He aint heavy, he's my brother!

Two things for you this week, heavy and light!  First the heavy.  I have got my oils out again; I have found some gloves that isn’t too distracting to protect me from my allergy to oil or turpentine.  It is a work in progress.

It is about how we deal with the dark and light in our life.  For me, being a Christian I can lean on Jesus and God for guidance in difficult times.  Others have different belief systems and use that for hope.  However there are many people out there who don’t have a faith of any sort and when things go wrong, it is so difficult for them to cope and depression can set in.  This is happening to someone close to me, and it breaks my heart.  Hope is what gets us through.

It is quite a large painting, about 30in x 36in.  I am not sure about the pot at the bottom; I think it might need a lot of texture, perhaps hieroglyphics?

Perhaps it needs to be in darker tones, time will tell.  I have to say that I am really enjoying getting into oils again; I think that is where my heart is!  I will post about this work again, maybe not next week but definitely the week after.

Anyway on to a lighter topic.  I am guilty of do a painting purely to match the colours in my bedroom!

I love peacocks, and have wanted to paint them for ages.  This is purely a decorative piece, and I got the idea from a wall frieze I saw ages ago.  It is quite small 10in x 20in. I used acrylics and only took a short time to do and is already hanging in my bedroom.  There, you now know the colour scheme in my boudoir!

Have a great week everyone

and a

Happy Paint Party Friday!

On the Road

Hi, long time, no see!  I have been unable to do any art or blog over the last month, LIFE!  Anyway, I am back in harness now, well sort of.  Because of the break I am finding it difficult to get into the swing of things.  When I couldn’t do art I was painting pictures in my head, do you do that?  However, now that I can I have a block!  Plenty of ideas, all those pictures in my head, but when I sit down at my table, nada!  I just look blankly at my paper or canvas.  We have all been there I suspect. 

Well things have been kick started by the urgent need to do a mini journal for my lifelong friend Shelly who is starting a new chapter in her life.

She and her husband have sold up their house and are in the process of buying a fifth wheel caravan (whatever that is) and they are going to amble the byways and highways of NZ.  Shelly turned up this week all full of excitement she was going to give in her notice that night, and in two weeks FREEDOM! 

Shelly and I were students at Polytechnic together all those years ago, she did photography and I illustration.  I have been more fortunate in being able to follow my bliss, she hasn’t.  She has had to work at jobs she has hated for so many years. So you can guess what this will mean to her!

I am so happy for her.  I will miss her, but hey, there still is Skype internet and so on.  I am doing the journal because we have a lot of history between us and we have always been there for each other with our arty efforts, we even have had what we call “arty farty” show and tells to each other when either of us have thought we were losing the creative edge.

Anyways, I started this yesterday, the journal will be A5 size and I still have a little work to do on the face and I have all the text to add.  But it is a start.

A funny story for you.  Another sort of friend (?) turned up last night and was going on how about I would miss her and wasn’t I jealous etc., you know the sort.  She is a woman that it is difficult to get a word in her chatter. Well for the first time I stopped her in her tracks!  First of all I will have to explain that in NZ we have several sayings that mean isolated areas.  – ‘beyond the black stump’, ‘wop wops’ and ‘like Eketaunga’.  Now Eketaunga does exist, it is a one eyed little town that most of NZ thinks epitomizes wild isolation.  Well Ekataunga is only 40 or so km up the valley.  Yes, I live in a rural province and most of NZ regard it as the Wild West!

Back to the story, this woman asked me where Larry and Shelly were heading when they set of on the 17 Oct. I replied “Eketaunga” .  She just stopped in mid speech and spluttered, eyes rolled and muttered something about getting home to cook her hubby his dinner.  I think she thought I was taking the mickey.  But, they are going to Eketaunga, they have friends there and are going to call in on them and stay a few nights.  What a hoot, I wonder whether I will see her again?  I hope not, this visit showed me she is malicious.

Thanks for visiting and hope I see you next week.  I know I am a bit late but I am linking this to Paint Party Friday

Friday Again

This is the only piece of art I have completed this week. Have been busy in the garden and with my illustrating commissions. I have been pondering whether to do the 29 faces this September, it will be a busy month and I am not sure that I can allocate the time needed. I have a soft spot for it, as it was the first challenge I ever took part in. I really loved doing the lovely above, and have come to the conclusion that I will commit to it, but do one actual face a week but show the daily progression of the painting. The girl above took me 5 days (it is in acrylic), spending about ½ to 1 hour each time. My goal will be to do a series of girls on canvas in acrylics using colour (bright colours) with unusual combinations. The girl above will be the first. They will all be the same size canvas, as they fit into one of the standard size NZ Post cardboard boxes for posting. (I am seriously considering opening an etsy shop sometime soon.) Anyways this girl has not a name yet, I keep thinking of 'hopeful' or spring nymph?

Have a great week every body and happy Paint Party Friday!

Fly Away Dear Bird

This is for a dear friend who is suffering at the moment – May freedom come soon.   Liz, you are in my prayers.  Acrylic on canvas, 30cm x 40cm.

Joining up with Paint Party Friday hosted as always by Eva and Kirsten.