Hypnotica - Abstract fine liner doodle art zentangle

I’m looking forward to tomorrow as I get to have fun demonstrating my art at Hobbycraft Bristol, Cribbs Causeway as their Artist in residence.  I’m going to be doing some dylusion ink art, mono printing on my Gelli Arts Gel plate, see some examples of the different types of art I’ll be doing throughout this article.

Wealie Arts Halloween Colouring Book Cover

Dylusions Ink Art Design

I’m also going to be doing some abstract doodle art, or  zentangles as they are sometimes called and I’ll be launching my very first abstract doodle art colouring book, a snap at just £3.50  Don’t despair if you won’t be able to make it to pick up your copy, keep a watchful eye on this space as I’m hoping to upload it as a downloadable pdf at some point in the not too distant future.

I’ll also be launching a halloween colouring competition for kids up to the age of 13 to submit a coloured version of one of the designs (the witches’ hat) from the colouring book, with a prize of their very own zentangle doodle art design of whatever subject they would like me to create.

Firery Waves - Mono Print

The deadline is 31 October so there’s plenty of time for the kids to get colouring and you can download a copy of the competition form and rules here.  I’ll post the entries I receive on a special blog post on 05 November together with the announcement of the winner and will post a pic of the winner’s doodle choice once I’ve completed it.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

R
x

For She Is The Storm - Copyright R.Weal 2011

One of my family’s favourite stories about me (of which there
are many), is how I was born under a raging summer storm.
In fact, that August in the year of my birth was a very stormy one and apparently even as a babe, I was never frightened of the storms – mainly I slept peacefully through them.

As I grew I became increasingly fascinated by storms and I’ve always been able to tell when a storm is coming, even before the clouds roll in and the ozone coats the air about us.  Every so often in my life there has been a special storm, one that feels familiar and right.  A deep gravitational pull exists between us, pulling us into each other’s sphere of being, speaking deeply of home and belonging.  She is the elemental force from which an unknowable part of me was sprung the night I was born, my mother storm.

As I sense mother storm I feel the need to go out and meet her; (for I cannot think of her as an ‘it’), to commune with her essence.  I can only describe it as a perfect feeling of being welcomed home.  She always comes when I need guidance or support, when my reserves are low and my spirit ebbing.  She infuses my being, filling me up with her rejuvenating power, firing my creativity with her lightning, warming my heart with her raucous thunder.  And as for her blessed rain?  Oh, to be kissed by her tears – for a moment to be washed clean of all my earthly bonds and pains is a truly indescribable experience.  For when her essence whips about me I am not of this earth – I am the wind, I am the rain and I dance to the thunder beneath the lancing lightning that binds my spirit to her.

Storm Swept - Copyright R.Weal 2011

Whilst I commune with her time stands still and yet moves faster than anything I have ever known.  The exceptional bond between us defies all reason.  When she leaves me I am bereft, for a moment so heartbroken I wonder how I will even find my next breath.  But then the world reasserts itself, my heart beats and I find that I am once again whole, infused with a new lustre and will to go on.  Her gift to me is the elemental sorcery that always resides within me, keeping me safe in the light until she can find me again.

She visited me earlier this month and brought forth a torrent of poetry and art (which you can see here in this post), stoking the fire into life from the dying embers of my creativity.  Below you will find the video I captured of my mother storm and the piece of poetic prose I wrote for her.  I hope maybe some of her power leaps out from them into you.

Thank you mother storm, ‘till we commune again I will ever be your earthbound daughter.

Tread safely in the light.

Wealie x

Reunited

She felt the presence long before she consciously understood. Something called up from deep within her – dormant electricity brought forth into being with only a thought, brightening the very blood within her veins to sing in anticipation.

Alive with power, glowing with effervescence and a pure spark of life, she stepped out into the world no longer entirely a part of it. The wind’s whispers grew into a loving caress, promising the birth of magic to come. Brooding clouds crowded about her, transforming her into an ethereal form. The very weather itself courted her like an attentive lover – framing her like an ancient goddess among men.

