Winter Cat

‘Winter Was Especially Boring’

Because my cat gets so bored in winter.

Spring

I think that finally Spring is arriving. We are having days where the air is warm, even by the ocean in the evening.  The air smells of cut grass and the blossoms on the trees are so fragrant, it takes me back to childhood where life seeemed so free and easy.  

  (The little black marks on the sea are surfers, they seemed so much bigger in real life).

The Cold

It has become the time of year where I am getting tired of the cold.  We have had a lot of rain this week which I was thankful for because it has been a dry winter and it means my peach tree is getting a good drink.  I took this photo of the Bluff at Christies Beach on August 1 last year on a rare evening when it was still and there were few clouds.  I think the sky is prettiest in the winter.

Horses Birthday

This photo is a throw back from the late 1980’s of my pony at the time, Tina.  She was a Welsh cross and Palomino.  I always think of her a lot at this time of year because on 1 August it was Horses Birthday for horses in the Southern Hemisphere(to coincide with foaling season).  It was time spent with her, and her paddock mates, that inspires the use of animals in my art.  I spent many years trail riding in the bushland south of Adelaide, coming across all sorts of creatures.  Tina never really liked to be ridden, she bucked me off many times.  Her favourite thing was food, particularly fresh spring grass so I really hope she is in an afterlife full of all her favourite food and all of her friends :)

Portrait

I drew this portrait of my sister in law, Steph, in her wedding dress quite a while ago.  I worked from some photos that I took of her.  I planned a whole project around the photographs but I wasn’t happy with the concept in the end and decided to leave it.  I really did enjoy making this picture though.

Winter Solstice

Port Noarlunga Jetty

It is well and truly winter and even though this sunset may look warm it was quite cold and not much warmth from the sun.  It feels good to put on a coat and beanie and go out for some fresh sea air.  I am so glad we have just had Winter Solstice and that the days will be becoming longer.

Faces

These two paintings are examples of different work that I have been doing.  The girl with the blue background was made with Oil paint and the other painting is Watercolour and Gouache.  I have been working on trying to be a bit looser beacause I just get so tight and I really don’t like the result.  I was happy with these because even though they are not as loose as I intended, they became quite soft and gentle in the end and I started to feel I was onto something a bit different to what I have been doing.  So I will see where all this leads.

Houses

‘Reimagining Salter Crescent’

Watercolour/Gouache On Paper

25 cm x 20 cm

I made this painting earlier this year and I wasn’t happy with it so spent more time on it.  I did put it up on Instagram earlier too.(I did have an Instagram account open but I have deactivated it for now because I found that it wasn’t a great fit for me, I may reactivate it down the track).

In the area where I live, the architecture is quite eclectic and interesting.  I love all the diversity and this inspired me to paint one of my favourite little houses, which sadly has been demolished to make way for town houses.  I think an old lady lived there and there was a little dog that would yap at me when I walked by.  Sometimes there would be a sign saying ‘Eggs For Sale’, so I knew there were chickens as well.  It was just so cute and cosy and I really miss this home now.  I am glad I painted it so I have a permanent memory.

Experiments

My favourite ‘fairy tale’ house on the Esplanade, with an almost full moon.

 

Port Noarlunga Jetty

It’s been a while since I posted and I just wanted to let people know that I am still here but have been largely experimenting with my art this year so far and unfortunately don’t have anything that I am happy enough with to show.  I am excited about what I am doing though and I will post some new art soon.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of pics of my favourite place to go in winter.

Changes

'Still Autumn Night'

Gouache/Watercolour on A4 Paper

'Wild Bunnies On The Esplanade'

Gouache/Watercolour on Hotpress Paper

I haven't posted all year since January but I really wanted to put something up and talk a bit about what I have been doing and not doing :)

I have really struggled health wise this year which makes it hard to make art but I have been doing a bit of playing around with different styles and mediums.  I decided that I had come to the end of the road with my coloured pencil drawings.  I felt I had come to the end of a phase in my life and really felt the need to do something new and slightly different.  I have been playing around with watercolour and gouache paints and lighter subject matter.  I really wanted to move to more of a folk art style in terms of subject matter, painting more about my environment and my love of the country and nature and the lifestyle that goes with it.  My previous works were more confessional and personal and I wanted to move away from that.  I now am enjoying working with the paint, it feels better and more natural than the coloured pencil.

Thank you to all the people who supported me and my art this year, I so appreciate it!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and that the New Year brings all good things!

The Escape revisited

The Escape

Prismacolor and Polychromos Pencil on Arches Hot Press Paper

33cm x 44cm

This is a drawing I posted earlier last year and I wasn't all that happy with it.  So I stored it away and only got it out again before Christmas last year and my Mum saw it and loved it and said I should take it up to the Gallery.  I decided that it needed extra work so I played around with it a bit until I was happy with it(you can see the earlier version of this in the post I made earlier last year).

My heart really goes out to all the people in the world feeling like the girl in this drawing at the moment.

This drawing is for sale at Willunga Gallery

Protection

'Careful They Might See Us'

Coloured Pencil on Arches Hot Press Paper

This one took a while to get out as I was struggling with some health issues.  I am really happy with how it turned out.  I don't like to elaborate too much on the meaning of it as the meaning depends so much on the person viewing the work.  Basically this is about protecting the things inside us that are sacred.

Cold Snap

It's pretty cold here at the moment but I've been getting rugged up in a coat and beanie to go walking as I need to walk and it's great walking weather, even if I get a little wet.  It's so nice to go and watch the ocean in weather like this but I haven't been able to walk on the beach as the tide is too high.  Coming down here always inspires me, it's really beautiful.  It was great to catch this sunset too.

Love

'She Could See The Whole Universe In His Eyes'

Polychromos Pencil on A4 Moleskine

For those who love :)

Pony Joy

'We Used to Race in the Vineyards'

20cm x 25cm

Prismacolor and Polychromos Pencil on Arches Paper

When I was a kid I used to race my pony in the vineyard.  It was a little like this drawing but with riding gear and a helmet.  Looking back, it seems kind of a dangerous thing to do but I felt invincible back then and never thought for a minute that an accident could happen.  It was lots of fun.  We were surrounded by vineyards and there were so many places to ride away from main roads.  I did get bucked off once.  All my pony wanted to do was eat grass and that was more important than anything else I might have planned, even if that meant throwing me off :)

This drawing is for sale at Willunga Gallery

One Step

One Step Forward

Prismacolor and Polychromos Pencil on Fabriano Paper

20cm x 15cm

Was thinking about my kitten.  Still feel her around but miss her at the same time.  I think she will be a fixture in my art for some time to come :)

This drawing is for sale at Willunga Gallery

In The Nick Of Time

'The Escape'

Prismacolor and Polychromos Coloured Pencil on Arches Hot Press

A3 Size

I came up with this concept in 2011 and just felt inspired to complete it.  There are times when I've felt stuck in a bad place or found myself in a scary situation and sometimes a way out has presented itself almost like a miracle.  Obviously this doesn't happen all the time and doesn't happen for everyone but it's such a relief when it does.