a sunny weekend... a chance to paint uninterrupted!

This is a very quick post today as I am making hay while the sun shines... we've had so much rain of late that I am excited to be able to paint on the veranda... so instead of lingering here pop over and see what I put up on the studio blog... the latest paintings in process ....but first a glimpse here!

Working on these two paintings alongside each other as they are having a conversation. The birds kept coming up on the veranda... butcher birds ... which have the most wonderful song. A family member kept singing to them... quite amusing! Between Radio National, the birds, people bringing cups of tea and a gentle breeze reminding me Easter/autumn is coming it was all very pleasant.

Just as well... State elections here on Saturday were a nightmare.with the ruling party wiped almost out of existence. We are left with anew government just as enamoured with the Miming Industry as the last and fracking about to commence on the western side of this City!

Back to the sanity of painting for me today! I am pleased to say that the mini-campaign I ran with Gabrielle (last post) was successful in reaching a broad audience thanks to many who spread the word in any way they could. Homage to the Seed Facebook page (LIKES WELCOME!) saw LOTS of welcome activity. Because there's no private friend FB site all the wonderful new traffic sharing this story was most appreciated!

I also have connected with more people locally which has been lovely...and feel surrounded by others sharing similar concerns.

a small work from last year

Also posted on the studio blog is the story of a post Patternbank did on my work last month.

And if you really like visual tumbling the go to seed capsules for views of  my work in amongst an eclectic tour of the globe!

Ciao,

        paintbrushes are calling! have a very good week won't you!

ps: have found much inspiration through tumblr, pinterest etc of late...must get back and share that here soon!

Luminous luminaries

LUMINOUS THE LANDSCAPES OF ELISABETH CUMMINgs

Edge of the Simpson Desert  2011

On Friday I got to see a couple of shows...one by Australian artist Elizabeth Cummings and the other...well ....you'll see.

from a SMH article

Text from SMH article:

Elisabeth Cummings is the subject of two exhibitions but the artist remains reluctant to talk about herself, writes Steve Meacham.

Elisabeth Cummings apologises for taking her time opening the door. She's temporarily confined to a wheelchair in a friend's house in Balmain, recovering from a bone fusion operation on her right ankle, the result of dilapidating arthritis. Fortunately, her wrists aren't as badly affected, so she can wield a brush: ''They're not marvellous, but I can still paint,'' she says.

At 77, Cummings was recently described by The Australian Women's Weekly as ''the Invisible Woman of Australian painting''. Even the media release for the grandest exhibition of her career (so far) - a survey of her work over the past 30 years at the S.H. Ervin Gallery titled Luminous: The Landscapes of Elisabeth Cummings - introduces her as ''one of Australia's visual art quiet achievers''.

So, unless you are an artist yourself, an art critic (the Herald's John McDonald wrote in 1994 that her painting ''calmly restates the imperishable value of a fundamental visual intelligence''), or one of those astute collectors who have discovered her increasingly sought-after works over the past 20 years, you may not have heard of her.

Read more by clicking on Text heading above!

 Pilbara  read more here.

Images from the artist's King St Gallery shows:

The Shearer's Kitchen, Mt Murchison  2011

Post Prandial  2011

For images from her latest show at that Gallery click here..

To read about the show I just saw visit the National Trust website.

I now think Today maybe the last day of that show... I was lucky my friend was so keen to go on friday. We also spent a few hours viewing this show, which depute being a blockbuster allowed us some intimate time with an artist we rarely see work of in Australia.

From the NSW Art Gallery website:

Picasso: masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris

More than 150 important paintings, sculptures and drawings created by Pablo Picasso, which have come from the artist's personal collection.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales will host the most significant exhibition of Picasso’s art ever held in Australia. More than 150 important paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings created by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) have come from the artist’s personal collection – works he was determined never to relinquish.

Picasso: masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris is the most ambitious exhibition ever undertaken by the Gallery. Jointly organised by Musée National Picasso, the Art Gallery of NSW and Art Exhibitions Australia (AEA), the exhibition is part of the Sydney International Arts Series, bringing the world’s outstanding exhibitions to Australia.

