Wildcat

What medium is this? Looks fab!

Stunning detail ... :o)))

..is this your artwork, Gattina ?

Thank you, guys. Yes, TT, I used to make my living this way. Pixi, it's watercolour on scraperboard, with judicious use of a scalpel blade. Each picture takes months. It never photographs or prints very well - the originals are much softer and more realistic. I used to have problems at exhibitions with people trying to stroke the surface of the pictures and leaving fingerprints all over the glass. Haven't painted for 15 years now.

With such talent, do you think you might go back to painting again ?

Stunning Gattina. It looks incredibly detailed, I would not have the talent or the patience. The grass and wild flower are perfect. This is in my Favourites

Wow you have been keeping this quiet! I thought it was a photo, can you put some more pictures on, it is fantastic!

Too kind, Guys, Too kind. No, I don't think I would go back to it - too time consuming and I have too much else to do, especially with OH home 24/7. It needs hours and days of uninterrupted concentration, and there's no market for it any more - I have a loft full of pictures that haven't seen the light of days for years. Anyway, been there, done that - boring now. I did flirt with the idea of botanical drawings, though. Maybe in spring, when the fields are crammed with flowers I may sharpen up my pencils.

well i really hope you do, even if its just small pictures, i think this one is quite incredible.

I have just showed hub your painting Gattina, I said look at this, he said, is it a photo, I said no a painting, and he said Bl**dy He**.. WoW Gattina, its Amazing, Im speechles to be honest! Amazing...

I would love to see some botanical drawings and paintings Gattina. I've found my paints and stuff , but can't rustle up the enthusiasm to give it a go again yet either.

I have zoomed Wildcat up as far as I can and it holds it's definition...Superb. You should exhibit some in Italy.

Oh, YoungDD, I very much doubt that! :-) Speechless? Naah!
Honestly, recently I've thought of clearing out the loft and maybe taking them all to the tip. Not sure what else to do with them, and I've only got one on my wall - in a very dark bit above the stairs. I'm maybe too critical and keep finding fault with them. I think other creative people sometimes feel the same way about their work. I'll see if I can photograph some of my other stuff, but it doesn't work too well, and some of the pictures are way too big......
Please tell your OH I really appreciated the "Bl**dy He**" reaction. Praise, indeed.
Pimpernel - Italians aren't interested. If it isn't an old master or something vaguely erotic, you can forget it.

Wow,you are one talented lady,Gattina..this is superb..How lucky we are,to have both Amateur and professional artists on here..in all fields of the art and gardening world..it never ceases to amaze me..Thank you so much for sharing this with us...could you venture up in the loft,and please show us some more please ?...Bl...y
H..l from me too ! Lol.

I'm not professional any more, Bloomer, so you can't bracket me with the likes of Lil or Nosey.......

OMG! I've just been on eBay and they've got some of my stuff on there for sale! I'm famous! They only want 99p for it, mind you......Wonder if they'd like the originals?

That is immaterial to me,Gattina..I just love seeing beautiful things from everyone,whatever art form they are..please don't consign them to the tip...if you longer wish to keep them,aren't there any charities,schools,homes,etc,you could donate them to..or auction them to raise funds? It would be so sad to dispose of them in that way...

Well I think its amazingly good!

I think my family might have something to say if I did, Bloomer. Bossy lot! I donated a picture to the local animal refuge to auction to raise funds, and instead they've stuck it on the wall. Phillistines!

Good ..your Family is right..and agree about the Phillistines...but maybe they wanted the animals to have something to look at...unless it is in the office..which I suspect it is..:o)

Wonderful, detailed and beautiful work of art Gattina.

OK, I'll see what I can find.

Thats a great talent you have. I too would like to see more.

Amazing Gattina!!! I can't believe it's watercolour. I would love to see more.....please :)

told ya so gatina . fantastic wild cat . id love to swap some art with you but understand why i cant . i understand the scalpel part with the light hairs i mite have to steel that idea lol . im not a professional and i am self taught apart from some evening classes . i love it its stunning . you take care bye for now

regaurds leigh shelton xx .

