Artists Blog

You may remember my recent painting of Forest Kingfishers. I’m thrilled the team behind the “And it was very good” art exhibiton have chosen it for March  2012, in a calender they will be producing.

The Forest Kingfisher is my favourite bird to paint – I can’t get enough of those electric blues. Until living in FNQ I had never imagined birds so blue would visit me almost every day in my garden.

They were a constant source of delight and inspiration. And they were q u i e t. Very unlike all the other racket making birds up there – Noisyness ratings as follows – (Nightime) nothing beats the wailing Bush Stone Curlews, a close second were the Orange Footed Scrub Fowl – these guys went ALL night long. (Daytime) Sulphur Crested Cockatoos with young ones begging – sounds like an electricity substation approaching meltdown. Then Scaly Breasted Lorikeets, Kookaburras, and that Singing Assasin the Butcher Bird. All let you know full well they were around. Not the wee Forest Kingfisher. You’d look up and there he’d be, looking you straight in the eye a few feet away.

Sometimes with dinner in his beak – showing it off to you.

I truly miss them.

This post inspired by Tyto Tony’s blogpost on these beautiful birds.

Over Lake Joondalup – Acrylic on Canvas 100cm x 100cm (40 ” x 40″)

It’s always a little sad when I finish a painting, pack it gently in the car and then deliver it to be hung. It’s like sending a child off into the world – will I see it again? This was sent out into the world this evening in preparation for the City Of Wanneroo Art Awards – opening Friday night at the City’s Cultural Centre.

Detail

I’ve known this lake area ever since I moved to Perth over 25 years ago. It has certainly changed, but in good ways. The birds reckon they’re onto a good thing – so cheeky that they not only feed out of your hand, but will only select sunflower seeds and thumb their nose at lesser seeds!

It’s quite funny to see people’s reaction the the Long Billed Corella (below) digging around their open palm with that very imposing beak!

Hope everyone is off to a great start to the week!

The bells are ringing non stop with a variety of canvases hopping on and off the easel. I find it a great way to keep the painting momentum going having 3 canvases on the go at once, especially if I’m using similiar colours and brushes.

My paints of choice at the moment are the Chroma colours, their velvety “mattness” when dry is so good to work with. Below is my basic colour chart (colour names were written in reflective silver – a poor choice when photographing!)

(click on image for larger view)

I’ve a lot of images in my head from my brief time down south. Potential paintings are simmering away. The Lighthouse at Bunbury is sure to be on my easel one day. These 2 photos below were taken the day after the mini cyclone!

The night we stayed near the lighthouse was the very night a mini cyclone hit. We were several stories up, with full height glass doors and windows facing the ocean. No rain to speak of for months and the night we ventured out we were swept off our feet by gale force winds and horizontal driving rain. Fences were blown over, parked cars were swaying back and forth, and big plate glass windows were bowing in and out. We vainly tried to brace the glass doors and windows with all the furniture in the hotel room. Needless to say not a wink of sleep was to be had. I should have twigged to what was coming from the photos I took that afternoon:

It was so rough that the ocean was foaming as it hit the sand.

There was a real kick-up of a wave at the very left of the photo below – it seemed to get higher and louder with each set.

There is a ship to the left of the photo below. It doesn’t look so bad out to sea from this angle. 

But pan a bit further round and there’s trouble headed our way. I don’t know what conditions on board that night would’ve been like!

I hope everyone is having a happy creative week!

Happy Mother’s Day to all. Mine has been a lovely art filled weekend, the highlight being the Jeffrey Smart exhibition in the city. I stood with my nose one inch away from a piece that sold for $825,000. What a Mother’s Day present that would make! It was staggering to think that the small room I stood in housed $15 million worth of work, and even more mind blowing was that a lot had red stickers next to them! I contented myself with the purchase of three catalogues dating from 2003 – 2010. Astounding paintings by an amazing artist. Exhibition open for a few days yet and is free.

Ebb & Flow  Acrylic on canvas 102cm x 102cm (40″ x 40″)

And on a more Down-to-Earth art moment, I breathed a big sigh of relief when I finally delivered my pieces for the Mosman Park Art Awards. The exhibition is housed at ”Camelot” -  the beautiful Art Deco complex.

Both my pieces depict the Swan River, as seen from Chidley Point. Just round the corner from here the river hits the Indian Ocean at Fremantle.

River Running    Acrylic on canvas  122cm x 76 cm (48″ x 30″)

River Running detail

I’m just in the door from an impromptu few days down south, revelling in a Tree and Sea change. Before I left I was able to get more work done on my Mosman Park piece. Here’s a closer look at the river ripples.

The brushwork becomes a meditation after a while.

