"Night Light"
Mixed Media and Acrylic on canvass
50cmx76cm
Sometimes paintings come easily, the paint flows, you are in the zone.
Sometimes there are parts of a painting you love, and others, no matter how many times you try, you just can't get something right.
I wonder if others see the struggle, or the ease with which the painter paints?
This Year I made a commitment to more painting, on the whole that definitely happened and for me some new directions were explored. I experimented with oils, and took a class in portraiture. Hard to do, as I had to keep reminding myself that I was aiming for a likeness, not a photographic copy of the photo I used.
I began with a photo taken, of my daughter.
A collaged background and underpainting getting in all the darks.
building the layers.
Gazes and details added.
Detail of the finished piece.
My Daughter is sitting her final exams at the moment - the Higher School Certificate. The results she gains will be her entry into further study, or university, or just new journeys.
She had to complete a Major Work for one of her subjects which is submitted and marked by the board of studies. The students have to create their own design brief and answer the brief by way of a practical piece and folio. It is a massive undertaking and not for the faint hearted.
The brief was to design a cover piece for the relaunch of the Vanity Fair Green Issue. "I want to create a dress out of paper" my daughter told me. "Yikes" thinks I.
Well, so she did. The result and amazing creation made entirely from pages of Thackerys book "Vanity Fair"
Congrats to her - It is indeed an artwork. It speaks for itself.
Procrastination - I am definitely guilty of it. First a day, then a week, before I realize it a month has passed, one month turns into several, quick as a flash the year is done! Actually, a year and then some.
It certainly has been an epic year, one of celebration, sadness, travel, excitement, of ends and beginnings. To new beginnings, and the challenges that make the journey that much sweeter.
We welcomed a new family member to the family, meet Rosie the Groodle.
The boys took a ski trip to NZ for a bit of boy time and some high adrenaline activities.
We traveled to the States for Christmas for a bit of fun, travel and a little work.
We saw sunshine in LA, snow in NY, learnt the true definition of cold in Washington, and felt record low temps in Orlando whilst riding the rollercoasters.
Got to catch up with old and meet new friends which was a real treat.
We got to travel to Vegas for a friends 50th Birthday! Elvis even renewed our vows all 6 couples at the Little White Wedding Chappel.
In a more serious moment in the beautiful surrounds of Hayman Island We celebrated 20 years of marriage and a renewal of vows.
My cricket enthusiast got to play representative cricket, and we spent many weekends watching him play his passion.
Our Daughter finished her highschool schooling. Just the Exams to go and she begins a new chapter in her life! Scary and exciting. She is a treasure.
And Typepad changed it's format, so now I can not get the text near the right photos, but hey, I'm sure you'll work it out.
How to create a new banner will be a bit tricky for me. so you might just have to put up with the old one.
There are many other amazing things that have happened in the year I left my blog - some too sad to share. I am always amazed at how no matter how old there are still new life lessons to be learned. Our teachers are all ages and from all sorts of places.
One thing I know for sure - I am blessed in so many ways.
Next post - what's been happening on the art front! Yes there has been some productivity in that department.
Spring is here - thats got to be good sign all round right?
Every once in a while for whatever reasons,
A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.
Heres to a return and to new artwork. Stay tuned!
So slow off the mark, that much has been said by many others about the Creative Soul Art Retreat.What a treat it was on so many levels.
The freedom to make art without the usual routine interfering, the opportunity to connect with other like minded souls, and of course the chance to learn from some amazing teachers.
DJ was such a wonderful and generous teacher, she was gracious and a real lady. I did both her journal and painting faces class. - loved it, even if it was somewhat challenging spending a whole day painting a 6x6inch canvas! (I don't usually do small!)
Loved meeting the wonderful Stephanie Lee - If I thought painting a face was going to be a challenge, for this virgin solderer the butane torch held a little fear. BUT, I have to say that by the end of the day and having my precious little book almost complete, I was a convert and am keen to explore the soldering world in a little more depth.
I was thrilled to see both old and new faces. It is a real treat to put faces to names of those blogs frequented at last. A major highlight was connecting with some other Sydney art souls. They are out there! The wonderful Martina has done what it will take me some time (the wheels move excrutiatingly slow where technology is involved)
Martine has added all the retreat participants blogs on her sidebar. This is one organised lady. I think it is a case of "if you want something done, ask a busy person! Nice to meet the prolific guerilla gal Dneese and fellow sydneysiders Margaret and Ruth , of course wonderful to catch up with familiar faces, the talented Ro ,(Happy Birthday Ro), and gorgeous Jan and dear Julie I had the pleasure of participating in an amazing round robin that went all around our country and the USA with Jan Ro and Julie. My art buddy, roomate constant support, soul sister and organiser of the amazing altered book round robin who, by chance just celebrated a special birthday Ursula once again put up with me and my no doubt annoying habits. I always have a ton of laughs with Ursula as well as plenty of deep and meaningfuls, I am so lucky to know such a wise one. It is always a privilege to connect in person with those I have visited regularly via blogs. I was able to catch up briefly with the giver of the real person blog award Julia who managed to make it to the vendor night. I had the good fortune to sit next to Julia at an art retreat last year. I belatedly acknowledge the real person blog award Julia - which I will share with all those wonderful women I got to meet having only read about before. The trouble with mentioning names is that all those I connected with were special and without exception talented, so I urge you to go and check them out on the art retreat sidebar of Martina. Well done Bevlea for a fantastic retreat and I can only imagine the hard work that went into making it run so smoothly. I look forward to the next one.
Every day I begin with a mental list.
Right now I am imagining what it will be like when we have moved. When there are no more loads to carry there is not a box in sight! But for now I just have to imagine as I sit surrounded by the debris of packing and moving. Change is always unsettling for me, a time of constant mental lists, of vowing never to accumulate so much "stuff." For now, a time to keep the end in mind and move forward. It is much Harder to pick up a box having rested for a while.
Do you ever have those moments, the ones that remind you of the fragility of the moment, I guess of life?
I am not sure if it is the appearance of spring, the pace of life, the fact my children grow more self sufficient each day, or what. Last night my daughter asked both my husband and I (no offence intended!), if we ever thought about the fact that we were growing old (offence taken!). Whilst I was thinking about the best response, her father answered "Everyday sweetie, everyday!" I guess it got me thinking, that same old lesson that keeps presenting itself. This moment is all there is, this moment is where we should be. I don't want to live each day wishing for the next, only to wish that one away. This morning when I turned the page of Buddhist Offerings 365 Days, todays offering was "Most of us have spent our lives caught up in plans, expectations, ambitions for the future, in regrets, guilt or shame about the past. To come to the present is to stop the war." Jack Kornfield So, whats the secret of that life lived to the fullest without regrets? I guess, I am still learning that lesson - I do remember some very sound advice from my great Aunt who lived to the ripe old age of 105 spanning across three centuries, she was born at the end of the 1800's, lived throughout the 1900's and died in the 2000's. She had seen some changes for sure and was on the Ocean bound for Australia when the Titanic went down. About growing old she used to say "Darling, it's no fun getting old, but the alternative isn't great!" I do know that you should do what you love and love what you do though, look for the good in situations and see the best in others. Ain't life a huge lesson?
