Vasse Art Award 2013

"Peacock Beauty"

My entry in the Vasse Art Award this year is from my Peacock series. I have used recyled wooden school rulers (thanks Audrey) on a found piece of Jarrah (thanks Alex and Amanda) that has been lightly coated with redgum sap. 

Using old French stamps, photos of the peacock at the Dunsborough animal farm, lace, vintage book pages and found papers, this piece portrays the magnificence of the colours on the male peacock wooing the female. The courting phase is dramatic and majestic but the beauty cannot sustain the relationship.

The Vasse Art Award 2013 started today. I went along last night for a sneak preview and it shows a wonderful array of styles, techniques, size of works and prices. A huge layout again this year with new and established artists participating. Well worth a visit.

Here is a link to the Vasse Art Award website so you can get details to enter your own art next year!

This exhibition runs all this week (20 -27 April), 10am - 3pm, at the Vasse Primary School.

Margaret River Reader's and Writer's Festival 2012

Margaret River Sojourn

A creation inspired by the visit of overseas friends.

SOLD! at the 2012 Reader's and Writer's Festival exhibition held in the Foyer Gallery.

My favourite bead is the abalone shell with it's mother of pearl sparkle and the beach scene photo bead. It's also got the last of Grandma Darnell's pearls. Those parrot feathers are a devil to hang.

Book review for "The complete guide to altered imagery"

I have just finished using a wonderful library book that I thought worth a post. "The complete guide to altered imagery: mixed-media techniques for collage, altered books, artist journals, and more" by Karen Michel. The title covers it all!

This book explores how to integrate photographs and images into your collage using gel medium, gesso, sandpaper, sewing, stamping, bleaching and transferring, just to mention a few. It offers easy printmaking techniques and layering of paint to create textures and a surface for personal messages.

The author uses guest artists to show their own slant on old techniques plus artist tips to inspire you. Some offer quotes that just hit the spot and helps the new ideas click.

A great book to have around to kick-start some inspiration. What makes it different from the rest? A ton of ideas in one place for putting photos, photocopies and other images into your work using all the materials you have on your art table. No need to buy anything new, just using what we've all got, in different ways. Love it!

also available through your local library.