The Drawing Room

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I have been revamping listings on Etsy to show how my paintings and note cards could look when displayed in rooms (or, as I like to call them, drawing rooms). The process of ‘framing’ them was fascinating, to see what worked and what didn’t. These are a few favourites.

This is me

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Two art shows have come and gone. This is me with my paintings at the Pegasus Bay Art Show on opening night… and a fun night it was too. I made a grand total of zero sales, which made me sad, but, hey, the worst day in the best job in the world is still better than the best day in a job you don’t enjoy, right?!

I wallowed in my disappointment for a couple of days (damn you, expectations!) and now I’m back to my factory preset optimism. But I am running out of room to store all these paintings… So if you would like to help me reclaim some space in the art cave, there is 25% off the price of all paintings in my Etsy shop from now until the end of the month.

Onward.

All I can be is me — whoever that is

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

“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.

Wild Clouds – detail
Wild Clouds – side detail
Alpine Sunset, 2013, photo reference
Wild Clouds – in situ

The Christchurch Art Show 2017

Another year has flown by and it’s time once again for the Christchurch Art Show. I’ve downsized my commitment this year and will only be exhibiting three paintings. I’ve chosen work that I think will benefit most from being seen ‘in person’ so to speak: Any Road Will Take You There, Tasman Bay, and Curves Ahead.

The Christchurch Art Show
Opening Night: Thursday 15th June
*** Show Days 16th–18th June ***
Wigram Air Force Museum, Christchurch, NZ

Any Road Will Take You There (sold)
Tasman Bay
Curves Ahead (sold)