Fine Art Reproductions & Messy Studio

The studio is a mess... this pic does not do it justice!

I blame Max... all he does is sleep all day - in My chair!

(Have you ever seen such a fat cat? But he is a growing boy!)

I have some fine art reproductions completed...  8 x 8", on stretched canvas... I like these as the thick sides mean they free stand....

 As the original of Dream has sold, I am really happy to be able to offer this as a print, or as a finished art like these - she's so cute!

She reminds me of sun-filled days, with flowers and dreams 

The original of Happy is still available...or as above, or as a print... she is slightly wistful, but I also imagine she is simply at peace, with the slightest of Mona Lisa smiles...

email me if you are interested in any of my art as prints, or as fine art reproductions

 Christmas creeps up on me every year!  I han't yet planned the Christmas menu, or shopped, or even made a pud ( whch I normally do)... I have most of the pressie's bought however... I wonder if like most years we end up wrapping them at midnight on Christmas Eve?

I'll link in with Sunday Sketches & Paint party Friday ( If I'm Not too late?) 

(Not sure How much Blogging I'll be doing leading up to Christmas - we have this 'n that all the usual pre-christmas stuff Plus 2 days away on a mini-break - yay!  If I get any sketching done I may just do mobile posting - it's quick and easy at least - or this may end up being a bit of blogging holiday... we'll just have to see!)
xo L.

The Bay PDF, paintings and woodblocks

"Be"

A recurrent theme

Be what?
happy, true, faithful, strong, present, forgiving, loving, creative, generous
....
I missed a couple of days blogging... life got busy, and then I felt like I must complete some projects - and here they are!
  and here
and here
my last three watercolour's - created as freestanding woodblocks.
The details: High quality epson print, mounted on recycled cedar, with additional oil paint, stamping, and sides painted black

4.5" x 5.5" fine art reproduction on woodblock "Love" $35

3.5 x 7.5" fine art reproduction on woodblock "faith" $35

3.5" x 6.5" fine art reproduction on woodblock "Hope" $35

 

....

And - for all those who have asked - here is the pdf version  of my book!

PDF Download here:

The Bay

Monday I wrote about my book, and why I wrote it, and what I believe about education...

And as a gift back to everyone who ever shared their time and resources with me, it is free.  If anyone gets anything out of my humble book, and feels they would like to, a donation would be humbly accepted.  The link in the side bar is to the ebook version - which will work on your ipad :-)

With the recent hot weather to say the studio has been as hot as an oven is not an understatement.  So even though I have, had taken over 1/2 the dining table, and I have a number of started projects, nothing not much got finished!
Instead I decided to work in the cool, under the air con with my laptop - and I got this PDF project finished instead! yay!!

Recent posts this week include:

Current Projects

Hot Sunny Watercolours

Although I am very late !! A big shout out to Paint Party Friday   and also linking to In The  Studio Sneak Peak Friday, and Sunday Sketches

Truly appreciate your comments!
XO L.
ps.  wasn't sure about how to acknowledge and visit y'all when you've the time to comment!  Please know that I appreciate them all!  I think I'll try replying to your comments in the comment section - just so's you know! :-)

Current projects in the heat

While we battle our current heatwave... I have a couple of ongoing projects: these woodblock fine art prints - free standing, on cedar wood offcuts, with embellished prints of my watercolours, and turning my book into a pdf ( see below)

current projects on my desk - wood blocks, prints, and added embellishments

 

 Aimee at Artsyville's List It Tuesday suggested topic this week is small comforts

1. A great cup of tea, in a china mug
2. ditto for coffee
3. belgium chocolate
4. oh  o.k. - any chocolate!
5. Reading a great book a second time
6. Finding your fav 'thing' on sale!
7. knowing that if it isn't on sale this week - it probably will be soon!
8. When your dog comes and keeps you company wherever you are
9. Finding one tomato that the fruit fly didn't get
10. And in light of our current heat wave - air conditioning!!

Monday I wrote about my book, and why I wrote it, and what I believe about education...

Click on above for link to download book, The Bay,  for free.

I'll add here that this link will take you to the ipad ebook version.  I am still working on the pdf version...I'll keep you posted but I am working on it today (while the weather is still too hot for the studio) grrr to big companies who want an absolute fortune to get get a pdf of your own work!

And as a gift back to everyone who ever shared their time and resources with me, it is free.  If anyone gets anything out of my humble book, and feels they would like to, a donation would be humbly accepted.

Sharing with Whats on your workdesk Wednesday!

Free book The Bay, slow education

So - what have I been doing while its been so hot?

Glad you asked!

