Artists at work

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

in Cape Town, South Africa

'Sharing the Creative Process' blogs I enjoy.

Valerie Littlewood at Pencil and Leaf finds out what makes this bee unique, and how to show that in her composition. Which Plant does This Bee prefer?

'I changed the painting, made her a little smaller and daintier, and, in tribute to their unsung work in the orchards, she is now flying up towards apple blossom. .. I think this will also be the title of the painting…There Will Be Apples.'

Last December I said - you could draw us - the small dragon on your church spire ... She did!

There will be apples

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If you go to Val Webb's The Illustrated Garden you can follow from concept thru to, hold your breath - raku firing successful.

'The design is a combination of botanical and bird studies from my nature sketchbook — I like to draw my subjects first, to get to know their angles and curves better before carving them into clay.'

Raku egret

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Walk in the English countryside with Celia Hart. Find inspiration for a linocut. Where's the fox?

'A fox broke cover is inspired by the landscape of gently rolling fields, small woods and lines of wind-break trees surrounding the village where I live and work. As dusk approaches animals stalk the hedgerows and birds take to the air; this is the borderland between day and night, between the wild and the tamed world.'

A fox broke cover

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I cherish words. With Susan J Tweit, I can live in another life for a moment.

'Holiday lights are meant to illuminate, a word that means "to light up," and also "to explain, make clear, elucidate." As I strike a match to light a wick in the chill of solstice dusk, and place a flaming votive candle on its bed of sand, I think about the lessons luminarias teach. The bags by themselves are flimsy and flammable, the candles too small for robust light, the sand simply grit underfoot.'

'Thank you for helping us illuminate this longest night of the year, the turning point when the sun "stops" in its journey, this time when we all wait and hope, for the gradual return of light and life. And thank you for illuminating the extraordinary journey Richard and I are taking with brain cancer. You've renewed our faith, and our belief in the power of love and light. What a gift it is to have you all lighting our way!'

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Gina Ferrari textile artist - 'But while I've been out and about I've been drawing people using their mobile phones ... and then translating them into simple stitched portraits... black free machining on muslin'. From first idea to exhibition in London.

Phone embroidery

As we return to city life, I've acquired my first silly phone.

In 2014 facial expressions  'for individuals on the autistic spectrum this can be totally confusing with each expression like a code that needs to be deciphered'.

Dolls - facial expresssions

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Paintings for ants by Lorraine Loots. '365 Postcards for Ants. I challenged myself to create a miniature painting every single day for the entire year. In celebration of our city's designation as World Design Capital 2014 I've decided to do it all over again, and this time all the paintings will be Cape Town themed'.

Durbanville Wine Valley

Photos and quotes from the original blogs, 
chosen by Diana Studer 
of  Elephant's Eye on False Bay