Bernadette Boundy's Blog

spider webs in the garden

2012-03-04T22:53:00.003+11:00

Rain makes the spider's web look like a string of pearls

End of the stay at Coningham Cottage

2012-03-01T00:19:00.000+11:00

Had been a wonderful place to stay - so picturesque and comfortable.

Derwent River on the way to MONA (2)

2012-03-01T00:08:00.002+11:00

Zinifex Zinc Smelter – Hobart, Tasmania on the Derwent River

Museum of Old and New Art 2

2012-02-29T23:53:00.001+11:00

The museum has been carved out of the rock and is a labyrinth several stories underground as can be seen here

These works below were by Wim Delvoye a Belgian conceptual artist

Museum of Old and New Art Hobart 1

2012-02-29T23:48:00.001+11:00

What an an extraordinary place. People had told me how wonderful it was, but seeing it first hand was indescribable.
The first image here is of a man called Tim whose tattoo has been created and sold as a work of art. He has been paid, and a condition of his payment is that he must sit in the gallery for a number of days each year, and that his tattoo is the property of the collector who has bought it when he dies. Thsi was by Wim Delvoye.

Below is a library of blank books

This is a concrete mixer carved exquisitely from wood in the Thai tradition.

Anslem Kiefer's work below

Derwent River - on the way to MONA

2012-02-15T23:23:00.000+11:00

A glorious still day for a ferry ride up the Derwent River to the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart

This is MONA from the river - a magnificent piece of architecture

Bruny Island Cruises

2012-02-15T16:15:00.002+11:00

Another highlight was the trip around Bruny Island with Robert Pennicott who runs Bruny Island Cruises.
His boats were wonderfully equipped, the sights were spectacular, and the commentary was great. He has a very integrated operation which made the participants feel very at ease. Robert s a warm and generous person, as is his whole family. Great panoramas, interesting facts and figures conveyed with humour and memorable anecdotes, and a good lunch. Highly recommended.

Giant kelp

Astonishing rock formations

Many large smelly bull seals

Snug Butchery Tasmania

2012-02-15T15:58:00.003+11:00

A highlight of the trip was our introduction to the butchery at Snug. What wonderful meat and fish these guys sell. The place was highly recommended and it exceeded our expectations. Fresh local produce, served with beaming smiles and good humour.

They are at 2203 Channel Highway Snug Tasmania 7504 (03) 6267 9127

Cygnet Tasmania

2012-02-15T15:47:00.002+11:00

Cygnet in the Huon Valley - charmin place where there is a butcher who has an emergency 24 x 7 offering. Just in case.....

and murals on the public conveniences

the Cygnet historical society below

the local clothes store

and a wall garden

Charlotte Cove

2012-02-15T15:41:00.001+11:00

Picnic at Charlotte Cove.. such a picturesque spot - we stumbled upon this lovely place, and had sandwiches and berries from our picnic hamper.

View from the Grandvewe

2012-02-14T18:41:00.002+11:00

A lovely day going down the Huon Valley - a lingering stop at Birch's Bay where we called in to the Grandvewe Cheese farm. The cheese from the sheep was delicious - we had to eat the sheep's milk ice cream and drink coffee made from sheep's milk. We were given an informative talk by the proprietors and a tasting - mmm.

Dinner that night was pasta with blue sheep's cheese, walnuts and cream........

There was a terrific view from the cafe.

Below are some of the boy sheep

Oyster Cove General Store

2012-02-14T18:11:00.002+11:00

One day we headed south and could not make our usual visit to Meredith's Produce shop. So we had a lovely time buying fresh fruit and vegetables from the Oyster Cove store.

A great variety of apples and potatoes, cherries and stone fruit.

People at the Salamanca Market

2012-02-14T18:04:00.000+11:00

As well as the wonderful produce and hand crafts at the Salamanca Market, there were some interesting people too.

I met the creator of RedBunnySays who creates a range of interesting wares - tee shirts, patches, badges and bags.

