Saturday 30 November 2013

#InMyStudio - PoppyLove is finished!


I can't tell you how thrilled I am with this sweet piece... it just felt so special to me.
I love her colours and I love the hanging poppies!  She just feels so interesting and such fun!
You can find her in my Etsy Shop, original and prints!



Wednesday 27 November 2013

#InMyStudio - Will I ever get it right...


So this is one of my earlier pieces... and has been up on my wall for ages.  But in the past while she had started to annoy me... and Kitty started teasing me about the fact that she had no shoulders.  It was a mistake I often made in my earlier paintings.  I love that my girls can call me on my mistakes and lovingly tease me about them.

Anyway Miss Sweet Lily got a facelift.

It wasn't easy going - two weeks ago I was having a really tricky time with my faces, nothing was going right.  I almost also tore Lily up if it wasn't for the beautiful textured wallpaper, I think I would have.

Yesterday, I was waiting for something to download, I grabbed my Neocolors, which I do sometimes when I want to make changes.   I didn't blend the Neo's with my hands, like I usually do because the paper was too textured.  It was almost like drawing/painting on sandpaper.  (That's still something I would like to try... Misty did that in FacetoFace).  This time I just kept applying the colors over one another until my desired color, shading was achieved.  I've always loved Neocolors but I've never used them like this before.  I'm amazed that how through messing about - I discovered something so delightfully new!  I'm thrilled about this little discovery and I'm pleased to say, Miss Lily didn't land in the bin in pieces!

And I have to say I love her soulfulness and her dreamy eyes!

#InMyStudio - Art courses for next year...

 
Misty's Online Course                                Misty in Italy

Holding my breath for the announcement of Misty's new online course!
Hoping it will start in January 2014

And then of course - there's Misty again in Italy 2014
Eeeckkkk!!!


This starts early January.


I'm still working on Part 1 but will finish that now in December
and will sign up for Part 2 in January too.


This is a year long course and will take me up to August next year

This is probably all I will do next year - it's definitely a lot and maybe it's a bit much!
But I'm so passionate about growing and learning and taking my ability to new levels.
I haven't just chosen this or that - I've chosen artists I am completely mad about and really admire.
Who I honestly believe have beautiful teaching styles, knowledge to impart!!!
And who I can really learn from.  I know they put a huge amount of effort into what they share!
Being able to do these courses online - is an incredible gift to myself!

Monday 25 November 2013

#InMyStudio - EvolutionofaCollage - still a #WIP




The absolute first thing I start with is the face... and the rest I build around that!
I can honestly say I didn't plan a single thing... I never really know how it's going to evolve!
I guess that's the mystery and adventure of each piece.

When all the elements are in place - I start blocking in some darker colors so she can find her way forward!

What I love about these pieces, is that no matter what face I use, the face I find is never the same.
Almost without exception each piece I've done, somewhere through the process -
I am not loving it and have at times almost given up and binned it.
And this piece was no different.  But I'm glad I didn't stay in that place too long!
Because I'm really loving the colors of this piece!
This is far from finished... it's just a start!
I still have much paint to lay down!
I can't wait to finish this piece.

Sunday 24 November 2013

#InMyStudio - Play Dates and a Picnic

Wow - we have had such a busy weekend!!
Kitty had one social event after another which left us on constant standby for her!
Corks is still very much in exam mode as she has 2 exams left to go!
I have one week left of November (my crazy busiest time of the year).
And then the girls will basically be on holiday!
So I'm kind of holding my breath over here!

This morning I got up early because I had a play date of my own!
I had a paint-date with my friend, who I met at Kitty's school!
We teamed up this year painting sets for the school concert!


Just allowing time to create can be such a gift to ourselves!
And this morning was just beautifully gentle for both of us!
For her - to have this time to create and for me - to have someone to paint with!
We had Nespresso, brekkie and a chat and then started playing #InMyStudio!
My sweet friend is incredibly creative and her composition was stunning!
I can't wait to see her finish her incredible piece of art!
Corks was supposed to be studying but couldn't help herself and came to create with us!
And she kept our Nespresso cups full!