I created a book.

It is essentially 5 of my bay art works, with prose and poetry, and some suggestions for use with children including picture study.

But it is more than that too.  It embodies in essence my philosophy of education: which has been largely influenced by Charlotte Mason.  In brief I believe a great education places a high level of importance on the liberal arts, the value of the child as a person, and the importance for all to be exposed to the finer arts of music, poetry, art, great literature, and nature study.  For the time to be taken to allow education as a process to slow down.   To allow children the space to be, and breathe. To encourage a book to be read slowly, each word savoured, remembered, treasured.  For great art to be viewed with focus, copied, and admired.  For poems to be read aloud, memorised and recited.  For great music to be played to nourish the soul.  For observations about nature to be careful, considered, recorded, and thought about.  I guess I advocate for what I would call Slow Education.

It is not a book to be flicked through in 20 seconds.  Although you could - being that it is only 20 pages,  including the fore pages, and index.

It is a book designed to be read slowly.  A poem savoured slowly, thoughtfully.  A picture viewed over the course of a day, a week.    Not because there is anything profound or great in what I've created.  But just because the very act of slowing down, and considering our surroundings with care and thought is much needed I believe in our High Tech, superfast world today.

But even more than that:  For it to be a stepping stone for further thought, reflection, writing and art.

How do I see it being used? By teachers with a class or small groups over the course of several weeks.  Read by a mother with her children.   Maybe enjoyed by a creative soul, and used as a springboard to generate new ideas...   There is by intention lots of white space.  Space for your own, and their, words, thoughts and imaginings...

edit 7.12.12:   For all those who have asked - here is the pdf version

PDF Download here:

The Bay

Click on above for link to download book, The Bay,  for free.

And as a gift back to everyone who ever shared their time and resources with me, it is free.  If anyone gets anything out of my humble book, and feels they would like to, a donation would be humbly accepted.

Note: Australian spelling is used. I consider this book an ongoing work in progress.  I have loose plans for how I could write this up as a teachers resource.  I may even add extra pages if I do any more artwork from the bay.  I just don't know. yet.

Note about downloading: once you click the buy now it will send you a email with the link.  The instructions tell you,  you need to open this link on your ipad, and it will download for you to open using your ipad using ibook.   I didn't realise this until just now.  hmmm might look if there is a better way?

Please share a link to let others know who you think might be interested!

Linking up with REverb 12 at I Saw you Dancing :-)
As always your lovely comments are also welcomed!
xo L.

Hot, sunny watercolours

Today was hot enough for the air con.  

Unfortunately the studio is not air conditioned, and still has rollar doors - which means it is hotter ( or colder  in winter) than the rest of the house.

So - in light of these hot days, and hotter coming... I have taken over part of the dining table

A little spot to doodle, draw, or get out the watercolours.

I am trialling this little set-up with the wooden carry box... if its successful I'll let you know!

For Sunday Sketches - this little sweet butternut pumpkin that I just harvested.

It may well have grown bigger, but the vine was dieing,  and just taking up dead space in the vege patch. 

I don't often just doodle, or art journal anymore... was relaxing and just perfect for a Sunday!

After a busy couple of weeks with Art Every Day - it feels somewhat empty today!
 I have big plans for the house (read it needs a thorough cleaning), Christmas planning, shopping & cooking (so I'm a little late making the pud this year - really no-one will notice!), and three or four major works to start (and finish).  I also have a really interesting book project I am working on... but won't say too much until I have it finished! :-)
So things around here will go back to normal... whatever that is!

Some favourite posts from last weeks:

Whats for Breakfast?

 

 
watercolour with mixed media

Have really loved all your fab comments this week... I am a bit behind it replying to you all, and Thanks for the MS blogs tips! xo L.

Watercolour with mixed media

This first little bit will apply to anyone who lives with a chronic illness - just insert the (name) of yours, and read away! :-)

For anyone who was following my little drama day yesterday, today has been very calm and serene - maybe because it's just too hot for anything else!  My ankle is moving more ( yay!), and maybe I was a little melodramatic concerned - but I really like walking!!  That is the funny thing with living with MS - when people ask you 'how are you doing?' it's really hard to answer because maybe right now you are O.K, ( well you actually have a list of symptoms, but while you are still walking & talking you are all good, right?!)  -  but you know that twinge, dropsy foot, or pain in your head, could be heralding a major attack that puts you in hospital for a fortnight... maybe it's just me but sometimes I just rather go with the melodramatic reality check moment,  put off for another day remember to take my meds, go see the Dr drink a glass of shiraz, and get it all out of my system, and have it be a false alarm!  But maybe that's just me! 