I was self-taught, too, Leigh. I Got offered a place to study at Goldsmiths College of Art, but my father thought they were a bunch of scruffy layabouts, so I was sent off to study Zoology and Botany. So I got an "ology" instead! Whole different story......Maybe art is better and easier as a hobby than as a way (incredibly difficult unless you chop pickled sheep in half or leave your bed unmade) to earn a living.

Incredible Gattina! You really have an amazing talent there, no chance of an exhibition in an Italian town? To think you have a loft full, I'm sure given the right venue, your work would sell like wild-fire, or wild cat....:o))

I wish I ad thought about the messy bed thing..but there you go.

snobbery rubbish isnt it gattina . personaly i went and did catering because my mate who isnt my mate anymore went there and then completly wasted my life till 1992 when i thaught i wanted to be a tattooist and thaught if i want to get it on skin i should be able to get it on paper first and the rest is history . dont worry we will both be rich once were dead lol . take care bye for now xx .

Absolutely brilliant Gattina, do you miss painting now?

Sometimes, Rose, but not all the wrangling and silliness of agents, card companies, publishers, etc.....In fact, it's quite surprising how little I miss it, now I come to think of it. I think if there is creativity in some form in your life, you don't miss a single, particular form of it.

This is wonderful ... such expression and detail ... have been looking at it for a while now ... :o)

you are so right gattina thats such a nice way of putting it . take care bye for now xx .

I know what you mean regards not missing actively creating art Gatsy, although I could never ever reach your level of skill I just enjoy the easier option of cartooning around with my old graphics tablet. Just about to blog a true owl story with cartoons as I have no photo record of this.
Never say never though, hopefully the brushes will come out again. Perhaps we Goyers can bully you into creating botanical sketches for us in the Spring ?? ;-))

lets hope so ~ in the nicest possible way!!

Well encourage rather than bully...Or kick up the Ar&e.
I would love to see your Botanical studies.

Lace makers went blind working in such detail.

ok, encourage ~ strongly!!??

gattina is a very sensative and nice persen who wants to keep herself to herself i do believe . what will be will be or not . i think it wasrealy nice to see this fantastic peace . i mite be wrong but pushing etc is not a way realy . i love her work and mines pretty good . take care gattina and be happy in whatever endevers you get up to even if its just kicking back soaking up that italian sun in that lovley house . im very envious . you got to do what makes you happy . sometimes i can draw day and get a piecedone in a month or so and sometimes the fealing isnt there like this year wear ive only drawn one picture and know sculpture or potery . you have to realy have the right mind egsactly or you dont feal like your doing your best im hoping you all understand especialy you gattina . takecare love xx .

Just found your picture - an amazing talent! I assumed (like others) that it was a photo and on reading that it was painted had to go back for several more looks. I've also had 'dabbles' in this direction many years ago but nowhere as NEAR as your incredible talent. What pleasure it must give you to know such capability! Can't bear to think of such wonders 'going to the tip.' I understand how petty agents etc. can be over such things, but maybe if you hold onto your pictures a little longer a lucrative outlet may be found? Don't be too hasty. :o)

Stunning gattina, thankyou for sharing...

Thank you, too, Crissue.

:)))

i think botanicle drawings looking at the undergrowth you tastefully put in your pictures and it would definatly go down well on here and its a change which is aparrently as good as a rest . thats enough writing for one day lol bye for now xx .

Sorry to embarrass you, but, you are a very talented lady, you must go back to it, I have a brother and sister who are talented, but your paintings are breathtaking......

the only way i can draw is when i feal like it .

I bet if you opened an online art shop, people would queue at the virtual doors to buy your work! Or an online gallery where we can sit and look for as long as we liked.

I don't get much "art" these days - somone one said that art is whatever you can get away with. but I gave up even trying to understand it the day the Tate showed a pile of bricks as "art".

If you're going to throw them, please throw them in this direction - I'll pay postage! can you give me a hint of what to search for on eBay?? just tried a few general keywords, nothing for 99p!

or put 'em on eBay yourself! why should someone else make a profit out of your hard work and incredible gift?

ps to my previous: Dr Johnson said it best:

"I would rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world."

or a cat, or tiger, or horse ...