ONE MOSTLY GHOSTLY NIGHT

If I could travel back in time, I would choose Ghostly Victorian England and live in a cottage by the sea, much like "Gull Cottage" from the movie "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir."

A haunting, lonely cottage by the sea, the house I've lived in all my life in my dreams. It was the lonely, ghostly mood of the place and a house sitting silently alone, its only view the romantic sea that I wanted to capture in this painting of three spooky cute ghost cats by the names of Ghost, Spooks, and Boo sitting by the seashore on "One Mostly, Ghostly Night."

As I was painting the ghost cats sitting on the driftwood posts, I got a flashback to the scene of Lucy and her daughter, Anna, on the beach and how the old fisherman carved Anna's name on the driftwood.

I could sign my work with my name, Anna on one of the ghost cat's driftwood posts. How fitting to pay homage to one of my all-time favorite ghost movies. 


Oh, and by the way, Annabelle is my nickname given to me by my husband when we first met because I love the poem, Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe. Oh, and one more thing, look at the cloud to the right of the moon.

Lucy Muir: "I want Gull Cottage".

Lucy Muir: "I want Gull Cottage".


If interested in the ghost tale, here is a link to its trailer.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, Natalie Wood

DORMIR SOUS UN CYPRES

"Dormir sous un cyprès, or “to sleep under a cypress” means to be dead."

I left it for dead.

When I was inspired to paint The Quiet Garden, it was after I had come upon a beautiful garden behind The Saint John the Baptist Anglican Church in Richmond, Ontario, next to the church graveyard. But, I failed in capturing the serene landscape of The Quiet Garden and tossed the painting into the woodpile.

Sometimes, what I have in mind does not always turn out the way I conceive it in my mind. Now, I have arrived where the road leads to though not so sure how to go on. I will need to give it some thought before I make my next brush stroke.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;


Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


~Robert Frost

By The Sea 🐚

Painting of the day by Gilles Leroux

                             By The Sea  🐚

When I bought this beautiful seascape painted on a conk, Ganoderma applanatum, I intended to paint over it: only, I fell in love with it.

I had never thought of using conks as a canvas for painting until I was introduced to them by my mother-in-law. I remember one, in particular, she had painted with a forest scene. It was two conks attached by a stick which she cleverly transformed into a fallen tree lying across a stream connecting the two sides of the forest floor. Her husband skillfully created a mama raccoon and her two babies out of Teasle seed and placed them on the log crossing the stream below. I thought it was such a genius idea creating a 3 - d painting from quirky fungi: ever since then, I have been on the lookout for one just like it.

When I do get the opportunity to work on one of these lovely fungi, I love to smell their heady fragrance when I use my wood-burning pen in creating the design: Autumn enters the room, and its as if I'm still out in the woods, walking on musty fallen leaves, collecting fungi.




If you haven't tried painting on a conk, maybe, now is the time to try. Take an autumn walk, collect a few shelf mushrooms, and bring back a little of fall into your home.

The conk with the beautiful sea shall remain in its original embodiment, and I will take another walk into the woods, maybe get lucky and find the one.




"By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea.

You and me, you and me, oh how happy will be.

I like to be beside, beside, beside the sea,

beside the seaside with you."




Some Like It Hot (1959) M M IN BEACH SCENE

THE SPOOKS ARE COMING FOR YOU, LITTLE BAT! 🎃👀🎃👀👀👀🎃🎃👀🎃👀🎃👀👀🎃👀

The Spooks are coming for you, Little Bat!🎃👀🎃👀 🎃👀

~ Oil on wood panel

I should have thought of this earlier but its never too late. A neat way to see where the stars would look good before painting them in. I still need to paint a shooting star and some tiny stars around the little white ghostly pumpkins. 

"By pumpkins fat and witches lean
 By coal black cats
 With eyes of green
 By all the magic ever seen
 The ghosts will rise on
 Halloween" ~ author unknown

I shared this oil painting yesterday but, I got better pictures this morning so, sharing once more. Also, wondering what to do with the pumpkin patch, any suggestions? 

Last night's moon was a waxing crescent, and I tried to capture an image with my phone, only I got this. Sometimes, pictures lie. lol 

I did, however, paint it in my spooky Halloween painting. 

