Nine Wellington artists are having a special pop-up Christmas art sale at the Sea Star Gallery in Seatoun, where I will be part of the working studio in the new year with the wonderful talent Stephanie Sinclaire Lightsmith. Really  looking forward to being a part of the local community and fabulous artists from around the area.

http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2013/pop-up-christmas-art-sale/wellington

Artists:
Nicola Dench
Inga Fillary
Belinda Griffiths
Stephanie Lightsmith
Mandi Lynn
Jolanda Norris
Liz Ritchie
Fraser Wyeth
Katherine Wyeth

Contact Information
seastarstudioseatoun@gmail.com
facebook Sea Star Studio
Tel: (04) 891 0726

A portrait of Hugh, a commission and a great excuse to try a new technique, glazing. Not sure I've mastered this technique by any means, the beauty of glazing is it's gorgeous quality to build layers of color, in thin washes, so light bounces around the canvas, creating a realistic like quality. My teacher has been incredibly helpful in developing this technique, any excuse for creativity a midst the cleaning and the dishes is a welcome one, a diversion from the monotony of the house. Here is the first attempt, starting with burnt sienna, a rich golden color. Then adding french ultramarine. alizarin crimson (who can't be inspired by a name like that), Indian pale yellow and finally re touching the flesh tones, pulling down the brightness of the hair and balancing the colors. There seems to be so much to learn in painting, maybe even a lifetime does not suffice, but it's wonderful trying.

This new series for the NZ Art Show, all deal with music, motion and memory at a cellular level, frozen in a place in time. They seek to capture both macro and micro worlds, the series began with the Flow of Memory, inspired by a piano phrase in Tchaikovsky's  No.1 Concerto. The artworks are a series which  communicates the recycling of our selves from life to death, coming from the universe and returning to the universe. Questioning where it is we come from and where our memories go once we pass. 

The main inspiration for this body of work, revolves around  fascination with light and water, it’s reflections and refraction's. Exploring of this subject matter seeks to convey a world that evokes the human connection with water as a form, but also with it’s deeper symbolism around emotions, movement, light and memory, portraying the realm of life at a cellular level. Energy and memories moving as if in the flow with a musical score.

Impromptu In C# Minor, is dedicated to my Nana, the Sculptor Margaret Pascoe. We dearly miss you Nana.



Fecund, 2013
Oil on Canvas
40 cm diameter

Impromptu in C# Minor, 2013
Oil on Canvas
120 cm x 60 cm

Nectar of Flowers, Memories of Gold, 2013

Oil on Board
27 cm diameter
Toccata in Blue, 2013
Oil on Canvas
60 cm x 60 cm

Pollination

Still forming content around the idea of memories, Fecund is part of the Memory series started last year for the NZ Art Show. This piece looking at the memories of sunshine and nectar.

Rooftop of the World Necklace

Inspired by the Himalayan regions, this turquoise, sterling silver, coral (dyed eco friendly) and pearl necklace is a handmade gift I just made,  from me and the girls, to their Nanny Jane. What a truly wonderful person she has been in our life and this is a small thank you, from a region she adores.

First Oil Painting off the Easel

This year marks the beginning of painting with oils. It's only been some 20 years in coming. "In the Distance, the Calming Hum of Bees" has found it's way from digital to paint. Which is in some ways is funny, given my thesis was researching Paintbrush to Pixel, here I find myself exploring the wonders of the timeless medium. The reason this painting came about, is largely due to a good cause, which made for a heart felt drive to push myself beyond being self conscious of my art and create for a much needed cause, the building and construction of a home for under privileged children  in Nilakottai, India. All proceeds made through art sales as well as ticket sales will go directly towards the new children s home.
http://www.the-journey.org.nz/

Ella's Dream Flight

For me little honey bee, Ella Bear. Your Dream flight atop the 

Barn Owl. Hoot Hoot.

Experimenting with oils for the next NZ Art Show, really feels like a child in rapturous awe and excitement again for the first time in an age. The freedom to be able to create and get in touch with that fire, without any constraints or need for huge amounts of attention to detail and deadlines, as with my previous job in the film industry, has been a breath of fresh air. The dual nature of my personality has seen to it that my love of illustration take a breath also and here is the preliminary sketch of Ella Dream Flying. My childhood was filled with dreams of flying and the image of a twilight night flight atop a barn owl seems a somewhat delicious one to me. Painting to follow.

NZ Art Show 2012

Very excited and lucky to be a part of this years NZ Art Show. The Show calls for:

The New Zealand Art Show is a three day visual feast for art lovers and those interested in purchasing original New Zealand Art for under $5,000.

