The red bucket WIP

It was a beautiful day today, but a little hot 33 degrees celcius. The gorgeous weather inspired the beginnings of this beach scene. An intimate moment between brother and big sister playing with a bucket on the beach.

Some more work is required to finish, but at least you can see that I have been painting. This is the first piece I have started since working full time. Everyone in my family had gone out for the day which left me with some quiet time. I put some blues music on the stereo and listenend to the sounds of the brass and the beat of the music.

Hi, I have started working full time which is eating into my painting time. This is a small sketch in conte. It is of my niece who is in Engalnd. This was from one of her graduation ball photos.

Today we went to a local market that has moved to Healesville. The new location is really pretty and the crowds were buzzing. It is a craft market and I went there with a purpose. All the grand children and great grandchildren of my granny pat received some money. While I have banked my children's I spent some of mine today on a rustic outdoor seat made from redgum and old rusty wheels. I love it as I love my granny. I hope to have it for a long time to come to remind me of her.

Granny Pat was an outdoor person who loved gardening. She also loved chairs so I am sure she will love my choice of purchase.

I was lucky I think to buy it now because when I asked the man who made it where he got the wheels from, he said his supply was drying up and he was looking to continue with other business endeavours.

Show Time

Hi, I have been having an artistic block. I thought I'd lost my ability to do anything worth showing here. Does anyone else have this sort of trouble? The last couple of pieces I can't even post because they turned out so abysmally. I was beginning to think that I should stop wasting my time. Then I started this piece. It was though it painted itself. I had a clear visual about what I wanted from the start. I kept my colour pallete very limited and I whipped this piece up. It happened so quickly, like with a good book, I felt that I had completed it too quickly.

This piece is from the Royal Melbourne show. I went with my son and some friends on a beautiful spring day. Luckily we did go this particular day as it rained the rest of the week. I think I have captured the fun and excitement of the crowd and the complexities of what was happening.

Hawthorn Studio and Gallery

Hi, yesterday I met with the director of a gallery which is to be opened in Hawthorn in November, with the view of exhibiting some of my work. After a lovely meeting I am pleased to say these three pieces will be exhibitied over the month of November. The gallery details are 635 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn. The web address is www.hawthornstudiogallery.com.au. Angela is the director and her husband Graeme, is a sculptor. He will have his studio on the premises.

Clowning around

Hi, you must know by now how much I love clowns. I think it is because they are so emmotive. Their acts are always exaggerated comedy, tradgedy etc. So, knowing that I am enthralled with clowns, imagine how delighted I was to be able to see a clown act at the Royal Melbourne show last week. We went on a beautiful spring day, which was very lucky as it rained for the rest of the week. This is a preliminary sketch for a painting I intend on depicting.

Universal Studios

This painting was inspired by a trip that we took to America nearly 10 years ago. We visited Florida and were lucky enough to visit a number of theme parks whilst we were there.

I was at a loose end about what to paint and was attracted to the darks and lights in the photo reference.

String Quartette

This painting was inspired by a photo that I took at a friend's wedding. They had this lovely string quartette playing as they were married on a little jetty over looking a lake. The day was extremely hot. These musicians must have suffered from the heat.