Witty and entertaining indeed, and interesting entrepreneurial stall.

And then there were these two young buskers who were singing John Lennon's 'Imagine"...... I was so thrilled to hear the song being interpreted by these two very young boys singing it with the same passion and sincerity that was associated with it when it was first performed.

Salamanca Market

2012-02-14T17:51:00.000+11:00

The day we visited Salamanca Market it was hot and the sunshine was very bright. It made the market even more colourful in the drenched yellow light of the market umbrellas.

Meredith's Local Produce Store

2012-02-14T17:45:00.000+11:00

One of the treats in Tasmania was our daily visit to the Meredith store to buy local fresh fruit and vegetables as well as local honey, bread and cheeses. The people who worked there, and the owner always were friendly and happy to help.

Coningham Cottage

2012-02-11T11:29:00.000+11:00

Having a lovely stay at Coningham cottage.

We are staying at Coningham Cottage It is a great place for photography.

End of Times

2012-02-03T00:15:00.003+11:00

I have been busy in the studio this week - I set myself a challenge of creating works on wooden panels using encaustic (wax).

I used masonite, and started with a paper layer and then added wax and built it up. Using wax can be tricky, but using a variety of styluses on a wax tool helped control it.

I deliberately used classic colours of burnt sienna and french ultramarine - a magic combination.

That was the relatively easy part. Creating frames was the hard part.

I eventually managed to get the first image framed with a timber surround thanks to some help from John Ross. I have called it 'The Fracturing"

I have submitted it for the 69 Smith St Gallery show "The End of Times which runs from February 8th to 26th and opens Saturday 11th Feb.

The theme, "The End of Times" is a reference to the newspaper stories about the Mayan calendar supposedly predicting the end of times in December 2012.

I will be in Tasmania so will miss the opening.

The second image is also under consideration but is still a WIP - note, no frame..
Using terre verte and Naples yellow - two other favourite colours

2012-01-22T14:46:00.001+11:00

Linden Postcard Show 2012

2012-01-19T22:18:00.003+11:00

Each year Linden gallery has a postcard show. I have exhibited in this show since 2008.
Here are my entries for 2012.
All are mixed media. All approximately 25 cm x 20 cm.
As the name of the show suggests, there is a size limit on the works - they must be less than 30 cm x 30 cm.

Painting Jugs

2012-01-19T22:02:00.000+11:00

Over the summer I have been attending a class at the Incinerator Art Complex a with Lazar Krum. Fuve weeks - and I set myself the task of painting some jars and jugs. in different media,
Has been an interesting journey.

John O'Dal

2012-01-09T15:30:00.001+11:00

Last year in Septamber John O'Dal had an exhibition of his assembles and collages Brunswick St Gallery. I have been meaning to write about the show, because I found the works intriguing. He was very ill at the time and his works reflect a mood and complexity that comes from deep within.
See his works at his gallery on line. Make sure to click on the TS Eliot tab.
Here is a sample from his site

Daley St Preston

2011-12-31T12:05:00.001+11:00

A day in Carole's Monsalvat Studio

2011-12-31T12:04:00.000+11:00

Spent a lovely day in Carole's studio at Monsalvat. This is Carole working on her oil painting of plums in a bowl. The light in the studio is wonderful as can be seen below in these images.

Lovely prospect of being invited to spend more days in this lovely setting

still life

2011-12-29T18:06:00.000+11:00

I have been painting these jugs every day and am beginning to get to know them very well.

Daley St Preston (3)

2011-12-29T17:55:00.000+11:00

Daley St Preston (2)

2011-12-28T17:54:00.000+11:00

Daley St., Preston

2011-12-27T17:52:00.000+11:00

Satyagraha - the Opera

2011-12-27T16:17:00.000+11:00

Visual experiences that linger.... two weeks ago I went to see the Metropolitan Opera performance of the Philip Glass Opera. It was conveniently staged at the Nova Cinema in Melbourne. It was of course a HD film of the performance. I am very grateful to Julie and John Ross; friends who suggested the outing.

