Pomegranate seeds (25)

I painted this picture of pomegranate seeds during a workshop with a Thai artist (whose name escapes me at the moment) at Kidogo Arthouse. He was a fantastic artist and taught us a method of applying oil paint on top of acrylic to give a rich glowing vibrancy and deeper texture to the subject matter. This painting sold at my first solo exhibition at Zazie’s in 2007.

Paintings on display in Fremantle

Good news! Four of my paintings will be on display at Juicy Beetroot Cafe in Fremantle from tomorrow. The four are all pastels: Two Pelicans, Wyadup Rocks, Swan Valley Morning Mist, and Poppies. Try and get along to see them if you're in the area. Juicy Beetroot is open weekday lunch times and serves delicious vegetarian food.

Karri forest (76)

This picture of a Karri forest in south western Australia was done at the request of my partner, Ian, who encouraged me to do a larger than usual painting in oils. Although I have taken many photos of the forests in the south west over the years, I took this composition from a travel brochure.

It took me quite a few weeks to finish this one. Because it was a larger canvas than usual I started by applying the paint with a trowel to get a textured look, reminiscent of tree bark. Then later, when the canvas was thickly covered with paint, I started to define the individual trees.

It was an interesting experience and I would like to do more larger oil paintings, maybe using a simpler subjects. For the record, Ian likes it (though it is for sale if anyone wants to buy it!) His plan is to create a frame for it out of Karri wood to complement the subject.

Two pelicans (70)

This picture of two pelicans came from a magazine I was flicking through while waiting at the travel doctors for some jabs a few years ago. I was mesmerised by the beauty of the pelicans in the photo and asked the receptionist if I could take it.

This painting took me a few sessions to finish, but I am pleased with how it turned out. Despite their size, pelicans are very elegant looking and gracefully glide through the water. Getting the reflections in the water to look right was the greatest challenge with this picture … I think I accomplished it though.

Busselton jetty (73)

This scene of the Busselton jetty was taken from a photo in a travel brochure. The jetty stretches 1.8 kilometres across Geographe Bay, making it the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere.

Building of the jetty started in 1865 and it took 95 years to complete. Originally the jetty was used for shipping timber and local produce (mainly potatoes) and horse drawn trucks were used for loading until 1911 when the railway on the jetty became operational.

In 1972 operations stopped and the jetty quickly deteriorated due to wood borers and rot. In 1978, Cyclone Alby swept down the coast, destroying a significant amount of the jetty, and in 1999 a major fire destroyed more than 70 metres of the jetty.

In 2009 restoration of the jetty began and it reopened in February 2011. Today, the jetty attracts over 400,000 visitors a year and is the most popular tourist attraction in the south west region of Western Australia.

I loved the dramatic sky in the photo and decided to paint it in oils as a challenge. The result is a little abstract as I found the jetty difficult to paint realistically.

Wyadup Rocks (67)

This scene was taken from a photo in a travel brochure of south western WA. Wyadup Rocks is a stunning part of the coastline near Dunsborough. The rock formations right at the water’s edge make it a very popular spot with photographers.

I was drawn to paint this scene because of the strong colours, the quality of the light and the texture of the water - which although challenging was very satisfying.

Daisy (72)

I did this painting for my partner for Christmas. It’s a portrait of his dog, Daisy, who’s a spoodle (cocker spaniel x poodle).

Daisy loves water. Apparently she dived into the sea the first time she was taken to the beach as a small puppy and hasn’t looked back. She lives for her walks on the beach – at home she just sleeps all day, but when she gets to the beach she’s like a totally different dog! However, her love of water is not restricted to the sea. Once, we took her to a friend’s place and she was playing with their dogs outside when we heard a big splash … Daisy had jumped into their ornamental fountain and pond!

I decided to paint Daisy from a photo taken of her in her element. The portrait of Daisy herself came together very quickly, but I had a bit of trouble painting the sea. In the photo there was a sweeping current of water surrounding her, which I originally put in. However, it didn’t look right so I took it out again.

P.S. For the record, my partner loves the painting!