of the museum you can cross to the tower, using the bridge. I took the photo from there, through the window, hence the reflections:

Then you go up and up the spiral staircase:

There is a great view of the old water tower:

And you can look down onto the tram lines of the modern town - it was fun to be standing in the middle ages and looking out:

There are still more photos, but I will keep them for another time.

Have  great day, take care, 

and thanks a lot for coming by!