new work in progress

I spent all weekend in the studio - luxury! Inspired by my workshop with Seth Apter, I played with paint and acrylic glazing liquid. I learnt some wonderful techniques in that workshop, especially about layers and using text in painting. And the great thing is you can cover up mistakes with another layer of paint.

I also realised that I haven't used yellow in my work - gold, yes and bronze but not yellow. I don't have any yellow in my wardrobe either.  So as a challenge I made some pieces that were all predominantly yellow (this did involve a trip to the art store...)

And then I started on the current work in progress. I had a stretched canvas that was already primed with black gesso so added some paint and white gesso for texture.

 Some text and more colour

 Then this afternoon went over it with more colour - not finished but waiting for the next stage.

night walk

this was our after dinner walk last night - the moon almost full, luminous flowers, softly warm air.

Spring

Today really felt like spring has arrived - the bellwether sign is the butter. Left out on the kitchen bench it was soft enough to spread on my toast without microwaving!

It was Father's Day here in Australia so I made smashed avocado and feta with poached eggs on toast for lunch. Really, really good - especially with Betty and Vera's luscious eggs.

Then it was time to open the box of wonders from my favourite nursery and plant the summer bulbs - those glorious pink lilies that smell of vanilla, some deep red Bourbon Street lilies and Kind Dog's favourite - dahlias.

 The spring bulbs are nearly finished but there are still lots of iris

 and burgeoning tulips.

 I also spent lots of time in the studio this weekend. I stayed up until after 2am painting and experimenting, using the techniques I learned in Seth's workshop. Huge fun :)

busyness and birthdays

Blogging fell by the wayside for the last couple of weeks as it has been full pelt at work and on the academic front. And in the middle of colliding deadlines I had a Significant Birthday.

As a token of his esteem Toby gave me a special birthday present:

 And the amazing Kind Dog gave me a present every day for Birthday Week, including:

 a sixteenth century amethyst ring;

a Chaucerian silver pendant;

and a Shakespearean bracelet.

In the park I saw a Birthday Cormorant

 And then back to the books

52 pickup and I get to meet Seth!

Today I had an oasis day - no thinking about work or study (both nuts at the moment - 6 hour teleconference anyone?) - and instead spent the day at a workshop with the wonderful Seth Apter. Seth is an immensely talented mixed media artist: we 'met' two years ago when he asked me to make a piece for his next book. The Mixed Media Artist was duly published in October last year and included my piece Siliqua Lucti.

So I was really happy when I saw that Seth was going to come to Australia and give classes as part of the Art is You mixed media roadshow. I did Seth's 52 pickup class and it was so much fun. we had to turn up with a deck of playing cards, painted with black gesso on both sides.

Seth taught us how to do all sorts of magic with paint and gesso - here's what mine looked like after a couple of hours of playing.

 I edged mine with gold ink.

It was great to meet at last - Seth is a gem. If you get the chance to have a class with him, grab it!

lunchtime in the park

On my work days I try to go for a half hour walk in the park across the road from my building. It's a really good 're-set' time to go and look up into the trees and sky, watch the birds, search for treasures and have some mental space.

I see all sorts of interesting things and small treasures: today's strange find was this oddly spiralled sap.

There were hard lumps and filigrees of this resinous ook that had seeped out of the tree all the way up the trunk. Some bits has fallen onto the ground but there were lots still attached to the tree.

It's opaque as you can see, has no detectable smell and it quite smooth - not at all sticky.Very strange.