Hi all
Apologies this blog is so very neglected of late - been on the sick list and now we are moving house (again!). All my art gear is packed away and I'm busy, busy, busy. I am rather happy because one of my paintings just took out 2nd prize at a local art show (in the watercolour section). First prize went to one of Canberra's most well known watercolour artists, Isla Patterson. I can't wait to get back to creating again, but it will be a few more weeks before I can start to unpack the art gear and have any time to get stuck into things. I have temporarily closed down my Artfire and ETSY sales sites until after the move as everything for sale is also packed, but you can purchase art reproductions and other items featuring my work at my new Red Bubble shop. It is unlikely we will have internet for a few weeks, possibly not until end of October, so until I return online. Below is the painting that won 2nd prize "Old Ruins Near Bordertown." Cheers.
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Much to my amazement, my monoprint of a male Corroborree Frog guarding its precious eggs made it to the major newspaper here in Canberra last week - "The Canberra Times". It was one of my entries into a local art competition which focuses on the river catchment areas of the region. The two species of tiny little Corroborree Frogs are seriously endangered and one can now be found only in a 10 square kilometre area. They lay their eggs in moss and the male guards them. Loss of habitat, bushfires, drought and global warming have caused a rapid decline in their numbers. I wanted to highlight their plight so I did a series of monoprints and paintings featuring them, of which this is one. It is a hand pulled monoprint only about A4 in size. Hi everyone
Welcome once again to my very neglect blog! With all the moving from SA to the ACT I just don't seem to have had time to do much blogging and I am ashamed to say that I haven't yet visited the National Gallery (tsk tsk!). I have finally taken paintbrush in hand and produced a piece of artwork here in Canberra, as shown above. I found out just in time about the Strathnairn Squares Exhibition which is an apparently well supported annual event held at the Strathnairn Gallery, which as it turns out is just a short drive down the road from where I am living. This is my rather hurriedly painted entry into the exhibition which starts today in Canberra at Strathnairn Gallery. The exhibition runs from 9th August to 1st September and is a people's choice award prize. It is run each year and every artist produces their work on the same size canvas board, purchased from Strathnairn, and they can do absolutely anything they want on that canvas. No framing is allowed and the public is invited to view them and vote for the work of art they like the best. Some people paint, some print, some sculpt, do textiles, collage - anything goes as long as it fits on the canvas. I rather like the idea myself, everyone starts on a level playing field and has the same amount of space and opportunity within the exhibition. They do a closing ceremony, where the winner is announced, rather than an opening ceremony. So, if you live in or are passing through Canberra between those dates, why not check it out, and if you should happen to like my Gazania above all else, please give me your people's choice vote. Artists are encouraged to send their friends along to vote, but as I have no friends yet in Canberra to send along, this is a problem. I'm therefore taking this shameless opportunity for self promotion and sending a plea to the masses out there in blog land, in the hopes that someone will go along and give me a vote, maybe. In case you can't recognize it (always a possibility as I'm not a floral artist!) it is a painting of a Gazania. I photographed it and a number of others on the roadside at Morgan in South Australia, where they were just growing wild in all their colourful splendor. I love Gazanias and they are one of my favourite flowers as they are so bright and cheery - you can't help but be happy when you see them blooming along the roadside. Yes, I know they are introduced and not native and probably even a pest plant in some areas, but I'm sorry - I still love them! My painting is only 30cm x 30cm in size and was done in acrylic (it is for sale and if you would like to purchase it during the exhibitiob - contact Strathnairn Gallery at (02) 6254 2134), otherwise if it turns out that there were no Gazania lovers at the exhibition, watch for it to appear for sale on my websites after the exhibition. It seems there is a little cafe at the gallery and they tell me that on Sundays they serve wood fired pizza, so I think I will check out the exhibition on a Sunday (yum!). The Gallery is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday each week at 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt ACT 2615 PO Box 4746, Higgins ACT 2615 F (02) 6254 6924 E [email protected] Now that the Gazania is out of the way, I have a lot of other art stuff I must get finished. I'm working on a watercolour of some violets at the moment, and have just joined the Megalo Printmaking group and the Art Society of Canberra. Have so many ideas and projects that I don't know what to do first, although I probably should do some assignments for my rather neglected online TAFE Diploma course in management (boring, boring, yuk, yuk and definitely not as much fun as doing art!). This week I reluctantly handed in my SA registration plates and registered my car here in Canberra - a bit depressing actually - my final ties with SA were gone and I'm now a Canberra citizen. Got my new ACT driver's licence too. Think I better make a sign for the back window of the car that says "I may have ACT plates now, but I'm still lost". Thank goodness I have a GPS or I'd be forever going around in circles here. I haven't seen any interesting mosaics here yet to photograph, which is disappointing, but I'm sure there are some around somewhere that I will come across sooner or later. I attended a Textile and Quilting art show yesterday, but I'll do a separate blog about that if I get time. Can't believe what some of those people can do with their sewing machines though - they are very talented artists using a tool that I have never and probably will never be able to master. Of course I couldn't go to something like that and no spend anything could I - can't wait to decorate some blank t-shirts with one off monoprints using my new Gelli Art Anyway, cheers all until next time. Heather. Hi all,
