Black on Grey on White

As many of you know, the last few month have seen an increase in my photography work and a decrease in my drawings. Due to health reasons my scribble friends are resting. Black and white images are however still being created to enjoy and share and reason behind them as powerful as ever. Lock me in a room alone or hand me a camera, and there’s a mutation.  A serious change in my perception of depth, to be exact in the complexity and profundity of my train of thought;  all becomes somewhat intense. To be blunt:  I detest shallow, fear the superficial and run at olympian speed from cosmetic chic. Authenticity is the only genuine belief guiding my vision. This is where Black and white comes in. I see a monotone world where light is everything, where superficiality can find no roots, where emotions are raw. There’s no hiding, paddling in shallow waters, playing to the tune of superficial commercial stereotyped beauty. Black and white images engulf you. ...

2016 is going to be another fast mover, I can feel it.  Strapped in for the ride and grinning in anticipation. Wishing you all the "bestest" of rides and looking forward to seeing you along the way :D

and need to take my time when drawing, the number of original drawings that come off my board yearly only just make it into double figures. Each created diligently and lovingly over dozens and dozens of hours. This leads to frustration (yep!) compensated by either filling the studio loudly with alternative rock, way too many cups of coffee and on a really mad day extremely strange dance moves. When I say pencils rock they really do but in a slow kinda Zen way ;) This must be why I've discovered iphotography (which I now use as quick fix for my frustration) Daily walks take me on compositional adventures. I don't sketch: I shoot! Daily and feed Instagram . In total opposite to the slow brewing and care needed for one of my pencil drawings, this quick and very snappy medium brings a freedom to my creativity and compositional vision. Blink and the light is gone. Hesitate and the moment is a has been. It's thrilling.

Day 4 in the art challenge.  I'll just refer to it as shadow play.  Couple of shots on black and white playing with a strong light source and even stronger contrasts.  Love the effect. Hoping that Lisa's  Shoot Y'all Photography  is up for the challenge. She really has some super images!

I don't know about you but I love out-takes. Those great moments captured not quite how they were planned. In our constant battle with perfectionism this side of our art-world tends to be hidden and very often deleted. I still have a few. A few lovely unique canine blunders. They make me smile. Can't be that bad right?

Over on on FB I have been nominated by friend and super photographer Lyne Raff to take part on the 5 day art challenge also referred to as artchain. The objective being to post a couple of images of your art work over a period of 5 days. Loving a challenge, I obliged with three photographs I took a few summers ago. I love birds and totally swoon over birds of prey. They possess not only a perfect beauty but a gripping fascination. p.s: In turn I nominated Linda Shantz who I'm sure will rise to the challenge and enjoy showing some of her excellent work :D

It's January, the month of new beginnings . Fresh starts. Things are going well in the studio and that's just it: they are ticking along smoothly. Time for a " spice up" . To boost my mojo . To re-asses. On the plan this month: Step out of my comfort zone .  Notch up my pencils to a new level. Dare to make mistakes Try a new technic , a new approach, new pencils. Slow down and feed my inspiration the good old fashioned way: curled up on the sofa books and magazines in hand; : AWAY from the computer from the fast lane of image overflow! Visit the art museum. The space, the light, the art are pure eye candy and a wonderful way to feed my artist soul. Make mistakes but make a start: pick up my pencils fearlessly Watch this space it should be interesting…. "Four Power" Sheona Hamilton-Grant. 2014. All rights reserved.

Gently putting my pencils down for this year but not without a wee cheerio, a heap of seasonal greetings and great big THANK-YOU. So many of you have visited my studio blog and showed support throughout another fascinating year.  Looking forward to sharing more of my art world in 2013! Cheery cheers!

