Celtic springtime…

I love the springtime, with it’s new and flourishing life and mostly the weather is usually nice (even in England!).  So, last year, I decided to do an illustration featuring a Celtic shape with various birds that a friend of mine favoured.  I made a list of a swallow, a tree sparrow, a bullfinch and a song thrush.  Along with some favourite spring flowers, including sweet violets, forget-me-nots and primroses, this would be the key ‘ingredients’ of my illustration.  Oh, I also had to include my ‘signature tune’ insect, a ladybird.

The Celtic shape I wanted was an octagon – which is probably my favourite shape.  I then found images of the various birds and flowers that I required in my illustration, and sketched the different images of them all around the octagon shape. 

Feeling a bit poetic at the time (it being springtime and all that), I even wrote a few lines of prose to go inside the Celtic wreath:

Spring ~

the planet refreshed
the earth awakened
the flowers bloom
the birds warble
• joy abounds •

On an earlier blog post, a gentleman (who has followed my blogs for years) requested that I showed various stages of the illustration process, so I have included various stages of that on this post.  I will endeavour to do more of these ‘scene shots’ in the future, as it does show some parts of the work that each illustration entails.

I hope that, wherever you are in the world, that you are having an enjoyable spring (and that the weather is nice; it’s sunshine for me today 🙂 ).

;

).

Objects of affection…

This post is dedicated to the memory of David Pritchard: 1982-2024

Some things in our lives are felt and seen to be priceless, but although we have things and objects in our lives that we truly value, nothing can replace the value of friendship – being in contact with those that we love and admire and trust.

Recently, it’s been brought to my attention, that friendship is the most important thing of all.  Can you imagine a life without true friends?  Just imagine not being in contact with those special people that have been with you, throughout the trials and tribulations of your life, with an outstretched hand and a smiling face.

I would love to write about my many friends – past and present on here, but those people who are special to me, already know who they are.

When those friends and family members cannot be around us, we remember them by memories, but also by the gifts and objects they have given us.  Wonderful memories in the forms of keepsakes bring to mind absent friends and family.

On this blog post are a few special objects that have been given to me over the years, some by my very talented Dad, who made me the totally wonderful, wooden Professor Yaffle and family members and friends who have made hand-made and creative pictures and created beautiful floral displays for my home.  My sister, Sarah, created the wonderful tapestry of the angel, which I have treasured for many years.

I hope you will enjoy some of my special objects of affection, as much as I have, and that some of them will bring back very special memories of your loved ones too…

Breakfast at Audrey’s

I never really remember many of my dreams, but some of them – now and then – are so vivid and I have conversations with friends and family members, both past and present.  However, I did have a very vivid dream last week, where I met and went for breakfast with classical movie actress and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn (b: 1929 – d: 1993). 

The fact that I dreamed about Audrey, could have had a lot to do with the fact that I had had cheese sandwiches for tea (a likely food to give you vivid dreams) and more so, the fact that I had watched some favourite parts of the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s the previous evening.  I have many favourite movies, but this movie has some really beautiful cameos, not only by Audrey Hepburn. 

The movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s was released in December 1961 and was based upon the book by Truman Capote.  One of the most special parts of the movie is where Audrey makes herself comfortable on the fire escape of her apartment and sings ‘Moon River’.  I remember reading her biography many years ago, where she had taken professional singing lessons to sing this famous Henry Mancini (famous for the Pink Panther tune, amongst many others) and Johnny Mercer song.  At one point, the song was going to end up on the cutting room floor, but the normally gentle Audrey made a stand against that decision and she won.

In my dream, Audrey didn’t sing at all, but she did make me a lovely fruit and yogurt muesli (whilst wearing the shimmering tiara she has in the movie).

Many years earlier, I had drawn this image of Audrey Hepburn in the guise of the movie’s and book’s protagonist: Holly Golightly.  I really enjoyed drawing this portrait, which was done with ink pens and lots of dots (stippling), which can take ages to do!  I particularly enjoyed drawing her eyes, which are so beautiful and expressive…

This morning, I had no dreams of fine breakfasts or actresses catering for me, but it was just me and the porridge bowl, as normal…but, then again, breakfast with Audrey would be pretty hard to beat!

Zebra – quick pencil sketch…

With my role as a tutor, I do like to try and find some interesting things that will capture my learners’ imagination. 

In a recent English lesson, I had to do some research on a wildlife subject.  Always having a love for animals, and particularly textured animals, such as giraffes, leopards and zebras, I thought I would choose one of these animals to base a comprehension lesson upon. 

Looking up zebras online and in textbooks, I found a whole wealth of facts and information.  One of the most interesting things I read was that: each and every zebra’s pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint!  Also, I never realised that zebra’s are actually black animals with white stripes!  That really surprised me and it was hard for me to see them in reverse.

