King Valley Win

A few weeks ago I was delighted to find out I had won a Watercolour award at King Valley Art Show. This is a photo of the winning artwork "Washing Up" with the prize sponsers.

I was re-reading yesterdays blog...I think I have some sort of painter's fatigue!

Leisure painting

So there is such a thing as leisure painting...painting for sheer recreational pleasure, but it occurs to me that very few people realise that a good painting doesnt just flow out of a person in some intense out-of-body, mindless experience. I would equate painting to life...in that just as it seems nothing good in life comes without deep thought, practice, discipline and plain hard work...neither does good painting.
I think we just all like the idea of these things being easy and natural...it seems more poetic and fairytale-like if things all just effortlessly fall into place - we love that stuff! I dont think Ive come across an aspect of life yet that works like that. Of course, that doesnt mean its without its pleasure or joy...but results come at a cost.
To be able to mindlessly vomit on a canvas and expect order out of chaos, is rather unrealistic dont you think?

Disputable Claims

I recently read a post in a blog, notably titled "Boring Blog" that stated there is an artist in my town who believes himself to be the most famous artist in Yackandandah. This is probably a fair claim, particularly if we are talking in the field of painting. However, I have new information that might challenge this position...fresh information. The kind of information that one would almost bust to know. And then I wonder, how do we measure fame anyhow - by how long one has been painting or by how well known a name? There is the kind of fame thats good to have and then sometimes its good not to be famous...it depends on where the fame is generated from and what it is for. On all accounts it seems Yack might need to prepare itself for famous artists; plural.

The first's continue...

So as well as all the other stuff I do...normal stuff like being a Mum etc., things that us Mum's do for the love of kids, like cook Thai food for the entire primary school....yeah as well as those kind of things I have been becoming artistically active since hitting the shores of my home country. I was quite determined to do so, so this doesnt confuse me from a personal committment type level...but whats with all the exterior busyness?? First, the Dappled Cities gig, now Ive been asked to teach some promising high schoolers the fine art of painting. Im thinking this will be cool...its a first, never done it before, but I get to work with kids who are actually interested and showing potential. Did I ever mention Im supposed to be working in Christine's new gallery "Spiritus" as well??? No problem, Im sure there is time to paint in there somewhere. Yeah...the quiet introspective life of an artist. How's the serenity?

First time for everything

Hey people...everyone else has a blog, so I thought I would get one too. Since its all about who can get the most followers, so we will see how we go on the follower tally. Oh and mine is also about art, cause things seem to be ramping up and I actually do have some stuff to report. So it might even be worth reading. A lot of firsts lately, including first painting in oils since well techincally I did one for my sister's 21st, but that was like over a decade ago....but that was just a one off. This time I painted a copy of Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring", and really Tania you should probably throw out that old birthday pressie cause this ones heaps better, but Im not giving it to you. Then I have been selected as one of 12 artists to come up with some sort of fantastic visual art for a band called Dappled Cities, who are launching a new CD in July. This is a new first...never done anything like this before! Plus Im using acrylics, which gosh, takes me back to highschool...year 12 art I think! So first time in a long time with that too. Still watercolouring...just did the biggest watercolour Ive done. Check out my recently updated website too...none of those paintings I have just mentioned are on there, but there are a few other new ones too. Have fun!