Artist's Diary, Week ending 29 June 2014

In a haze of 'busyness' at the moment. Thank goodness for diaries. I keep my phone up to date, but I cant think straight without my desk diary - sometimes I have misplaced it and I risk total brain meltdown.

"Voyeur"  20" x 16", Acrylic.

I finished a painting for Purple Noon Gallery at the start of the week - we needed a replacement fast for a painting sold out of the exhibition. Entitled "Voyeur", it is a garden scene of bathing firetail finches being watched by a wall mounted gargoyle.

I also needed some framing in a hurry. Luckily, Purple Noon Gallery can also provide! And Carl (brilliant artist and part time framer Carl Stringfellow), shared timtams, so my Wednesday was set.

Printing more of the wood engraving edition
"Sleeping Tiger"

Wednesday was also the day my painting was delivered the Art Gallery of NSW to be entered into the Wynne Prize. It was an extremely windy day so I was imagining the canvas sailing over Sydney harbour like a large multicoloured kite, hopefully not with my father in law still holding on to it.

I picked up my sculpture from the Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop. "Lady with Beehive" will eventually take pride of place on the verandah, but I may wait a while until our 7 month dalmatian isnt quite so rambunctious. Several years people tell me.

"Lady with Beehive"
stoneware

A meeting with the Hawkesbury Artists & Artisans Trail. A "pop up" market is being planned for 19 July, Richmond, Sydney.

The weekend was spent at "Willandra", the historic house that the Ryde Art Society call home. I taught a painting workshop there and encouraged bold colour and even bolder brushstrokes. I was delighted with the works that were being produced.















The weekend got even better when I was told that I had been awarded at Highly Commended for one of my paintings at the Camberwell Rotary Art Show! Hoping for some sales also to be the icing on the cake.

John Klein

Toni Pratley, Rosemary Keegan, Phil Budge, Jan, Dawn,
Toni Courtelis, John Klein

Finished works this week
1 Painting
2 engravings
1 sculpture

Coming up this week:

Drummoyne Art Show

North Shore Craft Group 4 day exhibition at Thornleigh (Sydney)

Artists Diary week ending 22 June 2014

I think I must have been needing a break after the opening of the Open Garden exhibition - I feel like I achieved very little this week.

One of the pitfalls in entering art shows/prizes is that you feel like you cannot miss any of them and there is a frantic scramble to finish new work for every deadline. But you know what? YOU DONT HAVE TO. That is my advice to myself this week, and I actually finished reading a novel, and thought about printmaking (which is my more time consuming work that I need to slow down for).

The Art Fair opened at The Hawkesbury Regional Gallery on Friday - and we were all busting to be there and have a look to see how local artists were going to be treated there. Well, I can say with pride that it looks fantastic. How the organisers hung such a huge collection of works each in their own group so well, I don't know. But each Community art group were treated with respect and were showcased beautifully on the Gallery walls. It was lovely to go to the opening and feel like the Regional Gallery was well and truly "ours". I hope it will be become an annual event, that we will eagerly anticpate. So if you are in the Windsor (Sydney) region, please go and visit, and support us.

I went to a meeting with the Hawkesbury Printmakers Inc, and we discussed how best to utilise the group in the future. Looking forward to some workshops and open print days in the coming months.

I spent most of Sunday being resident artist at Purple Noon Gallery. I am one painting shy of selling half the exhibition! 8 more visiting days to go!

Here are a couple of engravings worked on and a new still life painting (orchids)

The busy coming weeks are looming, so maybe the holiday is over and its time to get back to it!

Coming up - Teaching a 2 day Acrylic Painting Workshop at Ryde Art Society 28-29 June

Opening of Camberwell Rotary Art Show 28 June

North Shore Craft Group July exhibition 3 - 6 July

Artist's Diary - Week Ending 15 June 2014

 The week started with a painting demonstration for Nepean Art Society. I was a bit rushed at first because I got lost (left my directions at home!) but all went well, and I believe it was enjoyed by the members who braved the wet weather that night.



Checking out the brushstrokes
 

 A meeting at The Ferry Artists Gallery on Tuesday. The centre is looking wonderful with its new supermarket and coffee shop, and we look forward to an increase in visitors in the coming months. The next exhibition there will be a special "All works on wall under $360" called "Wall to Wall", so I have to have a think about what I might be putting in there.

 



I love getting parcels

 
The Post Office was visited. exciting because I not only sent my work to Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts (Townsville)  for their exhibition & exchange "Compact Prints 2014"  ,  but I also received my orders from McClain's Printmaking Supplies - some Resingrave, a wood engraving substitute for wood; and 3" square maple blocks from Art Boards. Now to get planning my prints!









