Artists' Diary Week 11

When one is busy the weeks just seem to fly!

I find it hard to believe half the year has gone already and still so much to do.

As usual the week that has just passed is all a little hard to remember so maybe I will just wing it this week.

I do remember delivering to my courier again and on the return trip stopping in to spend some time with my dad, that was Tuesday. Monday is a bit of a blur…framing comes to mind.

Plein air Wednesday was a bit of a loss, the wind was howling and my easel would have ended out east somewhere.

Painted with friends on Thursday and completed two 9"x12" studies.

In the afternoon I had to shoot down to Illawong to collect a huge set of bookshelves I bought off Ebay for the studio. They are fantastic and may help me to stay a bit organized!

Friday I ducked out early to paint with some local artists and a couple from Ryde Art Society. Was a bit nippy and I was pretty much finished when everyone else arrived!

'Pughs'Lagoon' 1/2 sheet w/c

Saturday was spent sorting the studio, what a huge job moving everything to fit the shelves, was a juggle but managed to get them in.

Early Sunday was up and packing for a few days up north.

This week I still have work in Camberwell

http://www.camberwellrotaryartshow.org.au/gallery/?q=1&pg=11&k=&km=&c=&nor=1&sort=1&size=&order=ASC&find=&pg=12

and Shoalhaven which opens this weekend, not last week as I thought.

http://www.shoalhavenartsociety.com

The Daphne Young Watercolour Prize continues in Armidale as well.

http://www.armidaleartgallery.com/index.php

What's next, well we have Taree and Drummoyne next week!

Artists' Diary Week 10

I have had a pretty full week again but an exciting and productive week it has been.

Managed a couple of mornings out painting a wonderful old boat again, this time in watercolour. My first attempt was OK but the drawing was a bit out. One would never know away from the subject but it did bother me so I did it again and took some time to draw more accurately. 

 'High and Dry II'

 'High and Dry I'

Also painted the same boat in the studio from the front, all these are 1/2 sheet watercolours.

'High and Dry III'

Zipped down to the framers after painting out on Wednesday to quickly have an oil framed, the buyer was coming to collect it that afternoon. It was a gift for the headmaster who is retiring from our local school.

'The View South'

Friday evening was a wonderful event at the Hawkesbury Regional Art Gallery. Local artists and arts groups were invited to participate in the Hawkesbury Art Fair. I must say they did a wonderful job of hanging the show and the opening was a great success. I was fortunate to be asked to be a solo exhibitor and as such had my name on my wall! 

Photo credit 'Mellissa Read Devine' 

The art fair is open until the 6th of July and is definitely worth a visit.

http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

Saturday afternoon headed into the studio and this was the result 80cmsx80cms

'Lost in a Sea of Gold'

Also found out I had won the Daphne Young Watercolour Prize at Armidale art Gallery.

'Queen Vics' Corner'

This exhibition continues until the 19h of July so if you are in the Armidale area pop in for a look.

www.armidaleartgallery.com

Sunday was a day for curling up in front of the fire and finishing a book I started last week, was very relaxing until I started to pack the car with paintings to deliver to my courier when one was MISSING! Turned the place upside down so in desperation got the man to have a look this morning and lo and behold he found said painting! Disaster averted!

This weekend I will have paintings at the Shoalhaven Art Prize and The Camberwell Rotary Art Show in Melbourne.

For more information and to preview artworks go to http://www.camberwellrotaryartshow.org.au

Happy painting!

Artists' Diary Week 9

Spent the beginning of the week putting some final touches on a few works and framing them up ready for my next show.

Wednesday saw me out painting with Gloria, Marcia and Yvonne at the back of Windsor.

Have been trying to find some boats up on hardstands and lo and behold down the back of where we painted last week I found one. Must be there for the next big flood!

Only had time for the one because my man and I were heading off to Millthorpe after lunch.

