Treasures and Mementos, Doll, Jez Eden

I have a couple of boxes in the cupboard where I have kept  little treasures and mementos, mostly things Carol and Zoë have made or drawn, followed by similar items from the four grand-children.  Not everything, just those special things that mean most.

This is a sketch I made last year and posting because I haven't sketched anything else.  Carol made this tiny doll at school in 1963 when she was four.

AND NOW AN APOLOGY.

I looked forward to this theme because I had suggested it.

But I have decided that at the moment everything

is getting too much, especially as on top of

my yet-unsolved health problems

something serious seems to be happening with my dearest Dev.

Added to all this, Carol died a year ago on 23 June

and we are all finding June very difficult.

Sorry to be so downbeat

but I wanted to explain why, for a while at least,

I shall be 'taking a break' from blogging,

though I hope to keep viewing and commenting.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU, YOUR ARTWORK,

AND YOUR LOVELY COMMENTS HAVE MEANT TO ME AND HELPED ME.

Jez

Music and Musicians, Cher, Jez Eden

My quick sketch of Cher was drawn when we were watching the DVD of 'Tea with Mussolini', one of our favourite films, and I love Cher.

I just thought her hat was so fantastic and ridiculous, and it framed her face beautifully.  When she sat in an open-topped car for moment or two I managed to sketch her.  I promise I didn't stop the DVD.

Music and Musicians, TV sketch, Jez Eden

Paul Tortelier - Jez

I thought I could squeeze in one more Music and Musicians because I remembered a lightning sketch I made directly from a programme on the Television a little while ago.

Music and Musicians, Stevie, Jez Eden

Firstly, I want to apologise for not commenting on all the lovely sketches in the latest posts - just a bad few days, and also even more apologies if I don't get round to commenting in the next week or two.  But I will get back to it as soon as I can, and will try to sketch some 'treasures' for the next theme.

We've only ever been to one Pop Concert.  I think it was in 1984, in the Birmingham NEC Arena.  It was fantastic.  He was an hour late arriving, and long before he came the whole audience were stamping their feet and singing "We want Stevie".  Eventually he slouched in singing "Stevie's been a naughty boy, Stevie's been a naughty boy", then sat down and played and sang all evening.

I had no photos of my own, so when I sketched this almost a week ago I knew I couldn't attempt to draw him, and tried to symbolise him.  (I carefully checked the positions of the black notes, but still managed to get them wrong!).

Music and Musicians, Clarinet, Jez Eden

'Practising' - Jez
Pit Pen and Coloured Pencils

Zoë had recorded herself practising on a cassette tape.  Top marks for ingenuity, but Dev said 'No more lessons'.  She did stick with the Clarinet, and still plays it, and is a member of an amateur Wind Orchestra.

And Dev mastered the Clarinet, and then went on to buy an organ, followed by an electronic organ.  At least he'd had piano lessons as a child ……… until his mum stopped the lessons because he wouldn't practise!

By the way, I identified the cassette tape recorder on the sketch

because Dev wanted to know why music 

seemed to be coming out of a toaster.

Music and Musicians, Butterfly and Another Story, Jez Eden

I know that I must be starting to get better because I was able to sketch a little more 'seriously' than the cartoony drawings I have been doing for the past couple of weeks or so.  This took a long time, but it has made me so happy to put down on paper the image that formed in my mind.  I have forgotten each time to say that I have been using this 4" x 6" sketchbook for these last two themes.

"Madame Butterfly"
Pitt Pens and Brush Pens - Jez

"Madame Butterfly" is our favourite opera, and as well as seeing it a few times we had introduced our two daughters to it, and they loved it.

When Carol was at University she met Martin, the young man she married shortly after graduation.  Martin had never been to an opera, and in 1981 we thought it was a good idea to take him to Butterfly as an introduction.  And, oh boy, unknown to us this was Butterfly with a bit of a difference.

OK, it does have a fairly slow start, and he sat back in his seat politely, but clearly not entranced.  It reached the passionate wedding night scene where Pinkerton is making it clear he can't wait to get to bed.  Butterfly slipped off her gown and wow, she was naked from the waist up.  Martin shot straight up in his seat, his eyes like saucers, as if he was thinking 'So this is opera!!'

Martin said "Yes - and never, never forgotten" when we talked and laughed about it yesterday.  Happy memories.

