Musings....Nancy Sayers 

 Ihave a fixation with drawing fur and feathers, and a complete fascination about eyes.....the colours and shades, but mostly with the way they hold the light and expression. The person who wrote in the Dead Sea Scrolls that “The eyes are the mirror of the soul” knew a thing or two.   

I am a portraitist. Drawings end up from Millmerran to Montreal; N.Z. to the U.K., and they all depend in the end, on the light captured in the eyes – whether child or loved pet, and if the new owner stands in front of one, with tears welling up in their eyes, then I have succeeded. 

The beaded dragons are a sillier thing altogether...based on the way the tiny glass beads catch the light, to sparkle or glimmer. Why dragons?......Well, I can be arty or daft or cute, just as my imagination takes me, and they make people smile. [not to mention, ask what on earth I thought I was doing..] 

The birds began with an urge to create a peacock, but it has gone far beyond that, to just the sheer pleasure of the colours.....not to mention the fun of showing friends how to create their own birds....and being delighted with their flair for invention too. 

I had a “Tree Phase” some years ago and finally “tree’d myself out”. 

The silver Dartmoor tree is my nod to my homeland of Dartmoor, Devon. Not to mention, it was a very good way to use up all the rest of the silver wires. 

** There is a photo book showing some of the work which is now a long way away, in their 

new homes. I’m very happy with some of them. 

Thank you for visiting. Nancy 

 

While we were setting up the exhibition, I was asked how I made some of the items, and having bored everyone senseless with explanations, was persuaded to write it down. 

Well.... 

The birds and the dragons are made from a product called ‘paperclay’. It’s light, soft, pure white and totally addictive to play with, once you start. I can’t begin to explain why I model the things I do, that’s just my peculiarity, but I think it has to do with how forgiving it is, and how far it can be ‘pushed’! 

The colourings are Alcohol Inks; jewelled colours and crystal clear, which blend into each other, and dry very quickly. 

Larger items are supported with a wire armature, and the birds supply their own....all the beaded tail wires are twisted together, to become the body and neck. 

The dragons; they are another being altogether, and I just stick lumps to lumps until they look like something, then paint and bead them. Mainly, I use Japanese beads, for their beautiful colours, and shapes, some of which made me think of dragon scales [or indeed, bird wing feathers]. 

The Steam punk Dragon was a real work of love, and I want to thank Leanne Brittan for a heap of clock and watch bits to play with! This theme may be continued, hopefully. 

Some of the pastels have a story behind them.....the trilogy of Afghan girls come from a series in the National Geographic. The smallest one, twinkling over her head scarf was taken from a distance, I believe, so she felt safe. The close up of her was taken with her permission, but she was now wary, and it shows. The final picture was taken some fourteen years later, now married with three small daughters, and not really happy about it at all. The series was for me, a study of the beauty of eyes...both hers and the cats I added to the drawings, who carry the same wonderful colours. These three pictures can’t be sold, as that would be affected I believe, by copyright. They were just an exercise. 

The pencil drawing of the steel jug with coffee in it, came to me, as I stood half awake in front of the coffee machine...there, in the jug was a reflection of a pair of ‘angel wings’ sweeping around the back. 

“I am NOT sulking” is a picture of our Norwegian Forest Cat, ‘Chaos’....and he was....he’d just been told not to do something, and this was the result! 

Nancy Sayers October 2019 

Arts and Crafts...  Nancy Sayers

 

DRAGONS:

1:    I think I am a Dragon Fly. $60.00

2:   Amethyst Dragon with Teapot   $100.00

3:   Dragon Puppy    [kindly on loan by Kym Angel]  N.F.S.

4:   “Morning After” Dragon in Martini Glass  $80.00

5:    Shy Baby Dragon  $50.00

6:   Good Morning Dragon with coffee cup.  N.F.S.

7:   Steam Punk Dragon on Locked Box  $200.00

8:   Kintsugi  Bowl  N.F.S.

“KINTSUGI”  is a Japanese technique for celebrating the beauty of a restored object, with precious metals.

 

BIRDS:

9:   Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Peridot Bird   $150.00

10:   Ice Bird  $60.00

11:   Christmas Bird   $60.00

12:   Peacock  $120.00

13:   Crimson Bird of Paradise   $70.00

TREES:

14:   Grapevine  $120.00

15:   Dartmoor  N.F.S.

                                                                                          

ACRYLIC :

27:   The Chiffon Gown  $195.00

28:   Cheeseboard  $40.00

PASTELS:

16:   You calling me a Galah?    $250.00

17:   This will end in Tears....  $350.00

18:   Taj Dreaming $290.00

19   Taj on Bath Night  $290.00

20:   Smiling Afghan Girl  N.F.S.

21:   Girl with Cat TRILOGY......A Study of Eyes  N.F.S.

22:   Woman with Cat   N.F.S.

PENCILS:

23:   Lilac Dancer  $70.00

24:   Grandma Hooper   N.F.S.

25:   Morning Reflections  $120.00

26:   I am NOT Sulking....  $95.00