Exhibition at Juicy Beetroot in Fremantle - on now!

I'm back in Fremantle and have got an abstract art exhibition at Juicy Beetroot. I'm calling it a 'No studio sale' - as I don't have a studio at the moment. This means I have nowhere to keep my art … apart from the spare bedroom, which stops people coming to stay with me. Some might say this is a good thing, but I like seeing my far-flung friends, so I've reduced my paintings by up to 20% less than usual.   
So if you're in Fremantle on a weekday lunch time, drop into Juicy Beetroot and pick up a bargain while you can – and help me reclaim my spare bedroom!

Finger Stone (141)

I’ve recently spent six months based in the UK. I took lots of art projects to do while I was there, but never seemed to get time.

This painting of the Finger Stone, in the Staffordshire part of the Peak District National Park, is my latest art work. I actually started it a while ago on a previous visit to the UK. I painted it on black paper and thought it needed a lot more work, but when I looked at it again I realised that the black paper showing through adds to the broodiness of the subject. All it took to finish it off was to crop the bottom off as that wasn’t finished and didn’t add to the composition.

I’m happy with the result and think it’s looser than my usual work. I hope you like it too.

We belong to the earth (136)

This is my latest painting. It’s an acrylic abstract of a stylised earth containing a green heart, floating in a hot red universe. The globe came about by accident when I was messing about with primary colours on a canvas and I’m very happy with the result.

In the middle of the heart is a quote from Chief Seattle (see close up picture here), “The earth does not belong to us … we belong to the earth”. Being a pagan at heart, I have always loved that quote and it seemed to fit very well with the painting … and with these times. The extreme weather conditions we are experiencing more regularly may be indications that we’ve pushed the earth too far and that global warming is inevitable.

Spoodle to go! (103)

Happy new year to everyone - sorry for not updating the blog for a while, the silly season got in the way!

Daisy, our spoodle, loves going to the beach. As we live very close to the beach, Ian attached a basket to the back of his pushbike to transport Daisy in. We used to strap her in with a harness so she couldn’t jump out, but she took to this novel mode of transport remarkably quickly and now we don’t restrain her at all. An old hand at it now, she nonchalantly scratches herself or leans over the side so she can see around Ian and look where she’s going. It’s downhill on the way to the beach so her ears blow back in the breeze and she looks quite comical.

This painting was done from a photo of Daisy in the bike basket, taken at home before we set off for the beach. I redid the background as the garage door didn’t make a very appealing backdrop for the painting! I think Daisy’s front legs look a bit thin in the painting but that was actually how they looked in the photo!

Poppies (59)

Poppies are one of my favourite flowers - I love their bright colour and their delicate texture. This picture was painted from a photo my Mum took of poppies growing in a field in England. I liked the contrast of the bright, regular shaped poppies against the chaotic green undergrowth and poppy heads and the play of light amongst it all.

I meant post this a few days ago in time for Remembrance Day as poppies are associated with the World Wars. During the First World War, poppies were among the first plants to spring up in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium and, in soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground. A powerful symbolism became attached to the poppy – the sacrifice of shed blood.

The sight of poppies on the battlefield at Ypres in 1915 moved Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae to write the poem In Flanders field:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Another exhibition

I’m excited to announce that I have another art exhibition – all pastels - up at Juicy Beetroot in Fremantle. This cute little cafe is only open weekday lunchtimes, but I hope some of you can get along to see it. Also, I still have some acrylic paintings up at Two Rubens until further notice. Details are above.

Home sweet home (29)

Having just returned home from a two month visit to the UK, I thought the title of this painting was appropriate! I painted it from a photo I took of an old cottage in Bridgetown very early in the morning. The light at that time of day gave the picture a shadowy, other-worldly feel that complements the subject matter.

A friend who lives in Bridgetown bought this painting as soon as she saw it, along with a few others!