And then she knew; knew her storm was calling her home. So long since last they communed, too long since she was filled with the ancient power in her veins and blessed with the mighty kiss of the storm’s tears. So long since she had been absolved of all earthly bounds and shame.

Original Sketch of Storm Goddess - Copyright R.Weal 2011

“Come,” she plaintively called
“Come to me,” she breathlessly heaved
“Breathe new life into my tired soul.
Imbue these wizened veins with the elixir of your simple truth.
Release my true self and I will be your earthly emissary.”

And so her storm came, rushing over, under, around and through her – flooding her system with cleansing power, covering her with tears of joy as it sung her thunderous praises, ecstatically lighting up the sky with the excitement of their reunion. Woman and storm converged in sorcerous communion, her earth bound spirit set free, birthed anew in the tender love of her mighty Mother Storm.

With regretful motion the two were parted, neither knowing when next they would converge as one. But always within they carry a vital element of the other, so that they might always find each other across the long oceans of time and the lost, lonely valleys of each day and night. For in truth they can never truly be parted.

Ruth Weal

For Mother Storm, until we meet again I am ever your earthbound daughter
x

Written during a beautiful Summer Storm

Copyright R.Weal © 7 May 2011 1.10 am

Intricacy

This painting is kind of a cross between a painting and a doodle, the detail is very evocative of my doodle styles.  The more intricate design is thanks to some spiffy new itty bitty paint brushes that I used to do the detail work.

I was pleased with how it came out and it seems a very upbeat, if bright picture, but I personally wouldn’t want to stare at it for too long and I wouldn’t suggest trying to psychoanalyse what it means!

Medium is acrylic on fabric
Size 16 x 16 inches

Convergence was my longest “straight through creation”, i.e. I painted it over 48 hrs without sleeping or leaving the house (I did snack and have loo breaks though).   Of the three paintings I created after Nan died this was the one that brought me the most resolution and peace. Symbolic of all the ties of the people I love in my life and the convergence of all their love weaving into the pattern that makes up me.

In a way that I did not quite understand until I viewed it again lately it is an emotional self portrait of my thoughts and feelings.

It was with great happiness that I gave this painting in particular to one of the most important women in my life (my very good friend and sister of my soul), Lisa.   It hangs in pride of place in her bathroom and it’s nice to know that something born in my grief and pain has brought her joy.

I never took a pic of it before I gave it to Lisa (I never really have of my paintings). I used to be exceptionally self-conscious of this medium of my artistic outlet and don’t by any means consider myself to be a painter and artist. My technique is sloppy at best, but I find a certain sense of peace when I paint. Where writing wrings from me the emotions, taking me to great highs and lows, leaving me elated and drained, painting is the opposite. Painting grounds me, fills me with the scent of the colours, mesmerises me with the shapes and lines my mind would have me follow and leads me to my centre and peace. I should probably paint more often (grin).

In days gone by I have merely thrown away my canvases after a few weeks and never thought to share them with anyone until the likes of Lisa complained at the idea.

Well Lisa now has another two of my paintings and true to form I gave them to her before photographing them, so I went to her house with camera in hand and finally photographed Convergence too.

It’s acrylic on canvas, I hope you like it too.

The idea of this piece is to represent the power we hold in our hands and the sight we don’t necessarily use with our eyes.

Apparently it’s still freaky, though not as freaky as Sight Bound.

Medium is acrylic on canvas covered hard board, size is A4.

I love water and the sea, especially stormy seas. When I lived in Portsmouth I would often drive down to Southsea beach and park in the car park behind the amusements and just watch as the stormy waves broke over onto the footpath. It was very soothing and awe inspiring to watch.

Medium is acrylic on Canvas 8 x 10 ins

This is a typically Wealie work.

Medium is acrylic on canvas covered hard board 12 x 9 ins.

I was day dreaming when I came up with the image of the swirls that were a bit like waves and as I was painting Water (part 2) I decided to paint the four elements as a quartet.

There are four separate paintings that I’ve pulled together into one image using Photoshop.

Medium is acrylic on canvas covered hard board 10 x 8 ins.