new paintings

I've not blogging for an ages...I've been busy painting. Here are the results - some new compositions, some reworked or re-sized. It's been lots of fun!

Spring Hill is the biggest painting I've done to date. You'll maybe remember it in a previous blog as an entry into the Lethbridge Small Scale art awards 2012. Well this is the 150 x 100cm version. I'm happy with the scaling up - big brushes, loads of paint and big strokes.

Parked is a new composition. My favourite thing is the tyre tracks and oil marks on the road...no, but really the directional lines makes this one pretty appealing.

Start! is reworked and re-sized. The shapes are pared down and flattened - looking a little bit like cut outs. The cars become more simplified as they recede.

The Herd is a re-sized work and I think the title says it all - they look like creatures grazing in their natural habitat - the car park. The track of red from the front scooter through the painting and leading all the way to the red front door makes my eyes zigzag from foreground to background.

These paintings are hanging at Lethbridge Gallery until Sunday August 12 - click here for details

Lethbridge 10 000

As opening night approaches I'd like to warmly invite you to come along. 

Lethbridge 10 000 Small Scale Art Award

Opening Saturday 16^th June 2012

6pm start for 7pm announcements

Lethbridge Gallery, 136 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Qld

Check out all the finalists here

 The exhibition continues throughout June.

The new series reveal

...and here it is. This is one of four new paintings.

Currently, my work is enveloped in night time paintings. A particular feature here is light and shadow and how they fall on the figures and environment creating other shapes.  Colour is an important element – I love the way coloured light fall across the face, body and clothing.

What do you think?

Of course Wendy Sharpe has mastered this approach. Have a look at her amazing work here 

Mods and their scooters

 Some pleasingly placed scooters - Vespa!


I love being heavy handed with the cadmium red and finding space for that cool pale blue.

 And some sharp Mod gents...

meeting at the pink palace in Spring Hill. Getting ready for a Sunday run to Margate.

Collaborative art project - year 2

During our collaborative art project, I used guided discovery with a year 2 group, to create this painting.  As well as the art smocks covered in paint during each session, the students were offered many opportunities to make suggestions, voice opinions at each stage to bring about a resolved work.  I think they've done a pretty great job!
We had two main areas of focus, namely mark making and composition. Mark making allowed the children to used not only brushes but also sponges, matchsticks, paddle-pop sticks, fingers and hands, to name a few.  Part of our brief was to create a painting to hang on  a specific wall in the school which already had artwork existing and featured hand prints.  The hand prints reminded us of indigenous symbols.  During our composition planning, we talked about how in indigenous art, symbols are used to relate to place and and belonging. We mapped all of the children's hands to show their belong to the school community.

The process wasn't all about mark making and composition though - along the way other learning opportunities arose to look at colour theory, elements and principles of art, how to use acrylic paint and medium, etc.  Most of all, they had fun and want to do more art - YAY, mission completed!
Which way do we hang the painting - I think I like it this way...what do you think?