10"x12" oil on board 

After the night in Millthorpe with family we all headed out to Dripstone together, the men to do some fencing and me to watch the kids and maybe get some painting done. Managed one, had to chase the kids down as they headed off to find the men!

76cmsx56cms Watercolour

Off they go! With the dog in tow!

The view west, the views are like this 360deg

I did get a reprieve when the eldest read to the others

We headed home Friday for some more family time together and for a major family celebration on Saturday. My father in law had a 90th birthday!

Found out I had won 1st prize in watercolour at the Chelsea Rotary Art Show in Melbourne, was completely surprised by it!

'The Bridge Hotel, Yackandandah'

Sunday was spent relaxing and reading, so not  lot of new work completed but sometimes family time is more important!

So many things coming up but this Friday night I have a work in the Hawkesbury Art Fair.

http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/services/hawkesbury-regional-gallery/exhibitions/exhibition-listing-2014/2014/Hawkesbury-Art-Fair

Artists Diary Week 8

So, started Monday morning with an early morning walk in the drizzle, really was quite wonderful. Art wise it was some framing followed by two finished works and the start of another, all 14"x10" w/c. The subjects are quite diverse and I enjoyed the process.

Tuesday I was off to physio, all that framing is not so good for the shoulder. Finished a cafe scene started the previous day.

Wednesday we were out early towards Freemans Reach on the turf farms and did two small oils, one 12"x10" and the other 10"x8". I am finding these small studies invaluable for understanding the medium.

Received a call from Grenfell that afternoon to say I had won 1st Prize in watercolour at The Henry Lawson Arts Festival! Also a Commended in Pastel.

So Thursday saw us heading out to Grenfell for the presentation that evening and what a wonderful night! They also had Henry Lawson aka Geoffrey W Graham reciting poetry, very moving indeed.

We stopped along the way out near Cowra for me to paint and I did a full sheet watercolour, still need to work on the farmer and a few other bits but had to stop because it was getting so cold! We spent the evening in Millthorpe with our son and his family and headed home via the granddaughters' pre school in Bathurst to do the morning run! She is 4 and kept us entertained segueing from how volcanoes are formed to fairies and elves and much, much more! On arriving home had a message on the answering machine to say I had won 2nd prize in watercolour at the Bacchus Marsh Rotary Art Show in Melbourne and would I be attending that evening. Gave my apologies!

Saturday framed most of the day, not so good for the shoulder, and completed the last of my 14"x10" pieces for my show in August! Happy to have had such a productive day.

Saturday evening we attended the opening of my good friend Mellissa Read-Devines' exhibition at Purple Noon Gallery at Freemans Reach. Well worth a visit, a wonderful, vibrant, happy show.

exhibition-open-garden

Sunday I was back in that framing room. 

   

And here we are again, the start of a new week and all the possibilities it has to offer.

Artists' Diary Week 7

This last week seems to have flown, I am having a bit of trouble just remembering what I have done. Might have to write the blog on a daily basis! 

As usual had some framing and delivering to do. So no painting Monday and Tuesday! 

Wednesday I managed a morning down near the turf farms at the back of Windsor again. Produced two 12"x10" oils. Am pretty much over the green, need to find some warmer subjects!

Wednesday evening had visitors from Brisbane staying overnight and had a lovely time with them. Thursday was spent with friends studying various artists from around the globe with a lovely lunch cooked by the man of the house!

Friday morning the courier arrived to collect paintings for Grenfell. In the afternoon I drew up a portrait and did the underpainting ready to finish today. My man and I then headed out to our regular dinner and movie night with friends. The film this week was 'Flight' with Denzel Washington. I think I enjoyed it although it did drag on a little.

Saturday saw the three musketeers  Gloria, Marcia and I heading to the city to see the 'Winterlude' exhibition at Artarmon Galleries. The 5 artists participating had some amazing works. 

http://www.artarmongalleries.com.au

We then headed down to the Royal Art Society at Lavender Bay for the Graeme Inson exhibition. It was fantastic! Here are some examples of his work.

