Art. All the time.

[allyalbonart]

 Pigeons are lovely. So are stone walls. And wood fences. It’s good to take a look around at the “mundane” as they are actually all very beautiful in their own way. Put them all together - you have something special.

[allyalbonart]

Goodbye, Ted. Broken hearted of course… but what a lovely life and what fishy adventures!

… and away!

[allyalbonart]

During May, we settled into our new home. Each day is a joy! I finished setting up my art nook! I now have the perfect place to art! Please enjoy some head noise from me in our new life in Norfolk….

[allyalbonart]

If you haven’t seen these little guys in person, I highly recommend it. Darling little mice with wings with the cutest peep of a voice! Turnstones are wonderful. It’s hard to find art of these guys for some reason and I plan on changing that! A rare glimpse inside my sketchbook!

[allyalbonart]

Sigh. It would help if I remembered to post here, wouldn’t it! Several art posts incoming!

Matt Berry with a booby. Or the feet of a booby. Although to be fair, Berry is a bit of a booby too. That man will always make me laugh!

[allyalbonart]

Still very much work in progress - but it made me laugh so I hope it makes you laugh as well! Yes, his eyes do follow you around the room and judge you. With disdain.

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House martin finished piece. Such joyous little birds… I can hear them calling in my head, that little crackle and chirp they do!

[allyalbonart]

House martins are such sweet little birds! Sadly their numbers are dropping in the UK, but now we are adding swift bricks to new houses, reducing pesticides even further and rewilding to bring back native insect numbers… may we have even more martins in the future!

[allyalbonart]

Guess my (current) favourite Pal from Palworld? Chillet! Is there anyone cuter? Not yet, but I know there will be! ;)

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I have a new favourite birb. As part of falling in love with Norfolk, I have also discovered and fallen head over heels for the turnstone. These are the tiniest of birbs that sound like squeaky toys, hang out on the beach walls and are just so utterly delightful! I have never seen these guys before coming here, and they are just so quintessentially “seaside”. And so beloved in Norfolk.

[allyalbonart]

Smaller fish such as the neon tetra particularly like shoaling around deer with bigger antlers. It’s a good sign of prowess to have a large group hanging around.

[allyalbonart]

What’s everyone’s favourite fish? I have no tanks at the moment which is very strange, but soon! I love all fish, but especially like neon tetras. Any tetras, really. There’s nothing like sitting down knowing you are about to paint lots of little fish. I need to do it more often. This is a teaser for a piece with many of them! (I am still working out the best time to post, now I am in a different time zone. I have absolutely sucked at my timing so far!)

[allyalbonart]

I’m very interested in portraits recently. But not normal portraits, weird and probably slightly insulting portraits. I’ve also drawn Matt Berry more than anyone else so here he is again but freeform… no base drawing, just playing with paint and caricature. Interesting that he looks more like Keevan Novak so far!

[allyalbonart]

This cormorant is from early Dec 25. It was a lightbulb moment piece. It’s unfinished, and I suspect it will remain so. I decided to play, to experiment a bit looser with watercolours and colour pencil… and I really liked the outcome. While I am still very much a noob with watercolors, this piece made me realize that I really like being a bit more spontaneous at times. Also, that I really like cormorants (But we all knew that anyway).

[allyalbonart]

I have always drawn a robin in December. I didn’t do one in Dec 25. (Previous sketchbook robin isn’t counted!) Simply because I was exceptionally busy. What was I doing?

I was prepping to move back home.

I, my other half, and Maisie the greyhound are now back in the UK!

We left the USA a week ago. I am so happy to be here! It’s a bit cold, a bit rainy and I love it. We are by the sea. The doggo is learning how to be a Brit, and has already decided that lying in the garden for hours is the best thing ever. No 5 minute limit walks because it’s deadly hot; instead we have investigated rivers, woods, commons and a pond….and the sea! (Only one paw though).

Still a bit jet lagged, and having to start from scratch somewhat, but so very happy.

So here’s my belated robin. First thing painted in the UK!

The most exciting part, is I am going to be exploring my art in much more depth. I have the time now, I have the drive, I have the opportunity to do a lot more with it. Looking forward to seeing where things head! And just so so glad to be home

[allyalbonart]

Grumpy robin! Fast and fun sketchbook piece, limited palette.... but my Other Half just pointed out that robins need a bright chest and he is not wrong... so I guess I am painting another one very soon!

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Guess what game I am currently in love with (it's gentler than Ark!) and guess who one of my favourite Pals is?!... although to be fair, I think we all love this one. Still experimenting, this is a first pass in watercolour and colour pencil, but going to add a layer of gouache next.