Monday, September 07, 2009

A New Celtic Cross

I gave myself a day off today from "real" work, and drew and painted this encircled Welsh cross. I've done this one before, several years ago, when I became fascinated with Celtic knotwork and crosses during painting canvases for St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin.

This one was in a book someone loaned me, but I returned the book, and now can't find anything about the history of it. All I know is that it is a stone carved cross on the typical pedestal somewhere in Wales, and I had written "Ennlaun Cross" on the canvas at the bottom.

Anyway, I love fooling around with the counted elements of knotwork, etc. and the geometric symmetry - and also figuring out color schemes for them. For some reason this one went smoothly, and I didn't make but a few errors in the counting - unusual. My concentration was O.K. today, I suppose.

I'm also pleased with the colors I mixed - which, again, is unusual. The gold outline was done with my new Sakura Pen-touch paint pen, which I'm really enjoying, as it's so much faster than the little bottle of paint and a brush that I normally use. The gold isn't as pretty, but for an ornament to be stitched, it's O.K.

A word about this pen: It isn't good, unfortunately, for the actual drawing, as I paint out mistakes with acrylic paint, and the ink repels acrylic. Also, I have no idea how it would behave on a larger piece - such as a pillow or something for a church kneeler, as subsequent dry cleaning could make it lift to the surface. I would have to test it before using it. I don't like to risk disaster!!

As long as I'm showing off, I might as well do the other two - did them earlier in the weekend. I'm suffering from PPD (post project depression) after finishing work for a magazine deadline - so had to play a bit. I had drawn these two also several years ago, but never really finished choosing colors for them.

The second photo is the "Pen Arthur" cross - but, again, I have lost the source and the history. I had written "St. David's" on the original canvas I drew, so it probably is in the churchyard of St. David's in Wales.


The last photo is the cross at Maen Achwyfan in Wales. It is a magnificent stone carving on a tall base, dated at around 1,000 A.D., and shows Viking influence.

If I ever decide to stitch them, choosing threads will be fun - as I have to make a decision whether or not to spice them up with sparkly/shiny stuff for ornaments, or a bit more subdued for frameables. For right now, I'm going to put them away and prepare to do some responsible work tomorrow.

2 comments:

Jan said...

I like the last one the best! These are all lovely designs. I'm glad you're doing so many wonderful things from many different cultures. My focus is very narrow, but yours takes in the world.

Cyn said...

Hi Judy,

They are all wonderful and I would enjoy watching you stitch them. Maybe the next time you have project withdrawal? :-)

But then again I'm looking forward to seeing more progress on the Mindy canvases.

Cynthia
Windy Meadow