Angels have their names... At last!

Angelica 
25cm x 25cm

'Angelica' - close-up

'Angeline'
25cm x 25cm

'Angeline' - close-up

 'Angelle'
25cm x 25cm

 'Angelle'- close-up

What a task, who said art was an easy option?  Not only do I struggle with the painting, I have also been struggling to name these 'angels'.  It has taken me several weeks and thanks to all of the lovely ideas that you sent me, they now have their names. What would I do without all of your help and support...Thank you all.x

A friend for Hannah

This is 'Sarah' she looks after 'Moon Flowers'.

(More pictures soon trying to get them finished)

"It's your turn now"...... said the little fish.

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There was a slight tremor to her voice, she didn't look up into the eyes of the next fish as she was a bit scared, she had over heard in the cupboard that there were some strange creatures wrapped around her tail, that hissed.......she wasn't sure about this so she decided to err on the side of caution.... and hurried away...the serpents just hissed but said nothing,
"I think that that little fish is a bit frightened of me, artist.... what is it that worries her?"

Well.. said the artist..... It's like this, I wasn't sure how to paint your tail, at the time I was looking through a very old book about mythology and found a print of some serpents, which I thought were quite amazing. That's how you got your tail painted with two entwined serpents, then I thought it might be amusing to add some human ones into your 'hull' looking out.........

The fish lifted her head up and smiled a secret smile........"Is that all" she said,

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"I have several people living in my hull, how they all fit in I shall never know, they haven't got a lot of room in there.... are they stowaway's?...... are they frightened of the serpents too?" she asked.

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No, they are not frightened, just curious, like you and I......... 'I must say that your ships wheel turned out rather grand'. The artist changed the subject as the fish seemed a little concerned about all of the people living below decks.

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"I am pleased with my scales, you did a good job with the colours, artist, but as for my sock's......... well!..................... what were you thinking about, I know that the colours are right for me, but stripes!" The fish had raised her voice is amazement ....."And human feet too".....

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Well my friend, the sock's were an idea from a cereal packet,(the one's which snap, crackle and ...you know the rest) and as for your feet, that's just how the clay formed in my hands that morning... 'I think that they suit you very well. "I suppose so" said the fish...turning this way and that, having a careful look at her feet......she continued.....now laughing "they are quite amusing aren't they?"

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The fish posed for another few photo's looking quite glamorous, her feathery fins waved in the breeze that suddenly entered the conservatory that afternoon...... my son had left the door open as he went into the shed........ born in a barn.... a saying that comes to mind....... It's........... freezing!

A new introduction

"Hello...........Its me again" said the harlequin fish. "I now have the pleasure of introducing you to this little girl, she is a bit shy and doesn't talk very much......... a little timid, is how the artist describes her."

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"I have not been given a name yet but I quite like the idea of patch....or bright eyes... blue blanket..maybe fan tail.......you see my artist is in total disagreement she says that I should be called something like Audry or Maude". The little fish was chatting away to herself discussing what name she would like to be christened, none of the other fish were interested... so she continued on in her own sweet way hoping that someone would take notice, or at least have an opinion.

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Little fish, could you now turn to the left...... that's perfect, you are such a cute little girl. "No one is listening to me, turn to the right she says.... turn to the left, she is so busy trying to take the photographs in this chilly conservatory before it gets too dark.........if only my artist would listen a little more carefully".

The little fish doesn't realize that I can hear all what she says and that I understand her worries, even as I was drawing out her pattern, cutting her out carefully, slowly stitching and adding the paperclay, I new she would be a timid little one. Then as I painted her with big blue eyes, I gave her a comfort blanket, so that she wouldn't be to scared in the dark.

Now lets show your patch as I know that you are very proud of how that turned out.. there, that's perfect. "Did you show my patch..... I love my patch... can you see my shell fins.... and my feathery tail.......... my planking" The little fish was getting a little excited .....

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...Now my timid one, just one of that sweet smile and little nose and then we are nearly done........ don't wiggle too much......... there, that wasn't so bad was it. "My artist continued chatting away to me, I was beginning not to know which way to turn".... Now, one from above ........ "I am getting very cold and quite tired doing this photo shoot, I'd rather be snuggled under my blanket in my pond or as the human one's describe it ........ display cabinet".

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Time to go back to your pond.... say goodbye little one

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Too late she's off.........

Harlequin fish

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"My artist has asked 'me' to pose for you first, she said that the others must wait for 'their day' as today was to be mine".

The harlequin fish was so pleased to be chosen for the first proper photography session. She kept walking about on the tablecloth which was draped over the little coffee table out in the conservatory... it was the only place which was bright enough on this cold, grey and damp day.