The libretto was in Sanskrit, was not really related to the story, and there were minimal subtitles - intentionally. So the opera was really about the music and the visual. I really like Philip Glass.
And the visual impact was stunning. The opera tells the story of Gandhi - his time in South Africa and the Salt marches. There is a reference to the people who inspired him - Tolstoy and Tagore, and the people who took their inspiration from Gandhi - notably Martin Luther King. There is more to the story, but that is the essence of it.
The staging was so arresting - wonderful puppets and glorious colours and effects. Here are some images.

and a link to the promotion for the opera here.
It was so inpiring I have booked to see several of the other operas in the season at the Nova.
The people who do the staging for the Met are among the best in the world so the visual experience is going to be inspiring.

Robyn Stacey

2011-12-26T14:56:00.003+11:00

A wonderful interview on the ABC show Art Nation with Robyn Stacey. A photographer who creates still life images using items from historic homes.
The images are very beautiful - and superbly executed - with no interference post production.

This is one of my favourites - there are more on the ABC blog here

http://www.abc.net.au/arts/stories/s3361614.htm

I am going to really miss the Art Nation program next year.

Duality: 2011 Banyule Award for works on paper

2011-12-23T18:53:00.000+11:00

Since TAFE has finished I have had time to go to some galleries and take some new inspiration from established artists.

I went to the exhibition Duality: 2011 Banyule Award for works on paper.

One of the great things about these kinds of exhibitions is being reminded that there are so many different approaches and ways of making beautiful work using the same support material.

It is a pity the artist statements are not included in the catalogue and that the Banyule web site does not seem to have images for those who could not attend to get a taste of some of the interesting works on display.

I loved the imagination and enigmatic message of Adam Simmons in his work Answering Machine - Maze byc (2009). Beautifully constructed and so intriguing.

Emma Hensler's Nesting (2011) (below) took my interest because it was a drypoint, and this method of printmaking is so old, yet still so capable of evoking a visceral response. Her mark making and mastery of the medium was lovely to see. I am inspired!

I grappled with monotypes this year sp when I saw Graham Brindley's Liminal Drift (2011) I was intrigued. A large work 240 x 42cm on hosho paper. Graceful, elegant ethereal. I think that often monotypes are messy and a bit crowded, but this was floating and understated. The title for the work was perfect.

I also particularly liked Lee Bethel's work Avenue of Trees (2011). It was freestanding cut paper cleverly cut and displayed with the shadows emphasising the delicate patterns of the trees.

And Michelle Watson's gouache on paper Ascension (2010) was was so beautifully executed.

It was indeed intriguing to see such diverse approaches to 'work on paper'. There were other interesting works - artist books and Liane Gough's Cerulean Blooms - a bowl of hydrangeas fashioned from the insides of envelopes was gorgeous.

All in all an excellent exhibition.

Blue Moon Tides - artist book

2011-11-29T17:30:00.001+11:00

This year for second year printmaking at NMIT our major task was to create an artist book.
I chose the theme of the moon and tides. I made 2 books - collographs mounted in concertina books on Dutch etch 200 gsm paper.
This blue book cover is Indian hand made paper. The red moon tides cover is buckram.
I was fortunate to win a generous prize donated by Magnani Papers Australia for which I am very grateful.

On the back of the pages are tide charts

Red Moon Tides

2011-11-29T16:42:00.000+11:00

Landscape paintings for Contemporary Artist Society

2011-11-28T17:51:00.001+11:00

These are close to completion ready for dropping off to the CAS exhibition at Burnley harbour next weekend. Details here
I have to put some finishing touches on them. Photographed them before glazing - otherwise it is too hard to avoid reflections.
The three works are 50 x 40 cm.

