I've just been reminded by a Twitter friend that today, 20th January, is St Agnes' Eve.
St. Agnes' Eve — Ah, bitter chill
it was!
it was!
The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold;
The hare limp'd trembling through
the frozen grass,
the frozen grass,
And silent was the flock in woolly fold.
(you can read the full text of John Keats' poem here)
Night Flight, linocut
This morning the landscape around my studio was a perfect illustration for the opening lines of the poem... I was out early taking my car to a garage for its MOT/Service and then taking Cliff to work and driving home. A hard frost, -5C, made the views look muted in shades of grey and sage green. The trees dark and lit with a low sun, glowed red and purple and cast shadows that striped the full width of the fields.
I enjoy reading about the traditional feast days and customs that mark the changing seasons. Already we have passed Twelfth Night and Plough Monday, soon it will be Candlemas on 2nd February. One of my favourite web sites for festivals and special days is Project Britain set up by Woodlands Junior School.
My linocut edition 'Night Flight' has sold out but is still available as a card from my online shop, remember to use the discount code HappyNewYear2015 at checkout, valid until the end of January 2015 to get 15% off anything in the shop.
This week's news headlines from my studio
• I have designed a new trade catalogue for my greetings cards (click on the cover to view it) if you own a shop or gallery or know somewhere that might like to stock my cards, please drop me a line in the comments or email: studio at celiahart dot co dot uk.
• I'm busy working on some lovely commissions, but have been sworn to secrecy.
• my Ginger Studio Assistant is having the week off to convalesce from having a huge abscess, on his cheek, lanced by the vet yesterday. Don't even think about thinking about the vast sea of pus! He was very very brave and sat still and quiet without a sedative, the vet was most impressed and said he was 'a lovely little man'.
Stay warm
I'll be back soon
Celia
xx
One of my favourite poems and how appropriate your work is to illustrate it too.
ReplyDeleteHope the ginger assistant improves soon x
Hope your assistant feels better soon, and that you get many orders this year :)
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to be reminded of the poem, and how perfectly your print fits - I'm away to get the cards. Saw your beautiful garden over on Gardenista write-up today too.
ReplyDeleteI love that poem. It's so good to remember the traditional days of the year. Hope the ginger assistant recovers quickly.
ReplyDeleteHope your assistant makes a full recovery soon. I enjoyed reading the poem. I only know a few of more traditional feast days etc, it's always good finding out more.
ReplyDeleteVery best wishes to your studio assistant!
ReplyDeleteNow St Agnes' Eve is a new one on me - must find out more ( I must say I love the Woodlands' School website!) I love your description of the landscape this morning - very lyrical the way the shadows striped the full width of the fields. Glad your little assistant is on the mend x Jane
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of traditions we've lost, it's because we all have such busy lives now.....hope your cat recovers soon, mine is staying very close at the moment, she doesn't like the cold! :) xxx
ReplyDeleteGentle chin scritches to the Ginger One.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link to the old celebrations of life.
That brought back memories of school. St. Agnes Eve was one of the poems I did for O level.
ReplyDeleteHope your assistant is soon well and back to normal duties!
ReplyDeleteHave a happy 2015!
Celia, this post was so full of riches.
ReplyDeleteYou've reminded me that I continue to miss so much by not actually getting up when my alarm clock beeps. I was always a natural morning person, and have somehow been re-engineered as a night person.
I sense another 2015 intention growing strength.
Of course, the poem is beautiful, as is your print. As is that sage green color viewed in early morning.
It was fun to have a look at the link to the site listing festivals and traditions. I will return to it.
Best wishes to a gentle, steady recovery for your ginger assistant. What a brave soul.
I am so glad to be on the list to receive your Studio News and recommend it to everyone.
xo
oh my goodness this owl print!
ReplyDeleteI feel for the poor assistant but it sounds like he'll be on the mend now. I also feel really dim that I've never heard of St Agnes' Eve or that poem by Keats. I'm off to look at the school website and then plug a few gaps in my literary knowledge before cramming up about 'Candlemas'.
ReplyDeleteWoodland's Junior School is a marvellous resource for almost everything you need to know, even down to Moon phases.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Ginger recovers fast.
Oh poor Ginger, hope he's bounced back to his old self.
ReplyDeletePoor Ginger Cat ... I hope he is properly mended.
ReplyDeleteI love that poem, but had completely missed St Agnes Eve passing.
What a lovely picture you paint - even just with words :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I had forgotten about Candlemass Day - but that is because here in Canada (and the US) we know it by another name - "Groundhog Day" : http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/groundhog-day/
I always look forward to it, because even if the winter is still very present,and I know we have at least 2-3 more months of it really, with Groundhog Day comes hope that it might - just possibly - be peeking around the corner...
I truly hope poor Ginger cat is feeling much better, what a horrible and undignified thing for a wee man to endure.
What a lovely picture you paint - even just with words :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I had forgotten about Candlemass Day - but that is because here in Canada (and the US) we know it by another name - "Groundhog Day" : http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/groundhog-day/
I always look forward to it, because even if the winter is still very present,and I know we have at least 2-3 more months of it really, with Groundhog Day comes hope that it might - just possibly - be peeking around the corner...
I truly hope poor Ginger cat is feeling much better, what a horrible and undignified thing for a wee man to endure.
Hello Celia - just a quick note to say I enjoy reading you blog and have nominated you for The Liebster Award (it's an award that is given to bloggers, by bloggers) Here's a link to my page with more info http://wp.me/p2WO8i-35
ReplyDelete