Hello bloggers

Can you see this army of Swiss chocolate bunnies?? Just in case you haven't had enough Easter chocolate yet, here's some more for you. Have you ever seen the film 'I Robot' with Will Smith? It's a great sci-fi film. One of them, has become conscious; which bunny do you think it is? Is it friend or foe? Will it try to befriend you, or eat you? Maybe the last thing it wants is to be eaten, by you!

I saw an English advert on the telly yesterday : selling Easter eggs for 2 pounds. I would've used a pounds sign, but I really can't find it. It's all I can do today not to keep pressing the caps lock. How irritating that is! But my, that's cheap. No deterant not to get fat and spotty there, is there? Guess you just have to rely on will-power then - oh dear!

So, yes chocolate everywhere. I'm very strong-willed, unless I have some in the house. Then, it doesn't usually last very long. The bunny ears are the thickest part - just in case you were wondering. Maybe, I've told you that before, I've no idea where my head is today. Yes, I know, on top of my neck. It's hard to tell today though, because I can't look in the mirror if my hair is as greasy as it is today.

Introducing my newest painting: 'Forest Walk'. It's a really dreamy painting. I've enclosed it in a lovely dark frame and mat, for illustration purposes. This really adds a 'window-like' effect to the painting: as if you really are looking through a window, at the view. Not many people have a forest, of course; outside their window. But maybe some of you do? Lucky bunnies! Trees are such wonderful things, aren't they? So individual, in their twists and turns. I try very hard, never to paint things like trees using a system or technique. I try to make each tree it's own individual,  just like they are in life.

'Forest Walk' painting by Listed Artist Laurel Moore.

It's wonderful that turn to fall/autumn: when the leaves turn that kaleidoscope of colours: from green, to yellow to orange. I love that wonderful deep silence you find in a forest, punctuated only by the birdsong. There's a lovely mist creeping in from the right side - creating an enchanting effect. Hope it takes you there with me................

Sorry it sometimes takes a while to download my site. It's just the amount of pictures I now have.  

Find all my paintings at www.boundlessgallery.com  www.originalartonline and my own site www.moorethanart.com anytime. CU there!

Hello bloggers. Hope you are all well.

Here's a lovely view for you. The weather has been gorgeous here over the last few days. I even did a doggy walk in a T- shirt.

Just popped out to pee the dog at 7 a.m, my it's lovely at that time. It's kind of semi-morning, still quite dark, yet showing glimmers of light. There are strange barks and squeaks over the fields, and unusual bird-song. It is so still and quiet (apart from all those noises)

This morning and for the past few mornings I've been overlooked by a large sparkly moon. Almost close enough to touch, too. I have tried to grap it a couple of times, but no luck yet.

Axle, has to toddle off down the dirt-track to do his business, because he won't step on a ploughed field - apparently. I guess he doesn't like it on his feet. He's a very particular dog. He is always very careful to go round an obstacle, and would never consider getting on his sofa, if there is something there with him: like a mobile phone, or a pillow. He can't bear dirty paws either,  (which probably explains not attempting the closest field) in fact, he has been known to nibble and nibble his paws, until he makes them sore.

Once our son kindly left some chewing-gum in the shower. Very thoughtful! So, when I washed the dog I managed to get a blob on his coat. When he began nibbling I knew I'd have to get the shaver out. So I had to shave a patch of his hair off, to save his nibbling. He looked a bit odd for a while with a bald patch. Axle is such a character.

This morning the morning was so fresh, that he was happy to sniff and snuffle for a while, in the morning air. I don't usually have to call him back, he's quite happy to bounce home, into the warm house, when he's done his business. But this morning, he decided to continue with some lovely sniffing - leaving me standing under the moon, in my dressing-gown, slippers and coat hat. It's a very fetching look. I look like a big blob. Luckily, it's a Sunday and no one works on a Sunday here in Switzerland. It's a day of rest. In fact, you can get into trouble working on a Sunday, even in your garden. Good thing too, I say!

I can't wait for our wild cherry trees to burst into bloom. I'm sure I've seen some buds now. Last year, they were awesome. We have a long line of them overlooking the lake. They must be very old, too, since they are huge. I have an even better camera this year, and the photos were awesome last year. I love the blossoms framed against the Swiss blue sky. Here's a little reminder of last year's photo.

Wild Cherry Blossom, by Laurel Moore's camera.

Well, you know I would say 'by Laurel Moore', but let's face it: it's the cameras which have all the technology these days, isn't it? Just clicking and pointing, isn't a huge skill! I do claim credit for framing the view, and what a beautiful view! But neither can I claim credit for a stunning cherry tree.

In fact, I'm tempted to make this into a large print in the future. It would look wonderful in a contemporary room, wouldn't it? I only chose the absolute 'best' of my photos,  to use as prints. Believe me I have hundreds of photos, but only a handful make the grade!