Recipe @ 69 Smith St Gallery

2011-11-26T21:16:00.001+11:00

I have just completed my entry for the end of year member's show at 69 Smith St Gallery.
The theme was "Recipe' and I was struggling to find a thread that appealed... then it came to me. Alchemy of Love. Here is the image I had printed today. It has evolved several weeks - with many iterations. So many of the classic alchemy symbols could be applied to love.
It is a digital print, 50cm x 70 cm framed.

The show will be open on Wednesday 30th November for three weeks. The opening is on Dec 3rd from 4pm - 6pm.

Contemporary Artist Society Show

2011-11-24T00:40:00.001+11:00

I have completed 2 works for the Contemporary Artists Society show at Burnley Harbour.

The details for the show which is on from Dec 2 to Dec Dec 4 are here.

These 2 paintings are larger than my usual ones. They are 120 cm x 120 cm.

Quite large.

I am very pleased with them - though they have taken an age to complete.

Now I have to get moving to complete 3 smaller works.

Lorne - it rained

2011-11-24T00:36:00.001+11:00

Went to Lorne for the day - it rained on and off. But managed to get to the beach for a stroll between showers. Even the seagulls looked a bit hesitant.

Children always seem to enjoy the beach despite the cold.......

Anglsea - it rained

2011-11-24T00:31:00.001+11:00

Went to Anglsea for the weekend. Saturday it rained pretty much all day. Spent a great deal of time looking out of the windows ... at the rain.

Painting again

2011-11-18T21:48:00.001+11:00

After an intensive year of photography and printmaking I have been immersed in the studio this week, painting. I am getting works ready for the Contemporary Artist Society exhibition at Burnley Underpass.
More details later.
Here are 2 images of the under painting from the first work. It is a large work for me - 120 cm x 120 cm.
So I had to photograph it in the back yard - and I liked the shadows that fell across it - and the stray leaves from a rogue spinach plant.

The final image is quite different......

Great document on street photography

2011-11-18T21:39:00.001+11:00

Enjoyed reading this article from
http://www.85mm.ch/Content/StreetPhotography.pdf

and looking at his website is inspirational
http://500px.com/85mm

Hand coloured Holga images

2011-11-07T09:47:00.001+11:00

These images were taken in black and white with a Holga film camera.
Negatives were scanned and hand coloured in photoshop.

Last Scanner as Camera update

2011-10-31T10:27:00.001+11:00

Yes I have been fascinated with scanning objects and creating photographs - and found that other people who are very handy with gaffer tape and wire had made some remarkable cameras out of scanners.
They did not stop at placing objects on the scanner - they ripped tscanners apart and mounted them on conventional camera bits and pieces.

I googled scanner as camera - and selected the images option and - lo and behold! - there were some very elaborate and interesting examples of the ways people have exploited this extreme artistic sport.

Here are 2 of my favourite links
http://golembewski.awardspace.com/index.html

http://johnvanhornphoto.com/lgformatdigitalphotography/Gallery1.html

Michale Golmbewski's work shows that the engineering efforts mentioned above are really worth while.

Aren't these just wonderful?

Hand colouring with Photoshop

2011-10-30T17:51:00.001+11:00

There are several ways to simulate hand colouring of black and white images using Photoshop, so I have been using different methods to see which is best.

Conclusion - depends on the subject and the image.

Method 1

Starting with a black and white image.

Add a new layer

Set the MODE to COLOR

Pick a oft paintbrush

Make sure the BRUSH is set to COLOR

Set the opacity to around 60%

Pick a color and brush on the layer

These lilies started life as a pinhole b&W film image and were hand coloured on Photoshop using this method.

Method 2

Starting with a colour photo

Open the color version

MODE - Adjust_ Desaturate (or better - select a B&W adjustment layer if you have a later version of PS)

Use the History Brush on the adjustment layer to restore the colour

OR create a layer mask and pant with black on the layer mask.

These were done using that method

Scanner as Camera 4

2011-10-30T17:27:00.000+11:00

Getting images ready for folio submission - more scanner as camera

Hard to go past natural forms - how to choose which ones to put in the folio??