So here we are on Sunday again. This morning I got stuck into the portrait begun on Friday.

It is a full sheet watercolour.

'No Rose Coloured Glasses Here'

My focus now is to prepare work for my show at Breathing Colours, Balmain during the first two weeks of August. 

 An early night might be a good idea and I'll be ready to start the new week refreshed and eager to paint!

Artists' Diary Week 6

This was the first week in such a long time where I haven't put brush, pen, pastel, charcoal or oil onto a surface. Now that doesn't mean there were no artistic pursuits happening, I was just pursuing them in a different manner! 

The week started in Brisbane with me spending a few days with my wonderful daughter just relaxing and pottering in her garden. When she went to a uni lecture on Wednesday she said why don't I pop down and see the watercolour exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery.

'Transparent Watercolour 1850-1980'

http://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/exhibitions/current

Oh my, what a show! The paintings have stood the test of time and the gallery allows one to photograph the exhibits. Wow! So, following are some imperfect photos but I am sure they will give an indication of this wonderful exhibition. These are all by JJ Hilder, just stunning. Some other represented artists are Bessie Gibson, Vincent Sheldon, Vincent Brown, William Bustard, Roy Parkinson and F W Potts and many, many others. So, if you are in Brisbane take the time to visit the cultural precinct and enjoy this wonderful exhibition!

After a very late Wednesday evening I was off to Westmead very, very early on Thursday. Headed back to Richmond to organize the hanging of Macquarie Towns Autumn Exhibition. Needed a rest so scooted home but kept thinking of a painting that still needed framing. So of course that is what I did. Back to the show with said painting, a pastel, and to complete the sorting of the hanging. The helpers did a great job!

Friday visited the Art Scene at Ryde to collect frames then off to the opening of our exhibition that night.  Remember that pastel I had to frame, glad I did because it won 1st prize in the pastel section, pretty happy about that!

'Golden Morning, Castlereagh'

Was also happy to pick up a Highly Commended in oils

'The Gallery'

But wait, I have left the best until last, Best in Show with a watercolour! Now I wasn't expecting that!

'The Unity' Best in Show

So, the weekend was an easy one until Sunday afternoon when I decided it was time to get the bookwork up to date. Aaaaarrrggghhh!!!!! For a bit of light relief went to collect unsold work from the MTAS exhibition.

So, this coming week it will be out in the field painting, some framing and really I can't think any further than that. I just need to paint! It has been a few very hectic weeks!

Artist Diary Week 5

I am very late this week, haven't had access to my files since Sunday night.

Started last week with more deliveries and collections. So many shows this time of year.

Tuesday afternoon I ducked down the road for a quick plein air session.

12"x10" tree study oil

7"x14" South towards Penrith oil

I followed this up with another quick plein air session on Wednesday morning with my painting buddy Gloria Galvin.

10"x12" Nth Richmond Farm oil

12"x24" Along Terrace Rd oil

My next 2 day workshop will be at Grose Wold on an amazing property where we will be doing some plein air as well as studio work! 

On Thursday I had lunch with my dad and sister at our favorite Yum Cha Restaurant, always a good feed. Also delivered paintings to my courier and collected some for myself and good friend Mellissa Read Devine and then spent the next few days on and off tracking some LOST work. Good news tho', the courier had them all the time, just misplaced not lost!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday saw me teaching at the Art in Action workshops at Merroo in Kurrajong. Had some very enthusiastic participants who all said they enjoyed the experience and learned some new techniques. Teaching can be tiring but also very fulfilling and to see people go away with a smile on their face makes me happy too! 

 Teaching techniques for Yupo paper

 The NSW Govenor, Marie Bashir visited and had a lovely chat. She is truly an inspirational woman and if ever the chance arises to hear her talk it should not be missed!

 One of the subjects which the students tackled and they did a very good job of it.

After finishing for the weekend I headed to the airport and onto a flight to Brisbane to spend some much needed time with my daughter!