Music and Musicians, The Trio, Jez Eden

Following on from yesterday's post, Dev went along with both our girls for lessons, and here they are, each with their own accordion.  The teacher, Pauline, was a lovely young girl of 18, the daughter of circus performers, who had left her parents.  She was dainty and slight, but she could play the accordion at the speed of light.

A couple of years later Pauline, the teacher, got married, and Dev and the girls moved on to different instruments.

Derek had made Pauline's gold wedding ring, and matching engagement ring with diamond in - a hobby of his for some years.  We didn't see her for for years and years.  Then one day we visited a National Trust Tudor house, and in one corner of the large hall a woman was playing a harp.  She and Dev looked at each other and said simultaneously "I know you", and we realised it was Pauline.  She held out her hand with the rings on and said "It's our 25th Wedding Anniversary this week".

So, not just a musical memory, but a musical co-incidence. 

Music and Musicians, Piano Accordion, Jez Eden

"We grow them strong where we come from!"
Pitt Pen and Coloured Pencils - Jez

I do think that people who invent musical instruments should give some thought

to those of us who want to draw them - not easy from memory.

Most of my entries for this theme will be from family memories, so I hope that you don't mind.

It's fun remembering some of the music-related things we did in the past.

Music and Musicians, Recorder RIP, Jez Eden

Recorder RIP, Pitt Pen and Coloured Pencils - Jez

Like many children, the recorder was the first instrument both my girls learnt to play at school.

One day, at home,  Zoë picked up her recorder to play

and with her first note a large earwig shot out of the other end.

As a sympathetic mother I consoled her of course, as she reminded me yesterday.

"Well that shows you haven't been practising, and I don't suppose the earwig was very happy either."

That was the last note she ever played on a recorder.

Music and Musicians, Sparky, Jez Eden

Music is so much part of people's lives these days, almost from birth.  When I was a child the songs we sang at school were sea shanties (lived in a naval port), and hymns - that was it and the only radio programme we listened to was children's hour.  (The record player I have drawn previously didn't actually have any records with it!)

Sparky, Pitt Pen and Coloured Pencils - Jez

When I was 12 there was a programme on the radio at lunch times called 'Forces Favourites' where people wrote in with requests for very varied types of music for their loved ones in the army, still stationed in Germany for a few years after the war - and the soldiers requested music for family at home.

One day we heard this marvellous new record of Sparky and his Magic Piano on the programme and it was so popular it was repeated almost every week.  If you do remember it, there were 8 pieces of classical piano music played by the magic piano, and four of them were Chopin pieces.

That was when I fell in love.  I can remember the actual words that went through my mind as I heard the Chopin pieces:  "You mean people can listen to beautiful music like this?"  I had never heard anything like it, and to this day Chopin is still so magical for me and I thank whoever wrote and recorded that record (or probably a series of records) for introducing me to music.

Daily Life, Laugh and Love, Jez Eden

Painted in a few moments on my Ipad - Jez

Do you ever get too old to be silly?  It's not happened to me yet.  And throughout our marriage we have always tried to make each other laugh at least once a day and hopefully more.

This morning poor Dev spent the whole morning up in our small town doing bank jobs, posting mail off to Linda and Carol Ann, and then supermarket shopping - while I spent most of the morning in bed.

He came home shattered, put everything away and then made lunch.  He looked so weary that I brought up my reserves of silliness, pulled my glasses down my nose, crossed my eyes and stuck a whole tomato in my mouth.  When he looked up he burst out laughing, of course.  What could be better.  I think we were both wondering what would have happened if I had accidentally bitten into the tomato.

I hope you all have moments of silliness, no matter how you may be feeling otherwise.   And now I'm off back to bed with my beloved hottie-bottie for my back.

Daily Life, Mrs Mopp, Jez Eden

Perhaps your daily lives are like ours.  Although certain things are standard and repeated every day, we find that each day is different and never turns out as we expected.

Today was no exception, and today was a 'big decision' day.  We had decided that, although we have always fought against the idea, it was time for us to have someone to come in and do the majority of the house cleaning for us.  Today the cleaning firm's owner came to assess the flat (and us, of course) and give us a chance to assess her and what her staff could do for us.  Big decision made, so from next week we hope that life will be easier.  All rooms to be cleaned and tidied EXCEPT the studio.  No-one tidies that or we would never know what we were doing and where everything was.

Here's my sketch to illustrate today's version of our 'Daily Life', with a little doggerel verse to go with it:

Pitt Pen and Coloured Pencils - Jez

MRS MOPP, QUEEN OF THE CLEANING LADIES

I brush, I mop, and then I clean,

Swipe away any dust that can actually be seen.