Now, I am thinking, what I need to do with the haunted pumpkin patch being very careful not disturb the little spooks.
Of course, you might have guessed if you read about our pumpkin patch how I got the idea for this painting. And did you notice the pet rock? Nature sure presents inspiration: one only needs to put on their glasses and take a closer look. Well, at least I know I do, reading glasses and an early morning coffee helps me to see more clearly.

A PUMPKIN FAIRYTALE 🎃

A PUMPKIN FAIRYTALE

"Oh, greenly and fair in the lands of the sun,
The vines of the gourd and the rich melon run,
And the rock and the tree and the cottage enfold,
With broad leaves all greenness and blossoms all gold."
~ John Greenleaf Whittier

When pumpkins give you Fairytales: The quiet garden, still and fragrant after the rain and then I spot from afar little orange golden suns. Its the Pumpkin Patch once again! The pumpkin flowers and the little pumpkins are reaching out coming towards our house: I think they are trying to tell us a fairytale. 


PUMPKIN CAT AND PUMPKIN BAT

A PUMPKIN FAIRYTALE

"Oh, greenly and fair in the lands of the sun,
The vines of the gourd and the rich melon run,
And the rock and the tree and the cottage enfold,
With broad leaves all greenness and blossoms all gold."
~ John Greenleaf Whittier

When pumpkins give you Fairytales: The quiet garden, still and fragrant after the rain and then I spot from afar little orange golden suns. Its the Pumpkin Patch once again! The pumpkin flowers and the little pumpkins are reaching out coming towards our house: I think they are trying to tell us a fairytale. 


PUMPKIN CAT AND PUMPKIN BAT

Pumpkin fairies and pumpkin pie, jack o' lanterns of pumpkin cats and pumpkin bats under the light of the silvery moon, oh so many ways the pumpkin patch gives to our imagination. I can't wait for the great pumpkin but, I don't think we have the time for one, not much summer left.

I love rain and so do pumpkins. After last night's rainfall, the garden grew and bloomed some more, and the fairytale pumpkin's bloom was the fairest of them all until this silly girl tried to kill the cucumber bug sitting in the center of the flower. I caught the bug: but I got the flower too. Delicate is the flower of the pumpkin so, beware, look, but don't touch. 

The quiet garden, still and fragrant after the rain and then I spot from afar little orange golden suns.

I think I'm in love with Pumpkin Flowers 🧡🧡🧡🧡🎃



 

And the little bug I guess did less harm than me. Don't touch the Pumpkin Flowers!

Have you noticed all the flowers look like stars? Magical!.

No matter in whose garden this little vine grows, and grows and grows and blooms and blooms and blooms

A whimsical garden another name for a messy garden. 

Nicotiana is one of my favorite, white, fragrant, and starry. A must-have in my garden.

I may never stop dreaming of a cottage by the sea or in the wood, and the stories my garden tells keeps me happy where I am, for now.

Fade to Grey Art for Sale

Fade to Grey

This illustration of a haunting, melancholic girl was inspired by the Italian Jewish artist Amedeo Clemente Modigliani.

Will be available on Society6

Happy World Art Day 🖼🎨🖌🐱 Nine Lives

"A cat has nine lives. For three he plays, for three he strays, and for the last three he stays"

A painting of mine from a while back and sharing it today for World Art Day ~ Nine Lives 

Bat wasn't put there he placed himself there, honest. Something about art and cats, they just get along so well. 

Il tempo se ne va ~ Time Passes 

Behind the painting is a photograph of my nono and nona in Italy. They brought me up until I left for Canada when I turned 7. They were the best!

Color or black and white? I think I like the b&w, I suppose the reason why I do is I love the color black. 

Happy World Art Day 🖼🎨🖌🐱

AIR CASTLES AND A BLACK CAT ~ MARCH 1ST/2020 🍀😺

Happy March 1st / 2020

When I am tired of toil and strife
And wearied of pursuing care,
I turn aside from real life
And build a castle in the air. 

 ~ 
Heritage Minutes: Lucy Maud Montgomery

Taking a break from the news today.

