Hello! It’s been over a month since my last post, and so much has happened since then. We had a two day road trip from southern England to southern France, and now we’re settled on our new 8-acre hilltop property, which is surrounded by nature and magnificent views of the nearby peaks, valleys, and villages. I’ve never been so immersed in nature before, and I’ve found it to be quite inspiring. I’ll wax more eloquently on this in the future, but for now I can show you the first abstract painting I completed since being here. I’ve started a new series of abstracts based on the changing qualities of nature. I’ve termed this new series Anicca, a Sanskrit term meaning impermanence. Sitting outdoors on this hill surrounded by trees and lush views of the nearby terraced hills, I finally had an experiential understanding of what the Impressionists were after, in terms of capturing the changing atmosphere and lighting of a scene. I have recorded my observations of the visual changes in the landscape in a series of small paintings that are done in my usual funky and vibrant abstract style.
Quoi d’autre – 6″ x 6″ – Acrylic on Wood Panel
This painting is SOLD.
www.thaneeya.com
In the past my abstracts have been very abstract, so it’s been invigorating to move this style into a new theoretical terrain. It has been refreshing and mentally stimulating to use my abstract style to express not only philosophical concepts, but also tangible reality as well.
And finally, I can show you the completed cockatoo drawing!
Celestia - 6″ x 6″ – Prismacolor Colored Pencils on Paper
This drawing is available for purchase here.
I’m quite pleased with the way this one turned out! I think the colors work well together and there is a nice balance of detail between the bird and the background. Next time I’ll post an image file showing the drawing’s progression from start to finish, so you can see how it evolved in one easy glance.
In the meantime, here is a pic showing my view as I paint… the red oil drum has since been moved!
Here is another view from the front of the house:
There are many lovely walks in the surrounding area, so next time I’ll share some photos of the gorgeous French countryside!
I love those black bees! They often buzz near these purple flowers in our front garden. I’ve never been that interested in insects before, but now that I’m around them so much, I find them fascinating. It’s fun to just watch them go about their daily business. 