Florestan I 1986 - 2012 A sad goodbye to one of the most amazing (cheecky but still amazing) sires ever was said a few days after New-Year a few weeks shy of his 26th birthday I first met Florestan I through working with and owning his offspring, this was back in the day when riding ruled my world. I met him "for real" when we had our own private photo shoot in April 2010 . He was a star and knew it! Oozing quality, even at the grand old age of 24, he charmed "the pants off of me" by posing, looking and showing off for the full photo shoot. Meeting him this way allowed me to create a classic head portrait with a twist . He was not like any other horse and felt that neither should his portrait be. The fact is he lives on in thousands of his offspring. This is how I first met him and how I will last see him. Rest in Peace you big brown star.

Wiping off the last of the sand before school starts next week. Boy it's tough getting back down to business after having been in the groove over in Scotland for more than 2 weeks. Mind you beach parties have a different meaning over there...the weather totally forbids normal souls from wearing any kind of beach attire! Great to be back though... missed my little graphite friends! A few of you are waiting for a email response from me: will be on top of things by the end of tomorrow.

At this end, Extra curricula activities are in full swing just like "Tarzan" (above) and his crew. Studio activities remain very active and strong. However time is sticking it's tongue out (once again). Various blog posts are in the making and have taken a comfy back seat. They will come to light (promise) as soon as, well, time smiles and says.... please?

Madly caught up in all sorts of curricula, extra-curricula and sub-curricula activities. Back soon. I think.

Christmas time again... Squeals of yeah, leaps of joy and loud countdowns are being performed by under age members of our family while, other (slightly older) members have turned into forms of chickens and can be seen flapping around quite strangely. Another funny festive few days are most definitely just around the corner. Before carrying on with my chicken dance, I want to take a moment to thank you all for taking the time to visit my blog and follow my work. Many of you have left kind and encouraging comments. I appreciated your feedback so much. Wishing you all a fandabedosy festive season filling your lives with love, joy and laughter.

It's been a crazy classic sunny summer complete with banjo playing tin men, static herons, green butterflies silky white roses. Today's walked raised the all important question . Are the colours fading, beautifully, but nevertheless fading...? The chill in the wind confirmed autumns presence...sadly. Had a great summer working in colour, discovering new harmonies . School starts in 36 hours. I'll be back in my "scribble" world. Back to working with drama, with contrast, with soul. Back to my beloved black on grey on white...

Unusual things happen in the summer (must be the direct effect of extra light and heat!). Today was no exception. We became tourists and went for a wee train-ride around Chimay . My Eos was happy to have its lens cap off and picked out sights I had never seen. Gorgeous iron work. Intricate brick work Very elegant facades The French je ne sais quoi! You do not see with the lens of the eye. You seen through that, and by means of that, but you see with the soul of the eye. ~John Ruskin ~

Hello all. Great to be back in the studio and even more fantastic to welcome all my new followers. Summer is swinging its heart out at this end. It's picture perfect... All the scribbles pals left blunt and dormant have been coaxed out of their hibernation "summernation" and sharpened up. I was missing them, badly! Black on Grey on White 's posts (sadly a little sporadic until September) will be covering three new wips (two equine and one canine) and my encounter with Rubens. So without any further ado I'll trundle over to the drawing board and get cracking on exercising the Derwents, the Staedlers and the FaberCastells. Will post their exercise routine tomorrow. Cheerio

'Tis the time for awards! Fellow artist & blogger April Jarocka has awarded me with an(other) art blog award. Tickled very pink once again: thank you April! April's art work is stunning and she has a fantastic affinity with... rocks and a very cute Ugly Bunny. Curious here is her link . Accepting this award means listing seven things I love and passing it on to seven blogs. In more than a 10000 words... I love Black and white Going barefoot Blue Unusual detail Peace Country life Childhood memories and my magic Canon for allowing me to capture it all. With great pleasureI am passing this award on to the following art blogs which are so well worth having a long peek at, beware though High Quality Art Content . Laure Ferlita of Painted Thoughts Blog Dawn Secord of Art of the Dog Erin Vey for her blog Bark Joe Castillo for her blog Holly Bedrosian and her blog Art with a Bark a great collective canine artist blog and last but not least Jeanette Jobson of Illustrated ...