Latest Work

Just fresh off the easel is another new work. I'm still on schedule. There's 5 weeks till my first art market and that means I should still be able to create 5 more pieces. That will make 10 new works for the market along with some older work in a style that I don't really do anymore.

I usually paint inanimate objects but I had this idea to paint a pair of really full lips. I then decided a vintage microphone will add to the story. My goal for next year is to practice some portraiture until I'm good enough to enter the prestigious Archibald Prize. Its the biggest art prize in Australia with the winner receiving $50,000. Check out this year's finalists here. This year's winner, Guy Maestri entered 8 years in a row before getting into the final 36 and then winning. The entries for the prize have to be delivered together with the entry form the first week of February so I'm hoping I will be good enough by February 2011. You got to have goals don't you? And you also need to try new things so for me that will be portraiture. Of course all kinds of new fears are surfacing. (What if I can't do it? Is it a waste of time? Shall I just stay with what I know? etc etc) Anyway the lips are a little practice piece. Lips are a start right? hehehe

Ooh

mixed media on canvas

50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

I got Jack to pose with the painting so you can get an idea if its size. Of course you can see my neglected weedy garden in the background. I could've found a better place for the photo hehehe.

Surprise Surprise

As you all know, I am being represented by Greenhill Galleries Adelaide. I am also on their mailing list so I am kept up to date with all the up and coming exhibitions. They hold exhibitions in the gallery and also in other venues like hotels and wineries. You can imagine my surprise when I opened this months invitations and see my work and name on an invitation. Apparently I am exhibiting in Penny's Hill winery.

Nice surprise. With the exhibition running till 9th February 2010 in a country location with a different clientèle I have hopes of some more sales. Fingers crossed.

I need to get off this time wasting computer and get into the studio. Only 5 weeks till my first art market and most of my work is tied up elsewhere so I need to be painting painting painting. All is right in my world. I can do this, I can do this.

On Thursday

As you know I spend time with my good friend Mignon Voysey on Thursdays. We spend time in my studio together as arty people like us spend way too much time alone. Its nice to have someone to share with. Mignon finally agreed to let me post a couple of her paintings and I also sneaked in a photo of her while she wasn't looking hehehe. A brand new canvas and she's just pencilling in before she starts painting. Mignon is working on a body of work that relates to a great passion of mine, food ha! And how food plays such an important part of our social activities. Hopefully Mignon will let me keep you up to date with her artwork.

as yet untitled

acrylic on canvas

60x32cm (23"x 13") approx

as yet untitled

acrylic on canvas

60.9x50.8cm (24"x20")

I Finished It

Water

mixed media on canvas

50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

What a Week I've Had

What a week I've had! As you know Thursday is my art day with my friend Mignon. Last Thursday I started a new piece which is the one in the last post. I finished it in record time so on Sunday I started another piece. And guess what??? Its nearly finished. Just a little tweak here and there and some varnish and its done (picture will follow soon). That's two paintings in one week! On top of that my housework is all done. All dust bunnies have been evicted and I've been going to gym as well. The garden still needs some attention but hey, I can't do it all. Now all I need to do is stay on track and not go off the rails again. I know all the signs. I start eating too much, then I get slack and don't go to gym regularly, then my confidence drops and the creative drought begins. So you'd think by understanding my destructive cycle that I would stop it from happening but I haven't learnt how to do that yet. I have learnt however how to pull myself out of it so I guess that's a start. Its hard being a food-aholic :(

Here It Is

Shall I Put the Kettle On?

mixed media on canvas

60.9x50.8cm (24"x20")

Bliss is a Day in the Studio

I had a great studio day today. I had a few problems with my painting early on and then suddenly things started to fall into place and I just had to keep going. I worked right through dinner. I didn't stop to cook. Bob came home and sat on a chair in the studio and we talked while I worked. We decided to get take-away which meant I could finish my painting. Too dark to take a photo of it so I can't share the new work with you yet. I haven't even thought of a title for it. Maybe I'll call it 'Shall I Put the Kettle On?' Ah all is right with my world.

