Artists' Diary Week 31

Seems like in the last week I have lived a lifetime!

Tuesday evening headed to the Opera House for a Tori Amos concert, daughter had spare tickets! She performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the wave of music just engulfed us. They played superbly and Tori Amos didn't disappoint. The next night it was into Mosman for dinner, again with the daughter. Living in Brisbane we don't get to see each other a lot so it was a nice little sojourn. After dinner we deposited her at the airport!

My plein air painting a day challenge continues, here are a few from this week. Must admit I have missed a couple of days so need to get out and paint a few extras!

On Friday I delivered my paintings for Blacktown City Art Prize, fingers crossed they are selected for hanging!

In between all this I have been madly preparing for my open studio weekends!

All looked wonderful until it rained, had to whip off the outside paintings until it cleared which it did then after rehanging the wind decided to blow! And blow it did! 

Even had new signs made

Georgie giving assistance!

Still, I was happy with the results from this weekend and look forward to next weekend. Had a number of sales and picked up a couple of commissions which I don't normally do but these are right up my alley! The buyers want me to come to the family farm near Grenfell to paint the wonderful old farm buildings!

One of the paintings I did sell was a favourite of mine and has been very kind to me winning a couple of Best in Show awards, three still life awards and a number of Watercolour awards. A regular buyer bought it for her husband for Christmas.

'All Keyed Up' Sold

Feel free to pop in and say hi this weekend and talk all things arty, would love to see you!

Happy Painting!

Artists' Diary Week 30

Friends, family and fun

This week has been defined by family visiting and spending time with friends and generally just enjoying the beautiful weather!

My brother flew out to Canada on Wednesday after a couple of weeks with us to catch up with our elderly father. He was helpful (his wife had told him to give us a hand), fixed my Julian box for me, cleaned our driveway and did other odd jobs, he also cooked and cleaned! Something I am always happy to share.

This was followed up with my son and his family coming down from beautiful Merriwa for the weekend.

Around all of this socializing I am still preparing for my open studio. Have collected my new signs and changed over paintings!

I have also been continuing with my plein air challenge but missed Saturday. I was too busy in Sydney wandering the Botanic Gardens then heading to the Opera House for a matinee performance from the Australian Ballet 'Labayadere'.

The gardens are truly stunning this year and I recommend a visit!

Huge Jacaranda in full bloom

The roses are just stunning!

Friday was at the RAS teaching and it was nice to do a watercolour.

'Along the Federal Highway'

Was delighted to hear one of my students won the watercolour prize at the student exhibition at the RAS on Friday evening. In fact they all won a prize, was feeling chuffed.

So, what's coming up? My open studio over the next two weekends. All welcome so come and enjoy a glass of wine and some nibbles with me!

Happy Painting!

Artists' diary Week 29

Lunches, afternoon teas and family.

Currently have my brother visiting from Canada for my fathers' 91st birthday so this week centered around family matters.

Birthday lunch on Monday followed by another on Thursday.

Wednesday was spent with friends critiquing plein air works completed the previous week.

Taught all day Friday at the RAS to make up a lesson I missed from last week. My students are achieving some amazing results considering they have been coming for less than a year.

Have started a plein air painting a day challenge for November and to make it a bit more interesting have decided to do all of mine in oil to try to reinforce as much as possible of the lessons learned in the Warwick Fuller workshop last weekend

Day 1

Day 2

On Sunday we headed to Blackheath to collect unsold paintings for myself and another artist and decided to drop into the Hydro Majestic for afternoon tea. Just stunning and the view leaves one breathless!

Untitled Album

Still have to make it to another friend, Kristine Ballards' exhibition 'Cangiante' in Newtown!

http://www.ckgallery.com.au

Coming up is my annual Open Studio weekend and this year I have decided to do it over two weekends. So much to organize with trying to hang all new work, cleaning and sorting paintings, framing and finishing works!

All welcome!

Happy painting!

Artists' Diary Week 28

A very exciting week for me indeed.

