Spring is in the Air

I just love spring when everything in the garden is bursting into bloom. And the scents in the air just stop and make me smile. I am lucky I don't suffer from hay fever!

wisteria is my favourite and reminds me of the garden where I grew up

peach blossoms with the promise of summer fruit

jasmine outside our bedroom window smells delightful

orange blossoms and looks like a big crop this year

Now onto some work in progress. I am trying to paint white objects and I didn't realise how hard that is. Not only do you have to put in the shadows but white objects can't just be painted in white. They have to have quite a few colours to get them looking right. Below is a not yet completed painting that will be titled 'White With Two'. Its been a real learning experience and quite a bit of looking at books to see how others have painted white objects. Any tips would be appreciated. I have left the painting for today and will look at it again with fresh eyes tomorrow.

Time for me to stop thinking about art and think about cooking dinner instead. Don't want to though.

The Revelation

Firstly I would like to announce that I was accepted into the Adelaide Art Society. Hip hip hurray!!! Last night was their monthly social evening so I decided to attend that and meet some people. It was just so great being with a group of fellow artists. I was part of a group instead of feeling the odd one out like I usually do. And on top of that they had home made scones with jam and cream and chocolate cake! It just couldn't get much better than that hehehe. On the way home I was feeling pretty happy with my world and I suddenly had a revelation. You know those moments where it seems the clouds part and there's a ray of sunshine and a chorus of angels singing (even though its night time)??? I will start at the beginning but be warned I am rambling. In August 2007 I read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron for the first time. One of the tasks in the 12 step program was to describe your ideal life, to think about your goals or dreams, to really work out what you wanted. I had no idea what I wanted. I had this vague sort of dream that was way off in the future but that was all. Silly really. How are you meant to reach your goals if you don't know what your goals are??? I continued with the tasks in the book and little by little my vague sort of dream started to take form. I started to understand what I really wanted. Once I had the goal worked out I started working on ways to attain it. I started reaching for that goal, for my ideal life. Sometimes I strayed from the path, sometimes I stumbled and even fell but I kept on going. Somewhere in the future was my ideal life. I could feel it. Here comes the revelation part. Last night while driving home I realised I AM ALREADY LIVING MY IDEAL LIFE. Its not somewhere in the future, its here and now! Ok a lot of you will be saying "Der I could've told her that" but its something you can't be told is it? Its something you have to realise for yourself. The dream is not yet complete. The ideal life still needs a little tweaking. I still need to earn a good income from my art and I still want to be more 'known' in the world of art but they are minor details that will work out very soon as long as I keep on living the dream. Yep all is right with my world.

Small Work Number 5

I have now completed all 5 paintings that I want to enter in The Small Works Prize at Brunswick Street Gallery. I have enjoyed doing them but I still much prefer to do larger works.

Just a Couple o' Pears

mixed media on canvas

25x30cm (10"x12")

Small Work Number 4

I had a great day in the studio today. I finished another small work. One more to go and I've already started it! Deadline for entries of The Small Works Prize isn't till Sunday 21st November so I am ahead of schedule. Still have to work out the most economic way to ship the work to Melbourne.

Nuts

mixed media on canvas

25x30cm (10"x12")

I have decided to apply for membership to The Adelaide Art Society. I thought it would be a good way to meet other artists, to learn and share and network. I have my application form all filled out and I have an appointment with them tomorrow afternoon to show them some examples of my work. Fingers crossed I get accepted.

Studio Update

As my studio is a shared space with Bob's man cave, I had to come up with a way of hiding the man cave mess. I thought cupboards would suit Bob better than shelving to hold all his stuff. You can shut the door on cupboards and not see the disarray. I took over the whole organisation of his space much to Bob's horror hehehe. I sorted all his stuff so it is now easy to find everything. I put all the painting gear together and all the plumbing and welding stuff all have their own space. The power tools are all together etc. etc. Bob had to admit he liked it. I have put a lot of time and effort into this and it still wasn't quite right. I decided I had to make a clear division between the spaces. I plan to have open studio during the SALA Festival next year and didn't want the studio to look like a corner in a man's shed. I ended up buying some old wardrobes which I not only used to create a wall but it also gave Bob more storage space.

my space as you first walk in the door

in the distance is my desk

walk around the shelves towards the desk and this is the lounge area

the lounge area showing off my new 'wall'

beyond the wall is the man cave

the lounge area showing one doorway into the man cave

the back of wardrobes painted make a good wall to hang artwork

that's my desk looking from the lounge area

and back around to the door that leads into the garden

I still have the yard in front of the shed to clean up. That's where I have put all the things that I decided to throw out. That is my next mission.