A meeting with a potential client for a commission, Then Bubblewrap Prints and Clay cupcakes were on the agenda for the classes at Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop, then a quick trip to the airport to deliver a loved one to a plane. (A quick trip for me is an hour and a half drive!).



Painting delivered to the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery for their upcoming Art Fair, opening on Friday 20th June 6pm

works in progress

Saturday was a lovely sunny afternoon spent giving a painting demonstration to new friends at Oatley 101Society of Artists. I am looking forward to finishing these two in the near future.

 

Sunday spent at Purple Noon Gallery talking with visitors and generally relaxing really.

 

Purple Noon Gallery, Freemans Reach

Coming up:

"Open Garden" at Purple Noon Gallery still on until 2 July, I will be "in residence" again on the Sunday 22nd June

Hawkesbury Regional Gallery Art Fair Opens 20 June

Camberwell Gala Arts Preview Saturday 28 June

Workshop with Ryde Art Society 28-29 June
 

Artists Diary - week ending 8 June 2014

A Week of Waiting.

Mainly for my show at the end of the week, but it turned out to be a lot of waiting in hospital rooms whilst I kept a family member company waiting for results/beds etc. All will be well.

Face Goblets

Monday I delivered work (mine and artists Julie Simmons & Judy Brownlie) to the Royal Art Society NSW for their coming group show "Elements" opening on the Friday night.

Nature & Found Object Printing

Thursday was spent at Community Arts Workshop Hawkesbury, teaching.




Saturday was the awaited for Opening Night of my solo show "Open Garden". It was a marvelous night, I was so proud of how well the work suited the walls at Purple Noon Gallery - Very warm and welcoming, and Robyn Williams and artist Judy Brownlie gave lovely speeches. I also am most thankful that people travelled quite a long way to attend. It was very much appreciated. - If you ever want to support an artist, dont worry if you can buy any of their work, try and go to their show events and you will give them a boost just by being there.

My paintings with sculptures by Lucy McEachern in foreground

Sunday I spent (when not at the hospital) time at Purple Noon Gallery as "Artist in Residence" - I will also be there the next 2 coming Sundays, so feel free to come say hi. I did start to do some painting, but I was not really ready to put paint to canvas, so I was happy to chat to visitors instead.

For those who are not able to attend the exhibition - or you need an online peek - please visit my website page OPEN GARDEN Online Gallery

Opening Night at Purple Noon Gallery
L-R, Patricia Devine, Mellissa Read-Devine, Judy Brownlie, Robyn Williams

 Coming up -

Painting demonstration at Nepean Art Society, Monday 9 June 7pm

Painting demonstration at Oatley 101, Saturday 14 June 2pm

Lethbridge 10000 Opens Saturday 14 June 6pm (Im a finalist!)

Hawkesbury Regional Gallery Art Fair Opens 20 June

Artists Week Ending 1 June 2014

Winter is now officially here! Not that we'd know it. The weather has been glorious, but no rain for weeks, except for Sunday, when I would rather it wouldnt have..

The week started with a painting rejected from an Art Prize I have previously been in. Oh well, there is a lot of competition out there. I am a finalist in something else which I am not at liberty to announce till later, so I didnt take it particularly badly.

Mixing Derivan Block Printing Ink

Drypoint

Tuesday taught a marvellous Printmaking workshop at the Derivan Matisse HQ. Aptly termed a "Crash Course in Printmaking" as we covered collagraph (foilography), drypoint & reduction linocut all in one day. All the students (art teachers themselves) were very talented and up to the challenge I am happy to say. For more photos see the Derivan Facebook page.

Foilographs

Working on mosaic table

Taught a couple of classes on Thursday - we made clay cupcakes and started on the final stages of the mosaic table. Thank goodness I had my mother to help me - it is a big project.

"Cupcakes"

A quick visit to the couriers to send on a painting to Brisbane.

Friday I gave a demonstration in painting at the Bankstown Art Society. There was cake. I was very happy about that. And the members were very nice also. I started one work and worked on another.

Picked up my framed pieces for my upcoming show. Managed to fit 11 (most of them large) works into the back of the hatchback. Just one more painting needed to be finished so I spent the whole of Saturday and the early hours of Sunday completing it.

http://purplenoongallery.com.au/

I have managed 30 works in all for "Open Garden". I am not sure how many will actually be in the show. I hope if you are in Sydney you can come along. I will be making up a web page of the exhibition regardless for you to 'visit'.

