Of Orchids and Orchards

Orchids

I've been busy in the studio and have several things on the boil! (Nothing unusual there!) I think I'll add them to my blog seperately though as I'm having trouble uploading more than 2-3 photos at once!

This lino cut from last week wasn’t particularly successful. I realised too late that I had the main petals of the flower parallel to the main axis of the design! It just doesn’t look right but I had already printed a few onto paper and fabric before the mistake dawned on me.

Orchid Lino Print on Paper

The paper ones may again be relegated to the collage pile and I have started some surface embroidery on the fabric prints. Oh well, at least I can still use my mistakes in some way!

Orchid Lino Print on Fabric

Here are the gorgeous orchid’s that inspired the work. A dear member of our Gardening club gave them to me after our last meeting. We have an ongoing ‘Bloom Competition’ whereby each meeting we bring along 1 x Native Bloom and 1 x Exotic Bloom which are judged and a small prize given at the AGM! It’s very low key and just for fun! (I must say I usually forget about it until I see all the lovely flowers in vases on arrival!)

Exotic Orchids

Orchard

Speaking of gardening we have finally started our orchard! When we purchased this property about 18 months ago there wasn’t a single fruit tree here! That’s very unusual for a rural location where there is usually at least a gnarly old lemon tree that has survived the extremes of sub zero frosts and 40 deg C! So, we have started with a plum, a Red Delicious Apple (the only type hubby will eat – apart from apples in baking and desserts which I love to use) hence the Granny Smith tree! These will apparently be ok for cross pollination and I need to get another plum tree. I want to add citrus and some nuts as well as apricots, peaches and nectarines.