The exhibition was conceived, curated and mounted by Anne Baldassari, general commissioner and president of the Musée National Picasso and one of the world’s leading experts on the artist’s work. The international tour was initiated and created by the Musée National Picasso, the largest and most significant repository of the artist’s work in the world. Since 2008 works have travelled to cities including Madrid, Tokyo, Moscow, Seattle and San Francisco. This unprecedented opportunity to bring this exhibition to Sydney is possible because the Musée is closed for renovations.

The exhibition room by room

• From Spain to Paris: 1895–1905
• The enchantments of Oceania and Africa: 1906–1909
• Cubism, collage and constructions: 1910–1915
• A return to classicism: 1916–1924
• Brushes with surrealism: 1925–1935
• Anxieties of love and war: 1936–1939
• World War II to Korea: 1940–1951
• The joy of life: 1952–1960
• Last decades: 1961–1972

image found here

The bathers

The opportunity to see things up close rather than online and in books presents one with  just how different one's preconceived image might be from the real work.

This painting is tiny compared to how my mind saw it. I was shocked and delighted to finfd it to be such a small work. The collection of works on show was stunning. Far better than I was expecting. Why do I say this?

enjoyed his work with the motif of the guitar - this looks to be an interesting book.

The tedium of walking through a show with hoards of people can really put one off.... on this occasion staggered hourly viewing sessions made a difference. Even though E and I sat midway to muse and talk at length no-one moved us on... we simply took in the show at our own pace which made it quite wonderful experience.

Ive not been able to find online images of the works I particularly enjoyed. All I can say is it was deeply satisfying to see so many works I'd not seen before. The Picasso Museum was closed in November when I managed to get to Paris briefly.... so this certainly made up for that disappointment.

The acrobat

Well I am setting off soon to take in some interesting places. Back soon. The sun's out after a grey old week... and I have a car today to get around easily!

stripes... loosely interpreted

etceterablog:

Hugh Scott-Douglas
Panel Painting
White Gesso & Aniline Dye Bleen on Linen

jackbarnosky:

Rome    Crosswalk with People and Bird     Jack Barnosky

When in Rome I could not walk easily. I was awaiting a knee replacement operation. I had to walk with a cane! Since I was not very mobile I had to find a likely spot to make photographs and just wait. What I discovered was that the world and its wonders was quite willing to come to me. It was different and new. A bit scary. It changed me. Made me rethink my aesthetic philosophy. I believe, with modesty, that this experience made my photography richer with more , oh I guess the word is poetry.

Shansi mah

burythisbone:

Australian Aboriginal artist Doreen Reed Nakamarra - Untitled

Marcel Odenbach (German, born 1953)
You Can’t See the Forest for the Trees2003.

tumbleword:

Eric Wendel, EXTRA MEDIUM VERSION, 2009, 54 x 66 inches, oil and glitter on canvas

defacedbook:  Remo Albert Alig Fine Books Have a Purpose, Gold 2005

Sunlight on Paper (14cm x 20.5cm

Laetiticus

referenceartgallery: Joan Saló Untitled  2010 (detail) pen on canvas

Peter Doig    via jntquigley:

glovaskicom: Botanical #4, oil transfer drawing, Doug Glovaski 2007

20100220-1, algorithmic composition.

                              Algorithmic artwork by Samuel Monnier. More algorithmic art here..

20090727-1, algorithmic composition.

OK... this is an indulgence... no stripes here... just like it!

20040313, algorithmic composition.

arsvitaest:  Barbara Bernreider

isaac-lonetree:

Abstract: Light Waves as Though Sound (by russell.tomlin)

sunfishdesign: Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color Designed by Saul Bass circa 1956

Paul Klee. Double Tent. 1923. Water color and pencil on paper. 50.6 x 31.8 cm.
Private Collection. © 1999 VG Bild Kunst Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

reblololo: GEORGE TJAPANANGKA, Two Men At Wallatu, 1987, born 1938

Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Yam dreaming body paint

crashinglybeautiful:       David Bolduc “Cold Water”, 2008 oil on board, 30 x 36 in.