I've just added a new painting to my gallery on this website. It is the last painting I completed prior to my leaving South Australia to live in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory). Entitled "Afternoon Shade", it is a landscape featuring some cattle resting in the shade by a desert billabong, probably in the Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola or perhaps the areas out from Alice Springs. It was inspired by a photograph amongst a pile of photos I happened to find lying around in the art workshops. They had been brought in by someone and left there for artists to look at and use and unfortunately the exact location was not written on the back of it. So much of central Australia looks like this painting and it reminded of many of the areas I have visited over the years, especially when looking for gems and minerals in northern South Australia. It is very hot in the afternoon and most animals, native or livestock, tend to seek shade from the burning heat. There are often small rock pools with permanent water throughout the ranges in the mid north, which are frequented by a variety of birds and animals. In my painting I confess that I have used a bit of poetic licence and made the water blue - in reality it is usually either brown or green with algae. Anyway, I've added it to my gallery page on this website and if anyone would like to purchase it, they can do so from my Artfire site. I have been in Canberra now since 12thApril and am gradually settling in. Canberra is certainly a very beautiful city and I am sure once I feel less like an alien I will grow to love it. At present, I just keep getting lost all the time and have not yet had time to hunt up any art groups or even unpack my art stuff. I confess to being a little worried about -10 degrees in winter - sounds awfully cold to me and maybe for the first time in my life I might get to see snow. Anyway, cheers for now. Heather. Hi all,
Sorry this has been a very neglected blog as of late. The only painting I've been doing is on the house! I have resigned as editor of the PCAC newsletter due to my move to Canberra, which happens next week, but the job has been taken up by talented SA artist Emerson Ward. Emerson is a talented artist who recently published his first art book and is a new member of the PCAC board. His first newsletter , Edition 37 for April 2013 can be viewed on the Newsletter Archives. I am very grateful to Emerson for stepping in and volunteering to be the editor. I enjoyed being editor and am sorry to be leaving. Hopefully I will find a new art society to join when I get to Canberra. If you are in South Australia, check out the National Railway Museum Art Show if you get the chance. - they have received entries (including a small one from me) from all around Australia - a must if you love art and trains. I will be unplugging the faithful old Mac this Sunday and be offline for at least a week, so may not be able to reply to emails etc. Keep enjoying your art and cheers from Adelaide (for the last time). Hi all,
Sorry this blog has been so neglected of late. Packing up 20 years worth of stuff, including a lot of art and craft stuff, took me more time than I thought it would. I sit now in an empty house, all my worldly possessions in another State. No art and craft for me for a while unfortunately. The only painting I will be doing is to continue trying to paint the walls of our house so that it can be sold, and that is not nearly as much fun as doing my watercolour painting. We have had to downsize and rent a tiny, tiny house, so I have no idea where I am going to be able to create, which is a cause for considerable concern! Anyway, as I have no TV to look at I decided to go to my neglected blog sites and to finally publish an article I researched into Sun Printing. If anyone has an interest in art or historical photographic techniques and would like to read it, it is on my other blog. This was mean to be a longer blog, but my computer's mouse is playing up badly and giving me no end of problems - I think it is trying follow the my household appliance trend of the last few weeks by trying to die. First the tumble dryer died, then the washing machine, closely followed by the exhaust fan in the bathroom, and now the Logitec mouse has taken a bait or something and is not acting too well - if it doesn't stop messing me around it is going to be humanely disposed of with a blunt instrument (if I can find one in an empty house). My patience with it is at an end, so cheers to you all, I will write something more interesting next time. Here's the Sun Printing Blog. Hi all,
Sorry this blog has been a bit neglected of late - been too busy with Uni and other stuff to do much social networking. Anyway, have taken a break from Uni to pack up and renovate house prior to moving interstate, so thought I'd take time out to mention a couple of things. Firstly, artist friend Mandi Glynn-Jones has had a successful exhibition running at the Black Diamond Gallery for the past two weeks and due to public interest, the exhibition has been extended a further week. So if you think you missed out on seeing it, this is your second chance to take a look at some wonderful artwork by a very talented artist. Mandi regularly wins art prizes and is also the winner of the Port Community Art Centre's People's Choice Award. Although Mandi has had lots of sales and received plenty of commissions during the exhibition, it is still not too late to find a great Xmas present from amongst her selection of