Drum Roll

Yay I'm officially back at the easel!!! I am now working towards an art market that will be held on the 5th and 6th of December. Not realising that Greenhill Gallery were going to keep all my work for future sales, I am very low on stock. I only have old stuff that I have outgrown. My skills are more developed now so I don't feel I want to do an art market with only old stuff. Anyway below are two new works. One that has been sitting on my easel partly done for months and the other which I only started last Thursday. Oh its good to be back.

Dig

mixed media on canvas

50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

Stir

mixed media on canvas

101.6x76.2cm (40"x30")

Art Day

Alone in the studio day after day can be very isolating. You can't surround yourself with people all the time either as it tends to be distracting and not much creating gets done. Well I seem to have found a solution. I've invited my friend Mignon to come and make art in my studio with me so we can inspire each other. Yep, every Thursday is our art day where we create and talk about secret women's business hehehe. The beauty of this arrangement is that I know I can work with Mignon. We studied art at collage and uni together so spent many years sharing studio space while we studied. Today was our third session and its a lot of fun. Its great to have someone to bounce ideas off of. Our methods are so different that we get another perspective of our work. Its helping me to get back on track too. I managed to do the first layer of a new piece today and also came up with ideas to resolve another piece that's been hanging around the studio for ages.

On the deck chair front, number two is nearly finished. I just need to attach the new canvas. Two more to go. All this creativity is making me feel normal again. I was worried that I would never get back on track.

I'm working towards a two day art market that's on at The Port in the beginning of December. You always need to be working towards something so as to keep moving forward. Its time to start planning my goals for next year and perhaps set some things in motion.

Day Trip into Australia's Past

Its school holidays and Zoe has been staying with us for a few days. We've hung around in the shed. Like me, Zoe seems to like this space. Correction, I was just told that Zoe loves this space. It has toys and books and a desk with stationary supplies just for her to use without having to ask. Yesterday though, we decided on a change of scenery so we headed off to Tailem Bend to visit Pioneer Village. Tailem Bend is a town about an hours drive from Adelaide and is situated on a place on the River Murray where the river bends. Hence the name. There is a little village set up there like it was in the early days of Australian history. The houses are constructed in various methods using materials which would have been on hand in those days. Some of the shops are actual old buildings which have been transported there. We spent about four hours roaming around the 12 streets and 90 buildings pretending we really lived there. Old Tailem Town which it has been named has everything from an old time cinema to a hospital, dentist and old style dance hall. I took way too many pics (317 to be exact). Thank goodness for digital cameras hehehe. Anyway I'm only sharing a few with you. My favourite house and the one I would choose to live in is the house made of cow dung. Its only one room which housed the bed, kitchen and dining areas but it has such a wonderful romantic feel that I dreamed of living there. And yes, there was room for an easel hehehe.

My mum and Zoe at the post office

the bakery

My mum and Zoe wandering down the street

the school

I still went to school with desks like this, complete with ink wells!

the general store

hurray for automatic washing machines!

my favourite house made of cow dung

the bed

the kitchen and dining room

looks like a lovely place to sit and have a cup of tea

the village even has an undertaker complete with a pine coffin

Deck Chair #1

As I stated earlier I have some old deck chairs that have seen better days. They nearly went out with the rubbish on several occasions but I thought I would hang on to them as I had this idea to replace the canvas. Well now that I have my new studio space I thought it would be a good opportunity to get to work on them. I priced some canvas in a fabric store and it was actually cheaper to buy artist canvas from the art shop and that canvas is a lot stronger. I had a fun day in the studio yesterday. Didn't even go to gym in the morning. I went straight into the studio and had a good and messy play. My fingers got covered in paint and medium. In fact I'm still peeling medium of my hands today. Bliss, absolute bliss hehehe. I have four deck chairs altogether that will get a make over. Each one will have its own design and colours. I've decided to carry the turquoise through in each one but change the other colours. The one I'm working on now is turquoise with orange and purple so watch this space for a deck chair update.