Scanner as Camera 3

2011-10-30T17:24:00.000+11:00

I am finding the use of the scanner as a camera very interesting for NMIT Visual Arts Photomedia project. These images have a certain appeal.

Scanner as Camera 2

2011-10-19T09:07:00.002+11:00

More beautiful images I created using a scanner as part of my NMIT Photomedia assignment- will do some more pears that are in better shape next time I use the scanner.

Scanner as Camera 1

2011-10-14T22:55:00.001+11:00

New assignment for Photomedia subject at NMIT - using a scanner as a camera. The scanner can render some lovely images. First attempts today were encouraging

Etching workshop with Christine Willcocks

2011-10-14T08:53:00.000+11:00

During the break we did a workshop with Christine Willcocks - she is a printmaker who uses a special kind of card to create etched plates. These are then inked up in the usual intaglio manner. The advantage f the card is that it does not require acid to etch it, and unlike collographs, it does not need to be shellaced.

A lovely clean way to get some fine prints. Good for travelling

Only 'disadvantage' is low print run numbers .... but that can be a plus. And they can dent easily - so they are a bit more fragile than usual plates. Below is the image I played around with to see what was possible.

the plate

the print

Van Dyke process

2011-10-14T07:53:00.001+11:00

Last Friday I did a great workshop with Wendy Currie. She showed us how to use the Van Dyke photographic process to create some very interesting images.
The Van Dyke process is an 'alternative' photographic process where paper is sensitised with light sensitive emulsion and then an image is exposed on it using a UV source (the sun or a light box). We uses a UV light box. The result is a lovely brown toned image in ... Van Dyke brown.
Best to look at Wendy's lovely images here
Here are mine:

The 2 images above were photos I took and transferred to acetate to make a contact print.
So are the 2 images below - same process.

The images below combine collage, found objects and contact negatives

It was a very successful workshop

John Farmer Printmaker

2011-10-02T18:20:00.000+11:00

A visit to the McClellan gallery in Langwarren is certainly recommended.
There is a small but wonderful exhibition of work by John Farmer (1897-1989)- small, sepia-toned print. Some drypoint, softground etching and aquatint. Traditional subjects - landscapes, a self pro\\ortrait, a pine cone - all exquisitely done. They are tiny - one more than 6 inches square - but very detailed an traditionally etched beautifully printed on toned paper. His work is said to have been inspired by the Dutch masters.

Rye - just before the storm

2011-09-30T12:31:00.001+10:00

Just before the storm at Rye. Did not wait to take photos of the lightning and rain that followed minutes later. It was extremely cold!

Red Tides

2011-09-26T11:35:00.001+10:00

Red Tides, a set on Flickr.

More monotypes

Monotype landscape

2011-09-26T11:34:00.001+10:00

Monotype landscape, a set on Flickr.

Monotypes I have been working on

Blue Tides

2011-09-26T11:33:00.001+10:00

Blue Tides, a set on Flickr.

My latest printmaking project

Letterpress Workshop with John Brebner

2011-09-24T09:48:00.002+10:00

I have just attended a 2 day workshop with John Brebner who runs Homeprint in New Zealand. The workshop was at NMIT where John was a guest of the Visual Arts department.
We learned about the history of letterpress and we used his portable press to experiment with some of the odd 'sorts' he brought to the workshop.

The press

the wooden letters

the print

Beautiful collodion prints

2011-09-21T17:59:00.000+10:00

When I was in Ballarat I made a special trip to a venue to see Jeanne Wells' collodion prints. Alas the shop was shut unexpectedly.

But I have found them on her website, so fortunately I can now view them at my leisure.

I think they are extremely beautiful

What do you think?

http://jeannewells.net/collodion/

She also has an impresive blog with a myriad if interesting links.

