The Mistress of Cobwebs WIP

Hello ❤
I haven't blogged in the past week (oops!) down to a multitude of things including being ill and rather tired, lots of work and a dance choreo (with fire!) to create and perform. As well as Anti Badger Cull protests to attend...

So as I was over doing things just a tad, I stopped this for a few days. Anyhoo. Am back:) and have been spending today preparing for my art stall at the Avalon Faery Ball and Fayre this weekend. Yay!

My lil mermaid treasure trove is pretty much done... she just needs another coat of varnish. So I'm now doing a bigger box- perfect for tarot or jewellery, aptly Halloween-y named the Mistress of Cobwebs (not Cobweb my Cat-may I add!)
So here is a little work in progress picture or 2 of my new treasure box...
I hope you like so far :)
Much to do before the weekend and many tales to tell.
But for now- sleepy times!❤

Pet Pawtraits

Evening :) Today doesn't really bring a sketch. It brings a completed commission of a wonderful Kitty who unfortunately passed away earlier this year. I'm delighted to say that Hobbs's guardians Darren and Carol, are really pleased with her paw-trait, and feel that I have 'captured' something of Hobbs's spirit. This makes me feel over the moon; it's a beautiful honour, as an animal lover to capture something of the essence of a pet or wild animal.

So here is Hobbs's Paw-trait, please note that the colours in the photo are a bit darker than the actual painting. The painting is 10X8" acrylic on canvas.

Hobbs xxx Copyright Laura Daligan

Just to compare I've put the photo of Hobbs and the painting together...

This reminded me of another animal paw-trait I did last December of our beloved family Dog Benny, who also unfortunately passed away in February this year. He was, and is very loved, and I know my Mum is so pleased to have this pawtrait on her wall - she often feels he is looking over her shoulder - quite disapprovingly, as he would have done in life :).

Benny XXX

Benny  -  copyright Laura Daligan

The painting is 10X8" acrylic on canvas.

And also below a comparison...

I look forwards to doing many more pet pawtraits to make their guardians happy! :)

Night! xx

Spaced Out Tuesdays...

Hello gang  -  Hope your Tuesday has treated you well... I may have mentioned yesterday, but I've not been feeling too well, so it's all a bit slow here in Camp Daligan. Well I say slow, there are a billion and one things to do, and I'm muffling my way through them between epic sleeps...

But despite my uber slow day, I have been fairly busy with the paintbrush! I have (as long as the owners are happy) finished the lovely Kitty pawtrait I've been doing, which I'll post here as soon as they have seen it and are happy.

I've also done some more work on my (here goes) Mini Moon Mermaid Treasure Chest (say that five times after a wine!) - not quite finished yet, but I''ll post some pics up here. It's my first time painitng a little box, or a box at all for that matter and I am having some fun with this, with added shells and other treasures. As mentioned this box is around  6 to 8 cms- so it's very cute!

Hope you like! Will finish this lil treasure and keep you posted.

And here is to something rather spacey... I was listening to the NASA Planet sound recordings (if you haven't listened to them  -  please do - they blew my mind!)

And here is my very rough meditative response to Neptune.

Neptune -  Ascend -  Embrace - Explore the Beyond

Sweet dreams x

Monday Sketch Posted on Tuesday...

Here be Monday's sketch... I haven't actually been feeling too well and have been absolutely exhausted, so that although I was happy to sketch last night, I was not ready to turn my computer on!

So the following sketch ... I don't want to say too much about -  perhaps pictures say oodles more than words at times. I'd also like to know what you see when you look into her eyes --- if you'd like to, it might not be the easiest of experiences.

Love xx

Sunday Sunday...

Evening all- just a quick update in Coll-Hazel painting and a random little sketch. ❤

Saturday's Forget...

Well I didn't exactly forget yesterday... I was working ones's butt off, and also not feeling too well. Ah excuses. Anyhow this sketch was started yesterday and completed today...❤

Kitty Pawtrait Work in Progress

Here is a kitty commission work in progress❤...