"Garden at Milbrooke"

"Tawny Crowned Honeyeater"

Sunday comes around and after church and a family lunch I race off to The Ferry Artists to pick up a couple of works and plan to come back, load up the car and deliver all works to Purple Noon Gallery.
Did I say it rained that day? After weeks of no rain? The roof in the studio decided to spring ANOTHER leak and it had rained on my last and largest work. I believe bad language issued from my mouth. A lot of language.

I have brought the painting into the house to dry out thoroughly to see if it can be resurrected in time for the exhibition. We shall see...

Artists Week ending 25 May 2014

As I am typing this on the Monday 26th, and have a HUGE week ahead, Im thinking "what a quiet relaxing week that was" ...

Went to Hunters Hill with my mum to collect unsold paintings from the Hunters Hill Art Exhibition. A very nice lunch at the local restaurant and a delightful visit to the little gallery there. Met a new artist Kerri Kerley whose works were emotive portrayals of indigenous children in watercolour &; mixed media. Click on her name to visit her website.

Thursday had exhausting fun creating drypoints and clay work with a couple of disability classes, as well as delivering to Macquarie Towns Arts Society for their Autumn Exhibition.

"Postcard from the Gold Coast"

The opening was on Friday night, which was well attended. I also had the pleasure of picking up a couple of "Highly Commendeds" for a small magpie wood engraving and one of my "postcard paintings".



I spent Saturday morning with the MTAS display, talking to visitors about the work, and happily assisting them with their purchases. I also met with a new friend who had organised to pick up a couple of my paintings there from a previous sale earlier in the week.

Saturday night opened a small soiree at the Ferry Artists Gallery. More talking and smiling, and I felt wonderfully energised (considering how tired I felt just before I got there).

Other art related visits that week included a trip to The Art Scene to order some framing and a visit to Purple Noon Gallery to discuss my impending exhibition opening 7th June.

Saw a movie "Chef" which was a lovely light movie with interesting use of social media in the plot and AMAZING food. "Food Porn" I think that might be termed. Anyway, my daughter and I were starving hungy afterwards and in the absence of Cuban streetfood, we had to make do with Italian instead.



Finished two more paintings for the Exhibition. I think I should just concentrate on the big one thats on the easel for this last week of preparation. We shall see ....

"Cowra Japanese Garden" 92x92cm

"Territory" 76x76cm

Coming up:

Painting Demonstration at Bankstown Art Society Friday 30 May. All welcome.

Artist's Week ending 18 May 2014

Shifting into a faster gear now that the date of my solo show "Open Garden" is looming. 2 weeks to go, and I can say say I am confident of a good show. Maybe I can even think of cleaning the studio sometime soon.

A busy couple of classes teaching - (clay sculpture, glazing) and then a visit to The Art Scene for supplies and some frames. I can always find something I 'need'. I will often buy my supplies online, (various sites), but it's nice to browse and check out the merchandise from time to time.

Spent a day at The Ferry Artists Gallery in Wisemans Ferry. A little quiet for a, Friday, but I caught up with fellow artists and was privy to a special meeting in preparation for a future project the Gallery will be involved in.

Friday night Tara Anglican Girls School opened their árt exhibiton for their "Great Day Out" Celebrations. It was rather nice to see that they hung one of my works next to the House of Fraser Diamond display. It was also one of the best catered exhibitions that I've been to. Food & drink plentiful and of very good quality. Well done to all involved.

The weekend was all paint! 3 works finished this week:

Feeling Happy!

 

"Wonga Takes a Walk" Acrylic, 92x92cm

"Currawong" Acrylic 60x30cm

"Rose, Geranium" Acrylic & Oil Pastel 60x90cm

Artists Week - Ending 11 May 2014

I have only just had a chance to get on the computer after a busy Sunday. It was Mother's Day, and as I am one, and I have one, it was a lovely time spent with loved ones. I hope you were all as blessed. Right now I am compiling this whilst eating Darrell Lea chocolate covered ginger I recieved; oh and watching the rerun of the Eurovision Song Contest too. - Apart from the talent and spectacle - how about the amazing set and lighting!

Superb Lyrebird

Monday I took a drive up to the lovely Hunter Valley to pick up some paintings for myself and fellow artist Julie Simmons. I took the scenic drive going there and I was so excited to see an actual lyrebird cross the road! Id never managed to see one before.