On one link I found this excellent description of the different types of photographic prints. A great summary.

http://www.lensmodern.com/printing-processes.php

Ballarat PhotographyBiennale

2011-09-18T11:05:00.000+10:00

Went up to Ballarat to see the exhibitions associated with the Biennale.
There were some stand out favourites.
Gypsy Pennefeather's hand painted photographs were very wonderful. Beautifully executed.

An interesting retrospective called Brian Duffy - the Man Who Shot the Sixties at the Ballarat Art Gallery. Brian Duffy, was a contemporary of David Bailey and Terence Donovan.

Duffy was one of the innovators of 'documentary' fashion photography, revolutionising fashion imagery and the fashion industry of the late 50s and 60s.
A documentary about Duffy complemented the works - some iconic images of the era including the famous David Bowie, and many other images of celebrities such as Michael Caine, the Beatles etc.

Hand coloured black and white

2011-09-08T15:34:00.002+10:00

Before

After

Pinhole image printed on matt paper, hand coloured with Marshall Oil paints.

Another Photomedia assignment.

Image and Text Assignment for NMIT

2011-09-08T15:29:00.000+10:00

Have been working on a Photomedia assignment where we have to combine images and text.
I took some digital photos of Abbotsford Convent that I shot earlier in the year, converted them to black and white images, inverted them and printed them onto acetate, Then took them into the darkroom and printed them with the text of the Magdelane Laundries by Joni Mitchell.
I then coffee toned the images,
Now I have scanned them so I can put them on this blog.
I guess I could have done it all in Photoshop - but the journey was interesting.
My goal was to evoke the misery and suffering that occured at this convent.

Fairfield Primary School Art Show

2011-09-08T14:27:00.000+10:00

I have just finished 2 works that I will take around this afternoon to Fairfield Primary School for their art show. The show is on this Saturday and Sunday and is a fund raiser for the school.

These 2 works are called Horizon 1 and Horizon 2. The first is oil on canvas and the second is mixed media. They have taken me far longer to do than I anticipated but the end result is pleasing I think.

Th second work is a variation on works I have done before so was relatively straightforward, but the landscape was a labour and a half.

Still life collage

2011-08-27T18:08:00.000+10:00

Digital collage incorporating my still life photographs.

magnolia

2011-08-25T13:24:00.002+10:00

Monochrome images

2011-08-21T18:05:00.000+10:00

Starting on some new ideas - must be the whiff of spring in the air.... stay tuned....

Artisan Books

2011-08-21T17:36:00.000+10:00

There is a display of artists books at Artisan Books in Gertrude St.
The exhibition is called OPUS.
Here are the details:

I have put in a concertina book titled 'A woman's work is never done' - on the theme of work.

One side is images of clothes - the other side is pages from Mrs Beeton's Book of Household management.

Frans Art 2011

2011-08-20T17:38:00.000+10:00

I have completed 3 works (below) for the Frans Art fundraiser.

Frans is an organisation that cares for people with disabilities.

FRANS provides 30 x 40 cm blank canvases and contributors work on them and submit their works anonymously (they are displayed with no attribution - they are signed on the back). This means that in the words of the organisors...

" each piece is judged on its artistic merit and allows art lovers and investors the wonderful possibility of purchasing a bargain that they will truly enjoy."

Last year’s high profile exhibitors included Archibald Prize winner Euan Macleod, Mambo artist Reg Mombasa and contemporary artists Lindy Lee and Jenny Orchard.

The show is from Sept 28th to )ct 1 - but the works have to be sent to Sydney and the exhibition hung, so Ihave completed them this week so they are dry and ready to pack up and ship.

The forst 2 are mixed media, and the third is in oil.

Precious World 1

Precious World 2

Listening to Vivaldi

Work for FOG at 69 Smith St

2011-08-07T21:54:00.000+10:00

The current exhibition at 69 Smith St is called FOG.

The exhibition is on until Sunday August 14th. The gallery is open from 11-5 Wed - Sat and 12-5pm on Sundays.

