colour in poetry

Keats remarkable description of a woman transformed into a snake

'She was a gordian shape of dazzling hue,
Vermilion-spotted, golden, green, and blue;
Striped like a zebra, freckled like a pard,
Eyed like a peacock, and all crimson barr’d;
And full of silver moons, that, as she breathed,
Dissolv’d, or brighter shone, or interwreathed
Their lustres with the gloomier tapestries— '

Keats - Lamia

minding Charlie

Well, this long weekend has been a bit of a fail as far as drawing or writing. We're minding Charlie (my parents'/sister's very young dog). He is part poodle and much too smart to be left unattended for long periods in a non dog-proof house. He seems to think my habit of staring at nothing for long spells and twitching my fingers with little tappy noises is the boringest thing ever (I call it writing a novel). I'm pretty sure drawing will be viewed in much the same way. There's nothing like a dog to help you get your priorities straight (throwing spit-covered tennis ball, now number one). 


Charlie saw some horses close up on our walk yesterday. First time. He did not like them. Not one bit. He was very courageous though and wuffed at them at least three times before running away (innocent surprise of horses, who've meandered up in a friendly way to see us and couldn't understand why we were heading off so soon). I'm sure, given time, he would grow to love them. But I thought we might have given him horse nightmares, considering all the horsey items in the house (and now he can put a terrifying picture to the smell). What an exciting stay he's had!

life drawing

We had a very ambitious model in life drawing. She had trouble holding some of her poses - but you had to admire her determination!

boldini - romantic horse

Giovanni Boldini, more known for his romantic images of women here gives us a romantic image of a horse. It's frothing at the bit to show its romantic spirit can't be long contained!

rollkur petition

the following is a message from Philippe Karl:

'On 9 February 2010, more than 20 experts will attend an FEI meeting in Switzerland to discuss once again whether the so-called hyperflexion (“Rollkur”) is an adequate method of training a horse. In order to support the opponents of this method and offer them further arguments, a petition has been initiated at www.no-rollkur.com. We’d like to invite you to support this action against hyperflexion – time is short!'

horses in paris

horses of st mark

James and I had a beautiful time sketching the horses of St Mark in Venice. They give a remarkable feeling of serenity in person. The real horses are inside the Basilica - we had the joy of listening to the singing below at mass while we drew.

there are horses in Venice!

photo by James Stratford

the horses of Achilles

Then from beneath the yoke the gleam-footed horse answered him, Xanthos, and as he spoke he bowed his head, so that all the mane fell away from the pad and swept the ground by the cross-yoke; the goddess of the white arms, Hera, had put a voice in him:

'We shall still keep you safe for this time, o hard Akhilleus. And yet the day of your death is near, but it is not we who are to blame, but a great god and powerful Destiny. For it was not because we were slow, because we were careless, but it was that high god, the child of lovely-haired Leto, who killed him among the champions and gave the glory to Hektor. But for us, we two could run with the blast of the West Wind (Zephryos) who they say is the lightest of all things; yet still for you there is destiny to be killed in force by a god and a mortal.’

When he had spoken so the Erinyes stopped the voice in him, but deeply disturbed, Akhilleus of the swift feet answered him : `Xanthos, why do you prophesy my death? This is not for you. I myself know well it is destined for me to die here far from my beloved father and mother.'
Homer, Iliad 19. 392 ff :

head study in carbon pencil and brush