Mini Mer Treasure Chest - WIP 1

Evening all! Here is another work in progress - and a first for me! Painting a treasure box of diminutive proportions! Well it's H:6cm W:6cm and L:8cm - my boyfriend was laughing at my cries of anguish as I never do anything small! So we'll hopefully be able to watch this Mermaid develop over the next few
days!

Squirrel Update...

Good evening :) today I bring you a 'squirrel update' ... Not finished yet but part of a bigger painting for the Ogham Tree Faeries.
In other news am on Day 3 of being Vegan and as am quite disorganised with food, am finding it quite challenging... Onwards though!
See what Mr Squirrel has to say to you!❤

The Descent

As Autumn leaves fall, and the nights pinch with chill... I did this little drawing/painting of the sense of the descent into Autumn, the descent into ourselves, the letting go - no matter how hard, and also the descent of Persephone, each year into the underworld to rule as Queen with her consort Hades.
A beautiful sadness - a descent...

Laura Daligan 2012

Broc the Strong and Wise

Look into my eyes...

I am Broc, the strong and wise

Digging deep through mother earth

 I know courage and what it's worth;

To follow the path which you hold dear

And  be released from a prison of fear

I'll guide you through the womb of night

And teach you noble ways to fight

Older than your kind am I

Yet some men claim that I should die

Look again into my eyes...

I am Broc, the strong and wise.

So as the legalised brutality and needless cruelty of the Badger Cull is just around the corner (lest we have the power to halt it -  which I hope with all my heart that we do), I have been drawn (no pun intended) to the iconic Badger more and more. Not only to observe their beauty and tenacious character, but also in thinking in more Shamanic terms of their power and Totemic medicine.

The fight to stop the cull seems to be hope-less, my local MP, whom I wrote to about it agreed that there is no proof that this cull will work, infact the scientific proof is stacked up against it working, and in the end causing thousands of lives to be lost, countless other Badgers to be maimed and injured (as the cull will take place at night), and in other news it will cost ye olde tax payer millions over the 4 year proposed cull time. Yet the Government are ignoring this and ploughing on with the cull regardless. Vaccination is the ONLY way that has a chance of stopping Bovine TB. 

Anyhow, I digress -  the seeming lack of hope was the point, surely Badgers are known to fight for what is theirs and knows the power of well focused aggression  One of the many 'medicines' of the Badger is to turn apathy into action, to focus, and take strong practical steps to achieve a goal. Also the Badger shows you how to be unyielding and fight for what is right. There ain't no hopeless giving up when Broc is around.

In Oak, Ash & Thorn by D.J Conway it states that: Badger (Broc): Is unyielding in the face of danger and is noted for its tenacity and courage. In the Welsh tale of Pwyll's courting of Rhiannon, a badger is mentioned as a guide during dreaming. The badger will teach you to fight for your rights and defend your spiritual ideas.

Digging deep is also something Badgers are known for, and perhaps spiritually and morally this is something we can take on board right now. Dig deep into our hearts and our souls, we must not let anyone destroy what we love, and we have no right to destroy such an ancient and wise creature as the Badger. 

'Cull is state-backed vandalism'—Badger Trust

Artwork and words Copyright Laura Daligan (unless otherwise stated).

Never Give Up - Never Be Silent

Summoning the Muse

Evening all. Here is a quick fae sketch this evening, plus a sneaky peek of a new Ogham painting I am doing. If you would like to see my Ogham Tree Faery paintings so far then please visit: http://www.lauradaligan-art.com/page25.htm

Moon, Sun & Stars -  Summoning the Muse...

A fun 'sketch' She was fun to paint, with quite an poignant energy.

Oh yes and here is a little fellow drawn out ready for 'Coll' in the Ogham Trees...

Goodnight x

Snow Leopard Dreaming

One of my all time most beloved animals -  the Snow Leopard. The silence and mystery of the peaks and mountains. An animal I'd love to see in the wild, but often see in my dreams...

Brought to you by silence and kitten purrs...

Copyright Laura Daligan 2012

A silly night !

A silly Night's sketches... It was one of my good friend's birthday tonight - so THIS was as good as it gets! ;) it's still a sketch a day. Honest.

