Bit more done..

I enjoyed doing this one. It's not finished yet. I want it to be a bit of a caricature and not as realistic as my usual work.I want it to be simple, bold & colourful. I'll come back to it when its dried a bit & hopefully finish it off..


It will be for Sale -

Oil

35 x 46cm deep edged canvas

Contact me for details.

My yawning horse demo!

Here's what I ended up doing as a demo.Heres the sketch..

Better get it together!

I think Ill do a bit more of Zeuss and I for the demo tomorrow & hopefully finish it off.I have an idea for an amusing painting of a horse yawning but the photo is very blurry and I don't have a canvas the right size.I better get my act together as we have visitors soon so I need to get the car packed for tomorrow!

Here's an update on Cicci

I've done a bit more of Cicci.. I'm really enjoying painting her portrait. I love this new canvas! Getting there just keep refining ..

What to as a demo tomorrow..?

I was hoping to paint Cicci at the horse event I am going to tomorrow but unfortunately the only board I had to pin the canvas on is too big & heavy to put on my portable easel..Have to come up with something else. I'd like to do a bigger mutlicolour horsey sketch but I would be experimenting and have no idea where I was going so I don't know if thats a good idea

My latest portrait Cicciolina

Here's my latest portrait Cicciolina.


I've just covered the canvas here. The background colour will probably change to a darker colour but I had some fun with that. The reference photo has Cicci plaited but she is a lovely showy dapple grey with a dark mane and tail so we thought she would look nicer with her mane flow...ing.

She is 35 x 35cms and will be on a deep edged canvas when she is finished.I'm using a finer canvas to paint on and it's lovely to use ! I'll have to use it all the time.

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Only few spaces left for Christmas portraits so order soon!

Surprise someone with a touching portrait for Christmas.

'I received the painting yesterday. It is beautiful it looks exactly like him, when I showed mum my she was so happy and could not believe how good it had turned out its really just like a mirror image of Banjo. I just want to thank you for the wonderful job you have done .
It has been the best gift I have ever given any one'



Kendra






I only have a few spaces left for Christmas commissions.If you are thinking of having a portrait done contact me to order soon (especially if you need it framed) and I can save a space for you.

Soggy event

I went to a dressage day on Sunday and it rained ALL day. Luckily I was inside the indoor arena. People could warmup inside in the dry but then had to go outside and do their test in the rain.. Not fun.. I think everyone just did their test  then got into dry clothes and went home!
 I'm a fair weather rider and certainly admire the people that competed . They deserve any prizes they got! No wonder they ride better than me..LOL"s
 The arenas were like a swamp at the end and the higher level riders didn't want to risk their horses slipping over so they got to do their test in the lovely dry indoor arena.I suppose it would really sort out the horses that can handle water and puddles!
 I'm going to another one this Sunday but the forecast isn't good so maybe not..there isn't as much shelter there. I love the rain from a dam filling , pasture perspective but I think a lot of events will suffer this Summer due to the increased rainfall predicted with La  Nina.

Updated version .. almost there

I really enjoyed being able to do whatever I wanted with this one.I still need to put some lighter colours on the front of Zeuss and suggest some stirrups.I can't believe how easy it was to paint my face..it made me realise that I need to just relax and paint and not worry so much about whether someone will like it. It just flowed..I also enjoyed slimming myself down and making both Zeuss and I more correct in our posture..LOL's..

 I like the way we are both so happy. I chose the reference photo because we were both happy but it wasn't the best riding photo I had. We have both improved a lot since that shot.It was taken a few years ago so I just improved things to where I hope we are now! 

An update on the painting of Zeuss and I

I've done some more on the painting of Zeuss and I. It's almost there just have to add some lighter bits to the front of him & suggest stirrups..I'll post the earlier version 1st and then what I've just done so you can compare progress.

Half done

Massive thunderstorm!

We just got a massive storm.It bucketted down for 40mins - we got 44mm of rain ! yippee! We're on tank water and we haven't had any dam filling rain for 18months so it was looking dicey for summer. Our creeks only run in flood rain and we're on the top of a hill so other than the driveway gravel washing away we love big storms!
 I went down to rug Zeuss as it was coming and there was a massive crack of thunder & the roos & he took off.I called him & he cantered up to me to get his rug on.
 There was heaps of runoff and I didnt care that the fire chimney was leaking like a seive..There was some small hail which didn't impress the roos who were diving around everywhere trying to avoid it.I couldn't see Zeuss he was right down the bottom of the paddock but he wouldnt have been impressed either!
I'll post some pics later.
 Our middle dam is now full but I doubt whether our big one rose much.. which is a pity as its just a puddle at the moment. La  Nina bring it on!
 ( the best bit was I rode Zeuss this morning so it doesn't matter if the arena is a swamp..)
 I looked at the radar and it seems like we copped the heaviest rain in the state..wow we won one for once..

Latest portrait Asha

Boy I hate the early stages of painting..Im so impatient for it to look good NOW but you have to do the boring bits first.. yawn..




I'm busy painting a commission but I can't post it as its a suprise Xmas gift.I can't even tell you what it is ..Its a different subject & quite challenging..its scaring the ...out of me! I...'m sure it will turn out ok in the end.

Heres my latest portrait.Shes an unusual Blue Staffy. I used several photos .One for the main pose and another for her colour. Her eyes were ' flashed out' in the photo so I had to make them up.

Asha 20 x 25cms

Deep edged Oil

The first sitting for mums portrait.

 




Heres the result of the first sitting with Mum .I'm not happy with it.Its too harsh & I ran out of time so the mouth & eyes are just slashes.Before I go back out I 'll correct the likeness from a photo I took and I might change the pose too.I think I want her looking at you a bit more.I like the looseness though.This is just an acrylic underpainting to get everything sorted and then Ill go over it with OIls in natural colour.It might be a while before I get the time to do more on it.I wasn't going to post this as I'm not happy with it but I thought you'd be interested to see it as it will eventually come out ok.

