A walk in the woods

Every morning I venture into the woods nearby. 

On less asthmatic days I run to stay fit and keep my lungs trained, on more asthmatic days (most days) I go for a long walk. On days when my mind is turbulent, the woods infuse me with calm and tranquility, and always fill me with wonder and inspiration.Sometimes I spot shy deer, sometimes a sly fox with his typical loping gait. Today I was surrounded by tiny brilliant blue butterflies that seemed to hover around me as I ran.

The woods have always been a great source of wonder for me - it isn't a mistake this blog is titled what it is!

The photograph of the full work is not the best. I can't wait to get nice scans / photographs of ALL my work once I return to Australia. I hate looking sloppy and un-professional!

Pastel Sugarskulls

A couple more little pastel-coloured sugar skulls. 

~ in my shop ~

And below is Ambrosia, inspired by the dolls of Hemlig

Mi Wo Same - The Last Look

Mi wo same - in Japanese: The Last Look, the final image to be burned into your memory before a parting...

I started this piece this time last week, then much to my chagrin, just as I was about to have 5 glorious days off in a row because of Easter, and was preparing to spend them pursuing art and creativity, I fell quite ill. I spent all 5 days, and two more after that, in bed. I haven't had that many days off in a row in a long long time. I was, and still am, very annoyed at this wasted opportunity.

anyway.... I was glad to finish her today. I've seen the preview of the invite for the group show, and I'm excited :-)

I originally wanted to find a nice frenchy sounding name for "The Last Look", as if she was quickly taking a last glimpse of herself before she heads out. My partner told me the Japanese term for it, with a slightly different connotation - a last look before a parting. I thought that fit nicely here, a bit of mystery...

Friday Afternoon

It took me a couple of months to build up the courage to ask my latest model to pose for me :-) Isn't that silly? A new friend that I had made, I didn't want to scare her off straight away. Luckily for me, she is such a sweet, friendly, bubbly, happy girl in real life, she accepted my (attempted) suave-sounding request graciously.

This is an interesting part of my artistic process, though. I have seen girls before that I have though I would love to draw. I am no way confidant enough to walk up to one of them and proposition them. This is probably, at the moment, a good thing. I do not know what these beautiful or interesting looking mysterious girls are like at all.... drawing my friends and the lovely ladies I have acquainted myself somewhat with means I can infuse a little bit of their personality, or a sense of psychology into the artwork.

So I just mentioned this model is lovely, bubbly, happy, and always smiling..... however, she told me some very interesting stories about her life, and I felt very moved at all that she has already accomplished, and lived through. I think a bit of world weariness and reflectiveness has come through in this piece, which I'm happy about.

I hadn't done such a grey drawing in a long time. But I'm very happy with it. I feel a bit like this on some Friday afternoons.

Garden Tea

Slowly, slowly, I am getting back into drawing again. It is a fantastic feeling. I think that's why drawing so small (A5 sized) is really working for me, I get to see results a little quicker, and it keeps my hopes up. 

Even so, finishing a piece like this can take me days (up to a week) as I draw in snippets and fragments after work in the evenings.

This one was a little challenge for me... to try and mix colours varying enough to differentiate between her skin, blouse, and pale hair... the colours are quite different too, but she still fits in nicely with the other drawings.

A little story.... usually the darling faced coquettes I draw are all the lovely ladies and gorgeous girls that I am lucky enough to call my friends. I enjoy drawing the girls I know personally, because I 'm able to infuse the drawing with a sense of their personality and character. It helps me to breathe a bit more life into the pieces.

Even so, sometimes I will draw a girl I have never met....this was such a case.

I came across a lovely etsy seller, Zara Carpenter, who makes the most incredible fascinators... not only were her pieces just the quirkiest, most extravagant designs, but the photography was perfect... and of course.... the big eyed, platinum haired model caught my attention straight away. I wanted to draw her.....

You can imagine my joy when the lovely Zara agreed to allow me to draw inspiration from her images. Her boyfriend took the photographs, and Zara made all the gorgeous fascinators. Do pay them a visit!

 Zara Carpenter "Chatham Girl"  ~etsy boutique~  and  ~blog~ 
Rikard Osterlund ~photography~

The Consideration

It's been a long time since I have completed one of my proper artworks. By proper I mean part of my "Of Lace and Moss" series. 

With a group show coming up in late may, I have been inspired to dally no more! Especially knowing I'll be showing alongside Caitlin Shearer, whom I admire greatly. 