(On another note: I cant find ANY one regularly blogging about living with MS, or even any Artists with MS?  Are there none? Are they all In The Closet? If you are out there - say Hi!!)

It's the 30th of November here - so for us in Australia it is the last day of creative Every Day.
Wow - can't believe we are at the end of November already!  This was a really fun challenge to participate in, I 'met' lots of new, creative people, and got to see lots of new and interesting projects that people are working on!

Watercolour Spash!
Still loving these watercolour play times...  and I really like adding extra lines, colours and doodles with crayon, charcoal, pen, wax... I've even started gluing on bits of lace  too!  I have  added a little bit of shading around the eyes in the little girl above, and extra lines added around the lace ( but I'm not going into the hot studio just now to re-scan so you'll just have to trust me on that!)

My daughter thinks this gal has attitude and that I must have 'modelled' it after her sister... as a 17 year old never has attitude it couldn't possibly be her - right? (wink wink)

Hope all Brisbanite readers stay cool, near a pool or airconditioning- it's hot hey!
A big shout out to Paint Party Friday   and also linking to In The  Studio Sneak Peak Friday

Whats for Breakfast? Watercolour Hibiscus

Funny days

Warning: This post may use the words poo & bum, and cause outright laughter...

What did you have for breakfast? Sometimes my days are very boring, and not much happens.  Other days...

It started yesterday.  During a fab day out Christmas shopping with a girlfriend I developed a sore ankle - which I naturally ignored - never let a foot impediment get in the way of a good Girls Day Out!  Then later that night, exhausted, and with Hubby just getting home at 6.45, and no dinner on the table - I said - well lets just have waffles!  SO there were were at 8.00pm at night having waffles, and cream and maple syrup - for Dinner!! (At least they were sourdough, and have eggs in them... I won't mention the vast quantities of fat in the butter.  or cream. Not if you don't. )

Anyway - My sore ankle? is still sore... this morning I discovered it has a reduced range of motion.  So what? Well after a quick google check - don't you love google - it has ALL the answers!  I have spasticity in that left foot now it seems. Yucky yucky yuck poo bum.  (I DID warn you!)
So what?  Well I have MS (Multiple sclerosis) (If you don't know what that is go and google it.  Try wikipedia.  I'll wait)...

So - this is my First sign of progression since 2006,  I'm not happy 'bout that.  Which means today is now a designated "rest, stay cool, and no stress day"... Right... other than paying the bills, taking the framed art to the shop, returning a broken frame to K-Mart, and the FN (fortnight) grocery shop?  With a heat wave coming.  Well 30 is a heat wave for me...    Hmmm my list of things to do is huge, and now I need to make dr appointments, and think about treatment for spasticity -which means physio, or doing stretches myself, which will still take more time out of my day - groaning melodramatically -

why is life never simple?  

O.K. need to stop thinking about the list. It's making me stressed just thinking about it.  Right then - No lists. They are evil.  (Except when you read other peoples lists on Aimees List it Tuesday :-).

I Breathe. Nice thoughts. watching the birds enjoy the bird bath.  Oh, and see the cat watching them through the window - cute.  But  I know what he wants to do - go outside and eat them.  Don't think about the psycho teenager Alpha Male Cat who wants to go outside and hunt...or the fact that both the cat litter trays really, really do need freshening up... or the cat hair dust bunnies I know are there somewhere if I look... nope not looking.

Instead Look at the pretty flowers in the vege garden...without thinking of the fruit fly that have already stung the tomatoes, which requires a trip to Bunnings to buy fruit fly traps, or netting, or napalm... and definitely don't think about the 28 spotted lady beetle that you know is lurking on your eggplant leaves having a munch...

Thinking about munching...Hmmm getting hungry - time for breakfast.  At least we have bread (it's only just a little stale), and eggs, and milk ( just enough for a coffee).. which I'll surely need if I am to be superwoman and figure out what I can do with the 2 wrinkled apples, and a sad lemon, I can see in the fruit bowl...  Nope can't be bothered with the eggs - there is just enough waffle batter left for 1 more - and THAT's what I had for breakfast!

Thanks to everyone for all your comments!  I look forward to them every morning :-)
Should I mention? Prints available of this gorgeous Gal "Hibiscus Dreaming" (the original is currently on consignment, and is 9 x 12" mixed media on strathmore)...just contact me! And my second commissioned work was just collected by a very happy customer! Thankyou!!


P.S. Mum - I'm FINE!!

Linking with:
creative Every Day
whats on your workdesk

Been there, watercolours

Been there, Done That...