A Step Forward

I recently entered a competition through a gallery in Melbourne. Only 50 entries would become finalists to be judged for the prizes. First prize $5,000 and second prize an all expenses paid solo exhibition in the gallery and various other prizes. I received an email from the gallery. Unfortunately blah blah blah, another rejection I thought. I read further and to my surprise it said unfortunately I was not one of the 50 finalist but I was in the top 75 and that they liked my work very much. And here's the best bit, they invited me to have a solo exhibition either this year or next. I have been trying to get into a gallery in either Sydney or Melbourne for awhile now so I am very excited with this development. Next year would be better for me as there is a lot to organise to get an exhibition worth of work over to Melbourne. Plus I have been developing a new series and I want to have time to get some of these ideas onto canvas. I want to use altered paper to create a retro wallpaper look for the background but its still early in the development stage. To quote Laura "I'd better bust a move". I bust a much faster move when I have something to work towards that has a deadline.

The Cherry

I am planning on entering the Small Works Prize at Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne. Works are to be less than 30x30cm (12"x12"). There in lies the problem. I have trouble with such small paintings. I like to do paintings with a bit of size behind them so they hit you in the face visually. I usually paint things much larger than life. So how can I do that on a small canvas? The answer is painting small things! I am aiming for at least 5 small works and below is my first one.

Kirsche

mixed media on canvas

30x25cm (12"x10")

Also note my new watermark, created by my daughter Julia, to add a bit of protection to images of my work posted on the net.

I have been spending much more time in the studio and I must say I feel so much better for it. Its not that I'm giving up on the promotion side of things but I have stopped obsessing over it. Bottom line is I need to create in order to be complete and when I spend too much time away from the studio I become ..... well, I become unhappy. Life is way too short to be unhappy right?

Junior MasterChef Australia

For those of you who couldn't watch Zoe on Junior MasterChef Australia here's the link to the full episode. Just warning you, it is an hour long show and Zoe's heat is not on till next week. Its a great show and it makes me remember how much fun the kids had making it.

http://www.masterchef.com.au/video.htm?movideo_p=41184&movideo_m=64493

Zoe is wearing a pink beret so she is very easy to spot. You can see Julia and me in the audience too. I am round one in the front row wearing a bright green jumper hehehe.

As Yet, Untitled

Its not quite finished. Still needs to be signed and a couple of coats of varnish. This painting comes from my Sydney trip. We caught the ferry to Luna Park and had a ride on the carousel. Some of the horses were 100 years old. The old steam driven engine was still there but no longer in use. Carousels remind me of Mary Poppins when the horses jump off the carousel and carry them off across the countryside. Its still my mum's favourite ride. The music, the lights and the motion just speak of times gone by don't they?

mixed media on canvas

91.4x121.8cm (36"x48")

Junior MasterChef starts screening on Sunday night 7.30pm on channel 10. I just can't wait to see Zoe on tv! I am going over to Julia and Zoe's place on Sunday night so we can watch it together. Three more sleeps :)

Wrinkled Ladies

I love this!!!!!

Playing Around

I do not consider this one of my best paintings but it really wasn't about that. I have been playing around with new techniques I had seen while visiting some artist's studios during the SALA Festival. I had such fun just losing myself in the fun of play and not concentrating on the actual image. I love the technique and I also like the layers achieved.

The Fairy Ring

mixed media on canvas

60.9x50.8cm (24"x20")

This Year's Goals

My goal for this year was to enter some major art competitions, experiment with new techniques and to try my hand at some portraiture. So not a great deal of finished artwork has happened but I have leant a lot both at the easel and away from it. I also have entered quite a few major art competitions but as yet I haven't got into any of' them. I am getting used to the rejection hehehe. There are always so many entries and only 30 or so places. Its really like winning the lottery.

The SALA Festival is well and truly over. Its been great seeing so much art. Some inspiring and some not so hehehe. The thing that takes most of my time is the whole promotion thing *add groan here*. I know art is meant to be made for art's sake but in order to move forward I need to continue to get my art further and further afield. Searching for the right galleries, the ones that suit your style of work, is many hours of research. Trying to get the galleries to respond to your enquiries is hard enough let alone accept your work. A simple "thank you for your enquiries but we are not accepting any new work" does not take that long to email people!!! The energy it takes to stay positive and retain confidence is really hard going. Most of the time I am ok but sometimes I slip and feel sorry for myself hehehe.

The other day I thought I'd better pull my finger out and actually finish a whole painting. I still have a passion for still life painting so more mundane everyday objects will become my models I'm sure.

Mushrooms

mixed media on canvas

50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

SALA

The SALA (South Australian Living Artist) Festival is on again. The SALA program boasts there are 3000 South Australian visual artists exhibiting their work in throughout 500 plus metropolitan and regional galleries, wineries, cafes, hotels and other unique, colourful and collaborative spaces. Woo!!!!!!!!!!! Its been such fun. I have been going out with my art buddy Mignon to view as much as we can possibly fit in. It feels like I am eating, sleeping and breathing art and I love it. The sad thing is the 24 day festival is nearly over and we have to wait a whole year before its on again. This is SALA's 13th year and there is literally art everywhere!!!!!!!!! I have spoken to so many wonderful artists who are willing to share their techniques that I have learnt sooooo much. After being out viewing some absolutely mind blowing art today I need an early night so I am fresh and bushy tailed ready for tomorrow's outing of ..... you guessed it ..... more art!

