Artists' Diary Week 38

And the New Year has arrived and has been a hot and humid one so far, but then again it is Sydney in January and to be expected!

2014 was rounded out with a sisters' day out in the Sydney, always full of laughter!

Sue, Mary and I

The new year started with a plein air painting challenge, a great way to
motivate oneself! Not always happy with the result but each one teaches me something.

Day1 'Geraniums and Terracotta' 20"x16"

Day 2

'View Across the Road'

20"x16"

Oil on board

Out early for this, so hot and humid!

Day 3

'Studio Shadows'

20"x16"

Oil on board

Had been out all day helping at an exhibition take in so did this in a mad rush of dark shapes, a few mid tones then some lights!

Day 4 'Approaching Storm' 24"x12" Had to race with this one, the storm was heading straight  for me! Rain started to fall just as I was cleaning up.

 Saturday was the delivery day for the Art of Sydney Awards, oh my goodness there were some wonderful works coming in! It is well worth the visit to the Maritime Museum in Sydney over the Australia Day long weekend to have a peruse….

There are still a couple of vacancies in my group for Norfolk Island in June, please contact 

https://www.norfolkislandtravelcentre.com for more information.

What else is coming up….Victor Harbor Rotary Art Show where I will have 4 works exhibited. 

http://www.victorharborartshow.com.au

May 2015 be a happy and painterly year!

Artists' Diary week 37

Hmm, final blog for 2014….sadly NO paintings were completed this week! 

Although I did do some scouting for a plein air trip in autumn so it wasn't completely art free.  Oh my goodness, the views across to the Liverpool Ranges from Merriwa are stunning, can't wait to spend a few days painting out there.

And Christmas has come and gone! 

What an amazing time spent with family in Merriwa in the Upper Hunter. We travelled from Brisbane, Castlereagh and Millthorpe descending on this lovely town to spend a few days together. It has become our tradition to travel to a different family home each year as we all live some distance from each other.

This time of year is not about gift giving, although quite a few were exchanged but about being together! And we did have a Christmas 'miracle'. My sons' very old, blind and pretty deaf dog disappeared for 3 days….we were all convinced she had gone off to die but no, she was found and returned so happy faces all round!

      Our annual family B&W photo taken after a very late night playing 'Pictionary' and 'Trivial Pursuit'

The cool kids Georgie, Nyah and Emerson at the skate park!

Breathing Colours still has its' group show up and running

I do hope you all enjoyed time with your families and friends.

The new year is set to be a very exciting one and the exhibition entries are already starting to pile up so without further ado I would like to wish everyone a very Happy and Painterly 2015!

Artists' Diary Week 36

Another week, another opening!

Visited BC Gallery for the opening of their Christmas Show. I have some work hanging and there are some lovely things on display including jewelry, paintings, ceramics and glassware!

Christmas Showwww.breathingcolours.com Breathing Colours is a contemporary art gallery in Sydney representing the work of select Australian artists who are at the forefront of modern art.

Hmmm, looks like party time to me with Mellissa Read Devine

Mwah doing my bit to keep the gallery open…bought a beautiful ring! Thank you Mellissa Read Devine for the pic and the ride down.

Only produced one painting this week, am looking forward to post Christmas to get stuck into  a new body of work.

'The Wetlands' 20"x16" plein air

Managed to frame a couple of oils with my lovely new frames, I am delighted with the result. A big thank to my framers, The Art Scene at West Ryde who always source what I want and do a great job.

The framing always makes such a difference.

I am looking forward to a few days with my family over Christmas, just relaxing and enjoying each others' company.

Merry Christmas all!

Artists' Diary Week 35

It can't really be nearly Christmas…..

Oh my, was bewildered when visiting family said on leaving 'See you in Merriwa next week for Christmas'. Well, that was a wake up call.

This last week has been extremely social with not a lot of work being done. 

Attended a wonderful exhibition opening with friend Mellissa Read Devine at the Dank St Gallery Waterloo. Richard Claremont and Jane Canfield have adorned the walls with luscious landscapes from Richard and beautifully evocative works from Jane. I would urge anyone who can get along to it does so. Well worth a visit!

Kristine Ballard, mwah, Richard Claremont and Mellissa Read Devine

Only managed to paint one plein air work this week….

'Along Springwood Rd' 18"x18" oil on board

Taught my last class for the year and have been delighted by the work produced by my students.

'Rushforth II' 56cmx38cm

Friday evening was spent with friends followed up with a family Christmas lunch on Saturday and we were treated to this….

 A ukelele orchestra

and I knew a few of the players including a couple of artist friends, great fun!