Collograph plates for artist book

2011-08-07T21:48:00.000+10:00

These are my collograph plates ready for printing. The plates are for the assignment we have to do for printmaking at TAFE. There are eight plates. They will be printed as an artist book.

Street Art Fairfield

2011-08-07T21:15:00.000+10:00

In Duncan St - I see this every time I go to the shops.

More street art

2011-08-07T21:09:00.000+10:00

In Fitzroy these were in an alcove with a light to illuminate it

And a wall nearby

Hosier Lane

2011-08-07T21:06:00.000+10:00

Usually I do not post images of street art because it is someone else's art. But I could not resist the humour of some of the images in Hosier Lane.

Detail from above

Archibald Prize at Tarrawarra

2011-07-25T10:29:00.002+10:00

At last we got to the Archibald Prize show at Tarrawarra.

There were many wonderful portraits - if you cannot get to the gallery, you can get a taste of the show by clicking here.

The winner, a portrait of Margaret Olley by Ben Quilty was quite striking - bold use of paint for such a gentle subject. But it worked, because he has captured the strength of Margaret Olley.

My favourite quote was by Ken Done.

He did a self portrait and stated:

"This portrait took me a little over 70 years and one hour to paint"

I liked the range of techniques - such as Done's (above)

and Andrew Mezei's portrait of Professor Penny Sackett

and Fiona Lowry's portrait of Tim Silver

It was interesting to see the number of works done with acrylic, as well as the beautiful

"My Jack' a portrait of the artist's husband by Jenny Sages- using encaustic

2011 Darebin Art Show

2011-07-12T22:36:00.001+10:00

On Sunday my work for the 2011 Darebin Art Show was delivered.
The show opens on Thursday 14th July and is on display until 17th September.

The location is the grand Bundoora Homestead at 7 - 27 Snake Gully Drive, Bundoora.

Artists were asked " to interpret the values, Aspirations, diversity and vibrancy of the local community through the theme; Darebin: people, places, perceptions"

I chose to use the history of the Bundoora Homestead as the basis for my work, incorporating its history as an asylum for war wounded.

It is a digital collage, and is 20x15 inches - framed it is a little larger.

Portrait exhibition at 69 Smith St

2011-07-10T21:21:00.005+10:00

Being a member of an Artist Run Initiative is a great experience. The most recent initiative was to put on a show where members of the gallery painted portraits of each other. Here is the brief:

This exhibition includes an ARTIST-TO-ARTIST exchange based on the premise behind Alfred Hitchcock’s film “Strangers on a Train”(1951). In this film, two strangers meet on a train and decide to commit the perfect murder by ‘swapping’ murders. You do my murder and I’ll do yours. Similarly, the idea behind Likeness – a Portrait Exhibition is that you do my portrait and I’ll do yours.
I was so lucky to be paired with Birgit. We spent some delightful sessions together - doing a portrait really does give one an insight into the sitter and the artist. It has been very rewarding.
I am pleased with my image of her, and I think that she has captured me perfectly. Her painting is in oils and incorporates parts of my world very astutely.
I think that they look lovely on the wall together.
These images were captured with my phone in the gallery do they are not 100% - there is reflection on the glass and the colours the painting are a little sharp.
All of the other artists have done interesting portraits too - so the show is worth visiting.
The show is on until 24th July and the gallery is open 11-5 Wed - Sat and 12-5 on Sundays

Encaustc Workshop Day 2

2011-07-08T10:49:00.000+10:00

On Day 2 we learned

how to use a stylus pen to draw with wax
how to do a monotype by drawing on the hot plate with wax
combining piment sticks with wax

The R&F materials we used (pigment sticks, block wax and mediums) were luscious and vibrant.

The tutor, Daniella, did some gorgeous demonstrations - it took quite some perseverence on the part ot the participants to replicate some of the techniques.