before

after

close up

When I got up this morning I had all intention to go to gym but I just couldn't bring myself to go. I went on a photo shoot with Julia recently and we went to Belair National Park. I used to spend a lot of time up there in my younger years but haven't been there for such a long time. I promised myself I would go back and wander along one of the walking tracks. Well that's what I decided to do this morning. I asked my Mum if she felt like an adventure. She's 76 but still enjoys a good walk. So we packed up our dogs and water bottles and off we went.

Its only about a 15 minute drive from home. Once there we looked at the maps and chose our walk. There are several to choose from and they each have the estimated time it takes. We chose an hour walk which would take in the old railway dam. Of course dogs being dogs, they need to stop and sniff and pee on everything so the hour walk took us two and a half hours hehehe. It was absolutely fabulous though. The wild flowers are all out and everything is still green from the winter rains. The sound of the birds was simply delightful with the squawk from the parrots and the yodelling from the magpies. There were a few caw caw caws from the crows and that made me think of Laura. Rainbow Lorikeets were everywhere and at one point we were able to get quite close to a pair and admire their bright colours. Brilliant green and red and purple. We were even lucky enough to be laughed at by some Kookaburras. That's a true bush sound.

The air was fresh and filled with the scent of spring that just invited big deep breaths to be taken. Mum's cheeks got that healthy rosy glow to them and I knew it was doing her good physically and emotionally. The trail took us right round to the old railway dam which originally supplied the steam trains with water. The National Park Trust bought the dam and surrounding land from the railways once the steam trains stopped and it has been part of the park ever since. There were ducks and other water birds swimming on it as we passed. This was the most beautiful part of the walk with the babbling sound of Minno Creek in our ears and over grown vegetation with fallen trees and wild flowers everywhere.

In the early days when the park was established exotic trees and plants were planted. People were more interested in having parks that reminded them of home in the northern hemisphere. You still see examples of this throughout the park today. We came across a wonderful old oak tree, one of Mum's favourite trees. Some of these exotic trees are heritage listed and are protected but the rest of them are slowly being eradicated as are the non-native plants like the blackberries and lilies. They grow like weeds and smother the native vegetation which just isn't good for our fragile eco system.

Once back at the car we loaded up the tired dogs and headed home promising to take weekly walks there before the weather gets too hot and we are forced to stay indoors with the air conditioning on. It does the soul good to commune with nature. We don't do it often enough.

In Hiding

I've been in hiding a lately. Experiencing a little artistic drought and I'm trying to get myself out of it. Whenever I go silent you can be sure that I'm experiencing a drought. I finally reach a goal and then I sabotage myself and stop being creative. Its the same old story. Fear of success so lets sabotage it all. I should know the signs by now. It starts with overeating and ends with loss of artistic drive. I'm trying really hard to snap out of it. I went to the art shop today and bought some new supplies. That always helps. I have these old deck chairs (sometimes called directors chairs) and the canvas is all ripped leaving them unable to be used. I've decided to replace the canvas but first I will do some artwork on it. I bought some canvas roll and I am going to play around with some acrylic encaustic painting techniques. That should make for some interesting looking deck chairs. Hopefully that will entice my inner artist child to come back out and play.

Exhibition Photos

The sun shone, the wine flowed, a nice gathering of family and friends, a fabulous opening speech, perfect!

One of the highlights was the sign outside with MY name on it so Julia and I promptly had our photo taken with it hehehe.

Yay, I Did it!!!

My new website is up and running. Its a huge step for me as I'm not confident with computer stuff at all. I will in the future have a shop element from which to sell my work but baby steps for now. Click here to check it out and let me know what you think. Julia will be so proud of me.

My daughter Julia is going through some terrible sadness. Her darling pet rabbit Mazzy passed away. He will be very missed as he had such an infectious personality.

