Johnny Bee-Good...

A couple of weeks ago a friend asked if I could paint a picture for her niece who's baby is due in October.  She wanted me to paint a bee in the style of my Chookie Birdies as the baby's nursery theme is bees.   I said I would give it a go and faced with miserable weather today and no car (in the garage having the software updated.  Don't get me started!) today seemed as good a day as any to have a bash.

The first one I did the wings look like ears so started again and came up with this little guy (he's included in extras with the other two attempts)  I've just done these quick paint sketches as don't want to spend lots of time on them till my friend sees them and confirms (or otherwise :-) that I am on the right track.

I'm pleased with them so far but can already see major changes I will make as they evolve (hopefully) into acceptable Chookie Bees.  Blipping them to have a reminder of how they looked when they were originally created, and as a comparison to the finished work.

Just realised today is 13th September.  Thirty-one years today my beloved grandpa died, just six weeks after he gave me away at my wedding.  I miss him every single day.  Grandparents are such special people and if you are lucky enough to have them, please cherish every moment with them.  They are special times indeed.  

My grandpa was a great supporter of my drawing and painting as a child and I have many happy memories of him drawing houses and dogs and rabbits and lots of other silly little doddles for me to copy.  

He had beautiful handwriting and had gold ink and a quill pen that he would use to write names and dates on the mounts of family portraits as he framed them.  I am sure born in a different time he would have pursued a more artistic career, rather than spend his working life down a coal mine.  

I think he would have liked my little Chookie Bees so have named this one after him :-))

P.S.  My friend has just messaged me to say she definitely wants me to go ahead with the bee painting, in fact she wants three!  I think I'm going to enjoy getting to know the Chookie Bees :-)  '


P.P.S.  My friend Eileen sent me this article on her son Tony.  Made my day 
:-)))