Saturday, June 28, 2014

Teensy Weensy Works

I really LOVE trading ATCs (Artist Trading Cards).  It fills in time when I'm waiting for paint to dry, or when I only have a few minutes to spare.

This was for a 'wabi-sabi' theme with the group Paper Traders.  The haiku is my own and transferred using a product called Craft Attitude.


Generally I am more frivolous, and love combining postage stamps with images unrelated.  I called this 'This Ol' House'.


Other combinations might be a little more obscure, but tell a story.

Behind The Wall

I Love Paris

It's all good fun...and keeps my imagination in working order.

 

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Busy...but isn't everyone?

 
I've had a mad week, and it'll get a little madder as I've signed up for TWO online workshops. The first is a six-week class with Laura Lein-Svencner, one of my very favourite American collagists.


Leaning Towards Tomorrow - Laura Lein-Svencner


Oldfield Oaks - Laura Lein-Svencner

Don't you just LOVE her work.  At the moment I'm doing the first week of basic collage design, but expect to see all sorts of interesting stuff from me soon.

My other class is only a week long, but an intensive mixed-media class with Carla Sonheim called 'Imaginary Creatures'. 

Imaginary Creatures - Carla Sonheim


Tape Creature - Carla Sonheim.
 
This girl really knows how to have FUN!  I have two of her books...both perfect for taking on holidays.  I LOVE 'The Art Of Silliness'.  To quote: "Fully interactive and illustrated with Carla’s charming drawings throughout, The Art of Silliness will delight the child in everyone."....and it does.  It includes fun and creative drawing exercises that make you smile.
 
So...I'm going from the sublime to the gor'blimey as they say.  It's good to have balance.
 
Speaking of balance...you win some, you lose some.  At the moment I'm winning!  Just won the $1000 Open Prize at the Lions Art For Leukaemia show, for my painting 'Firefront'...art supply shop here I come!
 
 

Friday, June 13, 2014

Seth's Buried Treasure Hunt


Every so often the ultra nice (and talented) guy, Seth Apter, requests of his followers that they dig deep into their blog archives for some 'Buried Treasure'. Mine comes from my first year of blogging.  I sometimes forget how much I like taking photos, and digging for treasure reminded me.

From December 7, 2011:

While I am a painter, and former potter, I take many photos wherever I go. These are often inspiration for future work. 

I don't profess to be an expert with the camera but, occasionally, an image grabs me enough to want to share.

This appealed to my patriotism on Australia Day.  I did ask permission to take the photo.


City reflections are always fascinating.  Perhaps it will inspire an abstract painting?



Up close and personal at Dubbo Zoo.  Those teeth are really dangerous!



A friend's two granddaughters looking at images on a camera. I just loved the obvious connection between them, and the way they are totally absorbed.



What Americans call a carnival we call a show... and who doesn't love one.... all that colour!

 
 
 
We walk each morning past this pond with its abundance of birdlife.



These are called 'bridal veil' funghi, and grow occasionally below my mango tree.





It is absolutely necessary for me to occasionally have a 'city fix' where I can be found ogling clothes I will never wear, and trying on shoes that will never see the inside of my cupboard.




Sunset is a magical time.  This one is from my deck...



... and THIS (my pick of the year) is in the famous Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory.






It would be possible to go on, and on, and on but hey, enough is enough right?



Thursday, June 12, 2014

Oops...a month gone!

Where does the time go?  You might think I've been doing nothing...not so.

I've been painting:

Forest - 90 x 90 cm acrylics

Firefront - 90 x 90 cm acrylics
Collaging:

Analyse This II - painted & printed papers, comic book cut out, acrylics, ink.

Making ATCs: (Art Trading Cards for those who don't know)

Nothing I Can't Handle - collage
 

Sew What? - collage


It's obvious that ATCs are my FUN.  Paintings can get quite serious, frustrating, depressing,....but you all know that... right?


Let's hope I get to my blog more often than once a month, but it depends.