Just a few weeks later, these trees produce some small but delicious fruit. I nibble many of these on my doggie walk. It's like a lucky dip: some are tart and others (lucky enough to have been bathed in sun) are full and fat and sweet. They must be so good for you. I love that kind of shelf life: of about 2 minutes!

Come visit me at www.boundlessgallery.com and www.originalartonline.com  anytime. Or ask a question at questions@moorethanart.com

Hello bloggers, hope you had a nice Valentine's Day.

Yes, another foggy day in Fribourg, Switzerland. Haven't we had enough fog now? Do we really need any more? Surely this may start causing arguments in this neutral country? I hate it when it begins with the promise of sunshine, too. Then, does a complete 'U-turn' in favour of fog. Anyway, enough of the weather!

Is he charming, or is he scarey? This dog (above) stands on the threshold of the 'Blue Dog' clothing chain. He doesn't seem to have any eyes though! I mean, where are his pupils? Everytime I go past him I have to restrain the urge to get out a black marker pen and give him some eye balls. It reminds of a dead fish. You know how the eyes go all white on a fishy cadaver? You know what I mean.

Anyway, I've shown you my abstract dabblings. Well; when I looked at my abstract and my traditional paintings they seemed to me to be soooo far apart. So, I got to thinking surely I could combine the skills of my traditional paintings with my blossoming love of abstract art? Hmmmm!  A challenge indeed.

I started with this photograph of a lovely lady in her bridal gown. And for the last few nights I've been dreaming of these coloured swirls! I woke up from one dream, knowing I'd spend about two hours, dream-painting my swirls! So then, the other day I began combining the two in a new watercolor painting. This painting was a dream to paint. In fact, it's so easy to forget about bad weather, or any weather when I'm creating a new painting!

I hope you love it too. I'm very proud of this painting. To my surprise, it's kind of taken on a unique 'Art Nouveau' style. But as I developed the theme and it found its name ('Woman') it took on a life of its own. It is a celebration of womanhood; formed as a woman is: from the earth, the sea, the wind and the sky. Her fabulous dress is mermaid-like and swirls around her. And the swirling world represents her natural instinct sourced from those elements. Just email questions@moorethanart.com  to see if I have a Limited Edition Print left in this work. The print run is limited to 250 on this one. 

Find me at  www.moorethanart.com or www.artwanted.com

Hello campers!

Hope you are enjoying a little better weather. Well, yes, it does seem to be national-steaming-dung-day today, in rural Switzerland. All the farmers seem to do exactly the same thing, on exactly the same day in Switzerland. Are they psychic do you think? Or is there some farmers' grapevine from which they all hang?

Anyway, the edict has gone out! "Shovel your shit!" Now; farmers through all the villages are creating huge mounds of steaming dung. Then, transporting these onto their fields. My God, it pongs!! Unfortunately, this morning, the fog was so dense and icy, that all those sweet n sickly dungy smells were trapped close to the ground. The smell almost made me throw. And I have a fairly strong stomach for unsavoury smells. Since there was also a hard frost last night, the steam lifting off it was amazing.

You can't beat their kindness to animals in farming though. There is no such thing as factory farmed chickens here!! Good for them! Love to see that England is soon following suit. Well done to those chefs and all of who have been the driving force.

Talking of factory farming!

Aren't they funny? All those factory farmed chocolate bunnies!! They made me laugh sitting in their regimented rows, waiting for a greedy hand. Like mine  Yes, thankyou, it was gorgeous, thick chocolate around the ears, too. The kind, that hurts your teeth when you bite into it's thickness - stop drooling!

And there he it! He didn't last long. He had a little bell around his neck, which I couldn't eat. Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone, but I've got another one hidden in the cupboard. My body doesn't like much sugar, so there could be a fight, and it may get ugly.

Yes; the shops are full of Easter chocolate here, as you can see. 'Paque' it's called here. I think I've spelt that correctly. But you never know. They've just had a festival of 'poisson' or fish. Don't ask me? There were lots of people dressed up and throwing confetti; but honestly, I didn't see any excited fish!!

Now, quite frankly, some chocolates here are just plain scarey! This for me, falls into the scary category. My son bought me one of these large ones last year. I was so proud of it, I placed it in the window, like a precious ornament. Within an hour it's face had melted down to a mask of bunny horror; and its eyes had fallen out of its sockets! My son wasn't best pleased. I'm sure it gave me nightmares. Here's one for you:

Come on, you're scared, aren't you? I can see the whites of your eyes, too!

Oh, a quick welcome to my new readers in Saudi Arabia and Vietnam! Hellooooooo! My, that's a long way away. It's a small world, isn't it?

Find me on boundlessgallery, originalartonline and moorethanart.com anytime. Or ask a questions at questions@moorethanart.com

Hello bloggers

Hey, will you look at that! A real 'Jackson Pollock' on a restaurant table. It wasn't very appetizing where you had to eat, I can tell you.

