Protea and pattern #541

Daily painting #541 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

I love colour and I love patterns and textures! I am one of those crazy people that can walk into a fabric shop and come out with bundles of fabric, lace and trimmings with no idea what I am going to do with them....I don't even sew (not unless I have to, I would rather paint!). A while ago I developed a body of work where I incorporated some of my favourite patterns and fabrics into the surface I painted on. I find I am always drawn back to that body of work and I know there is something else I want to develop and work on but I need more time to 'play' in order to find out what it is I want to do....but for now I just keep stashing away my beautiful fabrics....

Below is one of my favourite pieces from that exhibition. It is called "Time out with Rosie" and it hangs in my entrance hall (the little girl is my daughter). The size of the work is 1m by 1m.

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Bunch of proteas #540

Daily painting #540 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

I have had a beautiful big bunch of proteas in my studio this weekend to play with. I have been working on some protea paintings on some much larger canvases so when I came to work on this little 6"x6" I really struggled to find some rhythm and spontaneity in such a small space. Talk about extremes from LARGE to tiny!! A struggle indeed!

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Two plums two raspberries #539

Daily painting #539 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

I joined the South Coast Art Group at their monthly meeting today to speak about Paintings in the post and do a painting demonstration for them. It is always heartwarming to see a group of people coming together to share their passions and their knowledge. What I had to share was less about fancy painting techniques or trying to teach them something new and more about sharing my passion. I wanted to tell them that it doesn't matter what stage of your art career you are at, there is always that element of self doubt that one has to face when starting a new painting. Even the most accomplished artists should feel a struggle at some point and have to push through and this is what makes you constantly grow as an artist. Painting should be less about 'getting it right' and more about painting because it's what you love to do! The relationship you have with that paint and the connection you feel when you are moving it around on the canvas should be your focus. 'Getting it right' should never be your goal....if we only do that which we think we can get 'right' we would never do! Daily painting has taught me so much about being comfortable with making mistakes....being comfortable with the times when images just don't work and most importantly it has taught me to dig deep and triumph when the creature of self doubt sits on your shoulder! While I had no exciting materials or new techniques to share (what I do is really quite traditional)  I hope I inspired just a few to go home and paint....for no reason other than the joy it gives them!

Thank you South Coast Art Group for inviting me to join you. Today I share my demonstration painting. Just for the record the creature of self doubt really taps on your shoulder when you volunteer to start and complete a daily painting in front of an audience of people you don't know, talking while you paint (which I never do I am normally SO focused) but I think I did it! We all can if only we try.....

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Afternoon light changing #538

Daily painting #538 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

A beautiful evening, although I spent the evening in agony with my foot up and unable to move! Rushing around the house this morning getting ready to teach, I slipped on a Persian carpet (don't ask me how!!!) and felt my ankle crunch! I sat weeping in a bundle on the floor calling my husband on my mobile, which was still in my hand, to come and help me! Fortunately he knew exactly what to do and sprayed it with some awful smelling spray that sportsman use on injuries (thank goodness I am not a sportsman if I can do such damage on a carpet of all things!) and strapped it up in a brace. He wanted to take me to have it x-rayed but I was determined to get to my Grade 7 class that I was teaching at a local girls school as it would be the last time I see them before the Easter holidays. I knew they were eagerly awaiting their results from an Art theory paper they have just written for me. So I hauled myself off to school hobbling along with my ankle all strapped up and remained seated throughout my class....surviving on serious pain medication and all the TLC from the girls! I must admit a few did look at me sideways when I told them I had hurt myself slipping on a carpet, now they really think their art teacher is a nutter! What a disaster! Anyway, I have just pulled ligaments and seriously bruised the area and thank goodness nothing was broken. But I am so frustrated not being as mobile and active (manic running around is probably the correct phrase) as I normally am. Tomorrow I am driving down the South Coast to speak about Paintings in the post and do a painting demonstration for the South Coast Art group. I really have no time for sore ankles....darn it!

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Trio of lemons #537

Daily painting #537 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel

Back to my trusty oils again today and a little bit of dramatic light added for a bit of mood!
We have an abundance of lemons in the house at the moment. My daughter has had a market day at school this week and one of the things we made besides the decorated sweetie jars was pink lemonade! It seemed to be a real hit but my kitchen still seems full of  lemons! I guess it will be lemon and herb chicken, lemon meringue pie, lemon and garlic butter (used for something) ...oh and definitely a gin and tonic with a slice of lemon on the menu this coming weekend!

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Girl with flowers #536

Daily painting #536 watercolour from my sketchbook NFS

Another little share from my sketchbook. I am so comfortable with pushing and pulling and manipulating my oil paint around the canvas that working with watercolour is a huge challenge for me! It is so very unforgiving! What you put down is there to stay and accidents can either be joyful because they result in something interesting or they are totally destructive because one cannot paint over them like one would with oils! So way out of my comfort zone today....as you can probably see but that is always a good thing to push yourself beyond what you feel comfortable with! I was so happy to read so many people responding to my "10 minutes a day" drawing yesterday and I hope you are finding just 10 minutes in your day....remember the drawing doesn't have to be complete. Sometimes the unfinished is more interesting....so just draw (or doodle) ....for the sake of drawing! It's good for the soul!

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10 minutes a day #535

Daily painting #535. Pen and watercolour from sketchbook NFS

We have been packing sweets into decorated jars for my daughter's market day at school....I just can't resist Liquorice Allsorts!

I have been trying to encourage those in my classes to draw for just 10 minutes a day! So I decided to put myself to the test as I have been told 10 minutes is not long enough. We are all pressed for time in our busy days and so my feeling is that if 10 minutes is all you have then make it work for you! So I put my oil brushes and paints aside today and worked in my sketchbook. I realized how much I enjoy working in my sketch book and how, since I started Paintings in the post, I don't spend enough time 'playing' or journaling in my sketchbooks as I did before. I also realized that I found it quite difficult to get something I was happy with and that maybe I need to 'play' a bit more! Drawing is fundamental  in developing your ability to 'see' and the better you draw, the better you paint .....my personal opinion. I have been doing LOTS of painting and not enough drawing. I am off to Cape Town at the end of the month with my daughter and my Mum ....10 days of  'girly fun' and I think I will take my sketchbook and watercolours for my daily paintings. Traveling by air with oil paints and wet paintings is always such an issue so I think it will be a good excuse to 'play' for a few days in my sketchbook! It will be a break in routine in more ways than one!

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