A bit of a favourite, I’ve painted this scene a couple of times before: Stand and Redwoods.
P.S. This is number five of the six paintings I planned to finish in time for next month’s Christchurch Art Show. It feels really good to be on track…
I’m in the middle of working on the large painting I mentioned last week ― a very exciting and all-consuming commission ― so until I have something else to show you, here are a few WIPs of ‘Thursday (Avon River)’…
I had something quite different in mind when I started this ― yes, I wanted bold, but I hadn’t counted on there being an explosion in the paint factory. I’ve thought about tweaking it here and there, taming some of the bright colours and lightening the water, but my husband really likes it and won’t let me touch it again ; )
“Colour is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” Claude Monet
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” Andy Warhol
This is my third painting created especially for this year’s Christchurch Art Show. I hope to finish several more before the exhibition in June. I also have a large (and I mean LARGE) commission work I’ve just started on : )
“Paint like nobody is watching and paint like you don’t need any money.” John Ferrie
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” W. H. Murray
As I mentioned last week, I’ve started preparing for this year’s Christchurch Art Show. It will be my first exhibition* and all artworks will be for sale. I’ll be surrounded by talented artists and awesome art (there’s a video of last year’s event on their website) and I’m a little nervous about it ― but when the opportunity presented itself last year (a nice lady from the show contacted me, having seen my work on this blog, and suggested that I apply), it seemed like the right ‘next step’ for me and my art. I’m now doing my best not to stress about it but I have quite a few large and large-ish canvases I need to paint in order to have enough work for the four-day exhibition. I’m telling myself: one painting at a time… and the show isn’t until June…
‘Warm Night, Southern Sky’ is the first of those canvases ― one down, (at least) six more to go.
THE CHRISTCHURCH ART SHOW 11th–14th June 2015
Tickets on sale now : )
My thanks to Kathie Pugaczewski for making me aware of the W. H. Murray quote.
This is the second time I’ve used my ‘red sky at night’ photograph as a reference for a painting. The first was an ink and watercolour sketch (click here to see the post).
* Strictly speaking, I have had student exhibitions and I did take my work to a mini market last year — this event, however, is much (much) bigger. And scarier. Onward and upward.
Friday will be the third anniversary of my little blog. My, how time flies!
Three years ago, I graduated from Design and Arts College NZ with a Diploma in Communication Arts and Design (graphic design). I started this blog as a way of putting my student projects online ― and then I wondered what to do next:
There were graphic design jobs (logos, business cards, posters), a couple of research projects (when I considered becoming a children’s book illustrator), and I even entered a few design competitions (which I didn’t win):
Nothing motivated me quite like my blog, though, to experiment and really explore my options. In particular, there were the ‘Shoot it, Sketch it’ posts…
…the ‘Thank You’ posts…
…and the ‘just for the heck of it’ posts:
Two years ago, I started getting more serious about painting. I taught myself about underpainting and painted on canvas for the first time:
I began my ‘In the Style of…’ posts and was inspired by some of my favourite artists and illustrators to experiment and see things differently:
I was thrilled when, out of the blue, I got my first commission…
…and over the moon when someone asked to buy one of my ‘Shoot it, Sketch it’ paintings:
About a year ago, I opened my Etsy shop… and sold my first painting online!
2014 was also, rather astonishingly, the year I passed the ‘1000 followers’ milestone on WordPress:
Since then, it’s been more of the same, really ― I’ve painted and sketched, posted ‘Wordless Wednesday’ photographs and inspirational quotes, I participated in my first craft market late last year…
…and I’m still happily working from home as a graphic designer:
Phew!
Now I’m getting ready for my first big (proper big) art show… but I’ll tell you more about that next week. Thanks for reading : )
Anna Cull ~ Art & Music 