through the looking glass

It's been a long time since I've taken part in one of Joey's weekly challenges.  It's been a long time since I've used Andromeda.  It's been a long time since I grabbed a tile from my Leftovers pile and breathed life into it.

From what I recall I made this background tile years ago, probably when I was first trying out the Gelly Roll Glaze pen.  I've haven't been near it since.  It doesn't particularly speak to me, but I thought it might be fun to try to send that band of Andromeda that Joey invites us to start with, in opposition to the Glaze band on the tile.

That was my starting point, and from there the tile developed with little planning and lots of instinct.  And an attempt throughout to wrestle something controlled from a very rough surfaced watercolour paper.  I added Tripoli type triangles into the band, Mooka Flowers anchored with black bands and a wobbly line fill that I saw Margaret Bremner use to far greater effect on one of her eco-dyed pieces.  I shaded with coloured pencils and a little graphite.  And I'm fairly pleased with how it came out.  

I like that glassy window through the band to the Andromeda lying beneath.  Which feels apt on these suddenly freezing days that are gripping the UK, just as we all assumed spring was close - not quite, but if we look carefully it's there waiting for us, if only we have a little more patience.