Stop for a drink, a ciggie and a rest,

I may not be good but I'm doin' me best.

When I've banished all the dust and fluff

I'm all worn out, and I think I've done enough.

Just wash the windows, there's no more time,

Say I'm finished - and they'll think it's fine.

I have to assure you that the firm we are using does NOT employ Mrs Mopp.  Now I will leave you with my usual farewell - feeling tired and rather painful so I'm off back to bed.

Daily Life, Bubbling Ideas, Jez

One of the things that is irritating me most at the moment is the fact that in my daily life my mind is always bubbling away with dozens of ideas, and at the moment I am not able to take them on to the next stage.  Today I was determined to try:

So this was the simple idea that was taking shape in my mind.  The logistics of trying to take it to the next stage were difficult, but Dev went and found me some pre-gelliprinted pages, glue, scissors and coloured pencils, 'cushion-type desk-tray', PPP&P sketchbook …… and anything else I called for.

Not easy, but I managed this, and once again concentration helped with the pain.

The background colour is not quite true, it is really rather nice shades of sea-green/turquoise.  I tore a rectangle of gelliprinted paper with the aid of a ruler (about 4" x 6") and stuck it to the sketchbook page.  Then collaged on the cut pieces for the windmill petals and the leaves, with a little added coloured pencil decoration.  Good enough for the first realisation of the idea, and one day I shall be able to take the idea further.

Very tired now and pain pretty bad, just had latest lot of pills and am going to fall into bed with my lovely hot-water bottle on my back.  I love everything you are doing dear friends, even if I can't comment much.  Thank you for your comments, they keep me going.

Daily Life, Two Blessings, Jez Eden

These two sketches were drawn today (the previous post of the cake was sketched a week ago before the pain started).

Gloria will know who one of my most admired artists is!  And it is Frida who is inspiring me to draw through the pain.  If you don't know her story you should look her up, and if possible see the DVD 'Frida'.

So, we as artists are lucky to have art to help take us into another zone and help mask pain.  I'm so happy to have managed these two sketches of two things in life that are blessings.

Coloured Pencils - Jez

Every morning, as soon as I get out of bed the first thing I always do is look at the sky.  I would not like to live in a country that did not have ever-changing cloud formations.

Today, up at 5.30 and Dev had me sitting in my straight-backed armchair by 6 am ready for first pills of the day.  My sky today was this unusual cloud formation.  One hour later the sky was completely blue.

Having cut the dose of Diazapam I am able to keep awake longer, and managed another quick sketch.

Coloured Pencil - Jez

Last week Dev bought me a huge bunch of carnations.  Being busy putting away the shopping he chopped some of the stems and bunged them in a bucket until he could put them in vases.  Two days later he was still so busy looking after me (and at 81 that's not easy) that they were still there in the kitchen.  I asked for the bucket full of flowers to be brought into the living room as they were and put on the floor where I could see them.  And that is how I have been enjoying them.

Have managed to stay up all morning, but pain and tiredness will send me back to bed as soon as my dear love has brought lunch in.

Thank you all for your good wishes, they mean a lot and help give me determination to get over this.

Daily Life, Surfacing, Jez Eden

Today I made a decision - to grit my teeth and come to the surface.  I have done nothing but sleep deeply for the last few days,  being woken for food and tablets and then zonking back to nothingness.

I hate taking meds at any time, but since the pain-killers are working just enough to make the pain about bearable, I don't want to be knocked out with the other pills.  So I decided to cut those by half and have managed with only one long sleep today.  I'll cope with the pain as long and as well as I can for now.

This and the sketch below were done last Sunday 18th, a week ago before the 'dreaded lurgy' hit me, but I never got around to posting it.  I made one of our favourite loaf cakes that morning, though I change or add something every time I make it and added some apricot pieces this time.

The sketch of the completed cake was not a success, but fortunately it tasted just as gorgeous as always.

Health-wise, I had an X-ray on Friday afternoon.  Problem in this country is that this is Bank Holiday weekend and nothing will start to happen until Tuesday.  Then results have to go to Specialist and my doctor, which - in spite of modern technology - generally takes anything up to a week or 10 days.

All energy used up, so I'll say au revoir and flop back to bed for a bit.

