Monday 11 April 2011

Patchy Backgrounds & Earlestown Market

Stop Press...Woo hoo! Paul of the Artsiders wins a small Blog Candy prize for posting a comment as my blog count hit 45,678!!!!
I spent an hour or two, yesterday, messing about and ended up making some cards using the backgrounds I produced. I was influenced by a painting I saw recently that had images painted over smudges and patches of colour. 
This  certainly doesn't portray my usual choice of bright hues but I do think that inner feelings, moods etc., really influence colour selection. I know someone who's mood I can predict by her artwork and I worry when her colour choice becomes too dark. Everyone will be keeping an eye on me now!! 
Colour has such a strong influence on our lives. I remember reading about a prison where the cells were painted a rich coral colour. At first violent prisoners calmed down radically when locked in these cells but then it was noticed that if they were kept in for more than 30 minutes they reverted to their violent behaviour and had to be moved. 
My late father suffered from frequent bouts of extremely bad migraine and his doctor advised him to seek green... to play billiards, to walk in green fields to look at green as much as possible and it certainly helped.

What influence does colour have on your life? What colours do you favour? Do you wonder why you prefer certain colours above others?
My favourite colours are cerise/purple shades or turquoise/jade shades, I'm Gemini so I've got to have two colour choices!!!... If I really had to, I think I'd choose purple above all others colours and I wear it often. I strongly do not like yellow/orange shades except in nature but I won't even choose yellow flowers for planting in my own garden.

Below, you'll see the backgrounds which look so different and blend in so well once images and texture pattern gets stamped over them.
Earlestown Market
Some friends took us to a North West Market in a place we had never before visited, despite travelling widely around this area and living nearby for over 30 years... we've missed it!. Earlestown is a really small place, well past it's original industrial grandeur, near to St Helens, and is only about 30 minutes from where we live, so it is amazing that we've never visited before. The market on Saturdays consists of bric-a-brac and antique stalls but  there is also a car boot area with so much tat it has to be seen to be believed. Well I found it fascinating and sooooo cheap and here are some of my finds!  
Cards of antique cotton buttons, some tiny mother of pearl buttons, and a pair of scissors ..... 50p the lot!
2 metres of Laura Ashley Fabric and a packet of paper lace trimmings......50p the lot....
Cards and cards of old fasteners.... 50p the lot!!
A lantern.... yes you're right.... 50p....
I just had to buy this soap (in a sealed packet) .... FRONT view
You can guess what it says on the other side!!
These bulbs are much cheaper than Mr Holtz's for £7.50.... mine were.... YES! 50p
 A teeny weeny pewter Teddy, I'll use in a shadow box.... certainly worth yet another 50p!
What a mess but it was quite an adventure but I loved it and this charming young man gallantly carried a stainless steel bin round for me until we returned to the car. BTW... I paid the princely sum of £2 for that unused bin! Not 50p!
There were some fascinating items I left behind too....
I bet this fellow wasn't 50p? 
Afterwards we visited the Forum Cafe facing the Market Square for a great English breakfast and a nice hot cuppa! I can't wait to go again and I'm saving up a big bag of 50p coins!!

11 comments:

Paul B said...

Wow I must look out for that market myself. Such brilliant finds!

Love your inky collages in green. I have to say I have a lot of green in my life. It's a very creative colour apparently. If your mojo is lacking, it is beleived you should plonk a green plant in your art space. But there's nowhere i love to be more than in the green hills of the countryside. very soothing. I can see why your father was advised to seek it out.

Like you, my personal favourites at the moment are rich hues of purple and blue. They're either majestical, royal colours or mystical.

Glad you had a great weekend :) Px

Paul B said...

Oops forgot to do spell check!!!!

Paul B said...

Wow!!!!! Thanks Jo :) That's made my day P xxxxxxxxxxxxx

judith@poppy cottage said...

Jo, you like the same colours as me, I'm a purple or jade/turquoise person myself. I'm a migraine sufferer, so I might try the green therapy, you will try anything when one of those monsters hits, believe me.
The backgrounds look fabulous, and I love what you did with them.
The market looks like an awesome place to visit, and what treasures you found! It will be interesting to see what you make with your bargains, Judith xx

SheRar said...

I had forgotten about Earlstown Market, went there over twenty years ago. You now make me think it is time for a revisit. You got so fabulous goodies for you 50p's:)

My favourite colours at the moment are turquoise, purple, red and blue. Purple was predominant last year, but my youngest granddaughter suggested I had turquoise for my colour this year. I love it, it is very uplifting, but don't tell her, purple is still up there in the lead right now;)

Sheilagh:)

sam21ski said...

Was it a 50p market by any chance - lol. Well I have to agree, you found some fantastic bargains there Jo.

My favourite colour is green, I have no idea why, I am just attracted to it and anything green. I do wear a lot of green and brown, I just love the earthy colours. I not much for pinks and blues and I think this reflects in my artwork!!!!

Hope all is well with the family and things are improving for the little 'en.

Take care - Sam xxxxx

Zoechaos said...

So busy looking at all your incredible finds had almost forgotten your great art at the top of the post. Love the style of stamping over coloured backgrounds and your colours are perfect. XOXO Zoe

Twiglet said...

I am glad its not just me who enjoys a roam round a car boot. I love your bargains. I would have picked the same if I had been hunting. Anything fabricy/stitchy/crafty attracts my attention!

lisa said...

Hi Jo
I'm grovelling first. I never visited you for WOYWW this week, unforgivable. I've just realised as I came by today and have now read it all and how brilliant that Baxter MK2 has arrived safely with his new very special owner.
Colours are so interesting aren't they. I can definitely tell you were in a different mood with your choices this time, but I love the combinations you chosen. My favourites are jade and turquise too and lime green. I tend to steer away from purple!! We did colour theory in a workshop I went too last year and we had to make colour cards and then write on the back what the colour meant to us. It was really interesting how different colours meant different things to people.
Love all your 50p bargains. I need to come shopping with you. That wrought iron gate is gorgeous. Pity that wasn't 50p!!
Take care my friend and I will be back tomorrow I promise!!!!
hugs Lisax

Dotpat said...

Well a girl after my own heart Jo, I just love those bargains good for you. Like your cards you made too

Artyjen said...

Ooh! Love all your bargain finds.....I'd have longed to pick up that chain pile and bring it home! LOL
My fav colours are red and black and Austrian yellow...you know the mellow colour of the houses?
xoxo Sioux