My computer has died, really this time I don't think even my amazing partner will be able to resurrect it!! Hopefully I'll get my courage up and go shopping for a laptop this weekend (I admit I'm pretty terrified about all things technological!!) So I'll be back when all of that is up and running.
Best wishes, have a great May Day.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Saturday, April 20, 2013
April is flying
I managed to squeeze in time for one little painting for Don Whyte's wonderful (fundraising) Off-Cuts Show. Here are some photos of the painting in progress.
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| I lliked it a lot at this stage! |
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| Almost finished! |
The mornings are getting cooler - here comes autumn that feels like spring!! Time to get oustide and tackle the weeds and plant some tomatoes.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Park painting and some ancient history
Here are some photos of my large painting in progress. I'm not sure whether it's finished or not!
I'm so used to working on a small scale that I found it quite difficult to be consistent with this, every time I had a painting session, it seemed to come out in a different style, some parts very stylised, some parts painted loosely, some more realistic...
But by co-incidence, the first Tactile Arts members show of the year has the theme of 'Birds'. So I've put this painting in (in this possibly finished state!) along with some smaller works. The opening is next Friday 5th April, do come along if you're in Darwin!!
The painting reminds me of one - much larger - that I did at Uni back in the mid 80's. So here is the ancient history! ...I'd had a friend from my hometown to stay for the weekend, and when they left I couldn't face going to the studio, couldn't see the point of painting, I was feeling homesick and sorry for myself. So I did what I do, I went for a walk and took my sketchbook, and did some charcoal drawings in a tiny park - a square of grass surrounded by flower beds with rose bushes, a couple of bench seats, the whole thing fenced with iron railings. The drawings I did were quick, slight, but they were the start of a series of paintings.
When I read this back it doesn't sound like a significant event! But for me it was some kind of turning point, the feelings I was struggling with went into the paintings which were for me about leaving home symbolised by the relationship between mother and daughter.
(The paintings are long gone, but I might beable to copy a photo to show you another time!)
The park in my new painting is huge compared to that little city square, it has formal gardens and fountains, a community veggie garden, playgrounds, grassy areas, huge trees, a skate park... plenty of inspiration for a whole series of paintings!
I hope you're having a relaxing Easter. I had a long list of jobs to tackle in the garden, the house and arting, but have a bit of a cold, so I've been indulging in sleeping in and relaxing and my list of jobs will have to wait for another time!!
The painting reminds me of one - much larger - that I did at Uni back in the mid 80's. So here is the ancient history! ...I'd had a friend from my hometown to stay for the weekend, and when they left I couldn't face going to the studio, couldn't see the point of painting, I was feeling homesick and sorry for myself. So I did what I do, I went for a walk and took my sketchbook, and did some charcoal drawings in a tiny park - a square of grass surrounded by flower beds with rose bushes, a couple of bench seats, the whole thing fenced with iron railings. The drawings I did were quick, slight, but they were the start of a series of paintings.
When I read this back it doesn't sound like a significant event! But for me it was some kind of turning point, the feelings I was struggling with went into the paintings which were for me about leaving home symbolised by the relationship between mother and daughter.
(The paintings are long gone, but I might beable to copy a photo to show you another time!)
The park in my new painting is huge compared to that little city square, it has formal gardens and fountains, a community veggie garden, playgrounds, grassy areas, huge trees, a skate park... plenty of inspiration for a whole series of paintings!
I hope you're having a relaxing Easter. I had a long list of jobs to tackle in the garden, the house and arting, but have a bit of a cold, so I've been indulging in sleeping in and relaxing and my list of jobs will have to wait for another time!!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
bus drawings
I have been inspired by Maureen Nathan over on flickr, to do some drawings on the bus. Her drawings are wonderful so do take a look, here here, and here. My bus ride is only 10 minutes, but the drawings only take a minute or so! I made myself a tiny sketchbook about 2 inch square, from scrap cardboard and junkmail faxes we get at work (for coffee machines and overseas holidays! blank on one side).
I draw with a biro, sometimes the vibrations of the bus leave a wobbly line. I try to hide the book in the top of my bag so people can't see what I'm doing!!
It has reminded me that I always meant to make a zine about travelling on the bus - I have heaps of bus poems - I should go and dig them out.
My big canvas is progressing slowly with things being painted in and painted out again! I hope to show you some of that next time.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Making a start
Out of all the artforms I practise, painting is the 'holy grail'!
