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Positive Wellbeing During Self-Isolation

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Not my usual subject

BrentW profile image
BrentWArtist
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This morning I joined an online class on Pen and Wash. Our topic was Jellyfish and Fish, for which we were given reference photographs. This was my effort, on A4 watercolour paper. Of course, me being me, I could not help but add a little something of my own -- in this case, some acrylic ink. I hope you enjoy it.

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BrentW
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Hi Brent that's really good looks so delicate I love water and under water sea life this my artistic effort for the day could hardly see but loved the sun effect glistenning on the lake xx

BrentW profile image
BrentWArtist in reply to

How lovely, Curly1_. Did it hint to you that spring is on the way? How did you cope with last night's storm? Did it hit your area? I lay awake much of the night, listening to the wind booming in the roof space and whistling through gaps in the windows. Right now, however, there is a gorgeous sunset in a cloudless sky, turning the horizon gold and overhead an eggshell blue. But enough of this chatter. . . . it is also time I started cooking dinner.

in reply to BrentW

Hi sounds lovely sunset never heard much of storm but did some damage to mam's fence she's 27 doors down some tree branches down the worst thing for me wasn't last night but night before came down to water on kitchen floor wet feet will take soap next time lol bad pitch roof my builders going to look it only happens when wind is certain direction, heres another for you enjoy your tea mam's creativity for the day she paints well not now but loves baking 😊🌛🌟😁

It's a photo I took not painting lol couldn't do that 😊

13ga profile image
13ga

brent - i absolutely love your work! it's beautiful!

i'm also a non-conventionalist - so i like your use of mixed media!

break rules when they're stupid!!! :-)

in reply to 13ga

Hi 13ga here's your boy he's sat by me as I'm charging phone on floor he's been in on own today while I had tea at his Nana's he was sat waiting at window again have a good night I'm watching my soaps now I'm full up had 3 lemon tarts and some mince pie mam made see photo above 🤗😊🌛🌟🐆

BrentW profile image
BrentWArtist in reply to

My boy is called Strongman. He came with us to Wales from the Caribbean, and was eight years old on Monday. What is your boy called?

in reply to BrentW

Pixiebob your boys lovely mines just moved getting anxious lol best go

in reply to BrentW

Pixie 7 on June 17th his dad was a Bengal I had him from.a baby

13ga profile image
13ga in reply to

mmmmm lemon tarts look YUMMY!!!

tell my pixie - daddy's coming soon!!! and save some tarts for me!! :-) ;-)

in reply to 13ga

Lol ok pixie doesn't like tarts so he won't eat yours been defiant Brent hasn't seen him.before have you seen his cat he's put on this post night night xx

13ga profile image
13ga in reply to

i did see brent's 'strongman' - he's beautiful!!!

but you know i have a weak spot for bengals... and omg - is that a great pic of my boy!!! i sooo want my bengal boy!!

BrentW profile image
BrentWArtist in reply to

The place? Maracas Valley, St. Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago (where we were working). The time? About 2.00 a.m. one March night in 2014, at the height of the annual, gruellingly-parched dry season. Jacqui, woken by a plaintive mewling, roused me in turn.

“I can hear a cat,” she whispered. “It’s in our house.”

“Is it one of ours?”

“Of course it’s not one of ours. They’re both sleeping on the bed!”

That was true. Our two toms, in their mid-teens and both somewhat deaf, were curled by our feet, snoring gently. Leaving them to their slumbers, we went to inspect. As Jacqui turned on the living-room light, a grey-and-white scrap of fur limped out of a gap in the French windows leading onto the lanai. Splashes of blood marked its progress.

“Let me get an old rag,” I said.

“Why?”

“In case it’s got some strange, tropical infection.”

I grabbed a threadbare towel, unlocked the door and went onto the lanai, cutting off the cat’s retreat. There was little need for haste; he could not move quickly. Scooping him up as he hobbled passed me, I wrapped him in the towel and then . . . felt him relax. He began a purr so rumbling that I could hear him over the raucous nightly chorus of piping tree frogs and croaking toads. It was as if he was saying, “At last, humans to help.”

We carried him indoors to the spare bedroom, where he accepted being laid on the bed as we inspected him. There was a deep, gaping wound on one shoulder about 8 cm across. We cared for him as best we could, wiping the wound clean, covering him with the towel and leaving him to sleep –which he did soundly and endearingly. At six o’clock we called the emergency vet, who advised that we put an ice pack on the wound until the clinic opened at eight. When we did so, two bott fly maggots crawled out, gorged on blood and flesh.

At the clinic, the vet said, “He’s going to have to be strong if he’s to survive this.”

It sounded like an invitation to euthanize. We would do no such thing. He was already part of our family – and a brave one too, having passed four dogs to get into our house. And he had shown such trust. How could we betray that?

“Well,” said the vet, “if I’m going to treat him, he’s going to need a name.”

“Strongman,” said Jacqui without hesitation, and so Strongman it was, and has been ever since.

About a year old, he weighed only six-and-a-half pounds and was on the verge of starvation. Had he not sought out help, and had we not given it, he had perhaps two days to live. The vet removed over a hundred bott fly maggots from his wound, and found an air rifle pellet also. She warned that he might lose his leg. But with loving care, much medical attention and a several fistfuls of dollars, he made a full recovery. When we moved to the UK in 2017, there was no question that he would come with us. His airfare cost more than ours, but has been worth every penny.

Nowadays there is only a small area of thinned fur to mark where he was wounded. He is now a healthy, neutered tom with a love of fresh haddock and belly rubs; and we give both freely, hoping that he has at best only dim memories of those days when – wounded, alone and starving –, he had been so desperate as to seek help from humans he did not even know.

in reply to BrentW

Oh what a sad but lovely story I could tell many takes of my cats I took 2 ferrel kittens in there dead now lived 13 15 yes no time at moment got to sort estate agent I think it's fate with houses as with pets they find us take care enjoy your day with your super boy 😊😺

thara9643 profile image
thara9643

this is good literally

Lemon lol the pie is mince I'm full up and pixies messing with me best go xx

Marnie22 profile image
Marnie22

Lovely. It has depth I think. It would make a lovely illustration for a child's storybook. (I used to teach little ones!) 🙂🌸

honeybug profile image
honeybug

Very well done. 👏👏👏

That's a lovely outcome BrentW. Superb colour palette and great movement in both the jellyfish and the fish. (I love that the fish looks cheerful too!)

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