My exhibition opens this Sunday at 11.30am and it runs till the 6th October. There is a preview on Friday night and I'm really nervous about it. Deep breath .... in .... out. I can do this! Seeing I'm so good at posting links now click here for the gallery website hehehe.

Website

I am in the process of setting up my own website. Of course I had help from Julia. She found a site where you can create a free site. It has templates you can choose from just like when you set up a blog. Its not hard to do. Its just that you have so many decisions to make like what to write in your artist statement, what pictures to use, colour schemes etc etc. Its fun though. Its just another little step forward for me I suppose.

My solo exhibition is getting close now. I delivered all the artwork to the gallery on Tuesday. There is an invitation only preview on Friday 11th and the official opening is on Sunday 13th September at 11.30am at Greenhill Gallery. The invitations were going out today. As the gallery does all this I haven't actually seen them. They always use the same format using an image from one of the artworks in the exhibition. I really haven't had to do anything except make the work and write the artist statement.

The Photo Shoot

Here's the photos from my photo shoot with Julia. I'm in my studio wearing my painting clothes.

Photography by Julia Thomas http://www.juliathomasphotography.com.au/

Nothing Much to Report

I have still been working cleaning out the shed. I can't believe its taken so long. There was a lot of junk in there as Bob and I are both hoarders. Bob is worse though hehehe. I haven't done any art for about two weeks I reckon. All I do is household chores, go to gym and back to the shed. Well I suppose it took years to get in that state, so its not going to get cleared up in a flash is it? My fingers are itchy. They need to get covered in paint and gel medium so I feel an art day coming up real soon. I will take a break from the clean-up and just immerse myself in the activity of painting. I haven't even used my new easel yet. I just have a half finished painting sitting on it. It's time I finished it!

Julia said its about time I had a new profile pic so she came over tonight and did a photo shoot with me. I decided to wear my art clothes, complete with paint splotches and do the shoot in my studio. Can't wait to see the pics but it will be awhile as Julia is still editing photos from earlier shoots and needs to finish those before doing mine.

Well its nearly 10.30pm and I'm yawning so its time I went to sleep I reckon, goodnight .....

My New Easel

I have wanted to show you this since Tuesday and never got around to it. Bob not only bought me mobile Internet for my birthday but he also bought me a rather expensive, brand spanking new easel. I have been drooling over this easel for quite some time. Every time I went to the art shop for more supplies I would look longingly in its direction. Anyway let me run through some of its features. Firstly it holds gigantic canvases and is sturdy. It has wheels (with brakes) so it can easily be moved around. The canvas can be raised and lowered with ease.

But the best feature is that it can be laid flat like a work bench while the canvas is still on it. Woo!

Can you all understand how exciting this easel is??? Do you know how easy it will make my work??? Bob had made me a drawing easel years ago but as my work now is all on the large side I had really outgrown it. I also used a tabletop easel but that was hopeless with a large canvas. Bob was naughty spending all that money and we have to tighten the belt even more but how could I tell him off when he makes my dreams come true?

Too Much Pizza and Cake

Its a week later and here we are again for my birthday this time. Too much pizza and cake!!!

ok everyone - model pose

now you see us

now you don't

deep breath ... blow

Spring is In the Air

Yesterday we had our first warm day. A little early for August. The warmth opened the first jasmine flowers and I was greeted with that sweet sweet scent of spring. As it happened I got all the washing done and it dried really quickly. I was so involved with all my household chores I never took the time to take the clothes off the line. And of course Murphy's Law being what it is we had thunder, lightning and rain overnight. Oh well the rain does give the clothes that nice fresh smell. My house is spic and span and it gives me the best feeling that I spent the day getting rid of those ever growing dust bunnies. It gives me that real satisfied feeling :). I still need to attack the gardening. I'm really late pruning my roses and the weeds are smothering everything. The next fine day I will start (maybe) hehehe.