Been there, done that. Mixed media on arche watercolour paper.  8 x 10"

1. Travelled the world ( in my dreams)
2. Born in Darwin, Australia
3. Married - twice
4. Children - 2+ - Yours, mine and 'ours' - done the whole step mother thing. Not Fun.
5. Got my teachers degree, external, whilst also being mum
6. Homeschooled 1 child right through 5 years of highschool ( and 1 to go!)
7. Raised chickens, hatched chicks, watched puppies and kittens grow, kept a vege garden
8. Sourdough Queen - bread, waffles, pancakes, brioche... you name it!
9. Jumped off a creek ledge into a crystal clear, sparkling rainforest pool
10. Said I'd never get another pet. ever. 2 dogs, and 2 cats later... I still mean it! :-)
11. Seen: KISS, Elton John, Billy Joel, U2, Midnight Oil ( Aussie band) in concert

edit: added just now...
A thought about getting it 'right'.  SOMEWHERE today, I was reading someones blog - but for the life of me I can't rememebr who, where, or what (sorry) but the gist of it all was: don't stress the small stuff, don't wait till everything is perfect, ideal, the stars all in allignment, etc... just do it.  Whatever 'it' might be... and in relation to art - don't worry that what you create is not perfect, creative, be free, make a mark, play and experiment.  That is just what I've been doing.. and I've never enjoyed myself more; or been more happy with the results.  Now I KNOW these are not perfect.  But they were not supposed to be.  I know the eyes are wonky, etc etc (I'm not going to list all the perceived faults I see)... but hey - go look at Modigliani's eyes, or Picasso's faces... it really doesn't matter.  
Wonkyness = character.  It speaks of who you, and I, am as an artist.  Our expressive brushmark.  I hope my left side brain is listening to me!
Final thought: Be kind to your art.

Untitled. Mixed media.  slightly larger, shown matted to 8 x 10 in 11 x 14" frame.

Both works available for purchase, contact me for details.

Start of New Watercolour 1st post here

To find out why I started Watercolour Splash - read it here

A big shout out to  Aimee @ List it Tuesday
Leah @ AEDM: Creative Every Day

Start of new watercolour

 

letting loose with watercolour...

 half a face because that's all that's finished so far; really liking where this is going.  

It's been on my mind now for weeks - 

watercolour, faces, strong line, collage... 

"From the end spring new beginnings." 

Pliny the Elder

sharing with:
Creative Every Day
Inspire Me Monday

Waiting for...

O.K. so I've already broken my "only use watercolours"... but that only applied in the sketch book - right? Well that's my story anyways :-)
I figure IF I'm going to break my rules, well guidelines, suggestion... then I might as well go all out.
Oil, acrylic, collage, pencil... not much else I could have added!

I have NO idea where this came from - I am Not pregnant.  I don't know anyone who is expecting either.  Anyways there it is...

(This first pic I added sepia digitally... )

Was thinking this should/ could have some words, but then I couldn't think of any...

Not even sure that I like them now.... maybe I need to stop looking at them!

Linking to Creative Every Day

 

pondering with colour

A quiet day

...pondering...

with flowers
what to do?

what to paint?

A simple set-up

a bottle

a glass 

some flowers

maybe a candlestick?

many layers of watery colour

that candle came in handy afterall

Watercolour Splash

Although I came close this morning to giving in and reaching for a coloured pencil, I resisted!

This little watercolour sketch continues my explorations in watercolour in my small sketchbook.  Thinking this will make a nice subject for a larger work?
I Have really enjoyed layering of thin watercolour washes...building colour slowly and thoughtfully
As I don't have any masking fluid... the wax candle was used, just not for inspiration to draw from!

Tip for the day: try allowing one layer to dry ( or use a hairdryer) then add another wash over the top to intensify or modulate the colours.   i.e. green over green makes a darker shade, or red over green, will make a dark, rich green, or a browny shade, etc.  experiment and see what results!

Exciting News yesterday - I sold a painting! yay!!

Dream Sold!

This little girl has been ever so patiently waiting for the right family to go home with at Willow & Fox.   Now prints only available... when I get my act together :-)   Hmmm, now what art supplies do I need?

'Happy' and 'I wish...' have now gone to visit with Willow & Fox too, but if any readers wish to purchase - contact me! ($160 + postage)

A big hello, and a huge thankyou to all the lovely comments I received from last weeks feature post at Paint Party Friday!  Blown away by all your fantastic support :-) It is greatly appreciated. 

A big shout out to Paint Party Friday 

and also linking to In the Studio Sneak Peak Friday , and of course Creative Every Day!