Recently I've been frustrated with my studio set up - the table where I paint is also our dinner table so I've had to completely pack up after every painting session. In the holidays I had a tidy up - a little desk that had been a dumping ground for half finished projects could be a work table, a place to have my paints laid out all the time ready to go. An easel I'd got just to display work at the craft fair could be set up with a decent sized canvas. Two weeks ago I got the whole thing organised - the canvas waiting. The intention there to do some serious painting!
Last Thursday morning before work I quickly laid some colour onto the canvas, adoodle of lines, anything so that I wouldn't have to sit in front of the blank canvas on Friday!
Friday morning I blocked in some ideas based on a walk down at the park.
Now that I've put in the tree and the geese, the woman in the foreground is too small, so I've painted her out. It's curious (worrying!) that the underpainting colour and mark making is much more interesting than what I've put on top. It's got too tight too early...I need bigger brushes...it's scary and invigorating to work on something this size (20x30 inch) after many tiny 4x4 and 5x7 canvases.
It's not really anything yet - and likely to be painted over several times before it is - but at least I've made a start!!
If you're in Darwin there is still time to see a lovely exhibition of paintings by Ray Hayes at DVAA, finishing this weekend,, you can see some photos at the DVAA blog.
Recently I've been frustrated with my studio set up - the table where I paint is also our dinner table so I've had to completely pack up after every painting session. In the holidays I had a tidy up - a little desk that had been a dumping ground for half finished projects could be a work table, a place to have my paints laid out all the time ready to go. An easel I'd got just to display work at the craft fair could be set up with a decent sized canvas. Two weeks ago I got the whole thing organised - the canvas waiting. The intention there to do some serious painting!
Friday morning I blocked in some ideas based on a walk down at the park.
Now that I've put in the tree and the geese, the woman in the foreground is too small, so I've painted her out. It's curious (worrying!) that the underpainting colour and mark making is much more interesting than what I've put on top. It's got too tight too early...I need bigger brushes...it's scary and invigorating to work on something this size (20x30 inch) after many tiny 4x4 and 5x7 canvases.
If you're in Darwin there is still time to see a lovely exhibition of paintings by Ray Hayes at DVAA, finishing this weekend,, you can see some photos at the DVAA blog.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
At book group
I belong to a book group at my local library, I've been going for over a year now and have read some great books - some that I probably wouldn't have got through but I'm so glad I did, Room by Emma Donohue, The Road by Cormac McCarthy (much darker subject matter than I'd usually choose). Some that were entirely my cup of tea - All That I Am by Anna Funder, When god was a rabbit by Sarah Winman - I was shocked when I went to book group after reading that one, I absolutely loved it, and nobody else rated it at all, they thought it was odd, boring 'nothing happened' seemed to be the general opinion.
This month we read A Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, a 500 page whopper. I gave it a good attemp and got as far as page 200 before I decided to stop. The book is very realistic, very gloomy and for me, depressing without any ray of hope it seems.When I got to book group the general consensus was that it's excellent, it got three 10 out of 10's two 9's and an 8, only one other person was like me and couldn't stomach the book.
I'd been thinking that I might come back to the book another time when I'm feeling 'tougher', but as the discussion went on and parts of the plot were revealed I know it's too sad and upsetting for me. It's odd I feel like I've failed a good book.
I'd love to hear if you're in a book group and how you're enjoying it, and what were your favourite books???
The photo is of new growth on my mango tree, this tree seems to be on a possum highway and the new leaves are often nibbled, but this time they seem to have survived. Also a photo of some new little linoprints for cards in progress!
This month we read A Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, a 500 page whopper. I gave it a good attemp and got as far as page 200 before I decided to stop. The book is very realistic, very gloomy and for me, depressing without any ray of hope it seems.When I got to book group the general consensus was that it's excellent, it got three 10 out of 10's two 9's and an 8, only one other person was like me and couldn't stomach the book.
I'd been thinking that I might come back to the book another time when I'm feeling 'tougher', but as the discussion went on and parts of the plot were revealed I know it's too sad and upsetting for me. It's odd I feel like I've failed a good book.
I'd love to hear if you're in a book group and how you're enjoying it, and what were your favourite books???
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
quietly
So things are going along quietly, making cards, doing sketchbook work, I don't have any exhibitions lined up for this year, but soon enough there will be members shows and craft fairs, I do enjoy this time of year when I have time to dawdle and see where it takes me. I spent Sunday afternoon at the library ,enjoying the aircon, looking at some books on the renaissance and did a couple of sketches (madonna and child). For now, here are some sketchbook pages and hopefully more to show soon.
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