More ducklings eating oats. We’ll be going back tomorrow for more of this therapy.

I don’t know too many people who dream about the future anymore. When I was a kid, we all did. We talked about the year 2000. Sometimes with dread. But mostly with anticipation and excitement. We saw a bright future — at least as a possibility — out there on the horizon.

Holiday soon and although it is wretched privilege I’m going to try to have a break from the news (will fail), because I feel broken. My heart is broken. Have to repair a few of the cracks. We went to feed the ducks and ducklings and they loved their oats. That’s a bit of paper mache on the cracks.

I’m v bad at Bluesky so far. Even though it is the nicest social media platform. Still, a new one to me though, and my 42 year old brain is frazzled with life offline (and online). It’s nice here though.

Some pictures my extremely bored eight year old took during her brothers cricket match this morning ☀️

Some bothies of late. These are warm up sketches but I’m becoming abit obsessed with them.

Brian. 🤍

The maestro has passed - the man was a open heart with two legs - with an ear that heard the angels. Quite literally. Love and Mercy for you and yours tonight . RIP Brian. nytimes.com/2025/06/11/a... Brian wrote down the lyrics of love and mercy for me -

Some folks hitting the streets in the sketchbook

An Austin takes a pootle. 🖊️

Here come the poppies. Sketch from the garden last night

Incredibly depressing day. I've spent my entire life being told by British governments how dreadful immigration is. New Labour did it. The Coalition. The Brexiters. Now Starmer. All of them accusing the ones who came before them of failing to clamp down. The same old vacant mean-spirited bollocks.

Ditto my Grandad.

Having to decide on art to possibly have behind me in a photoshoot tomorrow (massive dread), and while I might not bring her I have just replaced @chloecumming.bsky.social’s mount because it was abit discoloured. This painting circa 2010

not just a climate pope, but an all caps petition sharing climate pope

Translucent ink Van Gogh

After watching What’s Up Doc as a kid (one of my favourite films) I misunderstood the character Eunice’s name and loudly had an argument with my mum in a shop where I insisted her name was Anus

As a young child in the 80s when hearing Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M at Christmas, I thought they were literally exclaiming ‘Jesus christ!!’ in shock/horror at Mary’s boy child.

I took part in a plein air painting competition today. My fingers nearly fell off with cold (despite the sun!) and I got a smidge stressed, but I got a rosette, which is nice! It’s quite magic when everyone’s out painting.

Swatches in the sun. Swatching brings peace. As does voting green. I’ve done both today.

A reminder that every small bit of good you do - whether it be putting art into the world, helping a friend or stranger, donating to a good cause, or just listening to someone who needs to vent - offsets all the evil in the world just a little bit. And sometimes that's just what the world needs.

Golden hour. Pencil-y.

I had a right old rant about Tony Blair's ignorant, self-interested statement on The Jeremy Vine Show today. I mentioned that he has worked as a lobbyist for PetroSaudi, earning Tony Blair Associates £41,000/month, plus 2% of any deal he brokered. Starts 9 minutes in: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The wall our mum painted for sis @chloecumming.bsky.social in the very early 80s (just about pre me). She was always very casual about this, but having now been the mother of young children I’m genuinely amazed she found the energy to do it.

One of the small but hopefully big things I do to try to feel less helpless is donating to @clientearth.bsky.social monthly. Worth a follow to see what we can all do. They’ve had some big wins. What on earth are Greek authorities thinking 🤯

Dove with oxblood ink branches

“…no amount of posting or passive info consumption is going to substitute the hard, unsexy work of organizing” I would argue that sick & disabled folks have used social media to organize and mobilize. Some of us can’t protest in the streets or meet in person but we made a difference

Patchwork fields, oils edition. Hopefully there is a place in the revolution for someone who paints patchwork fields and ploppy trees.

Floopy star over jazz woods (not its final title), an oil from last year

I have kilometers to go before I sleep Brazilian illustrator, Raysa Fontana (aka: Desktopgirl)

Anyway I have added these four drawings now to my main drawings shop on my website. Car park monkey, blue dove green town, aloft arms monkey, ink/vermillion grasshopper. Thanks for looking. www.chloecumming.com

Good morning Bluesky folks. Hope everyone is ok. If patchwork fields are your jam please enjoy this painting from yesterday.

Folks walking on a path together

Mr Lynch, in the sketchbook today.

Current mood

@chloecumming.bsky.social hi x

rough day. not much I can do. so here's a frog.

Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris #climate agreement is an act of environmental vandalism & shows what the fossil fuel industry can buy with their $75m donation to his campaign. But it’s important to remember leaders across US are already taking stronger climate action & the economic case is clear

Wonder and Sun, from last week ☀️

Hills with pink path. Sending love out to everyone who possesses compassion, humility and kindness today. Yesterday was more for the other folks.

Warm up sketchy painting this morning.

Northern lights.

Good Day! Autumn Wood scene by Thomas Moran 1868 Oil on Canvas (Private Collection)

Beatles pink n green

Hill fort, very small paintin’. I oscillate between oils and illustration. You need many pies. (You don’t, I just like both).

Starry Malverns, 2022

Empty cottage, Whiteleaved Oak. Little 5x7 inch oil from this year. It’s actually been restored by someone now…still strong fairy tale vibes, though

My dad here. We miss him so. Was just explaining to the kids again yesterday how, when out in the natural world, (he was an extremely clever hobbying entomologist), he proclaimed ‘this is my church’

Autumnal path, 2024