Original Artworks
After several successful markets this summer, Saturday 30th January might be my last in a little while. Back to work means less time in the studio, although I will have a three day weekend!
I will be working towards the Printmakers exhibition at the F Project, Warrnambool, with the theme ‘Trees’. My work will still be available at Julia St Creative Space and Gallery in Portland, the Mud Gallery in Hamilton, Koopman’s in Dunkeld and the WADAS exhibit at Flagstaff Hill, Warrnambool.
These are the newest in a series of prints featuring our fabulous native cockatoos. Same linocut block in different colour ways, some with hand painted details. Which do you like best?
This linocut was a long time in the planning, sketching and carving stages, but I’m quite pleased with the result. Hand printed on 45% organic cotton and 55% hemp, made in Australia tea towels and 50 x 50cm cushion covers. I thought I might try different ink colours on paper for Major Mitchell’s, Yellow and Red-tailed Black cockatoos and Galahs.
I have enjoyed producing some monoprints with leaves from native plants and a circular piece of lino over the past few months. Those that weren’t quite as successful benefited from overprinting with a linocut of Eastern Barred Bandicoots. There are ten of these in the edition, with varied backgrounds. $95 unframed or $180 framed.
The Pop-Up Maker’s Market in Hamilton was a great success, with local artists displaying their work in a large retail space near Woolies. Meg and Darcy Jackson manned the shop for the three weeks leading up to Christmas, selling locally crafted items on behalf of the artists. I sold out of all these tote bags, except for a few dinosaur skulls!
My next market will be on New Year’s Day at Railway Place, Port Fairy. Please contact me via this website or on Instagram if you would like to order any of my prints or fabric items. Best wishes for a fabulous 2020!
I have been focusing on painting over the last few months, to finish my Diploma of Visual Arts at SWTAFE in Warrnambool. You can see some of my landscapes in acrylics by clicking on the Paintings tab in the menu (left). I also need to complete a unit on still life painting and a coherent body of work. So lots more painting before the year is over, although I might try some watercolours and oil painting.
Since I sold the last few ‘Heart of the Southern Ocean’ prints, I have been working on the two lino plates pictured. A humpback breaching and three Orcas creating a ‘bait ball’ of small fish. There will be 20 of each hand printed on 100% cotton rag paper, in dark blue and black ink, respectively.
These 100% wool cushion covers are dyed using brown onion skins and eucalyptus leaves. I sourced secondhand woolen blankets and cut them to size, wrapped them around copper pipe and pieces of wooden decking, layered with leaves and then placed them in the large boiler. After simmering for several hours and leaving them overnight to cool, the colours and patterns were revealed.
A local lady, who worked as a machinist at Fletcher Jones, sews the zippers in and now I have six of these available for sale. No two cushions are the same, so each is an original hand made piece of art for your enjoyment!
What a great way to spend an autumn Saturday! While others were enjoying the football and netball, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with local artist, Caroline Healy. Caroline has a bright and bubbly personality and offers encouraging and constructive feedback. The aim of the day was to have fun, learn new skills and finish with an acrylic seascape.
Some of the good tips I took away from the workshop was to undercoat with red (easier to see where you haven’t painted and gives the work warmer tones), use masking tape for a straight horizon line and keep working until you’re happy. I still have a bit more work to do with both these, before varnishing. I really recommend taking one of Carolyn’s classes, even if you think you can’t paint or haven’t done any painting since leaving school. It is a wonderful way to relax, meet lovely people and maybe surprise yourself with what you can achieve.
We had a lovely morning in Hamilton for our first HIRL Farmer’s and Craft market stall. The HIRL is a wonderful hay bale and mud brick building, surrounded by community gardens and the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Reserve. Lots of preserves, honey and baked goods, olives, fruit, vegetables and homegrown produce. My new fabric products (tote bags, tea towels and cushion covers) sold well, so I have some more printing to do!