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"My artist is saying" 'keep still' "while she takes my photographs", 'please harlequin, stop wiggling about, your like a fish out of water....... well I suppose that is exactly what you are.......... right, please turn a little to the right....perfect..... now I shall take a picture of your fin..........your brick work and planking are looking good ... and I'm very pleased with your scales, they are beautiful shades of green and blue'... "she continued chattering away to me, 'a little to the left now' I'm sure that she expected me to answer her, I was too busy posing for my photographs". 'Please keep still just for a few moments the artist gently asked, I need a photo of your stern, please turn around',"but I say how can a girl keep still when its her 'fishwalk' debut?"

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£155.00
SOLD

(The Harlequin has gone to live in Santa Fe)

"Well I'm finished, and I'm off to see my fishy friends...... my clothing has been designed and painted many times, and my varnish is now quite dry. My artist seems very pleased with the results, she says that she now has to find somewhere or someone to buy me. I wonder where I shall move too?.......

The fish walked off with great dignity before I could show you her wonderful feet...... another day perhaps........

Late night worries

"It's late and she (our artist) wants us to pose for photo's!" The fish discuss their problems between themselves. "What are we to do? REFUSE!!! or just stand here like lemons?" Said a rather haughty looking fish.

Another fish joins in "I'm almost naked and I don't want to be seen....... decisions with my clothing have still to be made....... She turns to hide her face.

A fish with a hat said very loudly "What's with the flowers in your ears?....... Can you hear me........I said..... 'what's with the flowers in your ears'?
The smaller fish answered.......... "Don't shout at me, I can't see if she's put flowers in my ears anyway 'how can you see'? your eyes have been painted out".
"My artist is rethinking my makeup". The fish in the hat replied .......
" More like she made a mistake"........ The fish with flowers in her ears continued.

There was more truth to that than they'll ever know, I struggled with the flag for days and days so that it draped over the fish rather than looking like a stiff blanket, so the eyes should be a piece of cake.. one lives in hope.

.........."That's a bit mean"........ The fish in the hat was looking for a tissue, "I'd shed a tear if I could". At this point she would have had tears in her eyes.. If I had painted any in that is .....ahhhh...

"What about me, can you get me out of here?"

"Don't forget us, we are trapped in here too" The human ones chorused, stuck in the fish with stripy stockings.

The trapped ones continued chatting amongst themselves........ "How many of us are stuck in here?"..."Who knows"... "it's so noisy "... "I don't know, three in this porthole, and I think there is another of us next door"... "What about around the back?"..... "This is getting too weird". The human one's continued chatting among themselves for some time........

"Shhhhhhhhh" The fish with stripy stockings suddenly went quiet.... then a trapped human one said very quietly........"This is so scary, our artist has put us up on top of a magic book".
"She's always reading that one". A naked fish replied... "She's been looking at it for years, full of serpents and other creatures it is, brought it for her husband when they were courting....... I don't think that he's hardly looked at it". The human one's realised that their fish had serpents looking through their port holes. "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". They all screamed.

"Help us please, we're trapped"

Please ignore the mess, as you can see space is not what I have a lot of in my studio, my shoal of fish are nearly finished just one more to paint and a couple of corrections to do, then a whole lot of varnishing, then I can start on my Christmas shopping.

'anthropomorphic fishy friends'

The fish was nervous introductions were not the done thing in the fishy world.

"My artist has made another of us curious fish or as she calls us her
'anthropomorphic fish'

She continued "let me introduce you ..... to...... oh I can't," she was almost in tears "we haven't been named yet". Feeling very sad and trying desperately to regain her composure, she continued "Let me instead show you the latest photo's that we have of ourselves together".

"Our artist is still deciding on our names, and 'OUTFITS'", still embarrassed about being in the altogether. "You human ones can't decide on the simplest of things, how do go get up in the mornings. how long can it take"?............"Could you all put on your thinking caps to help her?" the fish enquired.

What is going on? ... the human one asked the fish.

"I'm 'naked' don't you know"

"I'm NOT dressed yet" said the fish...... blushing furiously (well she would if the artist painted in her pink cheeks)

"My artist is still deciding on my clothes, she'd better hurry up its getting very chilly round here, it might be better if she put me back in the muddy waters that she calls 'her imagination' ".

"As you can see she has made a start, but its raining here in Essex and I need some clothes" she murmured......

"Now the camera is doing silly things, she blames it on the camera... but I know its because she is a numpty where technology is concerned, she only has to ask me".

The fish was getting very grumpy, cold and naked, not only that, she had an artist that couldn't decide what to have for breakfast let alone what the fish was going to wear.

"Do you know how many times she has changed my outfit? I wonder if she is like this when she gets dressed?
Do all of you human ones have the same decision making problems?" The fish continued moaning....

"For heavens sake GET ME DRESSED!"

The fish was really getting angry..........