The show exhibits and sells work by hundreds of new, emerging and established artists from around New Zealand. Each year there is an enormous variety of art styles, genres and media. All artwork exhibited has been subject to a selection process promising affordable and quality works of original NZ art.  

This is my first foray into the fine art world, which will be interesting having come from a commercial digitalartist background. Given that works need to be original one offs, it has occurred to me that this is a great opportunity to branch out and try different mediums to incorporate with my digital creations. This has involved a lot of research into just how possible oils and acrylics will adhere to the ink pigments printed on canvas.  A very lovely and well established artist, Lynne Sandri, who can be found here http://www.lynnesandri.co.nz/  has been generous in providing me with education in the area of painting and the show which has led to this all becoming possible. Sometimes life throws you a line and I think it's important to take it and take the risk. So, I have set about creating a series of new works to achieve that goal, dealing with the idea of memories. Where they come from and where they go once we pass on. Here's to a wonderful country full of creative talents. Cheers Wellington New Zealand.

The Flow of Memory

A Dream Remembered

Just A Fleeting Glimpse




Finished Mixed Media Canvas Paintings for 
the NZ Art Show in August

Bumble Bee Rescues

Last year a few stray bumbles got caught out in the cold snap. Frozen by the wintry chill, motionless, this fluffy bumble found a warm sweet home for a day to rejuvenate. In the morning it was lovely to hear the buzzing of our new friend, set free into the sunshine of a new day.

Given a life long love and obsession with the bees of the world, these photos have been donated to the Australian Native Bee Research Centre. As they currently have no photographs of the New Zealand bumble bee, it's sent me off for a fun new project to help a worthy cause. More photo studies to come of this most humble creature.

http://www.aussiebee.com.au/anbrc.html

The Souls of the Forest

Almost dry. Getting this piece ready for the Untitled Art Exhibition. The meditative old souls standing quietly in the silent morning landscape that is the Adelaide Hills. Cool and refreshing, the smell of Eucalyptus fills your very being.

The Flow of Memory

A new piece for the upcoming Unscripted Exhibition. Particles of energy whirling in the breeze. Memories and Feelings through the flow of time. Unsure of the appropriate word for such a concept. Quanta, Cymatics, Flow of Time, Loss of Memories. Loss of Memory would be quite apt currently :)

Water color from Design School 2004. The cackling of witches in the cold night air and dancing of trees by moonlight

Ellas Tree Sculpture

Choosing which composition. Sculpture now needs to be fired and painted, then lit correctly for reference. Thought the symbolism of the doorway in the tree (one which that's always been fascinating to me) can relay the idea rather than just a hollow as in the initial sketch.

Ellas Tree

This is really an Ode to Arthur Rackham and his many beautiful enchanting trees.

What begun as a sketch for my daughter, has turned out to be a venture in sculpting. Initially the idea was to create a doorway in which the traveller can climb through, to gain access to the realms of the imagination. The sculpture was created primarily to give me a real three dimensional object in which I could move and interact with, to get the most dynamic composition. The feeling needing to be captured is one of a secret enchanted tree, found by chance, behaving in a fantastical way, perched un naturally from a mountainside with a fisheye distortion. So now the problem still remains choosing the most interesting perspective! There is too much choice now, it seems to be a problem that re occurs, never having one single voice but many. Then there is photoshop, with hours of constant dabbling of a canvas that never get's dry :)

My father recently, well one year ago, asked me to paint him a portrait. It's taken so long to get to this point and still it doesn't feel finished. It shows me how much I have to learn about light, mixing colors and creating a feeling and theme in which to reflect your feelings about the subject matter. Our family home has a wonderful sunlit music room with my Mums grand piano and a beautiful Blue Cypress tree my brother and I climbed as a child. It felt like the right setting for my Dad to be, in a light magical setting, he has been the wisdom and back bone of our family and I love him very dearly. A very knowledgeable worldly character, my impetus was to try and create the idea that he has a mind of wonder and awe, so above his crown there needed to be a symbolism and felt that a spectrum of light twinkling through the tree branches could achieve this. This digital ink is ready to dry for now :)

Souls of the Forest

After the birth of my first child, Ella Bear, my mind has been brimming and germinating like wild fire with creativity. Between reading and feeding the Souls of the Forest, started in 2006, has been forming in my head. The idea is to paint how it feels to be in the old ghost gum forest of home. Trying to emulate the old people standing still in this silent landscape.
As this painting starts many ideas come to mind of ideas to portray. Maybe a few poppy flowers to commemorate my grandfather and great grandfathers tragedy at war. A silent barn owl flying through undetected. The idea of the souls of the forest returns, lets see where it wants to go.

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The Talking Statue

Illustration project for Digital project. Water color.

Yemen Talisman. Fire Metal and Imagination = Alchemy