Speaking of Caitlin, let me diverge from my path and talk about her for a little bit. A fellow young female Australian artist, I discovered her work online and have been eagerly following her art and progress ever since. I finally got to met her the other night when she had her works on exhibition in the boutique down the hall from me in the Strand Arcade. I think I was quite boisterous. She was quite overwhelmed. I probably made it worse!! There was free champagne and tiny ice-creams on offer - a deadly combination for my class and eloquence. 

Seeing her incredible paintings in real life was quite amazing... overwhelming in fact. I went home close to tears (I had an emotional week!!!) frustrated at myself. Whilst I enjoy working for Victoria at her beautiful boutique, I was suddenly very conscious of the fact that my most precious asset is my time, and all my time is spent working for someone else. I can draw, and enjoy drawing - but have no time to do so. I wished more than anything that night that I had more time to do what I loved more than anything in the world, that is, to devote it to my art. 

~*~

Anyway, that being said, I was most definitely inspired to focus on my dream and try to scrape together a few hours here and there where I can sit down at my drawing desk and work. Lose myself in this romantic world I like to depict. 

I completed this drawing last year, and like so many of my artworks, left it in an unfinished state whilst I became distracted with other exciting compositions or beckoning side projects. My model was a gorgeous girl who was very inspirational whilst I worked with her during my time at Alannah Hill. Natalia was an amazing young woman, and single handedly started up her own fashion label, "The Last Romantic". 

The First Signs of Spring - Snow dome

Even though it's Autumn going into Winter where I am, I know the rest of the world is beginning to bud and Spring is on the way.....

Today, I made a snow dome.

You cannot know how happy this has made me. I have already been asked to submit an example for the late-may group exhibition, and I haven't finished the image.... but..... I made a snow dome.

The drawings inside are done in delicate watercolour and pen. The model is actually my gorgeous little red-headed muse... but today I gave her a bit of a "White Snow Queen" makeover....

In fact, I love my snow dome so much, I am thinking of making some more, to sell through my etsy boutique....  but maybe I should behave and finish that drawing for the group show first... I have procrastinated long enough.....

Cameo Portraits and Pendants

With an exhibition coming up in less than two months, of course I am spending all my time procrastinating... it is something I do so well after all, why waste these divine procrastinatory talents that have been gifted upon me?

Allow me to share some little portraits and artworks I have created recently, some available on my etsy

 

Coquettes in Noire

Just a quick and brief introduction to a couple of my latest little quirk-ettes. With the silly season in full force I fear I won't be introducing any new ones in a little while ... and perhaps it's a little to do with some 3 dimensional projects I'm just ITCHING to get a start on!!! Without further ado.....


Both these little darlings are all frocked up and ready to head out into the night.... and are wishing you all a safe and happy rest of the year!!!

~Isobel~

~Constance~

Coquettes

I have been shamefully quiet on sharing my own work recently...  mainly because I've been doing more art purchasing than art making!! So I thought it was about time I introduced some of the little watercolour coquettes I've been working on recently.

Without an internet connection at home, I've been struggling to find the time to update my etsy shop/s. These girls will all go on there once I get my act together (to save up to buy even MORE artworks... I'm terrible!!)

Without further ado, let me begin the introductions.....

Little French Olive

Hesitating Mauve

The beauty of an original #9

Caroline Kha

I was delighted when an artist friend gave this beautiful painting as a Christmas gift a few years ago. It was a beautiful gesture, and greatly appreciated. I love the painting, it reminds me of a nostalgic idea of youth, romance, and melancholy. I definately have a melancholy streak to me, and just can't get enough of art that portrays that mood in a hauntingly beautiful way.

Breathe, Rusty Breeze - Completed

My plate, all glazed and finished!

When participating in the FONAS Plate Auction, you're given a ceramic plate to paint on, that will be auctioned off to raise funds for the school. I always get very excited to go the event, because it's the first time you see your plate since you handed it in to be fired. The glazes always change colour slightly, certain tones might disappear, others might get darker or stronger.

They hung her a little off kilter, her hair was meant to be billowing out more to the side... but oh well! I'm happy with how she turned out, and she sold to a home too, after a small bidding war - always pleasant to see!

It was a very fun experience, I love getting to draw on surfaces other than paper. I know whilst I was working on this plate I was contemplating doing an entire series! But that would only add yet another project to the looming mountain that is my "to do and to finish" list. So, until next year's plate show!

Breathe, Rusty Breeze

Here are the finished progress shots of my plate, "breathe, rusty breeze"

Now I hand it in, it gets a coating of clear glaze and then gets fired. I don't see it again till the auction night! It's always a little suprise, seeing how the underglazes I've painted on will turn out once fired.