After my friend left we jumped around and headed out to Kitty's Grade 6 end of year picnic!
We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!
It was absolutely perfect!!

Thursday 21 November 2013

#InMyStudio - Creative play is leading to greater creativity!

So besides my collage work and having so much fun there - I've really been struggling with some of my painted faces...
The other day I actually tore up some pieces!!! And I have to say, it was most satisfying.

I am terrified of doing the same thing over and over!
I don't want to get stuck only being able to do just one thing, just one way!
I've been working hard at mixing it up a bit!  Pushing myself to paint other things,
other ways and expand my techniques and styles etc.
I guess that's where the wonderful play is coming in and why I'm enjoying it so much!
I think right now, I'm working so hard in so many aspects of my life,
especially in growing and learning - that I forget to just play sometimes!

So I'm delighted to say that the creative play has led me to do some really special pieces and started having some mini breakthroughs for myself.  In fact, it was so wonderful that I didn't want to stop!
Which left me crawling into bed around 2am... I know I will pay the price for it, but oh so worth it!


My piece on the left is with no reference... and the one on the right is referenced.

Wednesday 20 November 2013

#InMyStudio - creative play!


So I've been having so much fun with my painted Collage Mixed Media - I think I will keep doing them because they feel like creative play and I'm having such a good time with them.  To me, they are just so creative and so interesting and it kind of mixes things up a little from my usual "safe" places.

But the most amazing thing I'm discovering is that I'm actually learning quite a bit in each piece and it's really helping me in other paintings.  This to me has been such an exciting discovery!  It's like something has just clicked inside of me. I think I have the tendency to forget to have fun and forget to play!  And this is bringing out my artist child for sure!

I did this little piece... for no reason, other than for fun!  She's completely different to the other collages I have been doing lately but I completely love her uniqueness.

All considered... a happy ending!

Tuesday 19 November 2013

#InMyStudio - a Special little Set!


When I see all these pieces together - I am moved by how linked they all are... in some way.
They look like they all belong together!

My hubby suggested that I put them together and sell them as a set!!!

Why didn't I think of that... 

So I decided to do just that... in a Giclee Fine Arts Print Set
and to sell them together at a discounted rate!
Especially for Christmas and Gift ideas.

My printers have put them together beautifully on heavy Hahnemuhle Etching paper!
And you can find them in my EtsyShop

I also won't be charging shipping, as a way of me discounting this set further.

I am so excited about these little ladies and I hope you love them as much as I do!

#InMyStudio - "ComeOver"

I can't tell you how much I am loving this style of work.
In this piece, I doubled up in size from my previous piece, which is harder than you would imagine.  All the pieces of ephemera have to be in the correct proportions to one another!
I wasn't sure how I was going to link her and the teapot to make these two features feel connected! The teapot was a bit far of a reach for her arm to be holding it... But her arm close to her chest just felt so special!  And the little indication of the table meant it wasn't a floating teapot!
I just love how this piece came together.
I called it "ComeOver" because her hand looks like she is beckoning one to come over for tea!

I think it's a wonderful way of learning about composition and for me, a kind of storytelling!  Which I'm just huge about at the moment!  I really want to keep doing more of these interesting pieces and see where they lead me!

I'm thrilled to say this special piece sold even before I finished her! I seriously can't tell you how deeply that touched my heart!!! 

Friday 15 November 2013

#InMyStudio - whose coming for tea!


I was just messing about #InMyStudio last night while I was putting together another collage painting and I came across a teapot in my reference folder and I had a scrap of canvas lying right next to me so I decided to paint it #justforfun!  I was killing time...

If you know me you will know how much I love #teapots.  It's quite funny because I'm not actually a huge tea drinker... I'm more of a coffee addict.  I am not sure what it is about teapots that endear me so but they do!  Maybe because it has something to do with things of old.
I've started including them in some of my paintings... but I kind of love this isolated still life too!  I think I might do a few more!

Wednesday 13 November 2013

#InMyStudio - My Mind's Eye

doubled up on the size of this piece, compared to my last two and today I'm hoping to go even bigger.  I'm loving the mystery to these pieces... they are so interesting to me and and kind of pulling me in to find the story!  I used South African elements in this piece... the old ship and mapwork you see in the shadows is from an article I found about with Bartolomeu Dias who in 1487 headed up an expedition to sail around the southern most tip of Africa in hope of finding a trade route to India.  On his return to Portugal he discovered The Cape of Good Hope (Cape Town).  I also used original old South African stamps.

I seriously can't wait to do more of these wonderfully exciting pieces of mixed media!

Monday 11 November 2013

#InMyStudio - at long last!!!

I had a long hard week work wise.  And I didn't get one moment #InMyStudio all week.  Come Friday night I thought I wouldn't waste a moment but I was so exhausted so I headed straight to bed.  And Saturday was so full of doctors appointments, pop in visits and a evening BBQ that we had on the go!  I was starting to feel the withdrawals.  I felt nervous that I wouldn't remember how to paint... 

So I wasn't sure where to start and starting something new just felt a tad bit overwhelming... So I thought I would go back to my art journal and look and play with some old pieces.  I pulled these two pieces out of my artjournal, as you know, I am getting more used to my journal work but I'm not such a huge fan - I am afraid beautiful pieces will be trapped in there forever... and never again seen.

Anyway - I created these two collage pieces on my FacetoFace course, they were both major breakthrough work for me.  I thought the idea was just about putting the pieces together.  I was too afraid to even consider painting them... it's taken me almost a whole year to grasp the concept.  Misty also showed us this technique in Italy and it was so foreign to me.  But I think I finally get it....
And I think I might be a little addicted!


"Mother Love is the fuel that enables"


"Handmade with Love"

After these wonderful fun pieces and my very happy heart... I moved to a bigger canvas.
I had no idea what I was going to do... it didn't flow as nicely as these two pieces and it seriously felt like it was fighting with me... but I do love where my flowrs ended.
All in all - getting to paint all day and make up for lost time = happy heart for sure!


Sunday 3 November 2013

Lockdown mode and a quick studybreak...

After spending the whole weekend indoors and keeping myself busy while the girls study, come Sunday afternoon, I was suffering severely from cabin fever - I told the girls that we were going for a walk.  We jumped in the car and headed to walk on my fav beach!  I have been wanting to do this for weeks now.  And we couldn't have chosen a better day!  The water and waves were perfect and it was stunning out!  When we arrived at the beach we discovered there was a surf competition going on and we got to watch some pretty awesome surfers doing some awesome stuff!  And a beautiful walk and time together and lots of photo captures!!!  Such a beautiful time with my girls. #feelingsoblessed

 I love the filters I used on these pics… looks like old fashioned beach shots!  Such fun!




I love this shot because they are more alike than they realise… 

Friday 1 November 2013

#InMyStudio - Friday play date!


I love Friday's because it's the only day of the week that we get home early.
On the way home, we pick up snacks and it's the one day of the week where we have the afternoon off.

No rules.

Just reconnecting after the busy week.
And all doing the things we love that we don't get to do during the week.

Digz is away doing a 3 day stage race out of town which means this weekend is a girlie weekend.
As much as we miss Digz so much when he goes away!  We cherish our girlie weekends!
The girls basically move right into my room and it's a PJ party for the whole weekend!
And we do everything together!

When we got home, I had a FaceTime chat with Jenny Wentworth, from Oregon.
I haven't spoken to Jenny face to face since we were in Italy and I was surprised to see how wonderful and emotional it was to see her and chat.

After our chat, I headed straight to my studio because I had planned a painting session all day.
I knew exactly what I was going to paint.  I wasn't sure if it was going to work out how I planned!
But I was super delighted with both these pieces.  Both such moving pieces to me!

All 'n all such a beautiful evening!