I was so interested in what I read, that I also decided to draw a zebra’s head for an art class.  This art exercise was a class demonstration about how effective sketches can be done in such a short amount of time as half-an-hour.  The sketch of the zebra’s head was done very quickly, using only a few pencils and a black Bic pen.  I gave a very slight indication to the zebra’s habitat, by using some soft pencils to create a feeling of the grassy, African savannah.

Celtic star and three robins…

I have always loved Celtic designs and wicker crafts, so I was really pleased to be requested to design a Celtic design on a Christmas theme.  As I was pondering what to draw (way back in February, this year), I glanced out of the window and saw a little robin on my garden step.  I often put some bread out for him (or it could be a her) on cold mornings and whilst I am having my breakfast the little robin has his too.

I did some preliminary sketches, which I discussed with a friend and before long there were three robins, a sprig of holly and a lovely piece of prose to be included in the finished illustration.

I particularly enjoyed drawing the robins, as this brought back such a poignant and beautiful memory back to mind.  Quite a few years ago, I had gone to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at St. Ebba’s Church and as I was leaving the church grounds to walk back home to my nearby village in the early hours of Christmas morning it began to snow…  It was the kind of snow that I love: large and white and it quickly started to cover everything around me.  I stopped at a Victorian lamppost and looked up at the snow falling, as it made it’s way through the light, and just as I did a little robin flew down on the lamppost.  We looked at each other for a few seconds and then it flew to a small branch beside me, so close to me I could hardly believe it.  If that wasn’t magical enough, the robin began to sing…  For a few minutes, I stood under the light of that lamppost and I listened to the robin and it’s heartfelt tune as the snow fell around us.  It will be a memory that I will never forget…

Still on the theme of robins: a lovely young lady, that I have recently met, called Laura Parkinson read to me a poem about a robin last week.  I thought it was so beautiful and very moving and I have included the poem, with her permission, below.  Laura said she was inspired to write the poem after seeing a gorgeous little robin in her garden and also after reading my book ‘The Tale of the Vampire Rabbit’ “with its great rhymes”.  Thank you, Laura.

The winter Robin
Appears when needed
Nostalgia, a flutter, a feeling 
Puffed up and proud,
attached a meaning
Remember the light 
Allow it to shine bright
The love in your heart 
Don’t let it depart
Don’t cover it
Or smother it
Push it away, 
memories this precious 
Deserve to stay

Hopping in the morning dew 
Don’t let it sadden you, 
Let it be a cue
For your lost soul to shine
Remember you’ll be just fine
A symbol of lost love, 
Your strength and brilliance 
The ability to continue on
With the gift of resilience 

Laura Parkinson

I would like to wish all my family and friends (old and new)
a very Merry Christmas and every best wish for 2024. 
Thank you for your love and support, Michael x

Facebook problems…and a newspaper cutting…

Hello, out there!

This is the only way I can contact my customers and readers, at the moment, as due to an electrical surge my laptop crashed and affected my Facebook account. Despite numerous attempts to get my Facebook account working, I have not been successful. What is even more frustrating is that there seems to be so little help in getting this issue resolved from Facebook (any advice would be greatly appreciated). When trying to find my account, I am even told in a message from Facebook that I have typed it too quickly and I have been temporarily blocked (eh, typing it too fast, what is that all about?).

So, in the meantime, if you are a customer or you need information about a book-signing event, please contact me if it’s urgent on my mobile telephone number. I may have to set up a new Facebook account if all else fails, but that would mean losing a few hundred people who are already following me on my Quinlyn Nixon Art Facebook account, which is obviously not ideal. Oh dear, the problems of technology…

As well as my above tale of woe, I would like to share this newspaper cutting that was kindly given to me at one of my latest book-signing events. Thank you, Margaret. It’s a true blast from my teddy bear past 🙂

Animal cartoons for a very good cause…(2)

In August, I featured some of my cartoon illustrations that I had done for a television celebrity.  By popular demand in private messages on Facebook and this blog, I have been asked to post a couple more illustrations.  I cannot quite recall how many illustrations I did, but here a couple more.

I was requested to do some more illustrations for the next book, which I did.  But, as yet, the project hasn’t gone any further.  These illustrations were created around funny names, such as Amanda Lifeboat and Jack Pott…and a couple of more rique monikers!

I might post some of these next year, so watch this space…

But, returning back to the animal cartoons, here is one of a camel, which provides beer for the thirsty, and another one of a sloth, with a quirky love of gin!

A desert is an arid place,
where vegetation starves.
A pint-filled Camel’s a moist
little mammal and
And Dromedaries give halves.

Another one of the quirky poems I illustrated was:

A Sloth was hanging from a tree,
imbibing large Sloe gins,
“I’m hellish proud,” he said out loud,
“To be one of the deadly sins.”

