NEAP 2017 Opening
19 November 2017
How brilliant to see my painting exhibited at NEAP 2017! I didn't win but you can see how happy I am to be selected as a finalist.
(My selection was so last-minute that there was no wall space left to even hang my work!)
I'm a Finalist in the Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize 2017!
18 November 2017
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!
I am so excited I could burst!
Yesterday afternoon I had a call from Mark, the Gallery director at Newcastle Art Space. The judges for this years Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize over-ruled the initial Selection Panel and added my painting ‘Purity’ to the list of finalists.
The official Opening and Award Presentation is tonight - and I’m a finalist!
'Purity' Completed
15 November 2017
'Purity'
101cm x 101cm
Oil on Canvas
Purity
{pjʊərɪti}
noun
'freedom from adulteration or contamination'
'Purity' summarises everything I wanted to convey with this work.
The freesia itself is pure and delicate and clean, the symbol of a beautiful but fragile innocence that is over all too soon.
The intention of surrounding it with so much black negative space - again, so very pure in its contrast - was to highlight, even amplify, how untainted the freesia is.
Sketching Poppies
10 September 2017
Sunday afternoon sketching poppies.
Oil on Canvas Sheets.
'Spring: Freesia One' Completed
10 September 2017
'Spring: Freesia One'
61cm x 51cm
Oil on Canvas
I've really enjoyed painting this one. I don't like it and that's OK because I've learnt a lot along the way. I've learnt how lovely bristle-bright brushes are to use. I've learnt to be more considered with my mark making and not to fuss over every little detail. I've learnt how it feels to paint more directly - not using any oil or medium to break the paint down.
Now onto the next piece...
I'm exhibiting in 'The Caves Beach Genteel Ladies Painting and Tea Society Inaugural Exhibition'
27 November 2016
I'm very busy at the moment getting my paintings ready for a group exhibition that starts at the end of this week - 'The Caves Beach Genteel Ladies Painting and Tea Society Inaugural Exhibition', hosted by Leslie Duffin's wonderful Finite Gallery.
It's particularly exciting for me because this is the first time my works are being shown in a planned group exhibition rather than as a competition entry!
The Genteel Ladies are Susan Berryman, Janelle Goldman, Anne-Marie Hall and myself. We met while being tutored by John Morris at Finite Gallery.
I'm chuffed to bits to be exhibiting my paintings with these fine ladies and would love you to join us for the Opening on Saturday!
If you can't make it, the exhibition runs from Friday, 2nd December until Sunday, 18th December on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 10:00 and 16:00 , so maybe you could visit it another time.
'Refraction' - It's finished!
06 October 2016
It feels like I've been working on this for months, and to some extent, I have - just not all on the same canvas.
'Refraction' started one morning in winter, when the sun cast long shadows in my kitchen. A vase I'd emptied of flowers the night before but left the water in sat on the kitchen benchtop ready for washing. I've had this vase for years but I'd never seen it look like that before.
(That's one of the things about painting - it makes you see EVERYTHING differently, see EVERYTHING in a new light!)
Anyway - I HAD to try to capture how it looked in a painting.
I have a feeling this is going to be the first of many paintings of this vase - I'm sure I'll come back to it again someday, but for now I'm a bit vased-out!
Reflection on 'Refraction' - work in progress
19 September 2016
After painting Refraction (Study No.1) there were a few things I wanted to change about the composition - bring the water level closer to the top of the canvas and make the vase slightly larger. I thought the vase looked too small. Then, after laying down the first blocks of colour on Study No. 2, I decided that the vase was too large.
(Yes, I know, I'm sounding a bit like Goldilocks, so you know where I'm headed with the 3rd painting, don't you...)
Now that I've got the 3rd composition just right (yep, there it is!) I've started working on a larger canvas. Here's the work in progress showing the charcoal outline and then the first blocks of colour.
Refraction (Study No. 1) - Thoughts and Challenges
14 September 2016
Glass. Water. Light. How beautiful they are together!
This painting is the first in a series of smaller study pieces that will lead me to a final larger canvas. Painting the smaller studies gives me the chance to perfect the composition and to get to know the subject intimately.
What I initially saw as a clear piece of glass filled with water against a white background turned into a layered maze of colours, shadows, and mind bending refractions of light through the water and the impurities in the glass.
Look out for 'Refraction (Study No. 2)' coming soon!
Question and Answer session with Newcastle Art Space
05 September 2016
The Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize may be over for 2016 but 'Morning Journey' is still journeying!
