Category Archives: quotes

City Lights

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City Lights diptych — acrylic on canvas, 2018. Private collection.

“It’s only impossible if you stop to think about it.” Pirate Captain.

‘City Lights’ is my second black canvas diptych inspired by Melbourne at night. The photograph (below) that inspired the painting was taken somewhere near Lygon Street. The photo of the painting (above) doesn’t really do it justice. As much as I love painting these black canvases, I’m finding them almost impossible to photograph properly. 

I’m already on to the next one… : )

City Lights reference photograph, Melbourne, 2015.

The Black Canvas

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“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” Pablo Picasso

‘Chinatown’ (Melbourne) is my first ever painting on black canvas. I bought four little 4″ x 12″ canvases more than a year ago but I haven’t had the confidence to paint on them. Until now. I have no idea what flipped the switch that suddenly made it the right time but I’m so glad I did. Picking up a few tips from tutorials posted online definitely helped and it turns out that I absolutely love love love ❤❤❤ painting on black canvas.

There is a second black canvas diptych waiting in the wings, another Melbourne night cityscape. I have also bought some black gesso so that I can make my own black canvases and continue exploring this new way of painting. Happy days.

A Little Serenity

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A Little Serenity — acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 mm, 2018. Available.

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
Chinese proverb

Small Reminders

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Open the Door — mixed media on canvas, 100 x 100 mm, 2018. Available.

Pause — mixed media on canvas, 100 x 100 mm, 2018. Available.

“…it is part of the artist’s function to pay sudden attention to… the details the world is constantly offering us, and then, if adequately arrested by them, to give them a singular existence, transforming them without falsifying them to reveal the capacity that all ordinary things have to become suddenly remarkable when picked out by human vision.” Margaret Mahy

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All I can be is me — whoever that is

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Wild Clouds – acrylic on canvas, 200 x 610 mm, 2017. Available.

“All I can be is me — whoever that is.” Bob Dylan

Another painting; another journey. ‘Wild Clouds’ incorporates quite a few of my favourite things: mountains, clouds, light, texture, the familiar and the abstract. It won’t appeal to everyone. That’s okay. My husband diplomatically says “it’s not my taste” and that’s okay too. Hey, I’m not quite sure I like it. But then I leave the room and come back and think, mmmm, yes, it really is okay. It changes with the light. It shifts and doesn’t stay still. I love the colours and the shape of the clouds. It is playful. It is dramatic. And, at the end of the day, it is finished.

I used an almost identical palette to that of ‘The Heart of a Rose’ with the addition of a shimmery gold for the sunset. The red was mixed into the pinks, purples, and greys. I originally intended the sky to be quite golden and more like the reference photograph (see below) but it didn’t look right. It was too happy, too sunny for winter.The golden light looks wonderful in the photo… but then the snow in the photo isn’t blue. Changes were made, layers were added (a lot of lovely layers), and now it is done. It will be listed on Etsy next week.

Update: Wild Clouds is now available via Etsy or directly from me via my ‘Available Work’ page.

Wild Clouds – detail

Wild Clouds – side detail

Alpine Sunset, 2013, photo reference

Wild Clouds – in situ