2023 Back in the studio after several months away
With all the changes and challenges of COVID-19 and moving from my studio to a space in my home that have occured over the last few years I have been expereincing a period of creative block! While I have ideas, every time I venture into my painting space I just feel unable to tap into my creativity and uncertain about what I really want to do. I have experinced this type of rut in the past but it has been more fleeting. I have explored numerous ways to overcome this rut and the bottom line seems to be … change your mindset by reflecting on positive accomplishments and just engage with some practical creative activity. This is what I have done in the past - focused on enjoyment and process … so here goes.
2023 All Connections to Unley Art Prize - finalist
All Connections to Unley Art Prize invites South Australian artists, of all ages and careerstages, to create artworks on their personal connection to the City of Unley.
‘House’ is a symbolic representation of my home in Unley – the place of my imagination and dreams.
House 2023 Conte & Graphine on Hemp on panel 30x30x3cms
2023
Summer holiday paintings - ‘commissions’ for each of my grandaughters.
Peaceful Pink 2023 Oil & wax on canvas 61x76x4cms
Calm Courage 2023 Oil & wax on canvas 46x61x4cms
2022 Exploration …
2022 Moving studio again!
Sadly, after having a studio space in the Adelaide hills at the beautiful heritage property Waroa in Aldgate surrounded by garden and trees since 2015 the owners now need the space for their family so the time has come for me to relocate my studio. I have loved the drive from suburbia to the hills each day - the change of landscape was refreshing and inspiring. I have made the decision to once again work from my home in a light filled mezzanine space, working from home during Covid-19 prepared me for this move! The space is smaller and I know the move will have an impact on my painting - I am looking forward to the convenience of being at home and curious to see how the change influences my creativity.
2021 All (150) Connections to Unley Art Prize - finalist
All (150) Connections to Unley Art Prize invites South Australian artists, of all ages and career stages, to create artworks on their personal connection to the City of Unley.
150 2021 Oil & wax on linen on panel 50x75x3cms
A grid structure of one hundred and fifty symbolic colourful squares celebrates the sesquicentenary of the City of Unley. The conceptualisation offers an opportunity to tell stories from the City’s 150 years of rich heritage of agriculture, orchards, dairies, jam factories and villages; its population, housing, and infrastructure development; and continued evolution as a vibrant, inclusive urban environment.
2021 Exploration
2021 Gouache on paper
What began as an exercise to explore colour and shape using acrylic gouache paint on watercolour paper turned into more than 60 little works. I enjoyed the mat texture and opacity of the paint.
2020
When I have been out ot the studio for a while or have been focussed I like to play with materials to enjoy the process of creating When I have been focused on a project for several months or have been out of the studio for a while, I often find myself cleaning and culling my studio space … the process helps me to move on, to re-engage with materials and frequently I begin to consider what comes next.
I like to play with materials to enjoy the process of creating. While I have endeavoured to use sketchbooks, they have not worked for me … I have a shelf of sketchbooks that begin with good intent but usually don’t progress more than a few pages! So, my practice is to use what is available in the studio and explore.
On this occasion I drew with a limited range of colour of Posca pens on craft paper, cut the paper in to strips which I then wove together, and squares that were moved around and thrown as an assemblage. Maybe a valuable aspect of this experience is getting back into the flow … while this exercise is finished and tucked away it served its purpose … I find inspiration, energy and passion come when I work.
2020 Exploration
At times my love of stitching needs to be incorporated in my art - these small works on hemp used sashiko thread to draw geometric shapes complementing my recent grid paintings.
Covid19 - working at home
Challenge of fitting my easel under the pitched ceiling of my mezzanine space
Kitchen table work space
2019 SALA / City of Unley Active Ageing Award - winner
For artists over the age of 60 to celebrate the City of Unley's involvement with SALA and its commitment to promoting and supporting an active ageing approach.