Tuesday was a meeting with the Hawkesbury Artists & Artisans Trail. I am going to share with pastellist Taryn Malzard for the open studio weekend in August


Had a particularly busy day teaching on Thursday - my new second class was bigger than expected and I was running out of clay which was a bit stressful - also there was a misunderstanding with the timing - I had planned for 1 hour and the centre planned for 2 hours. Phew! All sorted now, and I look forward to seeing them again in a fortnight.

Friday, I attended the Hunters Hill Art Show with Julie Simmons and her husband Neville. I was very happy to have my work hanging there. And marvellous to give an appreciative whoohoo! when Julie took the stage for her 1st prize in watercolour. No photos as it was a day I forgot the phone, but here is Julie's blog 

http://www.originalonesies.net/

Saturday, spent most of it in a furry teddybear onesie. Definitely no photo of that! I managed to do quite a bit of painting. The highlight of the day was when I had to drive my daughter up the road so she could collect her horse - then when I got back, I had to get out of the car (still in onesie) to open the temporary gate erected that neighbours had put over my driveway to stop their cows from escaping up the driveway.

Saturday night I thought I'd better get dressed to go to look after the Art Exhibit at the Hawkesbury Show. How nice it was to find I'd received a Highly Commended for both a miniature and a drawing, and sold a linocut. I truly think that the quality of the art section entries are getting better every year. Just what I need - more competition! ;-)

Exhibits at the Hawkesbury Show
Roses and Childrens Art

 So, another week gone and what is the creativity tally? 2 completed and 3 works in progress.

Looking forward to the Tara School For Girls "Great Day Out" and their Art Exhibition 16 & 17 May

Artists week ending 3rd May 2014

We are into May? Goodness me, luckily I have started finishing off my works due for exhibition early next month. The first 4 were delivered to one of my framers on Monday (Purple Noon Gallery & Framing). (OPENING 7TH JUNE BY THE WAY).

Movies on Monday "The Winter Soldier" Go Captain!

On Tuesday a trip to Winmalee to deliver works to their art show that was held on the weekend. I was unable to attend but I heard I received a prize for one of my prints and sold a piece which is always a boost.

Also delivered work to the Hawkesbury Show which is on next week.

I also have been doing a heap of paperwork - a necessary chore if you want to be organised about finances, works in shows & galleries, and promotion. 

Thursday was a hectic day teaching a couple of classes. We had a lot of fun - the first group worked with stencils and the 2nd group painted a table! (For an ongoing mosaic project) Whats not fun about painting furniture :-)- and some of the class really enjoyed participating which was gratifying to see. Luckily I left no paint on the floor etc and only a couple of students went home with paint on their clothes. Miracles happen!

Broadbeach on a beautiful Autumn Day

Friday was "get on plane day" - who doesnt like those days? A trip to the Gold Coast for a couple of nights.
"Tribute to Michael Jackson's best film clips" opened Friday night at the Sofitel Broadbeach, organised by 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace. What a great night with lots of people to talk to. I hope to get some more photos later.

In Michael Jackson mode
Cate Everett Devine and myself

Great crowd at the opening

My two works are on either side of the reception desk

Lovely news to keep me going this week - My entry into this years Hunters Hill Art Exhibition was accepted, and I sold a painting at the QLD gallery (19 Karen).

Have a lovely week, I myself need to get into serious painting mode for the coming exhibition/s.

Artists Week ending 27 April 2014

I had another lovely day spent painting at the Easter Show at the Derivan Matisse Stand. 

Hopefully I will have these paintings finished in time for my solo show in June.

Painting alongside artist Donna Gilbertson 

Teaching on Thursday

Clay sculpture class work

Portrait Day on Saturday at Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop.

As usual I race around my studio in the morning looking for something to paint with and on - you would think that would be easy, but every canvas I have are allocated to certain future paintings. I really must invest some time into making some canvas covered panels. Or buy some...

Using charcoal to draw and washes of acrylic for a more 'watercolour' feel, I really enjoyed the process. Thankyou to Graham, our model of the month.

Then straight to Camden to deliver works for their upcoming Art Show.

 A very organised intake process I must say with a table to check the size and backs of paintings, another table to check the label and entry, and yet another to check off the category.

A visit to the Showgrounds to pick up unsold works, 

and a good excuse to catch up with artists I havent seen for a while.

Next week

Im off to the Gold Coast for the opening of "Tribute to Michael Jackson Film Clips", a collaboration with 19 Karen Contemporary Artspace and the Sofitel Broadbeach. I even bought a sequined glove for the occasion!

Also,  showing will be the Camden Art Prize and the Winmalee ArtFest. for those in Sydney.

Newest painting "Pigeon Salad"