Friday night at home doing as little as possible!

I didn't realise how tired I was getting painting for a deadline of late. Last night it was 4am before the lights went out after driving home from rather long hours in the studio. Fell asleep a few times today in the middle of tasks... not good... so came home and more or less flaked... tonight I'm enjoying doing whatever... in no rush! Have tidied up my website, finally downloaded 2012 paintings and created some order. Hurrah!

just loving these colours... and working on linen!

Pop over to the new 2012 slideshow of artworks on this fresh website page.

Now I wish to say hello to all the lovely new people coming by... or following... My very best to you....!

Sending a warm cheerio to the lovelies who stop and comment... your are esp wonderful for not minding my less than prompt reciprocation.

The week has had its social moments too... monday morning started with a visit to the State Library with a group of paper and book artists organised by a dear friend Marilena. We saw a collection of artists books with a botanical theme... like this book below. Helen Cole was a wonderful host of the morning and I was delighted to have started the week with this visit.

Lorenzo De' Medici (1449 – 1492)

William T. Wiley (b. 1937)
Mimmo Paladino (b. 1948)
Jorg Schmeisser (b. 1942)
Anthony Oldcorn (b. 1935)
Carnival songs
New York: Raphael Fodde Editions, 2001
Edition: 29 of 60 copies
Australian Library of Art,
State Library of Queensland

The Monday night class is going very well... wonderful discussions I must say... stories that surprise. More on that later... I have a feeling we are on a fascinating journey together.

Tuesday morning another dear friend who works and lectures in the Mining and Sustainability sector filled me in on the latest news over coffee in the studio. I never imagined that in my 50's I spend quite this much time discussing mining with female friends... never saw that coming! Corinne Unger undertook a Churchill Fellowship in 2009 to research what is being done globally to address post Mining issues in particular. She organised a conference here recently at UQ (University of Qld) and the Canadians who attended were horrified at the disastrously backward Australian Governent Legislation re Mining. China appears to have tighter controls ... certainly higher bonds than we do here.

Wednesday evening was a delicious home-cooked dinner with an artist friend with whom I painted a mural earlier this year... a wonderful project Karen Cipressi coordinated... I hope to go to the Sept opening ... more on that later.
Today Nicki Laws was visiting from the Darling Downs and came by with some amazing botanical specimen from her farm. She filled me in on recent projects over morning coffee and also more sobering Mining news affecting so many up there. Ive posted on that a number of times at the Homage blog.
Next week I hope to catch up with Roz Hawker who has a wonderful new blog... Roz hosted the excellent Dorothy Caldwell workshop I went to in May and will be doing more workshops in the coming months herself. I shall look forward to hearing from her about Melbourne workshops.

I shall post a few images here for a change from my tumblr sites... I keep three now... one general: Seed Capsules, one for (my) artwork: Studio Archive and one for seeds and plants: From one small Seed. I find it's no more complicated than having one tumblr as you simply click which site you want to post on from a central control panel.

Here are images via: From one small seed

Via here:

                                         Brownea stamens glow in the bright light by jungle mama on Flickr.

via here

From the studio archive tumblr:

vis Here.

via here 

I forgot the title of this work I did around 2005... but do remember the day someone found it and decided to buy it... an interesting conversation lingers in my memory!

... and from Seed Capsules which I post on intermittently - so much inspiration lives here:

Look at the archives to see what I mean...

from here

via here.

Pala Grief: via here

via here.

via here.

via here

via here.

via here ...
love the colours in this palette ;

heracliteanfire:


Painter’s Palette Inscribed with the Name of Amenhotep III, ca. 1390–1353 B.C. (via The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

well.... its late once again and time for me to say goodnight...

wishing you a great weekend everyone!

xS

{studio archive}: July in the studio...

{studio archive}: July in the studio... workshops and hours spent pa...:

I just wrote this post for my Studio Archive blog and thought why not post it here as well with time being so precious and this blog neglected of late as this July I've largely focused on the studio, workshops and thinking about painting!