This splendid place #2 2019 Acrylic mixed media on canvas 90x90x4cms
2019 Exploring grids
2019 Adelaide Parklands Art Prize - finalist
Exhibiting since 2014, this biennial series of the prestigious Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize will again take place in 2020. This is a major art prize initiated by the Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association (APPA) to highlight through art, the beauty and fragility of the Park Land belt that surrounds the city of Adelaide.
Light and Air 2019 Oilstick, oil & wax on hemp 61x55x4cms
On land of the Kaurna people Surrounding a city built on a grid William Light’s legacy Open space Space for rest and relaxation Space for pleasure and play Space for flora and fauna Adelaide parklands
2019 Working with hemp
Hemp is a plant based fibre resistant to UV light, mould, and mildew. It is stronger than cotton. The hemp fabric I used in these works is course and textured similar to hessian. After stretching the fabric, it was sealed with 2 coats of Golden GAC100 and 2 coats of Golden Mat Medium.
2019 Studio relocation
A studie move is always a challenge! On this occasion I was fortunate to be able to relocate to a different space within the same property. The space was smaller but the light was much better than in my previous room. And again my trusty furniture was able to be reorganised to fit comfortably.
Studio companion ….
2018 little treasures Ateneo de Madrid, Sala Prado, C/Prado 21, Madrid (Spain) 4 – 15 November, 2018
Ancient land horizon #1, #2, #3, #4 2019 Acrylic mixed media on board 20x20x3cms (each piece)
Art is more than pretty pictures, it has existed for eons and is part of who we are. Like stories told by ancient cave paintings, painting continues to be a dialogue between creator and viewer. For me painting is a journey, a way of exploring and telling stories.
2017 little treasures Galleria De Marchi, Via de Marchi, 19b, Bologna (Italy) 25 November – 7 December 2017
Play in the sun #1, #2, #3, #4 2017 Acrylic on linen 20x20x3cms (each piece)
Painting ignites in me a passion for exploring and interpreting what I see, feel, and/or experience. I enjoy both the materiality of paint and relationship between paint and surface. I draw from my love of simple form, colour and tactile sensibility finding inspiration in the natural and built environment. I choose abstraction to provide me with a language which is at once personal and universal. My painting is process orientated using additive and subtractive techniques. Surfaces are developed through a dialogue of adding layers of paint and other materials, an iterative process that creates imagery and forms which are developed and nurtured as the process evolves.
Influenced by Wabi-Sabi and focused on texture, abstraction and colour-(field), my works create a journey across the painted surface. They are an invitation to gaze, become lost and tangled in their surface, to find something new, to make a connection with the senses: paintings to feel. I aim for my work to be open ended, to stir and inspire.
2016 SALA / City of Unley Active Ageing Award - finalist
For artists over the age of 60 to celebrate City of Unley’s involvement with SALA and to promoting and supporting an active againg approach.
Misty morning #1 2016 Acrylic mixed media on canvas 120x100x4cms
2016 The challenge of art prizes (All Connections to Unley Inaugeral Art Prize)
I find art prizes both exciting and challenging particularly when there is a diversity of 2D entrants ie painting in all media as well as photography. I am confounded by how it is possible to judge such a variety of works. Nevertheless, I am willing to throw my hat (or my painting) into the ring and see how I go.
So for me it was a great delight to have my painting ‘Jacaranda Time’ selected as a finalist in the “All connections to Unley Art Prize”.
When I learnt of the inaugural prize offered by Unley Council I immediately thought of the street trees that provide beautiful corridors throughout the City. In particular, I envisioned the Jacarandas that line so many of the city’s streets during my birthday month of November. Their beauty and colour fill not only the tree tops and the footpaths along which we walk but also our imagination.
My 60 word description accompanying the painting stated …
“Jacaranda Time celebrates the thousands of leafy street trees in the City of Unley, particularly Jacarandas, with their breathtaking vivid lilac-blue floral display. The painting references and abstracts their beauty which enhances the living environment of Unley’s diverse population. One can envision the trees as a woodland filled with history and mystery through which residents experience the magic of nature.”
While my recent textural painting had been nonrepresentational this work demanded elements of imagery and began for me a new series of works.
