Reflecting on teeth...

Do you ever wonder why?

Why the sky is blue?

why the rain falls the minute you've finished hanging out 2 loads of washing?

 

And why teeth have a use by date less that the average life span?

A sore tooth... And it resulted in needing to have it pulled. Today. I wont bore you with the details. But Ouchy. My husband came with me, and held my hand! Yay! AND has cooked me yummy mashed potatoes. An easy night, and while indulging with watching my fav movie / I doodled this gal - who tells me it'll all be ok ... And a Big reminder to everyone to look after your teeth! Happy PPF!!

When it's cold out!

It's cold.
Well not to put too fine a point on things - its freezing!
Barely reached 13 degrees, and with drizzly rain... a great day for staying side, drinking tea, and looking out the window.

Whatever happened to the clear blue skies, with a crisp morning, turning into nice warmth in the sun - the usual Brisbane winter's I dream about! I am ever hopeful they will return tomorrow - 19 degrees is much more civilised.

I have totally neglected my studio this week.  It is simply too cold in there!   Thinking I should just make a posy in the corner of the family room.  Right under the reverse cycle air con - of course!

But being inside, and having re-camped myself (for work though, not fun) in the much warmer family room, it is a good chance to consider how we use the different spaces in the home.    Why should the studio be the coldest & hottest room in the house? A little oil and turps, a few paint splatters, a little spilled water... nothing to worry about. really. I could set up an art easle right here. Maybe I will!

Here is an oil painting that I've been looking at this week, that I painted last year.  I still like it... which is a good thing!

I really need to get back into the art groove - there are so many fantastic opportunities around!

Sharing with Paint Party Friday.   And if you are Brisbane I hope you have a nice warm spot for snuggling under a blanket!

Where's your best spot, or best tip, to be creative when it's cold out ( and in!) ?

xo L.

Painted skies

What a busy, busy time... So my creativity this week has revolved around - running around! However there have been a number of highlights ...

fresh Home made cookies....

sharing tea with new friends

Birthdays to celebrate

wild Sourdough rye bread to make

and...

 

 

Prefect, Pale Peach Painted Skies!

 

Happy Paint Party Friday!

What creativity filled your week?

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! :-)

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!

Today is.... ink and pencil

the day brings tranquil breezes

with blue, aqua skies

she is waiting, resting

smiling

patience developing

with a knowing glance

she realizes...

today is

..........................

What is today for you? ..................  (fill in the blank!)

I am loving being a part of Art Every Day month...

Getting back into the studio daily has been a challenge... especially at this time of year

the end of the school year fast approaches, 

and the social calendar gets booked up in advance!

..

Christmas sneaks up on me every year, and I'd like to be organised as I know Christmas is coming, whether I'm ready for it or not

So far the plans include lots of pudding, and tea, and maybe, just maybe 

a Turkey on the barbie too!

Hope your Christmas preparations are starting to happen :-)

When you have a spare minute, and a fresh cuppa made,

head over to Paint Party Friday where I will be the featured artist this week

big shout out to Kristin and Eva for hosting this great get together every week ...xo

____

Contact me for: commissions,  custom prints of my work, sale of any artwork

 ____

Other posts this week for Creative Every Day have been: 

offbeat & Quirky

Jeronimo!

Face Play

Encaustic Eucalypts

eucalypt leaves

greeny, brown, the smell of the bush

 

picked up from walks

crunched on by feet

eaten by koalas

flapped by crested cockatoos

 

provide 

inspiration for poets and artists

welcomed shade

Eucalypts. Mixed media  on board, with original monotype, ephemera, encaustic, acrylic, pastel

Ending procrastination in the studio = requires a certain amount of self will!

Could have easily done any of the following this afternoon:

1. gone for a nap

2. pretended to read a book, and then nap

3. drank tea with #2 above

4. gone to the gym... well think about going to the gym... then nap instead!

Instead, I got into my paint clothes (I have specific clothes to wear as I tend to make a mess!)

 turned on the fan, and JUST STARTED.

result: the completion of three WIP... wowie!  I could be on a roll here!!

Now all I have to do is get these ready for shipping to Reverse Garbage, for the Christmas Exhibition...no more procrastinating!

Here's the mess on my desk... Do you think a cleaning fairy will come and put 

everything away for me? Hmmm I thought not!

Being Inspired by: Art Every Day Month challenge, and looming deadlines!

Happy Paint Party Friday!

Art Every Day!

Watercolour Travel kit

It's been a relatively quiet week since coming home from holidays. Just as we'll really as I've done nothing all week except cough, splutter, drink tea, watch Offspring, whine a little, and cough some more... but I do it with grace and charm of course!

I think I'm getting pretty good at this actually - but really I could do better , after all I've had the masters (my teens) to learn from... I havn't yet asked for a blankie, or tomato soup for every meal, or negged on all my chores and responsibility, or given vivid descriptions on the colour and consistency of my snot on an hourly basis, etc etc.

So I confess Painting has been minimal this week... but I can share this watetcolour sketch of a terrace cottage in Carlton, Melbourne.    I took some time to get the SHADOWS (for Artist Playroom!) right under the awning, and under the chair, and plants.  In looking at it now I could even go deeper in some areas to add depth.

Traveling, with the expectation of doing some art is relatively new to me. Usually I end up being so preoccupied by what's happening I never do anything... Or I take too much and it gets left behind in the apartment! So this time I was determined to take just enough and as little as possible so that I would sketch straight from my handbag.

The solution was using the watetcolour palette booklet I made, aqua brush pens, and an artist Pitt pen, and small landscape sketch book... More details to follow :-)

Happy paint party Friday!

monotypes, mixed media & Melbourne!

Do you ever  just sit?

...still & silent

or lay on the floor with your feet crossed ....

to think, and ponder?

clothing optional?? :-D    This over 40 body definately says, hmmm!

On a gorgeous spring afternoon here, the weather couldn't be better: sunny and warm, with a beautiful cool breeze.   After some art time, I think I'm heading for a cuppa and a quiet sit and read, and Be Still... how about you?

This week: Using monotypes in mixed media... I have had fun  in being experimental!   Life drawing sketches have come in handy too!   These are mostly finished, some need a finishing touch (trimming, or gluing etc).

I am away for a weeks Mother & Daughter Holiday - a whole week in Melbourne!!  Depending on technology issues, I may (or may not) have posts this coming week... we plan on walking all around the arty farty,  chic, hidden secrets of Melbourne arcades, and back streets; a week of coffee, chocolate, food, art and  fashion... and hopefully some travel sketching too! 

My first online interview - read it here at Red Parka...   I think I waaaaaay need another bio pic, but otherwise this was cool.  Made me think about what to write, why I do art, how I do art, etc etc. 

Happy PPF!  (Paint Party Friday)

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Love your comments!