Living in Tasmania Australia is wonderful. Being an island, we have a “moat”, no COVID for ages after an early scare in the Northwest here, and the most magnificent sunsets (for almost 2 hours tonight) at my local beach in Ulverstone. (And a huge dump of snow in the hills and mountains today).

I  have posted a few videos on You Tube but cannot seem to locate easily. Lots to learn. I also need to explore editing

Early days in this exploration  of videoing and sharing.

During this lockdown period I walk most days for exercise. I am lucky that there is an expansive beach just 5 minutes from home. This has given me many beautiful photos … just using my phone. A few of these I have interpreted as watercolours. Remember my aim is to capture what it felt like to be there not to reproduce the photo accurately. There is a magic about wet in wet watercolour that cannot be captured with other media.

Display at Makers Workshop

I am fortunate to be one of the artists at Burnie Makers Workshop. We demonstrate our craft, interact with visitors, including those from cruise ships, and sell our work. All local products made by the artists displaying the work. We set up on a roster basis. A wonderful venture of which to be a part.

My exhibition of my favourite wild place in Tasmania is now on display at Burnie Rialto until 11 May. Watercolours, Acrylics and encaustic wax paintings. This is about half of the work, Some older, some new. The Lure of the Tarkine Coast,  Burnie  RIALTO, Tasmania 2019.

The Lure of the Tarkine Coast ARTIST”S STASTEMENT

In 2015 I was invited by photographer Dan Broun to be part of a contingent of about 80 artists working across a range of creative pursuits to respond to the unique Tasmanian Tarkine Wilderness. By raising awareness, the intention was to increase the likelihood of the area being made a national park. 3 subsequent events have been organised and resultant exhibitions have travelled Australia. Many of us return to immerse ourselves in the rawness of our stunning environment.

I am most drawn, as always, to the coast and Sarah Anne Rocks just south of Arthur R has a wonderful accessible coastal track.

The Tarkine has many moods…. from calm peaceful sunsets to wild seas unleashing their energy on the first bit of land encountered since leaving South America. Add brilliant red lichen, massive bull kelp, vast expanses of dunes littered with middens, amazing geology with twisted metamorphic strata and the dark tannin stained waters, and you have a lifetime of inspiration for a painter of our natural coastal landscape.

Evelyn Antonysen

Geoartscape, Sarah Ann Rocks, Acrylic on stretched canvas

Pieman River, watercolour

Arthur River, watercolour

Tarkine Turmoil, Encaustic wax medium

Unleashed, Acrylic on stretched Canvas

Those who follow my art know that I love all media… especially fluid ones that allow a painterly approach. But I have also taught some photography, have good gear and love taking photos. Recently I was asked to take a workshop to help people get more familiar with their camera and the possibilities it offers for creative art. I talked of the usual dof, aperture, iso etc. Towards the end I introduced them to the idea of creative post processing. such fun. Yesterday my children’s class were asking about how they could do some abstracts. They are good at drawing/copying what is in front of them but are ready to explore more. A perfect opportunity to share my digital “play”. The question is though…  are these images realism or abstraction? I hate labels sometimes.

So I decided to post 3 images that show the joy of discovery with our amazing cameras and basic editing on Apple Mac photos. I did not even use Lightroom or Photoshop and used only a JPEG file not a RAW file. The fun is in the “creative play”, decision making and discovery.

Original digital photo…. Bull Kelp, Tarkine Coast, Tasmania

Edited in “photos”….. exposure, colour, levels adjusted then rotated. That is when I discovered the mask.

Image cropped to focus on the “mask”. A digital voyage of discovery.

“Mask in the kelp”…. was masked n the original image although now when I look back it keeps jumping out at me even in that photo.