Jacaranda time 2016 Arylic mixed media on canvas 76x66x4cms
2016 - Studio move
Earlier this year I relocated my studio. After sharing a studio space in the beautiful Barn for several months I came to realise that a shared space did not work for me and I needed solitude and more space. I had the great fortune of being offered exactly what I needed on the same Wairoa property. The room is next to and detached from the main house. Built in the 1890s and later used as a summer house for the Barr-Smith family, the room I now occupy was the sitting room for the Barr-Smith’s teenage daughters and in more recent history a class room for the Marbury School. The walls were painted dark red, not my preferred studio colour! And the carpet was a typical 70s blue/green. With several coats of white paint and removal of the carpet revealing a beautiful jarrah floor, the room was transformed. Furnishing the studio was easy with my trusty IKEA furniture moving with me – it’s now seen four studio moves and with its modular nature has fitted perfectly into each space.
2015 - South Australian Living Artist (SALA) exhibition
SALA 2015 has ended. Again, it has been an amazing and busy time with my works being exhibited in a number of venues.
At Etienne on Unley Rd, I exhibited a collection of colourful works inspired by the garden and focused on texture, abstraction and colour-(field), re-interpreting my environment and creating a journey across the painted surface.
In an exhibition with artists from The Barn titled “Off Shoot” I include mixed media works on canvas and a new selection of textured soft works on cotton paper floating within a white frame.
SALA Gala in the Garden was a great day. Beautiful sunshine drew the crowds to view all the amazing exhibits. It was a wonderful experience demonstrate painting and to talk to so many people about my art.
As a way of giving to the community who has supported me in many ways I also exhibited a selection of works in the Unley Council Chamber and Inner Gallery.
2015 - Special birthday quilt
For her 10th birthday my graddaughter, Felix, requested an abstract quilt so I chose Marimekko fabrics in bright cheerful colours and included some rectangle shapes amongst the squares. The entire quilt was hand stitched creatiing an additional layer of abstracted interest. A special creation made with love.
2015 - Spring Workshop
The first workshop I ran at The Barn on 20 September 2015 was a resounding success Attendees loved the ambience of The Barn, the atmosphere of the workshop, the food and the opportunity to enjoy and explore their creativity in a relaxed fun environment with constructive guidance. As this was a spring workshop, we took the opportunity to glean inspiration from the wonderful heritage garden at Wairoa – this experience proved to be a very positive with workshop attendees. It was amazing to see how each person interpreted the garden in paint on their canvas.
Feedback comments included:
An absolutely new experience so enjoyable and fun. Perfectly run by Maggie & John. Incredibly therapeutic.”
“The walk through the garden was a great inspiration beginning.”
“A wonderful day, makes me want to get brushes and paint and keep going.”
“Great teaching, gorgeous garden!!!”
“A fabulous day – would like to repeat it !!!! again and again and again.”
“Thank you, this workshop was amazing”.
2015 Studio shared space in the Barn at Warioa in Aldgate
2013 Quilt made with love …
As 10 year birthdays are special … I decided to make a quilt for my graddaughter Olive’s 10th birthday … we decided on the pattern and went shoppiing for the fabric together - she selected the colours … the construction was rather complex and took come time but was such a pleasure create.
2011
I love these spaces with their hint of an elegant past: although neglected and deteriorating the light and foliage entering through the window speak of hope and possibility of renewed life. The relaxed kewpie adds further thoughts, questions, and possibilities. The narrative of these spaces engages me.
Small Study (Interior with kewpie) # 1 #2 #3 Oil on linen 30x30cms
Year of the rabbit
Beginnings …
Reflections of early studio spaces at home ….
Homage to the Dot …
The Dot by Peter H Reynolds … about beginning journey of surprise and self-discovery … My inspiration to begin painting … everyone has a creative spirit … just make a dot and see how far it takes your …. so I did … and embarked on my new life full of surprise and self-discovery,
Hanging in my kitchen as a constant reminder - the circle consists of text stating “homage to the dot, everyone has a crative spirit, just make a dot and see how far it takes you.