Promise of Spring

The other day we had one glorious day. The sun came out and I revelled in its warmth. Its been a long cold winter. The day had the promise of spring in the air. I headed out to the garden and started pulling up weeds. Sour sobs everywhere. They were easy to pull up as the ground was still soft from all the rain. I even planted a new ground cover my sister had given me. I didn't get all the garden done on that day but I have been out in between the showers since. The peach tree has some little buds on it. Won't be long before it flowers. Hopefully I get a good crop of peaches this year. I have a hankering for some home made peach jam. Not much going on in the studio lately. After the long winter hibernation I need to catch up on some chores. Won't be long though. I have some ideas brewing.

'Junior MasterChef Australia' Promo

Hint - Look for girl wearing a pink hat ...

The Last Pics

underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge

look up, its massive

I just never got tired of looking at it

Luna Park

No more holiday pics till the next holiday ..... these are the last...

..... and more pics

...be afraid, be very afraid

the three of us

Sydney Harbour Bridge stole my heart

on the ferry

Circular Quay

Grocery Shopping and Some More Pics...

My life is slowly getting back into its normal rhythm after being in Sydney. I haven't been in the studio yet as I had to catch up on some chores. Today was market day. Although grocery shopping can be a drag the sites and smells of the market always inspires me. It brings out the hunter gatherer instincts. I recently acquired a stack of food magazines. I loved so many of the recipes that I decided to cook a new recipe every day next week. This made shopping a whole lot more interesting as I had to source the different ingredients. A lot of them from the Asian Grocery Store. Now the only problem is deciding what to cook first. I don't mind cooking for special occasions but I don't like cooking the everyday meals so this should make it a whole lot more interesting.

As you can see there are more shots from the Sydney trip. The good thing is you don't need to look. This means I don't have to feel like that boring person that forces their boring holiday snaps on you.

Touching the Sydney Opera House (yes those big white arches are all tiles).

The view from the steps of the opera house.

My girls with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background.

Me and Z.

One of the ferries in Sydney Harbour. A great way to get around Sydney.

Own Bed

Why is it waking up in your own bed makes your holiday seem like a distant memory??? Its back to the mundane today as the washing needs to be done and the linen changed on the bed etc etc. Bob and Jack are happy I am back and of course I am happy to be home but there is part of me that still needs more adventure. More new sites to see, more new sounds to listen to and scents to smell but the kitty is a bit low :(. I would have thought having a week in Sydney would have satisfied me for a while but I think its made me more restless. Overseas lands are calling me ..... can you hear it??? Its back to business now though. I need to become a well known artist so I sell lots of paintings for lots of money and then I can travel.

My girls and I had a wonderful time in Sydney. Its so big compared to Adelaide. The CBD is just walls and walls of very tall buildings leaving no view of any distance.

The Sydney Opera house is a marvel but its Sydney Harbour Bridge that stole my heart.

Well when someone removes some of the letters from the word 'passengers' they are asking for a pic like this hehehe.

Over the next few posts I will post more pics from our Sydney trip .....

Sydney

WOW!!!!!!! Home tomorrow :(

Off to Sydney

I'm off to Sydney on Thursday with my girls. We are so excited. Its such an adventure. Apart from driving through a suburb of Sydney in rush hour a few years back I haven't been there since the 70's. To get up close and personal to Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be fantastic. Hope to get some good pics. I am also meeting a friend I have only spoken to on the internet. From what I understand she lives about 2 hours drive from Sydney. We are meeting face to face for the first time as she happens to be going to Sydney while I'm there. I'm so excited!!! Two more sleeps. Won't be flying home till the following Wednesday.

Hip Hip Hurray

I have had to work through a few things lately and haven't been my usual happy self. I have been whiny and self doubting and in the doldrums. With recent events I just felt, regardless of my hard work, I had taken a step backwards. I had set my goals and was checking them off the list. However being an optimist I never factored in that things might go wrong and that I would find myself taking a slight detour. Things, I might add, that were out of my control. Anyway, you all will be glad to hear that I think I have stopped sulking now and seem to be back on track. I am fairly certain that the whining is over.

I had a wonderfully productive time in the studio today. A new portrait is under way. I am new to portraiture and still trying to find out what works and what doesn't. I recently painted a portrait of granddaughter Zoe which I called 'Lineage-Zoe aged 8'. That got me to thinking that I could paint more of the 'lineage' by painting a portrait of daughter Julia, my mother Rosemarie and squeeze in another selfy. That would complete the four generations of the female lineage that are still alive. Its a huge undertaking for me and fills me with lots of wonderful fear. I have started on the portrait of Julia choosing to paint in the highlights and the shadows on an already strong coloured background. The picture below is what I have done so far. Not much to see yet but I am happy with the start I've made. Like I said, its an experiment and only time will tell if its going to work or not. What is important that I am excited about my artwork again and love spending time in the studio even though its cold in there as its a particularly cold and dreary winter.