Dr Rebecca Warren
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drrjwarren.bsky.social
Dr Rebecca Warren
@drrjwarren.bsky.social
7.9K followers 580 following 11K posts
Early modern historian, writing ‘The Church in Interregnum England c1649-62'.
Illustrator & co-author 'Nature's Calendar' (Granta, 2023). Environmentalist.
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drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Woodland fungi

Quick little sketch from a lovely 📷 by @sophiecarr.bsky.social with thanks.

@saocousins.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
6 small umbrella-shaped toadstools on long slender stalks, all in pale brown shades, with green fern at their feet.
November 23, 2025 at 7:31 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
Early medieval silver ring, found in the Thames, dated c.770-850CE, the period of Viking raids on Britain.

Perhaps it was lost in some desperate battle on the riverside or dropped from a bag of stolen silver.
Or just lost after a drunken evening. So many possible stories...

(V&A, 📷 mine)
November 22, 2025 at 6:06 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Heron has to keep up appearances

From a lovely 📷 by @joeleemedia.bsky.social with thanks.

@saocousins.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social
Painted portrait of heron from mid-neck up, with yellow beak bending down to preen throat, and grey neck feathers, with black crest.
November 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Hippeastrum flower

The deepest, lushest, most velvety red ever.

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Two stems; on left a bud opening in red and green, on the right, a 6 petalled flower facing viewer in deep shiny red, with long stamens emerging down from centre.
November 20, 2025 at 7:35 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
We humans think we have our eyes on the ball, but heron knows better.

@everyheron.bsky.social
Roof of building; security camera pointing towards viewer, heron on ridgeline looking the other way.
November 20, 2025 at 7:50 AM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms d'Avignon from the Papal Palace of Avignon

For @bwallower.bsky.social as I can't find an earlier version. 😊

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Ink and paint view of classical tower of the cathedral seen between two stone towers, with steps leading down in the centre and a tree.
November 19, 2025 at 7:14 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
White cliffs of Dover

V quick sketch from a lovely walk with @saocousins.bsky.social.

@stevecobbin.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Watercolour of coastal downland, with steep white cliffs in the centre, falling down to black weed-covered beach and blue sea on right.
November 18, 2025 at 8:59 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
Or the mosses drape themselves like a blanket of green snow over everything.
November 17, 2025 at 8:09 AM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
St Mary's, Tal-y-Llyn, Anglesey

Tal-y-Llyn has disappeared, but its church was saved by @friendlesschurches.bsky.social in 1999 & is open to all.
Yes, I've done this one before😀

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social
Watercolour of gable end of grey stone church, with simple round-arched doorway in center, the open door revealing sunshine coming in through the back window. On grass, with a wide horizon either side and blue sky with clouds above.
November 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Greek (?) church

Another I've done from one of my dad's slides. Alas he wasn't great at labelling them all.🤷‍♀️

@saocousins.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Ink and paint church - three 'turrets' facing viewer with shallow terracotta pantiled roofs, and a further round tower behind. In shades of yellow and brown.
November 15, 2025 at 6:38 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#Caturday

Rusty is such a show-off!
November 15, 2025 at 5:23 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Damascus street scene

Another sketch I've done from one of my father's slides from his travels.

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Ink and paint sketch of row of buildings with shop windows and open doors, against which a heap of terracotta urns are leaning. Over one doorway three ceramic jugs are hanging. Sitting on the pavement in the forground, is a figure with a black scarf around head and a red robe.
November 14, 2025 at 7:20 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
The stunning Becket casket.

Dating from c1180 (ten years after the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury cathedral), this reliquary may have contained some of his 'relics'.

Made in Limoges, France, the murder is shown below and his ascent into heaven above.

(V&A mus; 📷 mine)
November 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
Here’s my treasured little ‘acer grove’ in the garden just now. Still pretty leafy😄
November 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
I seem to be growing autumn in a single pot.
November 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Street scene, Syria

Trawling back through my late father's slides from his travels, I found this. The splash of red fabric clearly caught his artist's eye.

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social
Ink and paint of wide street in centre of image, with low mudbrick walls either side. Telegraph wires are strung across the scene, and two ladies in red stand halfway down, shadows stretching across to the left. Two trees at the far end and vegetation frames the left side of the foreground.
November 13, 2025 at 6:51 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Green hermit hummingbird

From a lovely shot by @mikemelton.bsky.social with thanks.

@saocousins.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @andykaitken.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Ink and paint image of slim bird with bright green feathers, perched on a yellowish branch. Bird has a very long, thin, down-curved beak and is looking to the left, head tilted up.Green paint splats across the image.
November 12, 2025 at 7:08 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
Beautiful!

Btw, I thought of you…😀
November 12, 2025 at 7:42 AM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
Fabulous - but slightly creepy? - Syrian glass ointment jar, made c400-550CE.

Someone had a lot of fun making this one!

(📷mine, at the V&A, London.)
November 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Viburnum leaf

As autumn progresses, viburnum leaves take on firey shades of orange and red. Here’s one from a walk I took today with @saocousins.bsky.social

@holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social
Painting of hanging leaf with 3 pointed lobes, mottled in red and orange.
November 7, 2025 at 10:22 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Hasty oystercatcher

From a ph by @alan658.bsky.social with thanks

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social
Black backed wader with black head and collar. Long orange beak, pointing to left, orange eye and pink legs. White belly. Black inksplatters across image.
November 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Still stilt

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social 🦉
Painting of tall wading bird, looking to left, black thin beak, black top of head and back and wings, rest is white. Standing on single, long pink leg.
November 2, 2025 at 5:42 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Avocet

Today I've been trying to see how little paint I can put on paper but still produce a bird😀. Here's one version.

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social
Black and white wader, black top of head, few black patches on top of wings and tail, and black beak. Rest is white but depicted only by a bit of shadow.
October 31, 2025 at 7:19 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Avocet

Another quickie - I'm supposed to be cooking...🤭

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @mayfieldbirder.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social 🦉🪶
Ink and watercolour of wading bird facing viewer, on one long leg, with black stripe over top of head, and long slender up-turned bill, two black patches on it’s back just visible, otherwise white.
October 30, 2025 at 6:01 PM
drrjwarren.bsky.social
#ArtDD2025
Gull

I do love gulls. This sketch, however, had to be a very hasty 10 minutes only (dinner was nearly ready😄).

From a great 📷 by @kristina0221.bsky.social, with thanks.

@saocousins.bsky.social @holnicotenh.bsky.social @stevecobbin.bsky.social @indikon.bsky.social
Ink and watercolour of gull facing viewer, standing on one angled leg, grey wing feathers just visible on shoulder, otherwise white, with slightly pink leg and beak.
October 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM