Sunday Sketching, socks and pastel

A dreary ol Sunday here - what happened to the sunshine?

However, after a quiet, peaceful day...following a fun BBQ with friends

after watching 2 episodes of Dr Who on iview

and 2 cups of tea...

 .... part of a face sketch in my art journal... water-soluble graphite, and pastel pencils that I've treated with a liberal wet brush 

Only part - cause I don't like the other part!

But I do love the way you can dissolve pastel pencils using water on your page!

AND I love the pace and quiet of a lazy Sunday

With lawn mowers off in the distance,

birds in the park

and the sound of the grand final about to kick off on the TV!

Another little sketch...

 

 

A quick watercolour and pen sketch I did the other night, and just took pics of.

I imagine this will be me again in an hour or so!

When I get back from the gym, I'll be ready for a cozy sit down and relax... while the Men of the house get all worked up over the football!

(Maybe I'll disappear to the studio and leave them to it!

I am yet to fathom The oddity of Aussie Men and their Football :-)

Happy Sunday Sketches!

How was your Sunday? Enjoy :-)

purpleness, pouts and watercolours

We planted purple carrots last weekend - at the start of the holidays... and then I saw purple in lots of places... The flowers in the kitchen I had bought last week

.... and the beetroot leaves ( also newly planted)...

And in the pastels... which I hoped to get into...

I honestly thought, intended and planned to actually paint a portrait ( purple optional) for todays entry specifically for PPF... but no, instead I wanted a sleep!
We had a HUGE day out on the coast yesterday, then got  in traffic returning from the coast to the city, and then got caught in the mega huge traffic jam resulting from a car accident on the highway... which meant we didn't get home until after 8.30pm, exhausted. -->

However, today still had promise, and I had planned a nap after lunch, with ample time left to collect my thoughts, and find a suitable brush to start waving around. 

until.

1. I discovered, my eldest, dear cherub, had NOT finished her uni application
   
2. It is due today.
   
3. The computer wouldn't work.
   
4. Yes it's all online.
   
5. and SHE was 5 mins late for work....
   
   
   
   6. SO. Being the good mother that I am, I sacrificed my cosy afternoons, much needed rejuvenating power nap.
   7. And instead spent 2 hours fighting with the computer.
   
   
   
   
   
   8. But success was had, after finishing the section she hadn't completed. ( why can't teens look properly?) I made the lodgement in time. 
   9. Well we did. My dear Husband helped. 
   Probably just as well or I may have fallen comatose over the computer, and inadvertantly changed her first preference to Bachelor of Toe Nail Trimming. Would have served her right. 
   ( I was rather tired and cranky by now - can you tell?)
   
   
   
   
   
   10. we Saved her  $60 in late fees. 
   11. Which, I am rather smug about. She now owes me big time.
   
   
   
   
   
   12. Oh. and she is grounded tomorrow.
   
   Someone has to pay for my lost nap.
   
   
   
   
   I then had my power nap. But it just wasn't the same. And I didn't have time to get out the oil paints either. Pout pout.
   But I did do this little watercolour....in her memory... and...
   
   
   
   
   in honour of mothers everywhere, calming purpleness, and PPF  (Paint Party Friday)
   
   (Love your comments!)

Oil painting tidal mudflats & brunch

I love to go down by the bay, and see whats happening there.  

Boats on the water

kids playing with a ball

wind surfers

yachts

old folks walking their dogs

children in the park

my hair blown by the onshore breeze

The tide goes out, leaving a lovely expanse of tidal flats

some parts with silty mud

some with more sand

....and a small stretch of fine yellow sand...

Boats anchored close to shore sit and wait patiently for the tide to come back 

and lift them 

afloat again

meanwhile passers by, usually small children, scamper blithely past, oblivious to their plight

The tidal mudflats, some think they are boring

but -  so much to see

to explore...

Waiting for the tide.  Oil on board.  26th September, 2012

Meanwhile - back in the studio.  Having just got back in from a lovely brunch out with a friend, I am now about to tidy the studio.  How did things get sooo messy in there?  Also my dear moggies, otherwise known as 'the psycho cats', after their twice daily mad chasing each other around the house episodes, have taken to using my art desk as a shortcut - so I need to rearrange things for my art supply safety!

Linking to:   artist playroom #29 - free choice challenge.
Love your comments! :-)

Sunday sketching, lazing, and holiday plans

So here I am a lazy Sunday afternoon, and the second day of the school holidays.

It is hot, and humid.  Real summer weather - and its only spring!

Already we have plan, with a touch of military precision, to allow us to achieve all goods things

these holidays, including:

1. Taking eldest daughter to and from work ( really must point her to the bus timetable)

2. taking above daughter to university music auditions

3. Oh, and taking her to music rehearsals with the accompianist.  

( Who, by the way, charge an absolute fortune - $60 for 45 mins for each rehearsal, and each of the two auditions are $70 each!!  Like - all she does is play the piano for 20 mins, albeit all due credit given, she does play very well, and it is a high level and all, but sheesh - I could by a really nice Lorna Jane outfit with that kinda cash, and still have change!)

The other FUN things we have planned include...

4. visiting the Prado exhibition at the Art Gallery

5. The planetarium at the Botanical Gardens

6. a day trip to the  coast and a visit to Maleny (the Mountains), and Noosa (Beach) to see my Dad

7. Another yet to be determined day trip - maybe Stanthorpe? (the wineries) 

We might even stay overnight... don't get me started on accommodation!

8. maybe the movies

9. I have had a request to play a board game - doesn't mean I will 

( I get bored, playing board games)

10. And a shopping trip to Indoroopilly ( a mega huge shopping centre)

11. Footy Final is one Sunday afternoon - gotta keep 

the Man happy!

12.  A BBQ with friends

13. A visit from Grandad

 

whew!

And all I'd really like to do is:

read
go to the gym
paint
water the seedlings


I'm easily pleased - really I am!

These little watercolour sketches were done with a black pen, and wash over the top. 

Things I discovered whilst attempting these:

It is really hard to draw when you have just walked really fast for 20 mins!

I need to find another park - I keep drawing the same trees!

Happy Sunday Sketches!

How was your Sunday? Enjoy :-)

Introductions!

If you are dropping by you might like to know a little about me...

I am an artist, in sunny Brisbane, Australia.  I love to explore and experiment with a whole range of different media: oils, watercolour, pastel, mixed media!  I havn't yet settled on just one!

Drop by my gallery

Visit the shop - prints available remember to ask!

or just browse through my blog!  Feel free to add comments about my art - we all love comments!

I'll be adding more content, and artwork quite regularly - so grab a blog button, join up, or subscribe to stay in touch!

life drawing sketches with graphite, week 2

My second week of attending the local life drawing class...  Although I wasn't feeling the best, I am glad I made the effort to go.  Firstly cause I soon felt better :-) Secondly as I got a chance to talk a little more with fellow drawees, and started picking up some of their tips!  Lastly cause I think I can see some tiny improvements...

part of  a standing 5 min pose

10 min pose

15 min pose

20 min pose

15 min pose - the last one of the morning

I have really enjoyed the challenge of life drawing.  It is a open class, meaning no teacher, but there are several others there who have the experience, and willingness, to offer tips and advice - which is welcomed!

In the studio this week: currently in progress are the mail art pieces - ready to be finished and posted this weekend, and I finished this painting (which I've written about here), but it still very wet!  I think we need a good few dry days, but was humid and wet again today with light rain, so I don't think that's helping the painting, even though its great for the fruit trees!

Otherwise nothing else as it's otherwise been a busy week: I joined the gym and have been each day to try and build some momentum, had coffee out with a friend, did the big fortnightly grocery shopping, my daughter returned from a 10 day school trip to Vanuatu, and the usual chores! Where has the week gone!!

Hope everyone has a fabulous, painterly weekend :-)

painterly bay... my backyard

The mudflats.  Oil on hardboard.  18 x 12". 2012

same location, different day....

The challenge this week over at The Artist Playroom was "In your own backyard"...  although not technically right in my backyard - this is pretty close!  We love to take the dogs for a walk along the bay.  This location is only a 5 - 10 min walk from home, and you can walk right around the bay.  At high tide there are small boats bobbing on the water, and you often see the ferry's going across to the islands.  At low tide there are the long stretches of mud flats, which are just as appealing to me - interesting patterns, and glimmers of light.

Not as much fun to walk on - especially with small, white, fluffy pooches! (we only did that ONCE!)

I painted this oil yesterday,  using a palette knife - my first use of a palette knife for a whole painting.  The oil is on pretty thick, and it was colder and rainy yesterday morning, so it's still very wet!    Will be interesting to see how long it takes to dry, as I didn't use any mediums - just straight paint.

On a different note I loved all the comments and feedback to my sketches last friday 'Sketching and Painting" , really made my weekend!

AND of course ( it just occurred to me!) this is soo Paint Party Friday - happy PPF!

Other posts you might like...

Sketching and Painting

breathe

In part of  a comment I left for Quinn Macdonald recently on her post about time, I said - 

 "I think thoughtfulness (actually being in this moment) and simplicity are aspects of life to be developed and cherished - and in this crazy high speed world we all need reminders to breathe..."

White teapot.  Oil. (For Sale)

This painting symbolises two things I do where I get to slow down and just 'be' - drinking green tea in the morning, listening to the birds in the park, and a glass of red wine at night...

I recently re-evaluated how I use my time.   And I realised you cannot 'bank' time.  I can't 'save' time and put it away ready to be drawn upon when I need it the most (on those days when: I want to paint, need to get the shopping done, cat to the vets, children to music lessons I'm running low of fuel in the car and we something on the table for dinner kind of days)

But I can be a better manager of my time, and put effort into the things I really want to do... which means I need to know WHAT it is I want to do... which lead me to a re-evaluation of goals, and how I currently use my time.

Because if I want to create work I am proud enough of to invest in getting them framed - I need a game plan...

What a difference framing makes! For the Aunties - mixed media.

Goal number 1: get fit.  We are heading into spring and fast into summer here in Australia - requiring (for me at least) to do a stocktake of my summer clothes.  I also found the scales recently and put new batteries in them, and discovered I had a very 'good' winter... and although I don't have a lot of extra weight to loose - I need to put on muscle, tone, and build strength. 

Step to goal 1: I joined the gym.  It was the first time I have stepped foot in a gym in over 20 years.  I'll let you know how I go... I have the assessment and program planning appointment today!

Goal number 2: commit more time to art. 

Step to goal 2: I made myself a timetable.  I needed to allocate time for: running the house, homeschooling, art, life drawing and gym.  There are really not that many hours in a day - not when you start adding in lots of things to do!

Today, I also remind myself to slow down, enjoy each moment, and breathe...

sketching and painting

Ten minute sketching... graphite

coloured pencil and watercolour

pencil - life drawing class

lots of short activities this week - mostly sketching in pencil with some watercolours.  Although I am getting the urge to get the oils out again, maybe this weekend, as I'm NOT going to be shoving 3 cubic meters of garden soil :-)

Kelly's Beach

South end Kellys beach, Bargara.  8 x 10 watercolour.  For sale.

A challenge I set myself - working from a photo taken last year, this is looking towards the far south end of Kelly's beach where the life savers section is. 

On My Desk...Mail Art fun

On my desk right now...

Charlie & Max!

Other than the two boys deciding to come and visit me on the desk - this is what I have on my art desk...



Last week I decided to join in my first mail art swap that was on offer on one of the yahoo groups I am a member of.  From what I understand it is where artists send art in the mail to other artists.   Being a newby to the world of mail art I naturally googled it,  and even after some google time I am still not sure if there are any boundaries to this - as long as it can be posted its mail art!

I have to mail some arty fun to nine other people  all around the world, so the costs of postage will be a guiding factor.   I plan on heading to the local post office and checking on this today, but to start the process off ( as we need to post during September) I have started a series of postcards.

The first is a set of 4 largish postcards that I got in the mail to promote the current exhibitiion at the Queensland Art Gallery - beautiful masters from Spain.  (We havn't been yet but it's on my list of things to do before it closes!)

They were just begging to be altered, and as they were glossy they have been sanded, lightly gessoed, stamped, painted, and collaged... so far!  As this dear lady has such a solemn expression I added the word 'smile' - seemed appropriate somehow.   I spent an hour or so leafing through my old copy of 'What Kay Did', finding suitable quotes to add.  A bit more distressing and a glaze or two and these will be finished.

Next I used Cotman Water Colour Postcards, which I added watercolour washes, with drips and backwashes, and a quote.  Not sure what to do next - maybe some stamping?

And lastly, there is one little card, which is watercolour paper with shiva oil sticks on the outside, and a watercolour wash on the inside...

 Now, I just need to claim back my desk from the Boys, get out some paints, and get going!

I'm trying something new: linking in... I'm linking back to Effy's Swoon page  and also Paint Part Friday - so if you are visiting from either of those paces be sure to say Hi!   The art community is HUGE online, and its great encouragement to join in so many different groups and ideas :-)

Love your comments :-)

Not a life on repeat

"It’s true that some risks are not worth taking, but most risks will mean the difference between living a life on repeat and creating a life forged in sweat, on the steps to a breathtaking summit. " 

Raam Dev, 2012

I love this quote I share from Raam - more on this further down.

Some of the things I love...

Taking over the double garage to set-up art, painting, and sewing areas...

crystal and glass containers...

recycling an old massage table into a printer and scanner workstation...

 

pinning altered pages swaps, random, vintage and found objects on the newly created pinboard...

collecting gumnuts, and feathers...

I have spent the past several days sorting, re-organising, and re-arranging the 'stuff' in the double garage.  It is now mostly the way I want it - but things never stay the same do they?  I have loved supplies within arms reach, space to spread out, nice natural lighting from the window, the easel in a prime location, and even the sewing table and ironing board is all ready to go! 

It's not perfect: the rollar doors let dust and the northerly winds blow straight through, with only one window half the space is a little dark, the floor is painted concrete, and has a slight slope!   But what it lacks it makes up with by being almost 36m squared of space that we can now all use to be creative without fear of making a mess, it has easy access to water for cleanup, and I am still within coo-ee distance of the family.

Actually I have made this room so nice and inviting, when I come in here to work ( or escape) they usually follow me :-)

But sometimes I feel a twinge of guilt.  All this space is just for me?  All my art, and paints, and quilting, and altered books - all just for me? ( well I do sometimes allow the family to visit - but you understand, primarily this is for me). 

But back to Raam's quote.  It would be normal to have the car in the garage, and not an art studio.  That would be conventional.  Normal.  But because I don't want to live a life on repeat, and because I would rather live a life richly filled with color and creativity, risk and extravagance, I choose that over convention (or guilt).