Well, we've had some lovely sun-filled days here in Fribourg, Switzerland. Tempting even the trees out of their hibernation. Have you come out of yours yet? Not your tree, your hibernation? Maybe just a few more weeks then.

There was a massive crow on our hedge today. Standing there, looking down and making the loudest crowing noises I've ever heard. In face, if a crow can shout, this surely was crow-shouting. So, deciding it wasn't an insane crow and had to have a reason for its noise, I followed the turn of its beak. Only two branches down, was a cat curled up in the branch of a tree. Waiting for a tasty sparrow snack, I'll bet. Initially, the cat ignored its ferocious crowing, until eventually, when even the neighbours were stirred into looking from their windows, it reluctantly jumped down from the tree and ran away. It was just the sheer volumn of noise that did it, and the cat realized it just wasn't going to stop.

Talking of sparrows, I had to throw a manderin orange at a cat today. Well, I happened to have it in my hand, in the garden. I don't usually go round throwing small oranges at wildlife. Don't worry, as close as it was in our hedge, I still missed. But I shocked it, I'm sure it had an expression on its face that said : where did that bloody orange come from? A sparrow and a cat scattered in unison. So I think the cat was just about to get his snack. He prowls through our hedge, where all the birdies like to shelter in the winter. I hate the way it does that. It's very canny.

Yes, I did finish that outline of a painting you saw on my last blog. It's soooo cute, too. Did you guess it was a Yorkshire Terrier on its side? Of course you did.

It was based on our dog, when I returned home from a few days in England. He went into a big sulk, because of my abscence, which was very funny. He wouldn't look me in the eyes and certainly wouldn't accept a treat from me. So this little watercolor is called 'Just One More Sulk'. I really tried to capture that watery affronted look in the eyes. Did I achieve it???

Yorkshire Terrier original watercolor painting.

Available at boundlessgallery and originalartonline Or just ask me a questions anytime at questions@moorethanart.com commissions accepted.

Here's a few of my abstracts, too. I love trying all sorts of paintings. To try  to challenge myself. Though, I'll admit doing an abstract does make me feel a little insane!

Riches red, abstract painting

Ribbons And Rubharb And Custard, abstract.

Yum yum tasty! Don't you remember those rubharb and custard sweets??

Hello everyone! So nice to see you all again! Hope you are all tickety-boo (that's 'well', in English)

Arrived home a few days ago and yes the funeral went very well thanks. It was very moving and the service was lovely. So nice to see everyone again, too. Even if under such sad circumstances.

I hope you haven't been up to any mischief since I've been gone! Come on, look me in the eyes, you look at bit shifty

So nice to get home and to pick up a paintbrush again, too. Feels like an age. How odd it feels not to paint now - uncomfortable. It reminds me of all those hotels you have to stay in, when you're travelling. And everytime you leave, you kind of feel like you've left something behind. It's like that with me and painting now. A very odd sensation. I started a new little watercolor, can you guess what it is? I've tipped it on it's side, just to confuse you

Any idea? Of course you have. Now turn your head back!

Met so many funny, friendly taxi drivers in England. One, who claimed to be a talent scout and used to be on tour with the band 'Queen' Hmmmm! What do you think? The second told us about the day his flat-mate came-out as a transvestite. By just walking out of his room wearing high heels and a dress; he said he got the shock of his life. Still his best mate though, which is nice.

And what about flying? Well, I haven't flown, I realize, in almost 20 years. I guess one of the reasons is I am scared of heights. But you know, it was so beautiful above those clouds. I was mesmerized. So much so, that somewhere along the journey I forgot to be afraid! It felt like we were riding through heaven.

In fact, my son said: "So where is heaven then?" in a cynical voice. "Well I guess it's higher up then!" I'd replied. "What; up there, in space?" he said. Can't say I really had an answer to that. 

But the clouds and of course Swiss mountains were trully awesome. I would've taken a photo, but of course you have to switch your phone off. Or as my son said: we'd be crashing to the ground "until there was no flesh left" Boys eh!!

But English food! All I can say is "Yummmmmm!" I'd forgotten how gorgeous it is. I don't know why English food has such a bad reputation. English breakfasts are heavenly, as is fish and chips. You should try it.

There was a distinct difference in the running of everything travelling from Switzerland to England, where in England there were far more people everywhere, and nothing was very punctual or particularly tidy. But I'd forgotten how friendly the English are. How they love to chat about anything. I've missed that. Of course it was great to speak English again.

Traffic on English roads is phenomenal though. So thick with traffic, you feel like you're trying to wade through treacle. Of yes, that reminds me, I did have some treacle pudding and custard. My son had a ball of mint-choc-chip ice cream. It was a ball or bomb, because it had been covered in chocolate then left to go cold. He was strangely silent, whilst eating that............so was I..........

www.boundlessgallery and www.moorethanart.com Or ask a questions at questions@moorethanart.com