Still lots more to be done. I’ve invested in a new, thicker groundsheet in anticiaption of painting all the reeds. I loathe having to clean paint from windows and floortiles, as well as palette and brushes!

I’ll include my photos from my very inspiring trip away in my next few posts. Special moments include a wonderful visit to a secluded artist’s handbuilt studio, sharks, seals, surf and cheeky birds. Below is a special place just east of Cape Naturalist, Shelley Cove, where the sand is replaced by shells.

Each footstep made a delightful crunching sound.

And joy of joys, it FINALLY rained. The grateful garden gave a huge sigh of relief.

This is Blue Violet. A luscious colour that I use instead of black in my paintings. Black can deaden a painting, whereas Blue Violet provides the deepest of shadows without being over powerful. When dry it is much darker, as seen below.

I have spent some time on my Mosman Park under-paintings today. The orange will give a lovely glow once I paint the water over the top. Working on two canvases simultaneously means that drying time is no longer an issue, and I can keep colours consistent. The fluffy one has been good company in the studio.

Another unexpected joy with these paintings has been my purple string of brass bells. I took them to the Medieval Fayre and when I got home I was so exhausted I just hung them on the back of the easel and completely forgot about them. When I first began painting with my big expressive brushstrokes, a gentle tinkling accompanied every sweep of my arm. It was such a joyous sound that I made sure every stroke was broad enough to make them ring. Timid strokes just didn’t cut it. It’s certainly stopped me “dabbling” with small brushmarks!

Behind the easel you can see my string of “no-dabbling-bells”. I thoroughly recommend them to anyone who finds themselves getting stuck in the unnecessary details.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their Easter break – stay safe and happy!

What I’m listening to in the studio – School of Seven Bells

I’ve switched brushes.

My last painting was created with that tiny 10/0 on the right. Now I’m reacquainting myself with the 3″ hake. I find it a great way to “clear the decks” in my eyes and mind to go from one painting extreme to the other. I’m working on some very large river paintings, in a loose colourist style, and will update you with my progress.

I’ve created another watery world, but in minaiture. Can you guess what it is?

All the tiny elements were gathered not far from my front door.

Washed up on the white sands of Beaumaris Beach.

It’s a tiny drinking-glass aquarium. It’s given me great joy this week glowing on my kitchen bench.

“Nature’s Jewels”  Watercolour on Illustration Board 28cm x 36cm (11 ” x 14″)

Finally finished! This last piece was one of five that was required for the selection process for entry into the Watercolour Society of WA. I’m happy to say I was accepted and take this opportunity to say “Thank you” to all who were involved.

I’ve used Winsor and Newton paints exclusively on this piece, as I’ve modified my paintbox to take an extra ten halfpans. When working on a colour limited bird piece, I find it easier to use the paintbox than my large many, many coloured flat palette.

Click on image for a larger view and names of paint colours

I’ve listed my Cotman Colous (student quality) in the far right column. There is not much difference in pigment density I’ve found (click this previous post when I first started my testing). The main difference is that some Cotman colours are hues, not the naturally occuring pigment which is used in the artist quality. I always recommend a colour chart on sturdy paper when you first start out with a new assortment of paints.

At sunset yeterday we went down to Hillarys Marina for dinner and drinks. A delicious way to end the day.

Progress on this painting has been alarmingly slow, considering it is to be framed tomorrow! Distracted though I have been, they have been very pleasant diversions - unexpected visitors, harbourside dinners, and long distance phone calls from those close in heart. It just means my studio light will be burning late tonight. I’ve finished 2 of the Kingfishers, and have made a start on the branches. The third Kingfisher is currently just blobs of colour.

Above is how I use my watercolours somewhat unconventionally. The 2nd finished kingfisher is shown  in the first photo, but is a little overexposed due to my night time lighting.

Below is an example of more progress – in the world of shopping trolleys.

Whoever designed these new trolleys have finally got the essentials of grocery shopping just right!

I was on Gallery Duty at the Wanneroo Cultural Centre today, talking with people about the North Coast Art Club exhbition. Last Friday it was opened by the Deputy Mayor (pictured above with my “Daydreaming” piece behind her). It is a hugely diverse collection of pieces, all with individual approaches and techniques, and is open until Sunday 4pm.

I’ve been scouting for references for my next major works, which I’m already dreadfully behind on. Here is a glimpse of the Swan river at Mosman Park, soon to be translated onto a really wide canvas. So wide it’s scaring the bejeebies out of me!

And just when you thought we’d seen the last of that stinking, LONG hot summer, it’s back. Sweaty 30 plus temps again.

Thank goodness they serve the coffee right on the beach at Mullaloo…