CLICK HERE to check out the Newcastle Art Space (NAS) blog for my Q&A on winning the Packer's Prize.
Last chance to see...
03 September 2016
Did you know that tomorrow is your last chance to see my paintings and all the other finalist entries in the Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize (NEAP) 2016?
Did you see that NEAP winners also had a beaut little write-up in the 'Newcastle Weekly'?
For the NEAP exhibition, visit NAS from 12pm to 5pm at 246 Parry Street, Hamilton East, Newcastle.
'Morning Journey' awarded the Packers Prize at NEAP 2016!
21 August 2016
The 16th Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize Opening Night and Award Presentation was on last night at the Newcastle Art Space. I was delighted to see my paintings displayed alongside some exceptional artworks, gobsmacked to see that 'Morning Journey' had been chosen for the Packers Prize, and then speechless when I found out my painting had been sold.
It was lovely to share the night with some familiar faces and terrific to meet some new - a highlight was discussing my winning painting with Nigel Milsom, winner of the Archibald Prize in 2015.
Even now, 24 hours later, I'm still grinning from ear to ear!
Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize 2016 - Opening and Awards
20 August 2016
The 16th Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize Opening Night and Award Presentation is tonight at 18:00 until 20:00 at the Newcastle Art Space.
I'm very excited to be going, and if you can make it I'd love to see you there! The more, the merrier!
Even if you can't make the Opening and Awards tonight there's still a couple of weeks to see all the finalists' works, as well as vote for your favourites in the 'People's Choice' award.
There's a wide range of works on display - there are sections for Paintings, Works on Paper, 4D Media, 3d / Sculptures and Photo-media.
The exhibition featuring all of the finalists runs from today until Sunday 4th September, although the gallery is only open between Thursdays to Sundays at 12:00 to 17:00.
The Newcastle Art Space is at 246 Parry Street, Hamilton East, Newcastle.
I'm a Finalist in the Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize 2016!
17 August 2016
I'm thrilled to bits to be selected as a Finalist in the Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize 2016. I submitted 2 paintings - 'Passing Storm' and 'Morning Journey', and BOTH were selected!
Opening night is this Saturday 20th August and the exhibition runs until Sunday 4th September at NAS, 246 Parry St, Hamilton East.
Now, back to doing a happy dance!
Sneaky Peek Tuesday No. 3
16 August 2016
The latest 'Sneaky Peek' of a work I'm just starting.
Do you know what it is yet?
'Passing Storm' finished
09 August 2016
Another painting finished! This one is called 'Passing Storm'.
Some storms seem to come and go in the blink of an eye. The clouds become so heavy and brooding that you fear destruction is sure to follow, but it doesn't, and as quickly as the storm started, it finishes. The menacing clouds give way to calm, and the ocean swell is all that remains.
'Morning Journey' finished
06 August 2016
It's finished! Here's 'Morning Journey'.
Every day Clyde, our cat, travels from the stool to the chairs to the ottoman following the morning journey of the warmth of the winter sunlight. It was a scene that drew little attention until the day I was beguiled by the light.
An ordinary view had become extraordinary and my gosh, it was beautiful.
Meet Clyde, the Painting Cat
19 June 2016
Work in progress: 'Morning Journey'
16 July 2016
'Morning Journey', a work in progress.
Laying down the first colours and introducing tone.
Sneaky Peek Tuesday No. 2
14 June 2016
The latest 'Sneaky Peek' of a work I'm just starting.
Do you know what it is yet?
'After The Storm' finished
31 May 2016
'After The Storm', from beginning to end.
Back to Finite
11 May 2016
A new term of painting classes with John Morris started today at Finite Gallery .
I'm loving painting indirectly with oils although the drying time between the layers can be a little tedious at times. Up until now I'd only used No. 1 medium to thin my paint however today I used safflower oil diluted with a little turps. This gave the oil paint a heavier feel to it, but once I had enough paint on the canvas my brush wanted to slide and blend. I liked that!
Work in progress: 'Aqua'
29 March 2016
This is a work in progress picture of my second abstract piece, 'Aqua'.
The painting has taken a different direction from where it started and whilst I'm enjoying the freedom of this abstract it's also a bit unnerving.
A Quick Sketch of Toowoon Bay
16 February 2016
I painted this today (oil on paper) to see how the composition and colours would look for another of the Toowoon Bay series. I'm really happy with how it's looking and I hope I can translate this onto a larger canvas.
Refining sketches
07 January 2016
Refining a sketch and composition for a possible painting.
Water and glass look so beautiful together, don't they?