Daily Life, Bedside Table, Jez Eden

Really zonked out most of the time now, but at least the pills control the pain a bit.  Dev came and woke me for lunch and more pills.  Determined not to give in until I really have to I quickly sketched the top shelf of my bedside table.  That's it.  No energy for commenting, so I'm sorry.  Here it is:

That's it.  Back to bed now.   Thank you for your good wishes and I hope all of you are well.

Daily Life, Radio, Jez Eden

Pitt Pens and Inktense Pencils - Jez

I bought a new digital radio for the kitchen a few weeks ago, and am so pleased with it that I later bought another, different one, for the living room.  The reception for Classic FM is not very good on my old radios and I have to say there is a big improvement with the new radio.  I am so pleased with it, and it is proving even more useful than I expected at the moment.

I know old people go on and on about their health issues, but I mention a current problem so that if I am absent from PPP&P from time to time you will know it is not because of choice.

On Sunday evening I suddenly got excruciating pains in my back, which got worse on Monday and Tuesday - couldn't sit, stand, lie or walk.  Managed to get a doctor's appointment 5 pm on Tuesday.  She thinks some bones in my spine have crumbled a bit causing the pain and has given me various pills including Diazapam to try to reduce the pain, which are working a bit.  She even faxed the X-Ray department which she said is unusual to do but wanted and X-ray urgently, so that will be done on Friday.  Anyone in England will know how unusual that is!

So I'm not moaning, doing my best to keep going, other people have worse problems.  The doctor said the pills will Zonk me out (good medical term), but in between I shall hope to sketch at least once a day.  Dev says whenever I talk about PPP&P my eyes light up and I look happier, and will try to keep me going.  But if I'm not here, I shall miss you.   Jez

Daily Life, Inktense, Jez Eden

Inktense Pencils - Jez

TUESDAY

Yesterday we had a joiner in to do a job for us.  Where he needed to work and spread his tools out around him was in the one place in the flat that made it difficult to move from one room to another, and he often wanted to ask questions.  That made it difficult to get 'in the zone' for sketching, and he was moving around too much to draw him.  But he did a good job, so it was worth it.

My solution was to sort out my varied boxes and tins of Inktense pencils, my tin of 24, plus extra colours bought from time to time and some from gifts.  I never knew where to find everything I wanted.  When I had finished I found I had 45 different colours and ten 'doubles'.  As you can see, I mistakenly sketched 12 pen spaces instead of 10, lack of concentration

Inktense are not like the usual watercolour pencils.  When water is added they become ink in vibrant colours, and even if you painted watercolour over them it would not disturb the original ink painting.
The outliner is a graphite pencil that does not react to water.

I would like to give them to artists who have not yet tried these lovely pencils, so if you would like them I would be really happy, rather than see them lie unused and unwanted.  They are artist pencils, and even if children like to draw with them, all artists should at least try them out.

Just say you'd like to have one of the two five-pencil sets in a comment below and we'll sort out a way for me to send them.  Lynn would give you my email address, or vice-versa if you wish.  Please make me happy.  Don't worry about the fact that the postage is a cost  - it's better than the government getting it one day as death duties.

Daily Life, Kindle, Jez Eden

Pitt Pen and Inktense Pencils - Jez

My kindle is one of my best friends, I love it and the ease with which it can be used anywhere.  I have found so many good books and new-to-me authors through it in the last couple of years.  Dev always leaves it to me to find books for him!  Fortunately we have similar tastes in books so, since our Kindles are linked, my choices do for both of us.

This was sketched yesterday morning instead of reading, just after breakfast, with my cup of camomile tea to hand, though it looks more like a fried egg with a handle.  The commercially knitted Belkin bag fits more snugly than I have drawn, and is so much more convenient than the leather case I used at first - and it fits in my handbag more easily.

As for the Collect Prescriptions note, I don't know where we would be without such reminders for everything we have to do.  After-breakfast is a very pleasant peaceful time, broken only when we read out funny or interesting snatches from the book we are reading.

Daily Life, Chess, Jez Eden

SUNDAY

Every day we play chess at breakfast, lunch and evening meal.  We are not expert players, more sort of average to poor.  We definitely try to win, but also love each other so we often say things like 'Are you sure you want to do that?' or 'Perhaps you'd like to re-think that move'.

It's a game after all, not war  We like to enjoy the game and it often causes laughter, even when one of us has lost.  And, of course, we have time to chat generally as we play.

Drawing this was a lot more difficult than playing a game of chess.