one for australian painters...

Did you know?

One of these beautiful frames stretched with primed linen comes with the cost of the entry in the Belle Arti - Chapman and Bailey Art Award 2010, a $5,000 aquisitive award.

My friend in Melbourne Janita had given me an entry form 2 weeks ago, so, in that relaxed sort of saturday morning ambience that one sometimes finds possible I ambled along to their Brisbane store in Newstead and gazed at the tubes of paint awhile thinking hard about some work I'm doing and looking for colours to speak to me! (it can happen - dont you find?)

Lisa was on hand to answer queries and we discussed the prize and I was especially drawn to enter the prize when I saw the wonderful stretcher frame that comes with the entry fee.


For some time I've been far too busy or preoccupied with other things to think about going in award shows... but this really appealed. Yes... it is close by so when it comes to dropping off the painting it will be easy. But there's more to it than that.

Later whilst drinking coffee at Chouquette in new Farm I read the entry form properly and realised these people have gone to the trouble of liaising with a dozen art stores
around Australia to make it easier for people to enter... and because they have a Melbourne store work left there by a certain date will be transported for free.


If you click here it will take you to the Chapman and Bailey website page where you can click on the red text to open an entry form. If 40 x 40 cm is a good size for you... and you can organise yourself to enter within the time frame... then perhaps I'll see your work at the Late Nov-Dec show at the Metro Arts gallery in the city.
I've been working on some canvases that size of late so it is not so hard to get my head around... and given this show will include a diversity of paintings from various parts of the country I think it will be quite intriguing.

Gallery and Workshop
350 Johnston Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067
Australia
T +61 3 9415 8666
F +61 3 9415 8811

Chapman & Bailey Art Shop
420 Johnston Street
Abbotsford VIC 3067
Australia
T +61 3 9417 7957
F +61 3 9417 3447

Chapman & Bailey Brisbane Workshop & Art Shop
14 Byres Street
Newstead, Queensland 4006
Australia
T +61 7 3666 0028
F +61 7 3666 0082

Found at the website - Gallery archive  was a show of work by Phillip Sayers from his exhibition "Renewal" - in february this year. In February 2009 fire swept through parts of regional Victoria (south-east Australia) and caught many unprepared for the scale of destruction, loss of life and awful suddenness of the event. This artist found a poignant way to commemorate what was for many a unforgettably devastating experience. 

Click for more text and images from website about the show:   

Renewal captures the devastated landscape after the Black Saturday fires, and the first signs of renewal in a stunning range of artworks on mixed media.

For the past year Phillip Sayers has painted the renewal of the St Andrews bush. This includes paintings in oil on cigar boxes (and other found objects in the St Andrews area) and a dramatic 2m x 2m image on a canvas of a new water-tank surrounded by the burnt bush.

"My paintings start when I come across a wooden object with a previous life. The surface of the timber with nicks and marks tells its own story and I add a new layer. The end result is a respect for the objects history, overlaid with new life in the form of my painting.

There seems to be a harmony created, befitting the images of renewal from St Andrews. My paintings are about moving forward with a respect for what has passed", Phillip says.

Oil on wood boxes

East through the trees - oil on wood panel

hallowed space

Atelier Cezanne - these images were found at Lark About via Pia Jane Bijkerk. I wanted to share them - pondering these took me to another time altogether and I think it is good to remember what place stillness and a good working space (no matter how small or large) means for a long life of art.



ON a somewhat different note I really enjoyed these 2 posts here and here from Steven Alexander Journal on Brazil.

He writes:

"In July, I will be spending three weeks in Brazil (much more on that to come) -- and in preparation, I've been looking at a lot of Brazilian painting. Geometric abstract painting has been deeply embraced in Brazil, and still is -- creating a sustained legacy of rich and varied work. I am just beginning to scratch the surface of this parallel universe of rigorous and beautiful painting by artists who are virtually unknown to the NY art world. Here is just a small sampling to begin -- with more to come." Images from the internet.




Julio Villiani




Concalo Ivo, studio view 2010

I always find it most fascinating to visit an unexplored part of the world through the eyes of its artists... with no travel plans myself and dubious funds to support such this form of travel... across the blogosphere ... is both rewarding and makes sense of much I might otherwise miss.

unprimed canvas

Above: section of painting worked on over january on linen with clear primed surface so as to look unprimed. This raw natural surface colour is my preferred choice at times - allowing the work to feel as though it is emerging out of something quite earthy and basic. Below is a reference to Joan Miro's work from www.moma.org - a series in which he employs unprimed canvas to great effect.

what's hidden away in your art supply cupboard?

I think many of us rather like to have a little supply of special art materials sitting in the cupboard for some moment when we are inspired to break them out and experiment. Or maybe you are the sort to race home with your new found treasure and get stuck in straight away. There's an element of childlike eagerness that can accompany a new box of colour pencils or a unexpected find. The japanese crayons above got me thinking about this. Found at the curious (worth a visit if you're keen on colour) www.COLOURlovers.com/blog via Design Fetish where I also found the pencils below by Finish artist Jonna Pohjalainen, created during a workshop in environmental art at the Open-Air Museum in Pedvale.