Hope you enjoyed them 🙂

Book signing event – 20 October 2023

Quite a few of you on my blog and Facebook page have sent me message enquiries about book-signing events.  Unfortunately, most of these book-signing events are for private groups or invitation requests only.  But for those of you who want an ‘open door’ book signing event, the good news is that there is one being held by Whickham Cottage Book Club (part of Whickham Cottage Crafts) at Rowlands Gill Community Centre on 20th October, between 6.30pm – 9.30pm. Pre-booking is essential to ensure Sam will have enough copies of the books; please private message me about the event or get in touch with Sam (via the Whickham Cottage Book Club Facebook page). The cost is £15 which includes a signed book from one of the authors and refreshments.

This local company has started stocking my books, thanks to the owner Sam McDine getting in touch with me. They also do a range of lovely local goods, so it is well worth having a look at their frequently-updated Facebook page for further information.

The event will see other local authors meeting their readers and signing books for them.  Some of the other authors: include: Marrisse Whittaker, Susan Gray, Susan Willis, and Annie Doyle to name a few.  There will also be an opportunity to buy books with a local flavour, such as the thrillers written by L.J. Ross and a chance to look at some very special hamper gifts that you can buy to treat a loved one.
For those of you that can make it to the book-signing evening…I look forward to seeing and chatting to you there!

Animal cartoons for a very good cause…

A good few years ago, I was requested to do some specific cartoon illustrations for a very well known actress and celebrity (who, I hear, is now appearing in Coronation Street, but I wouldn’t really know if that is right or wrong as I don’t watch soap operas).  I was delighted to be requested to do such a task, which was for me to do some cartoon illustrations as a charity donation.  The many cartoon illustrations also included many contributions by well known artists and cartoonists, such as Posy Simmonds, Gerald Scarfe, Mac, Phillip Hood and Gray Jolliffe – to name a few.  The finished illustrations were then to be featured in a book to raise money for a cancer charity – Myeloma Foundation (UK).

The actress asked me if I would read the quirky and very amusing poems she had written and if I could do the illustrations. I, of course, said yes; and I worked for many weeks on the five or six cartoon illustrations and even took some time off work to make sure I could get them complete on time for the deadline.  In due course, and after many hours at the drawing board, I sent the illustrations off to the celebrity’s address in London.

Here is one of the finished illustrations (along with the line-art drawing), I created and I have put the poem below (I am sure the celebrity won’t mind me featuring a poem or two on my blog after all the work I did on the project).

‘Turn Red!’ called Pop Chameleon,
‘Now, blue, now something duller!’
‘Oh, get a life’, implored his wife,
‘I’m just a bit off colour’.

Another one of the quirky poems I illustrated was:

In the end there’ll just be insects
And single cells inferior.
There’ll be no happy ends
for Homo Sapiens
When the Earth is just Bacteria!

They do say ‘the plans of mice and men’ can often go wrong, and in this instance it did all go a bit pear-shaped for me, as, unfortunately, my illustrations were stored in the wrong place and consequently didn’t appear in the book at all!  This was very disappointing after all the work I had done, but accidents do happen and I had to ‘take it on the chin’.  As an apology I was invited to the celebrity’s home for afternoon tea, which was a very pleasant and charming occasion (even when she cheerfully pointed out that the jam doughnuts were a little out-of-date!).

We all have to face disappointments of many kinds in life, but at the end of the day, we have to keep growing and moving forward and that is what we all must strive to do…because success might be just around the next corner!

Workstation and materials…

Last month, one of my younger blog followers asked if I would do a post about my workstation and my art materials. I thought it was a good idea and I like to think that I also respond to requests on here, when I can.

So, for the young man who sent the request, via his dad, Andy, I hope you enjoy what I have put together for you.  Firstly, I had to clean my desk and tidy my workroom as it’s never ever tidy, so you got me busy with the vacuum cleaner! 

My workstation and work in progress

My workstation briefly consists of a beautiful desk that my father, Rob, made for me.  This is where I put my flat drawing board and the art materials that I am using to do a piece of artwork.  I use a lot of coloured pencils, so you can see these in the photograph, in a carousel pencil holder – which I have split into sections for the different colour families (it makes it easier to find a certain colour if you have them in their ‘colour families’). 

Coloured pencils in a carousel pencil holder

I have given a brief glimpse of some art designs that I am just starting to look at again after a few months of not being creative.  I am hoping to get further with this project over the summer holidays.  So watch this space, for more details on that at a later date.

One of my current art projects

I also do my creative writing on the computer, so this is where I created my books: ‘The Tale of the Vampire Rabbit’ (2020), ‘The Tale of Sybil the Squirrel’ (2021) and ‘Do you know that hollow, empty feeling?’ (2023).  This is also where I will write my next book – a novel, which will be a ghost story (thank you to a friend that blabbed that news – I am going to have to put a ‘spoiler alert’ on his future messages 🙂 ).  Hopefully there will be more news about that next year when I start to think of the book jacket and the internal illustrations.

So much to do and such little time! 

Thank you for reading my blog post and your continued support…