works, or to place an order for something special in 2013. The Black Diamond Gallery is at 66 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide. South Australia, right next to the Tourist Information Centre and is open 7 days a week between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm. Secondly, thanks to donations by fans of his work, talented fantasy artist Emerson Ward has just published his first book. Emerson does great fantasy art and the absolute best dragons. If you would like to see some of his work or find out a little more about Emerson, here is the link to his website http://emersonward.com/ and the link to the site where donations can be made http://www.pozible.com/index.php/archive/index/12152/description/0/0. The Dragon Art book is being printed right now and Emerson hopes to post them to those who have ordered copies either Friday or Monday. They will also soon be available in some stores around Adelaide including Adelaide Comics Centre, Miss Pixi and Quirky Stylin. Well done Emerson, congratulations on producing your first book - can't wait to get my copy! On a completely different note, if you like painting trains, don't forget that the National Rail Museum Exhibition is coming up in May 2013 (applications close 31st January, 2013). The museum is at Port Adelaide and the exhibition would be an excellent opportunity to have your paintings viewed by people who love trains! For more information contact John Ford on 0400593987 or Mick Freeborn on 0466942937. The 4th Solar Art Prize is also coming up, the closing date being February 15, 2013. More information about that Prize can be obtained at http://www.rsasarts.com.au or email [email protected]. After listing all of the above activities by such clever artists, I will add that I am finally (after about 15 years of procrastinating) trying to tackle the task of perspective. I generally avoid painting anything that requires much perspective drawing but I have decided that in order to progress I must proceed down perspective's path. Of course being me, did I choose to try and draw something simple like a box shaped house - oh no - that would have been smart. I chose an old fashioned railway station platform with pillars and lattice work and arches that go on forever (daahhhhh!). It has taken me weeks to draw it (and all I can see are errors) and it is not finished yet. There has been much swearing and muttering and rubbing out, not to mention tension headaches and a rise in my blood pressure each time I realize I've stuffed up again. It is way too much like doing maths for me and I now have an ever increasing respect for anyone who paints streets full of buildings, gothic churches or any other brick and mortar constructions (oh the stress of it all....)! If I ever finish it and it looks OK (not likely at this stage) I might enter it in the Railway Museum Exhibition (without naming the station it is meant to be - I can just see some railway buff coming up and pointing it out with "....... railway station doesn't look anything like that...."). Well that is probably it for now. Think I will try and find a hairdresser who can make my head look like a work of art rather than a dish mop. Have a great Xmas and New Year everyone. Cheers. Hi all
Sorry this blog has been so neglected lately - doing full time uni, trying to pack house and oversea a kitchen renovation has all left me with little in the way of spare time. I've just jumped on the computer today to let those of you who live in Adelaide know about the Port Community Arts Centre Member exhibition, "Deja Vu," which is opening this Saturday, 17 November 2012 at 2.00 pm. Dr Susan Close MP, State Member for Port Adelaide will open the exhibition, which has about 120 works of art in it. If you are into art why not check it out, everyone is welcome and if you do, remember to cast your vote for the People's Choice Award too. Ian, Dianna, Ursula and myself all have some work entered in the exhibition and there are some great pieces by local artists John Ford, Mandi Glynn- Jones, Gerhard Ritter and Alan Ramachandran amongst others. The exhibition is open every day from 11.00am - 4.00pm 17-25 November, inclusive. While I think of it Mandi Glynn-Jones is having her solo exhibition in the gallery from November 30 to December 15, 2012. Mandi does great art and her exhibition will be opened by Jane Marr and is titled "Welcome to my Word" - should be great. Both exhibitions are at the Black Diamond Gallery, 66 Commercial Road, Port Adelaide. See you there, cheers. Heather. Congratulations to Ursula Wright on winning a prize at the recent SALA'd Days exhibition at Port Community Arts Centre. Ursula's watercolour painting "Fruit Ensemble" was well received by the judges. Well done Ursula. I will ask Ursula if she can send us an image of the painting so I can put it here for you to see, but in the meantime you can see some of Ursula's other work in her gallery on this website.. Cheers.
Hi all,
Sorry this blog has been a bit neglected lately - been busy and sick to boot. Just popped in today to let you know about a new class starting up at the Port Community Arts Centre on Tuesday 30th October 2012 entitled Introduction to Etching. The class will be from 7.00-9.00pm for 8 weeks at a cost of $145 (materials not included) and it should be great. It is being run by Tony Lusk. Tony Lusk is a practising Artist who works in the mediums of Drawing and Printmaking and has had numerous solo exhibitions in South Australia and Western Australia, as well showing in major group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. He has a Master of Arts majoring in Printmaking from the University of Iowa U.S.A. and a Bachelor of Education from the University of South Australia. He is an experienced art teacher, having taught for 22 years in tertiary institutions. If you are interested in learning printmaking from an expert, contact Tony direct on 0415510731 or [email protected] for further information. Cheers Heather. |
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