Heres a photo to show you what various sized portraits look like on a wall.

Thought Id post a pic of portraits on the wall so you can get an idea of relative sizes.From left to right- Emma & Balco ( 30 x 40cms deep edged canvas)


Mr Expensive & all Zipped up ( 75 x 85cms Oil )

Jack ( 40 x 50cms framed Oil ).

The photo isnt very flattering of the portraits but it gives an indication of sizes well.

...They would have looked better above a large lounge and probably on a different coloured wall but thats the only wall space that was available.

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I'm impressed with this summer horse rug!

I looked down the 25acre paddock yesterday & heres Zeuss standing with his rug around him like a bib..argh! He was frustrated and rubbing &  trying to walk and standing in it. Its a pretty new rug so panic set in! I yelled at him as he usaully stops & looks & I set off down yelling everytime he moved.I'm really impressed with the rug. Other than green hoof stains its perfect! I couldn't figure out how he got it off & then realised that I was a bit vague yesterday ( didn't get to sleep till 1am) so I prob forgot to do the leg straps up & when he rolled it twisted around.Last rug that happened to was a train wreck!
 Zeuss is 18 now & he finally trusts me so he was pretty laid back about it all thank goodness.

Ungrateful creature!

The cute ducklings have grown up and now we have 11 semitame ducks that we feed once aday. The mother is getting a bit full of herself & raced to attack my partner a few days ago when he went out with the feed.She bore down on him wings outstretched & he just stood there & glared at her.. The closer she got the slower she went & finally she closed her wings & stopped & pretended that she hadnt even considered it. She had another go today & launched herself at him & he just put his elbow up & once again she decided it wasn't a good idea..lucky it wasn't me as I don't think I would have stood my ground!  LOL's..

Suicidal bird

I heard a loud whack earlier today while I was in the kitchen & thought that sounds like a bird hitting the wall..I  forgot about it until I was on the back verandah later & saw a soldier bird on its back gasping..I put it in a bucket with a towel in & over the top thinking it was beyond hope but after a few hours it was a bit chirpier. I gave it a drink & the wires woman came over & took it.I wonder if it will survive.I think it had a broken wing & leg.

Asha

Asha is an unusual Blue staffy puppy.She sounds lovely so I hope to do her justice in her portrait.

Latest dog commission "Asha"

I've started on a dog commission this morning.It took a while to get into it.I hate the early stages as I want results NOW! But the early work has to be done in preparation for the fun 'icing on the cake. The camera doesn't seem to be able to cope with all the close toned colours as it won't focus..it did earlier when I had more contrast..so sorry its blurry.The basics are done now I have to refine her expression and give it some oomph.

Here it is framed

For Sale
$475
Gloucestor Bucketts View
Oil
43 x 50cms framed size

Revamped Gloucestor Bucketts view

Ok here it tis..I think I'm happy with it.. It goes in an artshow tomorrow anyway so I hope it's dry!

We must be tough..

My partner cooked pasta yesterday and I said we had some sauce in a jar in the cupboard.It tasted good. I asked him which sauce he used and he pointed to a jar.. Argh!! Its the salsa dip left over from my birthday do in August! I knew it was dead but hadn't got around to throwing it out of the fridge..


We waited all night for symptons ready to ring the ambulance but we survived..must have sturdy stomachs or they fill that stuff with millions of preservatives!

It must be spring..version 2 ..or 3 ..?

I was driving down our gravel drive yesterday and a small ( 2') red bellied black snake was crossing..I timed it so he got across and I passed just after his tail left the road.He obviously wasn't impressed at how close the car was as he stood up & freaked out..So snakes are on the move..I haven't seen any of the resident goannas yet and the ducklings have grown up to adolescents without any fatalties..9 of them..

1st sitting for the portrait of mum for my Archibald entry..

I started on the portrait of mum I'll be entering in the Archibald.I had a 2hr sitting with her yesterday.It was cramped as the only place that had nice lighting was out in her sitting room with her sitting near the window but the easel was cramped up & I had to back into the toilet to get back to see how things were going! I'm only doing a head and shoulders portrait but we had nice daylight streaming in through the window for sidelighting.I was really happy with the underpainting half way through but kept going as you must and had to leave it at a yuck stage as I was getting worse and she was tired.I'll have to correct the likeness here and then go out & start with Oil over the top next time.. + call the paper.I'd like to get onto it soon but next week is looking busy..

I've just rehung 29 artworks for viewing and purchase for the rest of the month.

I am sharing the cafe with another artist who has contemporary work.The cafe has 2 sections.My paintings are in the room closest to the street which is generally reserved for nighttime bookings but you can go in and view my work at any time during opening hours.I have taken a few of the larger portraits but there are still plenty of paintings to enjoy and choose from.
The cafe can be a bit hard to find. It is behind another shop so you enter by a small gate at the side and go down the back.They have a snadwhichboard oyut on the footpath when they are open during the day and a lit sign at night.

My Lorn exhibition has been extended.

 Most of the artworks will be up this L/W/E and then I will be sharing the venue for October so I will still have quite a few paintings up all of October.If you haven't had a chance to get up and have a look you now have another month.

Here's the latest painting inspired by my bushwalk on the Gloucestor Bucketts..not quite finished

'Gloucestor valley view'. It's not finished ..I'll have to sit on it for a while.This painting had ideas of its own and ended up not quite what I had in my head..I used 2 photos for reference as the original one was so late in the afternoon that there was hardly any sun so I used a slightly earlier shot to add some more light.