Autumn Art

Autumn tree

This week has included the making of ten ‘DIY postcards’ for the international postcard swap organised by Swedish artist iHanna. I wrote about the way the swap works in the blog post here. I enjoyed the Spring swap so much, I joined the Autumn one with pleasure, deciding to make autumn my theme. The week also included a walk in County Durham that I had never done before. Several of the sights on the walk were themselves like artworks – just beautiful. So I am sharing these with you too.

This is the set of cards. They were make from recycled medium-weight card, drawn in permanent ink and painted in acrylic paint (including a touch of gold on each card). The quotations about autumn were written in ink around the images in black pen. The address side was written on cream parchment-look paper (just glimpsed in a photo further down).

Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Postcards drawn and hand-painted by Amanda Jane Ogden

This was the start of the walk. It’s just next to a busy road I drove up and down for six years, travelling to work as a teacher – and I never knew it was there.

Bridge in County Durham, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

All the subjects of the cards are taken from the countryside. The blackberries are finished now, sadly, but there are multi-coloured leaves in abundance.

Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Postcards drawn and hand-painted by Amanda Jane Ogden
Beech leaves in autumn
Beech leaves in Autumn, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden
Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Hand drawn postcards by Amanda Jane Ogden

This tree looked spectacular, standing on its own against the greener background.

Autumn tree
Tree in Autumn, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

The ferns were at different stage of turning colour.

Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Postcards drawn and hand-painted by Amanda Jane Ogden
Ferns, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

The mix of copper and gold is striking.

Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Postcards drawn and hand-painted by Amanda Jane Ogden
Autumn woods, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

There were oak trees on the way, but no acorns to be seen on the ground, oddly. Perhaps they have all been dispersed now – eaten, collected, stored perhaps?

Cards made for the autumn Artists' DIY Postcard swop 2020, organised by iHanna
Postcards drawn and hand-painted by Amanda Jane Ogden

We finished back at the start, with this view of the river. The skies were grey but we escaped the rain entirely,

Autumn landscape, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

And the postcards have now been sent out across the world. The postmaster gave me decorative stamps (Rupert Bear!), which was unexpected.

Stamps for the DIY postcard swop
Stamps for the postcards, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden
Posting the cards

Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here.

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There is a quilt pattern which uses all these autumn colours; it is called ‘Copper and Gold’ – buy it here

Copper-and-Gold quilt pattern by Amanda Jane Textiles
‘Copper and Gold’ by Amanda Jane Textiles

Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here.

Click the ‘Follow’ button to get a blog-post by email each Monday and click here if you would like the monthly newsletter with design and colour inspiration, etc.

Published by Amanda Jane Textiles

Artist, designer, maker and teacher

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