Vasse Primary School Art Award starts Easter Saturday

I've just delivered my painting efforts for the Vasse exhibition that starts this Saturday from 10am. The awards will be announced at 2pm.

I had a sneak peek at some of the entries and there is a wonderful array of styles, sizes and themes. It's on until Sunday 1st May and I urge you to pop in and have a look if you are in the Margaret River area over the school holidays.

I have entered the 'Best Westerns' and also a piece I have been working on for my art theory studies. It incorporates a poem onto torn vintage paper, sand, modelling paste and redgum sap.  

'Silver Princess'

  Vasse Primary School until end of April.

10am-5pm weekends and 10am-3pm weekdays.


EXHIBITION OPENING TIMES Weekend: 10am - 5pm
Weekdays: 10am - 3pm 

New bird species

I've created a new acrylic painting over collaged papers of some wrens in the garden. It has a wine label in the background from Best's Great Western and as the birds are a bit quirky I'm calling them Best Westerns.

I've just added this original canvas to my Etsy shop called Art From The Shed because I'm really happy with it and want to share it. Also because I haven't been very active in my Etsy shop and it's starting to seem a bit stale. I have done some more little canvases 15cm x 15cm and these will be for sale on the Kids Room Art page of Margaret River Stompers. It's a real pleasure doing these collage pieces and I love how the birds end up as individual little characters.

Best Westerns

Best Western close up

Bests label close up

Margaret River Stompers T-shirt sale

I'm very happy to pass on the news that Debbie is having a T-shirt sale. Massive 50% off until Easter. Normally $29.95, now $14.95! Here are my favourites but why not pop over to Margaret River Stompers to choose your own? I wish the girl with flowers came in my size.

Flowers on Gulliver's Travels

I have discovered this old copy of Gulliver's Travels and am tearing it up for my collages. It goes a wonderful antique colour with the gel medium sealing it to the canvas. I'm building up my layers with washes of colours over more gesso than usual and just generally having a play. School's back and I've only the chooks and the heat to distract me now. One old girl even left an egg on the art table when I went in for a cuppa!

Collage fun

I almost painted over this effort but a few friends and family have had a look and really like it so I've decided to share it and put it up for sale.

Owls

 It's only 32.5cm x 23.5cm so I'm thinking $50. The sides are only 1.5cm deep, and are painted brown.

Owls in detail

 Yes Fleur and I have been having fun but the house is starting to look unloved so....we're off to the beach. Hey, it's school holidays, have to get the priorities right!

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)