Artists Blog

Last day, Friday. What a wonderful week of observing and absorbing, learning and trying, becoming full to overflowing with inspiration and enthusiam.

Many chose to spend the better part of the day wandering through the Tanks, looking at what all the other groups have been creating.

This is Mike, he was tutoring big brush watercolours, concentrating on flowers and cyrstal.

He wore the most fabulous shirts and cowboy boots each day. You could hear the “clip clop” of those Texan boots a mile off.

The beginning of his gorgeously coloured piece.

Finished demo.

Mike is also an accomplished bird and water artist. This is a full size sheet painting. Big. Scary big.

This is the wall where he and his students displayed their finished work. I think I’ll be signing up for his class next year. After straining over miniscule paintings using brushes  only a few hairs wide, I’m needing something big & loose!

This is Naomi, she is in my photography class at Uni. She is trying oil painting for thr first time. The subject matter was a still life I put together for photography last semester - my chillies, boar jawbone, cocky feathers, split nautilus shell etc.

This is Helen, with her oil on paper Bromeliad painting. The photo does not do it justice.

Other beautiful broms were painted.

I think this was done by Clare. You can almost dip your fingers into that pooled water.

The exhibition was smoothed along with glasses of good wine and plenty of delicious foods.

The following are some of Paul’s work.

He is just so quick, it’s sickening.

I asked on the last day if he could do a demo showing outstretched wings. He bashed these quackers out in next to no time at all. Maybe an hour and a half? 30 years of experience certainly makes a difference. I agonise over a single feather for hours.

A kooka appeared before our very eyes like magic. He is a true talent.

No more room in this post - I’ll sort out my paintings and put them up in another post, as far away from Paul’s painting s as possible!