Day 4 - My Boys

Something a little different tonight! Some quick sketches of the main men in my life... Gordon & Cobweb the Cat!❤

The first sketch of Gordon is a simple 2 minute sketch. Secondly we have another 2 minute sketch of Gordon, but this time I didn't take my pencil off of the paper.

And finally a 5-10 mins sketch of a curled up Cobweb on the sofa.

These are fun little exercises to do as often we get quite tense when taking on a longer more considered drawing.
Perhaps not in this instance but, sometimes quick studies can catch more of the subjects essence than when you try too hard!
Goodnight x

Save Us - Stop the Cull

This late night sketch says it all for me tonight. I have spent a lot of time talking about this recently, and I will continue to. The Badger cull is inhumane, senseless and all scientific tests have proved that a cull in Badgers will not cure Bovine TB (as the name suggests it is Bovine TB). Both Badgers and Cattle are effected by this illness and it is obviously awful for both. However vaccination is the ONLY way forwards here, it's not easy  -  but it needs to be done. 

Farmers with sense know this: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/a-cull-wont-solve-our-farming-problem-so-stop-blaming-the-badgers-8192416.html 

Brian May has been protesting and protecting British wildlife for a while now -  to me he is an awesome, admirable and caring man, in a world ruled by ignorance. 

Please if you care, look into this and protest, sign petitions and get involved, as when animals get killed needlessly there is no turning back.

Brian's site: http://www.save-me.org.uk/

The Badger trust: http://www.badger.org.uk/Content/Home.asp

So, this is my drawing today. Just a sketch... 

The Hare & the Dolphin

Tonight's sketches / experimental ideas are brought to you by the joy and freedom of the animals I chose as subjects...and the power of music to lift your spirit out of the mundane restrictions and worries into a place of creative freedom.
Thank you to the muse who turned up shortly after I did,  or perhaps (more likely) who was waiting there all along for me to put those very human 'worry barriers' down and let Her get on with it! :)

I'll write about Hares another time, but Dolphins have been on my mind, and in my heart, particularly  over the past month, as I have been protesting about the Dolphin hunt in the Cove of Taiji Japan, and also doing nightly visualisations/communications and meditations to protect, heal and warn the Dolphins in that part of the world. For info of this please see: http://www.savejapandolphins.org/  http://www.seashepherd.org/cove-guardians/what-you-can-do.html
 If anyone is interested in joining in with the meditations please watch my following lil video...

So here onto tonight's offerings...

Boxing Hares and Leaping Dolphins

Brought to you with the magical sounds of Skilda 'Lewis (Cosmic Reel)' and also the news that the Cove is BLUE today. xxx

October Sketch Fest - Cos I haven't got enough to do!

Hello lovely people who have wandered to this blog, if you look up the page, you'll see that I haven't posted for a while. Apart from feeling a little guilt about my lack of consistency I feel everything has it's season, and now feels like a good time to renew this venture.

Since last posting, I have been doing loads of artwork, personal projects and commissions, dancing, other esoteric works I do, and starting a big house move, and for these reasons over the busy Summer months this blog has faded. I'll post much of the *stuff* which I have been working on recently over the coming weeks - or/and you can check it all out on: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laura-Daligan-Wyrd-Wonderful-Art-Illustration/162283088520 where I have been much more regular, as it were.

And as Summer passes to twilight months, this little blogston has been on my mind.    

So here we are in October 2012, riding the wave of this most interesting year, and just when I thought I couldn't set myself any more things on my 'to do list' I find myself prompting a daily sketch in October.

Perhaps it's because I have quite so many wonderful, challenging and consuming things to do, that I thought making space for the muse to bring Her creative randomity in would be a good idea. We'll see. Anyway we'll give it a go -  October Sketchfest. Do join in - if you feel so inclined... :)

October 1st -  The Turning

copyright Laura Daligan 2012

'

This blog was brought to you with the gorgeous sounds of Little Dragon - 'Twice' and the Smoke Fairies 'Summer Fades'.