 Happy March 1st 🍀

Blue, Blue , My World Is Blue 💙

... in a room with no view

Maggie usually sits and watches me paint and when she tires of doing that she looks out the window of the room but these days, Emma has a cat video camera set up in front of the window. Nothin to see😿💙

PAUL MAURIAT ~ LOVE IS BLUE  

                 ~ L'amour e blu

                              

This song was #1 on February 28th, 1968 


Photo by M Three Cats A Dog and A Camera 

MY CAT, FRIDAY😹📰

I NEVER KNOW WHAT SHE'll BRING BACK

 😂😹😸📰 photo and artwork by M

instagram.com/murtagh13/

My Precious by M

" My Precious" Photograph by M

~ Bat is such an obliging cat when it comes to having his picture taken. Love the pic, M ♥️

🐈🐈🐈 🐕 📷Take a look at her Instagram Three Cats, A Dog, and a Camera

Bewitching Moon ~ Patrizia Gattaceca 🌝

Bewitching Moon

I'm bewitched by the moon. Too often I fail in capturing photographs of the moon but this is one of the rare moments I caught the moon and its magic.

Bewitching Moon

Over the top of the mountains the moon 

Rose unexpectedly
In the sky it drifted,
A bird, a fairy!
Blown out, round and sweet
Melon-like!
It danced in the sky
Impassioned
In the fragrant night,
Lighting every road,
Making my head swim,
My senses dazed.
Did I dream?
Did I really see you?
You fell into the well
Like the declining sun.
Moon, wink at me
Bright Moon, magic moon
The mirror of the loving girl,
Peep out at the balcony!

Patrizia Gattaceca

A DARK AND DREARY OCTOBER SKY 🎃🎃🎃

Black Bats, Werewolves, Pumpkins & Cats & Haunted Trees *** 

Under this dark and dreary October sky, an otherworldly atmosphere occupies my space. Still painting but the light is escaping the room or maybe it's me : ) Love this little black velvety /rusty pumpkin I made using vintage fabric and a real pumpkin stem. Most of what you see on display are vintage treasures I collected on my country road trips to my favorite haunts. The German Werewolf Beer Stein is a recent find and the spooky cute haunted candlestick is even more adorable because it holds a wine cork candle with my birth year 1957 @ ghostales1957. The black velvet glass dish fits perfectly under the mini pumpkin. Love collecting the vintage Velvet glass and it doesn't look black in the light but sometimes it's purple or red when you place it in the light...bLACK mAGIC!

The old haunted tree candlestick and German Werewolf Stein also found treasures @ Sally

Found these sparkly bats and the starry candle votive @ Sally Ann

Something about this room, the cats just can't keep out. This time it was Maggie's turn to keep me company. 

CASTEL BOUS 🎃🎃🎃👀🧹🐈

Urban Dictionary

Bous is a term used to define any: thing, feeling, emotion place, person, situation, experience or comment that is highly positive or loved by an individual or social group. 

'Castel Bous'

This Halloween Mixed Media Painting is done in 

Acrylic and Ink on small miniature wood panel. 

Still working on a fence for the front of the Castel : )

Can you spot the skair-ee cat ?

Boo came to mind because of the peeking ghost so when I asked hubby for help with a title he sent me the above definition and in the subject wrote "Castel Bous" misspelling 'Castle' with Castel.

The name Castel to me sounded like a wine,  which turns out there is a wine from France called, Maison Castel. Of course when stringing the two words together Castel Bous you immediately think booze :  ) I found it kind of funny so I kept the title ...'Castel Bous' * Hope you like it. 

Anna 🎃🎃🎃👀🧹🐈

A Mostly, Ghostly Night 🐺🐺🐺 🎃 👀

"Listen to them,
Children of the Night. 
What music they make."

~ Bela Lugosi  Dracula 1931


PHOTOS BY M www.instagram.com/murtagh13/

Inspired by an old flick from 1931, 'Dracula', starring without a doubt the best Dracula ever, Bela Lugosi. I have always loved his line about his pet wolves so I thought why not make 3 little scary cats afraid of Dracula and his furry kids. 