Began with delivering works for myself and another artist to Blackheath.

Continued on with my framing in readiness for my open studio weekend only to find I cut a whole bunch of full sheet mats too small! Not quite sure just what I was thinking that day.

Delivered paintings to my courier to go to Nundle.

Thursday I headed for the beautiful Kanimbla Valley for a workshop with the extraordinary artist Warwick Fuller. Stopped on the way to paint and was joined by another artist which is always fun.

The weekend was just amazing, great location, food, discussion and exemplary tuition.

Warwick is a wonderful tutor with a great store of knowledge, is generous with his time and makes everyone feel very comfortable regardless of their skill level.

Some of the wonderful vistas and Warwick doing a demonstration painting.

My efforts from the weekend.

On Thursday evening I received a call from Warragul Rotary to say I had won the Best in Show with my painting 'Perched', was pretty chuffed!

After a very full weekend I returned home to see my brother from Canada who is visiting for my fathers' 91st birthday!

Time to recut my mats and continue sorting the studio!

Happy painting!

Artists' Diary Week 27

Deliveries, collections and a couple of sales!

Spent a full day gessoing boards for an upcoming workshop with the master painter Warwick Fuller. I am so excited to be able to spend a few days in the Kanimbla Valley absorbing all I can. 

 The production line.

Organised the hanging for our local spring art exhibition and as always there were some lovely works on view! Sales as well which is always heartening for the exhibiting artists.

Photos courtesy of Sheila Sharp

Continued on with my framing, had 26 to do!

Just a small pile of finished work to frame.

16 now matted and mounted, getting there!

Taught my Friday class and am very impressed with the work my students are producing.

One of my students' incomplete works. Trish has only been painting with me for a year and is doing really well.

Delivered paintings for myself and two other artists to the Fairfield Art Show.

This week I will have work at Blackheath, Fairfield and Ryde.

Artists' Diary Week 26

A workshop, another opening and another award.

Monday was a watercolour workshop day for Bankstown Art Society. A very enthusiastic group who were pushed way out of their comfort zone and produced some very pleasing work.

A few of the students works

Taught my regular Friday class at the RAS. This term we are focusing on trees in the landscape.

'Flinders Giant River Red'

Saturday evening I attended the opening of 'Triptych' at Purple Noon Gallery, Freemans Reach. This is a wonderful show from three very diverse artists, Ros Goody, Carl Stringfellow and Philip Nolan! We always have a wonderful time at these openings and the show is well worth a visit.

 Deidre Morrison, Mellissa Read-Devine and Patricia Devine

The irrepressible Philip Nolan, mwah and the ever irreverent Carl Stringfellow

http://purplenoongallery.com.au/2014/09/triptych-ros-goody-carl-stringfellow-philip-nolan/

Discovered I had also received a HC at the Parramatta Art Show for 

'Lost in a Sea of Gold'

What's next? MTAS Spring Show next weekend at the Richmond School of Arts.

Happy Painting!

Artists' Dairy Week 25

Framing, framing, framing!

Preparing for my open studio in a few weeks, still so much to do. One paints and paints and paints then suddenly there are 30 pictures to be framed!

Delivered paintings to the Foundation Week Art Awards in Parramatta and was delighted to hear I won best Watercolour with 'Across Cornwallis'. The exhibition runs until Sunday afternoon 12th October at Parramatta Town Hall. Well worth a visit.

Went to the opening of Warwick Fullers' 2014 exhibition at the Lost Bear Gallery in Katoomba. This is a must see, the body of work produced is extraordinary and the hanging of the show is fabulous! It was also the launch of his book "Impressions and Interpretations' beautifully produced with poetry by Sean Murphy.

http://www.lostbeargallery.com.au/artists/painters/warwick-fuller

With Warwick at his opening, trying to absorb some of his genius!

Still haven't managed to put brush to paper, too much happening.

This week I have paintings at Charlton Rotary Art Show in Victoria and that is all!

Coming up is the Macquarie Towns Spring Affair

Happy Painting!