Cradle Mountain watercolours… Tasmanian Icon.

Sep14

Cradle Mt is not Tasmania’s tallest mountain but it is an icon. Located at the Northern end of the Cradle Mt Lake St Clair National Park, the dolerite peaks tower above Lake Dove (Lake St Clair is down the Southern end of the reserve, a five day trek which many walkers enjoy but which must be approached with good planning due to the very variable weather which may be experienced).

I enjoy painting our Tasmanian landscape, showing here the hard edged dolerite crags and the muted greens of the alpine vegetation. Typically there is cloud or mist encroaching from the west (right hand side) and often visitors are disappointed to find the mountain has “disappeared” . But this was a clear day so the majesty of “The Cradle” and Little Horn could be fully enjoyed.

Cradle Mt on a Clear Day, watercolour 2017, 36x26cm

Here is that mist that encroaches from the west.

Cradle Mt with a whisper of cloud A Whisper of Misty cloud (Cradle Mt), watercolour 2017, 18x13cm (approx)

….. and a hint of Autumn Colour from further along the walk. A touch of Autumn at Cradle Mt

A Hint of Autumn at Cradle Mt, watercolour 2017, 18x13cm (approx)

Encaustic painting of the coast…. passions meld

Jul1

A bird's eye view

My most frequented subject for my art over many years has been the coast.

I love living on the coast. I can sit and watch the waves roll in for hours. I have painted many other subjects…. recently geological inspired works, but even that was often rocks along our coastline.

My most recent painting medium is encaustic. I love the fluidity of molten wax, I love the fluidity of the ocean. Combined…. encaustic painting with the coast as the inspiration is, for me, a “match made in heaven”.

Acrylic Painting workshop. Devonport Tasmania, July 2017

Jun17

I like to encourage people to be bold and free in their art. I do love sometimes working with carefully drawn and rendered illustration but I find the freer ways more exciting and challenging, and also more playful. So, for this workshop, we will be a bit on the wild side…. painting with hands (not just fingertips but the side and heel of the palm), using palette knives, paint shapers, sticks, plastic shapes and occasionally a paint brush. We will use paint lightly at times but contrast that with impasto and juicy modelling compound. or texture mediums.

More details about the workshop on the tuition page.

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EARTH MOTHER Abstracted acrylic with some modelling compound. Paint applied with various tools.

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STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL. Tarkine Coast. Texture medium, palette knife and brush work. SOLD

UNLEASHED (Tarkine Coast). Modelling compound, air brush, acrylic inks, acrylic paint, palette knife and brush work.

Corvus Tasminicus over Papavum Somnifera

Corvus Tasminica over Papavum Somnifera, (Ravens over the Opium Poppy Fields ), Palette knife and broad brush work inspired by Van Gogh’s art. SOLD

DIMINUTIVE FIGURES, OCEAN BEACH< STRAHAN. A quieter, smoother style of working with thinner paint using acrylic medium. Paint applied with hands and taklon brushes. SOLD

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The Oriental Vase, impasto technique using the palette knife with texture medium added t the paint. SOLD

Tasmania’s Tarkine Wilderness…. Art

Apr26

2017 was the third year of a gathering of creative people (about 150 artists) in Tasmania’s Wilderness…… Takayna (the Tarkine), on the rugged West Coast. This unique area should be offered more protection by affording it National Park status, not to “close” it to visitors but to maintain its environmental and heritage values so that future generations can enjoy it as we do. Art is a language which we hope will give more insight into the inherent value of Tarkayna.

An exhibition of works is currently on display at the Long Gallery in Hobart, Tasmania showcasing artworks created. These are my entries in that exhibition , along with the promotional invitation

“South of Temma”, Acrylic, charcoal and sumi ink on colour fix paper South of Temma smaller file

“Coast”, Encaustic

Coast

3 sets encaustic bracelets and matching pendants…. all SOLD Encaustic art in jewellery settings

“Enchanted”, encaustic,

“Layered”, Encaustic SOLD layered

“Tarkine Treasure: Trowutta Arch“, pigment ink on Vellum, miniature. SOLD Tarkine Treasure Trowutta Arch

Promotional flier Tim 2017 advertise

“Turmoil”, encaustic. Turmoil

“Unleashed”, acrylic on stretched canvas OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Fine art originals (encaustic paintings) in jewellery settings. “Day’s End”. SOLD Wearable art Day's End

Fine art originals (encaustic paintings) in jewellery settings. “Sarah Ann Rocks”. SOLD Wearable art Sarah Ann Rocks

Fine art originals (encaustic paintings) in jewellery settings. “Rain Forest”. SOLD Wearable art Rainforest

Serendipity… encaustic painting

Jan31

Every year Tasmanian Regional Arts has a themed competition open to female artists. This year’s theme was Serendipity (entry was in 2016 for the 2017 exhibition). I am proud that for the fourth year in a row I am one of the finalists with a work titled “Les Femmes”. Accompaning the work is an artist’s statement, addressing the theme.

Les Femmes 2016 Encaustic $230

Les Femmes

“SERENDIPITY”. My favourite word.

In my art serendipity is perennially evident…. the flow of wet in wet watercolour, spattering, spraying and working in partnership with the medium to see what evolves. Fluidity and serendipity…. they go hand in hand in much of my creative, non-illustrative, art. With my students I also encourage them to be brave, go with the flow and enjoy the serendipity of some styles of art.

I have worked with encaustic waxes with the little craft iron in craft work for a few years but this year went to a workshop in NSW to do larger works on board with encaustic medium brushed on and using a flame (heat gun), incorporating oils, and even setting fire to shellac on the surface. “Art-alchemy” and what wonderful fluidity and serendipity as forms emerge out of the coloured, molten surface. A degree of control, decision making about scraping back and other approaches but enjoying the serendipitous nature of this new medium.

In this work, “Les Femmes”, female forms emerged….. …….2016, an exciting new, fluid medium, suggestion of female, and the theme of Material Girl….. serendipity indeed!!!!

Post Script…. unfortunately TRA will cease due to cut in government funding. Sad for the art world of our tiny island state.

Art and Science (published article)

Nov16

My Friday afternoon art class currently has primarily people who have worked in various Science fields. I too was a maths/Science teacher, so often our conversation turns to discussions related to Science and of course, art. One of the ladies, Caroline Smith, wrote this article for Earth Song. She conveys my thoughts very well….. primarily that observation is the key linking factor but the method of/purpose behind recording those observations changes.

I was so proud that of all the excellent articles with art work in this issue of Earth Song, my painting was chosen for the cover. The bird is painted reasonably accurately (within the limitations of a very rough textured watercolour paper) while the interpretative background is painted freely, incorporating spattering, blowing paint trails and energetic use of a rigger brush.

earth-song-cover-1 earth-song-cover-2 Destination Unknown, watercolour with Sumi ink and Chop signature)

New… silk miniature in Tasmanian Huon Pine Porthole frame

Oct29

Tasmania is an island. The first white settlers came by sea so a porthole format for presenting artworks seems to me to be connected with our history. I have chosen that shape for my latest creation, collaborating with an expert wood craftsman, Bruce Hays. I wanted Tasmanian timber surrounds in which to present my watercolour on silk miniatures. Originally they were to be pendants but I decided on brooches or, in this case, with a small timber back stand attached so it is free standing.

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