Poppy paintings

The last of the poppies in the garden have blown away with the strong summer breeze. I managed to capture some in acrylic on collaged and lace stamped pages.

Margaret River Mitre 10 paint sale

Pot of fleurs

Good old Mitre 10 had a night for the ladies recently and the paints were 30% off! I stocked up on some wonderful colours and got cracking the very next day. The background is collaged papers with acrylic painting over the top. I love the texture of this Matisse range. This image will be made into cards for the summer.

Flower painting

Magnolia

I have started to use up some old canvases laying around and when mum presented a photo of a magnificent magnolia her friend had grown it just seemed perfect for this huge canvas. This deep sided canvas is an impressive 80cm x 80cm square. The staples show on the sides so it really needs framing but I've painted them brown for now.

I've used the music score in the background again as I really like this look. Here's an up-close look.

Magnolia in detail

School holiday painting fun

At last the school holidays have started in earnest and we are back in painting mode. Fleur was inspired first and I was so taken with this colour blue that I asked for her left-over pallet. "Sure, do you want me to mix some more for you?"

It's called "Forest Grove Road"

"Purple bowl"

I had a great time tearing indian papers, stamping and applying texture paste. It's quite a narrow canvas with exact dimensions being 23cm x 70cm, 1.5 deep. I have painted the sides in the blue/green and it's ready to hang.

"Bowl of flowers"

This one has a range of papers glued to the background first, then colours chosen for the painting from that. Lace flowers are glued on and some texture paste accentuates the bowl. I bothered this one for a few days until happy with the contrast. My favourite bit which is hard to see until up close is the music scores under the lily cream paint.

"Giraffe"

Experimenting with a stamping technique has worked nicely on this giraffe. There's a nice contrast of fun/spontaneous background with the more controlled main character. I sold a similar giraffe painting last year at the markets and have been meaning to have a go at another one but have found it difficult to do one exactly the same. I prefer this one I think.

Fleur gave her masterpiece to her dad for Christmas but I am happy to sell my creations.

Just email if you are interested and I'll think about how to get it to you.

All on canvas and ready to hang, acrylic and mixed media.

Giraffe: $70 (25cm x 61cm and 1.5cm deep)

Bowl of flowers: $150 (48cm x 65cm and 4cm deep)

Purple bowl: $85 (23cm x 70cm and 1.5cm deep)

The art of swapping

I am now doing a swap of collage and mixed media materials with artists I met doing Flying Lessons. While getting the pile ready I got really inspired with some of the colours and textures and couldn't resist having a play. The Flying Wardrobe in Witchie has a great stash of old music scores, patterns and booklets just dying to be torn up and painted on and this is one of my efforts. I textured up the background with modelling paste & this is beautifully absorbent for both watercolour paints & chalk. The chalk can be blended with your finger for really nice effects.

MY TIP: draw those flowers on your table, even a quickie of just one flower. You can use it in another piece later & you will feel you've done something for yourself today.