 ' A Mostly, Ghostly Night ' is a  Halloween painting done in acrylic & ink on a wood slice and features a clowder of three ghostly cats, Ghost, Spooks, and Boo @ The Castle By the Sea.

When Ghost, Spooks, and Boo are invited out to the Castle for the October Halloween Ball their plans quickly change when they realize just who lives in the Castle by The Sea.

*****

~ They could hear a strange and haunting melody carried across the sea only soon realizing the music was the sound of howling wolves and they knew that only one could be their keeper, Count Dracula. 

And so, they sat on the mooring posts wondering if wolves and the vampire hunted Ghost Cats.

And when I went to paint the driftwood mooring post for 'Ghost' the cat,  I remembered a scene from my very favorite Ghost Movie, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" 1947. If you have seen the movie you know the scene I am referring to but if not, it is where 'Lucia's' daughter, 'Anna' played by Natalie Wood writes her name on the driftwood log. 

It is my name, after all, Anna. 

How could I not? Purrfect! 
I hope you like the painting and of course Bat.
Happy Halloween ~ 
🐺🐺🐺 🎃 👀 A Mostly, Ghostly Night 🐺🐺🐺 🎃 👀

Anna

See You in Another Life Ol' Blue Eyes 👀

Something old, something blue, a lover's eye I give to you...lol

See You in Another Life Ol' Blue Eyes ...  An old painting of an eye I did years ago.

This pillow is available on Fine Art America

See You in Another Life Ol' Blue Eyes ...  An old painting of an eye I did years ago. 

If you are interested in my artwork or my daughter M's artwork and photography...

Three Cats, a Dog, and a Camera

I have just reopened my Fine Art America Shop and will be adding more artwork soon.

BAT'S BAD DREAM 👻

Bat loves to watch me paint and when the painting was complete he just had to take a closer look. I think there is something in the eerie landscape that reminds him of his bad dream.

NINE LIVES 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈

*** My latest painting *** "Nine Lives " ***

Bat and "Nine Lives", sure hope this little fella will live all 9! 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈
I must confess, I do have a favorite pet, Bat! Why, well because his story is so special but that's for another post.

I've become the crazy cat lady in my senior years but I do love them a bunch, all three of them, Bat, Maggie, and Karson! Still, I miss our Grace but for the time being, will wait a bit longer before we get another dog, life is too busy at the moment.

Under the willow, the cat's tomb sunk a little further into the old tree. Only, in the ghostly glow of the moonflowers, could one see the tombstone dimly appear from the dark crevices of the ancient monolithic trunk. 

So, I paint and listen to my music and the words in a song, in a man paint a picture in my head. 

 *********

"So long ago, I don't remember when

That's when they say I lost my only friend

Well, they said she died easy of a broken heart disease.

As I listened through the cemetery trees."

My art is inspired by Living Life and Art.

 Movies, Books, spoken words and Music 

Art imitates Life, Life imitates Art.

The song "One Headlight", The Wallflowers ~ written by Jakob Dylan, was discovered one night when I heard it played in a movie starring Alicia Silverstone and Benicio Del Toro in "Excess Baggage "... Thanks, M for getting me to watch this movie, loved it! Of course, Bat kept me company while I painted. I think he was a painter in another life.

I think I like "Nine Lives " better in black and white. I believe my favorite color is black.

Deceased cat to her paramour: 

"Nine lives lived...

" I know that the ones who love us will miss us". 
I miss you too, my sweetie". 

    

Hubby gave me the title "Nine Lives " when I asked him what he thought of the title I had "Miss You". Then, later I read an article in The New Yorker on Keanu Reeves and his thoughts on death. I'm sure our furry friends feel much the same and so I used Reeves words for the kitty cat. 

Once in a while, a star really shines brighter. Keanu Reeves is one of our very, favorites, especially so for my aunt, Anna in Italy. 

p.s. Anna, 

I thought you might like this bit of information on Keanu Reeves : )

Ghost cats and Bastet,  guardians of Willows Cemetery.

Original in color

Enlarge the image and you'll discover there is more to see besides Bat : ) Hint: look at the trees, sky, and moon and maybe a tombstone, too : )

Hope you like "Nine Lives" and Bat, well I think most do.