To Do List

Its Friday evening. I love this time of night. Dinner is over and done with and its time to sit back and relax. Tomorrow I plan to do a thorough clean and get our house back in order. Some washing is needed too. The weather is getting warmer so I should get it all dry. I love the smell of fresh washing off the line. There's nothing quite like it. My garden still needs a lot of work but it will have to wait a bit longer. Still haven't finished the shed clean up. Its funny how the list always seems to get longer instead of shorter. No matter how much you do there's always more waiting to be done. Oh well right now I'm going to watch a little of So You Think You Can Dance. No 'to do' list tonight.

The Joy of Wireless Internet

Bob gave me an early birthday present. Yep mobile internet. I'm sitting in bed, watching Law and Order and posting on my blog. I love multi-tasking hehehe. Now I can be on the net in my studio, in the garden and in bed YAY!

Below is a family photo taken on Bob's birthday. From left to right is my Mum, daughter Julia, son Troy, granddaughter Zoe, Bob (wearing the birthday cake hat), me in the front and Mark. Zoe's dad. We got pizza for dinner and had birthday cake for dessert. Taking a group shot with the timer on the camera is always such a laugh. Rushing to get in position before the camera clicks. Trying again and again to make sure everybody is in and not pulling too much of a silly face. I don't think we have ever managed the perfect shot but we always laugh and laugh.

New Work

I'm really tired. I've been busy for so long without really filling the well. I went to gym this morning and then took cd of images of all my work for the exhibition to the gallery (deadline was today) and then I sat and watched dvd's all afternoon. Just doing nothing, thinking of nothing, sitting and watching mindlessly. I will feel more energetic tomorrow. I just needed some down time. I desperately need to do some household chores. I've got behind and the place is a real mess. I need to dust and vacuum and wash floors. I need to tend to my garden and I need to do some laundry. But as Scarlett O'Hara would say ... I'll think about it tomorrow when I can stand it. After all tomorrow is another day.

Afternoon Tea

mixed media on canvas

60.9x60.9cm (24"x24")

Not Before Dinner
mixed media on canvas
50.8x60.9cm (20"x24")

Brown Onions
mixed media on canvas
91cmx91cm (36"x36")

Back Soon

I'm sorry for the lack of posts. I'm really busy and have to let some things slide to fit other things in. Don't give up on me. I will post a proper post real soon.

The Dream

Here you go Bev. This is the suitcase painting I created last year. Its about my dream of meeting Doris in Paris and eating French cheese hehehe. I created it for an exhibition that had a French theme and it received a 'highly commended' from the judge. It was purchased by the City of Marion for their collection in the 'Peeking Through Someone Else's Window exhibition that I had recently with Julia and Zoe. I used images of vintage French posters and pages from a French phrase book in the background and then painted the suitcases over the top.

The Dream

mixed media on canvas

76.2x50.8cm (30"x20")

I haven't got Photoshop, which I use to edit my photos, installed on my new computer yet. It means I can't share the artwork I just finished yesterday. Its called 'Brown Onions' so guess what I painted hehehe. I also had another full day in the studio today and got the background done for the next painting. I have already come up with the title of ' Not Before Dinner' as its going to have a bowl of liquorice all sorts painted on it. By Tuesday week I have to have all work finished and photographed so Greenhill Gallery can put them on their web site. This has all happened so fast. I can't believe I have a solo exhibition opening in just over a month. No time to be nervous. I still need to find something to wear. That always causes me the most grief hehehe.

Sneak Peek

As promised here's a couple of pics of my studio. Like I said its not finished yet so I don't want to show you too much. Maybe once its all done Julia will take a photo with her wide angled lens so you can get a better idea of how it looks. Below is a pic of my Dad's old work bench which he made himself. Its a real treasure. To the left of the picture is a work in progress and just behind that is the door to my garden. I had it open to let a little sunshine in. In the middle of the picture is a lovely old frame I want to do something with one day. It probably held a mirror at one time.