Pierre Soulages. Peinture 222x137 cm, 3 février 1990. Huile sur toile

freakyfauna: Liebe Mutti… by Harald Stoffers

(via mtrt, boyhair-deactivated20110123)

everythingdear: Kuru Ala, 2007 by Maringka Baker, Pitjantjatjara people

bookspaperscissors:

houseofartanddesign: Call and response collaboration by flatfile 

well.... I said it was a loose interpretation of stripes... all images from archives at my tumblr: Seed capsules. 

Had an excellent weekend... the WED sustainability event was a success all round. You can read a little about that at the Homage blog. Rather tired still so taking the simple posting option of plundering the archives... a little visual is a good start to the day before tackling "THe Must-do List". 

Ciao all!

2011 interrupted... but not for long!

I just started to get back into routine with painting before I headed off down the coast a week ago. I prepared these canvases as dyptich panels for ease of transporting ... keen to do some larger works. Ive not been to the studio since returning Monday night basically because flooding had started on Tuesday and its now cut off for the next few days anyway!

Something about the new year made me get stuck in to several works at once without much preplanning.... wanting to see where I was led! Its seems peculiar to show such foetal work ... but in a way it will be interesting having done so... to see where they go! 

Prepared canvases

thinking/feeling my way into these works ...slowly unfolding work...playing around with space in this one... at the same time working with 'busyness' in parts...

gewtting started with the underpainting ...much more to come!

looking awkward and very unfinished... may not be evident...but ...

this close-up of an area shows the beginnings of a skeleton layer - in red oxide colour - being added over the top of the existing layer... this obsession with layering is something I restlessly play with ... hard to know where it wil take me...but its important to go on the journey anyway

It seemed like a god idea to add something to the blog tonight that was not all about floods. Its been hard to think of little else.... but wont be long before I pick up the brushes again!
cheerio,
S x

rain falling ... everywhere!

It seems as if rain has been falling on and off all year... and now a large part of this continent seems to be getting drenched...in some regions very badly flooded indeed!

It rained much of the weekend...  not so wonderful for those with a Garden's visit planned. The exhibition finished at 3pm yesterday just as some were appearing for the day. Three day exhibitions are rather unusual at the best of times.... and after a year of intense work ... especially so!

The upside is that I get to start relaxing a bit... although this morning saw me needing to be at the Herbarium to get the paintings I did not manage to remove yesterday. Visiting the lab and library was very end-of-year like! Its all winding down a bit. I'm planning to come for some leisurely strolls with camera... and in fact the rainy weather is quite nice if prepared...the greens are wonderful!

I must admit I was so busy on the 3 days of the show and opening night I did not take any photos!  The huge preparation and effort to get the book done recently meant I was pretty well running on adrenalin and just keeping it moving. The exchanges with familiar faces and new on the weekend were most engaging and the time just flew. Anyone reading this who mangaed to get along thank you for finding time in the busy end of year schedule!

These 2 photos were of the outlook from the studio deck the day before I put the show up... the rain was hanging around and everything looks so lush!

steps down from the deck.

This painting below is one I worked on last for the exhibition. It was a slight departure so I was not sure of it.... but one must takes some risks! 

'The world became bright' 120 x 90 cm (cross-sections of rainforest fruits)

'continuum' - 90 x 90 cm

This one was connected to the other works I did using iron oxide  and looser formats. I shall have to get the images together on my website... these photos dont give convey much of the show... plus Im a wee bit too tired to think this through now.

'from the nothing the abundance' 120 x 90 cm


Below is a close up of the text in the painting above.

excerpt from Maori Creation Myth.

Mmm.... I might have to re-photograph some work... All was just so rushed. Now Im going to be quite busy with communications and tying up loose ends and clearing up spaces.... still... all good!

Have a good week everyone... looking forward to getting back to the blogging routine soon....

cheerio!

S x