We also had family visiting from New Zealand.

Sunday was another social time with long time friends. One I started school with a very long time ago! A wonderful time was had by all.

Purple Noon Gallerys' 'Under $600' sale continues

Breathing Colours has a new show opening this weekend

Artists' Diary Week 34

Driving…..cars and rain!

Yes, it has been wet, very, very wet! We have had rivers running through our garden and our mulch has been deposited in the neighbours' paddock! No real complaints because it was becoming pretty dry and the garden has sparked up considerably! 

Had a lovely evening at the opening of the Blacktown City Art Prize where my painting was acquired by the Ford Land Company.

 With my acquired piece 'Postcards from the Kimberley'

 The two Devine ladies, Patricia and Mellissa

Myself with Mellissa Read Devine and the wonderfully talented Jody Graham who won the works on paper section with this wonderful piece!

Visited my courier for the last time this year and to collect a few unsold works and delivered some work to an art shop/gallery in Magnolia Mall, Richmond. Pleased to say I have had some sales there!

Visited my framers to sort out frames to suit my oils, can be difficult to find just the right thing at times. Samples are being made and decisions will follow.

Taught the second to last class of the year.

'Rushforth' Fridays' class demo.

Managed to complete three plein air oils this week. We have had amazing skies which were demanding to be painted!

Two views south from Castlereagh both 16"x12"

'Yarramundi Lagoon' 20"x16"

Saturday afternoon visited the newly opened Von Dorff Gallery in Ramsgate for the official opening. I have a number of works hanging. A quick trip back home, packed a bag and we were off to beautiful Millthorpe o'night to stay with family and visit the Millthorpe Market where my son and his family had a stall selling garlic they grew on their Dripstone farm. 

Was nice to have other family stay o/night for a visit too!

Busy week this week with overseas visitors staying with us, painting with friends and my final class of the year!

Artists' Diary Week 33

Winding down, down ,down….

It appears to me to have been a particularly busy year and am feeling in need of a mighty big rest but there are still some shows to enter before the end of the year, some framing to finish up, paintings to be collected from couriers and some openings to attend!

The plein air challenge I participated in concluded on Sunday. I didn't manage to paint every day but did complete 18. Following are this weeks' effort.

'Across Cornwallis'

                                           'On the Rise'                                   'South to Penrith'                                                                            

'Bills' Sheds'

Managed to complete just one watercolour demonstration this week. My students chose the subject from my pictures and then freaked out…..still they did do some great work!

'Back Canal, Venice'

Coming up this weekend is the re-opening of the Von Dorff Art Gallery at

 380 Rocky Point Rd, Ramsgate. I have a few works hanging. The fun starts at around midday, all welcome!

http://www.theleader.com.au/story/2723772/former-von-dorff-gallery-operator-returns/?cs=12

Also this weekend I have works at Purple Noon for their Christmas Exhibition.

November was a particularly busy month with open studio weekends, teaching commitments and the plein air challenge along with all the normal things an artist needs to do but entwined with this we have been renovating and glamping on our deck (for the last 3 months) but I am pleased to say the work is nearing completion!

'Living on the Deck' it's really been pretty good, I have a barbecue, coffee machine & couch, what more does one need!

So, as life returns to some semblance of normality in our household I am looking forward to getting stuck into some serious painting!

Coming up Blacktown City Art Prize

Happy painting 

Artists' Diary Week 32

Another full week painting continuing on with my plein air challenge. Have not completed one a day as intended, life does seem to get in the way at times.

16"x12"
'Spotted Gum'
and 
'Dappled Light' 

'Up Behind the Sheds' 16"x12"

'North on the Hawkesbury' 24"x12"

The most exciting thing to happen this week was the receipt of a letter informing me I was the 2014 Artist of the Year for the Combined Art Societies of Sydney (CASS) 

Also had both my paintings accepted into the Blacktown City Art Prize

Headed off to the RAS on Friday to teach, fortunately they have air conditioning in the studios with the outside temperature soaring.

'Over the Fence' Friday demonstration

Had family visit which is always wonderful and miss them when they leave.

Opened my studio again on the weekend and had a few more visitors including someone I admire greatly as a person and an artist who took the time to visit! Had a couple of sales which is always a good thing. Sunday it was just horrible weather wise, got to 44.4deg and was pretty uncomfortable for everyone.

Still smiling in 44deg as I wrapped some paintings.

Sunday night took the time to enter a few shows coming up in January.

What's coming up;

Blacktown City Art Awards

Royal Art Society 9"x5" exhibition

Happy Painting!