The pic above is a close up of my Dad's bench with all those lovely dents and marks all over it. The wood has that lovely used patina which makes it very inviting to work at. I have given it a nice polish so its nice and smooth to touch as well. Below are some storage shelves. I love old suitcases and find them a nice way to store various art and craft treasures. I want to make some luggage tags and write the contents of each case. Yes I know its my German-ness coming out. Neat and in order hehehe.

I don't have time to clean out the shed any further at the moment. I only have two weeks till all my work has to be finished and photographed and ready for Greenhill Gallery to put up on their web site. I'm trying to get a few new works in this exhibition so its work, work, work from now on. I love being busy with my art :)

Routine

I'm still not back into the swing of things being back on line. Its funny how quickly you get out of routine. Haven't posted or read all my regular blogs like I did before. I have however been on Facebook way too long. That has to stop. Its just that this shiny new laptop is so inviting and its so nice to use instead of my old stone age computer hehehe. Its amazing how much I missed all you guys. You have become so much part of my daily life that I don't like it when I don't hear from you :(.

Photos of the studio are coming. It just that its not totally ready yet. There is still some of Bob's stuff (junk hehehe) in my space and I don't want to show you till its all done. Maybe I can take a photo of a section of it just to give you a taste. I have an old work bench that my Dad made. He was a carpenter and a builder and there's lots of his marks left on his old work bench. Dents, scratches and dribbles of paint. I am now adding to them with my art stuff. Another generation of marks. I gave it a good polish and it looks lovely and used. So warm and inviting to work at. Maybe I will take a photo of that today. I have the easel that Bob made for me standing next to it with some work in progress on it. We've had a bit of cold weather lately and its been so cold in the studio. I don't go back out there after dinner as I'm just too cold.

Ok I've been sitting on the computer way too long again this morning instead of working. I'm just going to do a little grocery shopping as I didn't get to the market yesterday and then its off to the studio. Blue sky and a little sunshine promising me that spring is on the way, nice.

Hello World, I'm Back!

It seems so long since I've been on the net but its really only been a couple of weeks. I'm overwhelmed with all I have to catch up on but I'm sure I will catch up eventually. I now am a proud owner of a shiny new laptop that I'm still trying to work out how to use. Julia has just spent a few hair pulling hours trying to connect my new laptop to the internet. As you can see she finally got it going but she hasn't got the wireless part going yet so I'm still in the lounge room instead of from the comfort of my bed hehehe. Like Julia said though, at least I'm back on!!!

The big shed cleanup is not finished yet. The shed is the size of a small factory so its not going to get cleared out overnight. We are being ruthless. Going through everything and throwing out anything that hasn't been used in awhile. My studio area is already up and running with all my art supplies already stashed away on shelves and cupboards. I have started to work in there even though the rest of the shed is in total chaos. I'm really happy with the space and will take some photos to show you once its all done.

I've left this last bit of news for the end as its the most exciting. I sent my details to a couple of commercial galleries. Something I've been nervous to do. I was still lacking a bit of confidence in that department but I finally got the nerve up to do it. One of the galleries got back to me and we set up a meeting for last Saturday. I nervously packed up some of my work and set out. I met with the gallery director and showed him my work. He loved it! He actually loved it! He said it was fresh and from the heart and loved my techniques. And guess what??? I'm now represented by Greenhill Gallery and have a solo exhibition opening on Sunday the 13th of September, this year!!! Anyway I'm now hard at work so I have a few new works to show.

Well I'd better stop rambling. I have so many emails to catch up on. Still have blogs to catch up on and I also need to see what's been going on on Facebook since I've been computerless.

R.I.P Computer

Hi its Julia, Uta's daughter. She has asked me to post on her behalf to let you know that she is alive and well (and rather excitedly getting the shed/studio in order) but that her computer has finally died. She will be getting a new one in next couple of weeks but until then won't be able to come online.

Julia xx