The Starry-eyed Mermaid

Creating Habanera: A Journey of Colour and Chaos

Published on October 10, 2024January 23, 2025 by The Starry-eyed MermaidLeave a comment

I had such a fabulous time creating this spunky artwork – Habanera – inspired by the opera Carmen. Lashings and lashings of acrylics were smoothed and teased over a 40″ x 30″ stretched canvas, using a palette knife. The red paint was particularly wonderful: thick, buttery, vibrant, unapologetic! Worthy of Carmen, herself!

There is a twist to this story. I brought the canvas back from the studio space. I carelessly abandoned it propped up against the bookcase in the living room. A few nights went by and I hadn’t bothered to move it. BIG MISTAKE!!! My autistic teen, known for Jurassic-level meltdowns, felt triggered. His arm reacted by hurling a heavy mug STRRAAAIIGGHHHTTTT through the canvas!!! OMG!! I have never felt pain like that in my adult life!! Ooops!! *Insert expletives! Hee hee!

All came good, in the end. I managed to carefully cut the canvas fabric from the frame. It had split into two halves, which made the most wonderful diptych! I had the two sections mounted onto backboards, and framed, so they hung level. They looked even better than the original canvas (in its entirety).

A local lady fell in love with the diptych, and hangs pride of place in her home! I was sad to part with it, to be honest, but to know someone else is loving it as much as I did, is reward enough!

Celebrating Canine Creativity: The 2021 Scunthorpe Exhibition

Published on September 23, 2024February 10, 2025 by The Starry-eyed MermaidLeave a comment

There was a wonderful exhibition at the 2021 Visual Arts Centre, in Scunthorpe, called ‘A Dog’s Life’. There were many artists exhibiting, and some incredible artwork. Sculptures, photography, paintings! The Arts Centre is a blessing, not only for the artists, but for the people of this town.

I was invited to display dog art and prints in the gallery shop. Very exciting! Here is some of my dog artwork (cropped to fit the collage!) I think ‘Snoop Doggy Dog’, ‘Slavver’ and ‘Gobby’ are my favourites!!

Top: Doolally, Iggy Flip. Bottom: Iggy Flop, Go!

Top: Prozac, Harry Bottom: Mikey, Zha Zha

Top: Slavver. Jim. Bottom: Bonkers Dog, Slobber

Top: Pegi-18, Snoop Doggy Dog. Bottom: Gobby, Scribble Dog

I would fully recommend a visit to this wonderful haven of creativity! The exhibitions are world-class. Truly the finest displays of contemporary art in the UK!

The 2021 Visual Arts Centre website

Graceful dancers by an artist with two left feet

Published on July 10, 2024July 10, 2024 by The Starry-eyed MermaidLeave a comment

I had a request by a lady for cards and prints of some of my watercolour dancers.

I thought I would share them with you. I am particularly fond of the male dancers, which were drawn in pencil using a continuous line technique, before a loose, watercolour wash was added.

I am the least graceful dancer you could ever imagine!!! A sort of deranged elephant after drinking 5 bottles of Prosecco!

Do you ever use the continuous line technique? Watercolour wash? Do you enjoy dance or ballet? Do you sketch dancers?

These images are available as cards or prints. Please use the contact page for sales enquiries.

Balcony Poems: Embracing Nature’s Melodies

Published on April 29, 2024January 23, 2025 by The Starry-eyed MermaidLeave a comment

I sat on my balcony and listened to the blackbird leading the dawn chorus. In the early morning hours, I wrote this poem. I find birdsong so joyous! It uplifts and gives me a sense of freedom.

I sit on the balcony, the moon
not shining in a miner's coal sky.

The birds must know something.
They sing with voices looped

around my breath's plume; pale –
a ghost, an albino wren; its beak 

submerged in a lake. A blackbird 
is a piccolo; your smooth hands 

silkworms, spinning skeins on my 
breasts. Your breath, a warm breeze

at the nape of my neck. The white 
dove's wings are flutters in my chest

as I stargaze; I look for your heart. 
I see your lips in the blackbird's

song. Your whispers beguile me,
is that so wrong?

©2023 Sarah Drury

I said to the moon, ‘You know nothing’.

Published on April 19, 2024 by The Starry-eyed MermaidLeave a comment

We stand at the shore,
our toes foam with blue ink.
I dive for oysters, my graceless feet
a mermaid’s tail.
I anoint your milky orbs with pearls.

Your eyes are moonstones,
smile, a crescent moon.
You are the lighthouse; I am a moth
attracted to your light.

I stutter constellations;
Cassiopeia trips over my tongue.
A Mirrorball of stars ricochets from
the sunburst of your song.

The sea makes screen prints;
sells them to tourists drinking tears
from champagne flutes.
They cling to glaciers;
carve ice sculptures of love lost.

Our skeletons are xylophones.
We play all the songs —
they are lifelines on our palms.
I do not believe in God,
but we kiss and the universe is ours.

We are stardust,
I write sonnets,
You sing psalms

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