The Archibald

I hopped on a train to Sydney yesterday to see the Archibald Portrait Prize at the NSW Art Gallery.

This prize is one of the biggest in the land and is popular with the people, attracting lots of hype and great publicity for the artists involved. The prize is awarded to the best portrait, "preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in Art, Letters, Science or Politics, painted by any artist in Australasia"

There is also a 'Packing Room Prize' and a 'Peoples Prize' awarded, however this year's official winner. ....

I also managed to grab some lunch with my sister in the members lounge. How posh are we? :) I always enjoy being in the city, the gallery, lots of walking, the train trip - so much to see... then home to rest my sore feet!

Black Cats

Another little water-colour, this time a black kitten watching the snow fall outside. Not that we ever get snow in my part of the world, it's all a mystery to me! I like to paint it even so.



Here is my own black kitty cat, Phoebe (11 years old), sitting in her favourite chair on the front porch. She is half Burmese, meaning she is quite vocal & playful, and half Persian so she can be cranky at times. It is nice and sheltered on the porch where she can see everything that is going on.




Here she is in our herb garden last summer. As you can see, whenever I need inspiration for a cat drawing, Phoebe's black silhouette is the one I choose.

Little Frames

These three little 8.5cm x 13.5cm watercolour & ink pics I made especially to fit in some black frames I found in my studio cupboard.

While in the cupboard, I did a stocktake. I need more paints all round; new brushes for acrylic - mine are well worn; A watercolour block of paper and a new journal, as I'm nearing the end of my second one - they fill up fast! Looking forward to shopping for these yummo things!

Looking forward too, to maybe getting together with friends for a mid week creative playtime for a couple of hours. More fun in numbers! You're invited to come!

Sunny Sundays

I thought I'd share my favourite tree. It was too big to fit in the frame! A giant compared to the tiny boats in the background. You may remember it from a sketch I posted a while ago. I go here when I want some peace and solitude, a chance to recharge my battery. One day I will climb it. Are 50 year old women allowed to climb trees? If they can, I guess they can! LOL!



These barnacles on the pier post looked so interesting and gnarled I had to take a pic.

This is the view from under my tree. On sunny Sundays, I throw a picnic blanket down, take my journal & thermos along and daydream the afternoon away... Tranquility plus!

All About The Process

Creativity, like life, is all about the process. I love seeing art being made, seeing how it's done, as it is being done. This is a painted mosaic in water colour. First a wash for the background, then I add my creatures...



We often get caught up in the outcome, yet the challenges along the way are where the joys lie, where all the fun is...



Patience, patience, patience! About here, I slipped up in my design. Can you spot it?

This design would work well as a real mosaic.

All done!

A Taste of Africa

'Africa' - water colour/ink

I have not been to Africa, but this is my impression... a golden sun, burnt umber, yellow ochre and raw sienna - yellows, blues and black ... simple shapes...

It's time to (reluctantly) put my paints away & pull my head out of the clouds for a few days, since a house-full of white venetian blinds need cleaning ... eek, whose idea was it to install those I wonder? :)

For some happy synchronicity, this song played on the radio the morning I finished and framed this painting.