Staying in at home to work on my computer has been far overtaken by the desire to get to the studio, only 15 mins away, for long sessions of painting. The simple fact I am not online at the Paddington studio is the reason I've spent far less time online since June.

Sessions spent working on paper and journal pages messing about are freeing...

I greatly miss friends from the blogosphere and find I am less likely to keep up to date with posting on new work... esp at the website. Its also easy to forget about things coming up as I am not getting email reminders.

BUT...

the paints are out and its is go, go, go over there.

I have sorted out all kinds of work from past to present, reviewed works on paper, looked at what could be better resolved and continued to work on new pieces, large and small.

Its a delicate balance of focus really remembering whats coming up and must-dos, workshops and meetings.... and all the while being hugely immersed in thinking about painting just now.

Here's a glimpse... a little random!

Working on paper I find liberating as it matters not whether as idea comes together ... especially since I  will work over anything in sight if i feel inclined. The layering process offers much room to experiment.

A recent work I altered to colours when nearing completion was this one below. A friend visited one day and saw clearly what was missing ... giving me really the perfect idea to go forward. The linen I was working on was wonderful too... quite thick and textured. I liked the way the paint felt working on it.

close-up

colour, patterning, seed forms...

more work on paper... above panels... below large sheets

Working on canvas...

20 x 20 cm squares

20 x0 20 cm sq

close up

Rethinking a 90 cm square work... reintroducing seed capsule cross-sections motifs.

This theme will feature in the work I carry out on residency in Far North Qld later in September.... so I have been exploring material from late 2010 that is relevant to this next stage of the project.

motifs from rainforest fruits seed capsules... cross-sections

Stitched work... have been thinking about this again.... the closeup of a work below got me thinking about it too.

 and these stitched pieces I've been playing around with ... thinking about collaging them onto canvas...

So... there's much happening... work in progress is something I really enjoy. Not one given to painting one work from beginning to end... one after the other. I like things to grow and sit quietly and have time to be mused over.

Cheerio for now,

Sophie

Bookings NOW open at this table...

I have spent nights lying in bed over the years yearning about the cafe I would open. I practiced on everyone I knew...especially in my Melbourne years where quality food was both abundant and affordable through brilliant markets.

Instead ... now I have tables pushed together in my studio, waiting for any of you who can come and join workshops, or events, or just share a coffee.

TWO SPACES LEFT THIS SUNDAY.... PLUS MONDAY'S 5 WEEK COURSE HAS ONE SEAT STILL AVAILABLE.

SO of course I cooked my class a delicious soup last sunday .... the recipe found through a heavenly blogger at My New Roots hanging out in Denmark these days. Maybe I'll be too busy to make the recipes of my dreams but I will always search out good artisan bread and have delicious fresh things on hand for my Homage to the seed workshops.

Go over to the post I just wrote for a longer story.... and see what friend Marilena brought me for a belated birthday visit... might have to make one of her recipes and try out one of her spice mixes on a recipe for the class this sunday. Another friend Karen popped in the previous week with treats that I forgot to photograph... spoilt I was!

Because Wendy, who's hand this is below, saw my Dorothy Caldwell Post about the May workshop I attended she asked to make  a book in the afternoon at Sunday's workshop. Whilst others keep painting and printing and testing ideas Wendy prepared the large watercolour paper  for the book she made to take home and work on. SHe is currently studying art and has been pursing all kinds of thingS in that context... so it is sure to be used!

As a lover of artists books I was totally up for this afternoon extension. Workshopers are asked to bring visual diaries to work in anyway! I like to promote ongoing work for everyone...not just those who are dedicated already...and a visual journal is therefore crucial!

More images soon.. have been so busy painting...but not taking shots!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Winter Workshops start this weekend @Percolator Gallery in Brisbane

Come in out of the cold (yes its even been cold here in Brisbane this winter!) and delve into some new ideas... 

Kicking off this Sunday at the new studio... there are dates available for anyone wanting a place in the workshops. The 5 week course has been filling up with two places left now... so be sure to email or call  07 3262 4296 for more info and dates.