Let's Talk Art Blog

As the season is changing, so are things in the studio, with my latest body of work nearing completion. It will soon be time to plant the seeds of some new ideas. It must be all the rain....

Do you avoid using black in your paintings? Or do you wonder if black is the secret missing element in your work? Avoiding black altogether, and following the Impressionists' school of thought (that in nature, all colours are mixed) could be holding you back from creating strong artwork. I'm not a big fan of using pure black paint, though you will find areas in my work that look as if they are pure black, but this is usually an illusion created by the relative colours next t

To be selected as a finalist this year was really an honour, the calibre of work on show was simply stunning and wonderfully diverse, from prints to ceramics, paintings, photographs and sculptures. 'Rustlers' found it's way through the undergrowth to celebrate the biodiversity of our region and wave the flag for our beautiful Blue Tongue lizards, which go quietly about their business without making a fuss, rustling carefully through the leaf litter in the back gardens and bus

I came home from running a workshop last week on a sunny afternoon and was struck by how lovely and inviting my studio looked at the end of the driveway, surrounded by lush greenery, and over hanging trees. The doorway suddenly presented itself as a portal into a world where magical things could happen.

I was recently invited, by my artist friend Dale Leach and the Tinbeerwah Art Group in the Noosa Hinterland, to deliver a print and collage workshop to current members. Packing the car with all my supplies left me without doubt about being a travelling circus! I had to set the stage for what was to come, so off I went armed with artwork, sketchbooks, works-in-progress, paints, papers, boxes of stencils and textures, printing plates and rollers.....

Tranquil green spaces in cities seem exceptionally restorative, perhaps because they are so closely juxtaposed with the built environment, heightening the differences between the two. Public gardens and parklands have so much to offer the wandering artist! Texture, colour, contrast, light and shade all dynamically applied in the real world, far from the easel and the confines of the studio. These beautifully planned and tended places offer journeys and breathing space.