The freezing cold weather did not help.......
Here are my notes and experiments from the day

Using a stylus pen and a stylus brush

Momotype

India ink

Transfers

Encaustic Workshop

2011-07-07T21:55:00.000+10:00

Today I started a 2 day encaustic workshop run by the Papermakers of Victoria.
The tutor is Daniella Woolf from the USA - Santa Cruz and is an expert in this field.
You can see her work and business information here,
http://www.daniellawoolf.com/
http://waxworkswest.com/

Already we have learned a great deal and all of us have been inspired.
Here are some samples from today

Collages

Transfer of pastel and metal leaf (below)

American Dreams- 20th Century Photography

2011-07-07T21:25:00.000+10:00

On the weekend I went to see the American Dreams- 20th Century Photography exhibition in Bendigo.
The exhibition featured 80 prints from the George Eastman House collection,
There were prints by Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Cindy Sherman and a stunning image by Richard Avedon of Natasha Kinski.
What is remarkable about it is the size and perfection of the image. It is over a meter long and incredibly detailed.

I have learned from seeing the exhibition at Monash Gallery and this exhibition at Bendigo gallery how lovely platinum photographs are.
Seeing them - the real prints and not reproductions, made me understand the subtlety of the medium - beautiful ranges of soft delicate tones - quite different from black and white of silver gelatin prints.
The platinum tones range from warm black, to reddish brown, to expanded mid-tone grays that are unobtainable in silver prints.
The image here is by Anton Bruehl - not part of the Eastman exhibition, but a beautiful example of the range of chocolaty tones available using the platinum process.

Portraits of Vicki and Gail

2011-07-04T23:53:00.001+10:00

Portraits of Vicki and Gail using only natural light, using my Canon 450D.
I think that these capture the essence of these two good friends.

ESP Gallery Sydney

2011-06-30T11:12:00.001+10:00

I am sending 6 small works to the ESP gallery in Marrackville.
The 69 Smith St group has arranged a group show there - it is called Dialogue - another good reason for being a member of an Artist Run Initiative!
I have been working all hours to get them finished
20cm x25cm Mixed media.

In the Spotlight: Anton Bruehl 1930s - 1950s

2011-06-29T22:57:00.000+10:00

On Sunday I went to see In the Spotlight: Anton Bruehl 1930s - 1950s at Monash Gallery.
I was not familiar with Anton Bruehl's work, so it was a very pleasant surprise to discover it.
He was a pioneer of colour photography, working mainly on commercial commissions - but this was at a time when there was not a distinct line between 'fine art' and 'commercial' photography.
He had a keen sense of humour and he created some very witty advertisements. He did the copy as well as the art.

There is a good article on the Harvard Business School about an exhibition in 1934. The theme is "The High Art of Photographic Advertising" see it here .

Bruehl's images are technically briliant - and often amusing - the pictures of talking corn (for a Bird's Eye advertisement are very sweet). He also did publicity shots for stage shows - and these are exquisite.
There is a good range of varied works on show - and I needed more time than I had allowed to see the exhibition.

Refocus Exhibition at 69 Smith St Gallery

2011-06-19T14:48:00.002+10:00

Yesterday (Sat 18th June) was the opening event for the Refocus exhibition at 69 Smith St Gallery. The show is made up of images contributed by members of the photography interest group which meets once a month.
These are the images that I submitted. They are A3 size on rag paper.
The exhibition runs until Sunday July 2nd.

Anglsea Queen's Birthday

2011-06-16T18:25:00.000+10:00

Wonderful winter light in the afternoon at Anglsea.

Brunswick St Gallery Small Works

2011-06-11T10:38:00.001+10:00

These are my entries for BSG Small works exhibition open from June 14th - 30th June.
Opening night June 17th 6pm.

These are etchings which I have been working on for some time

Bundoora Homestead - NMIT Visual Arts "common place" exhibition

2011-06-06T10:03:00.003+10:00

Earlier this year students from NMIT Visual Arts went to Bundoora Homestead for an excursion. The homestead has a rich history, and students were encouraged to use the excursion as a stimulus for creative responses.

The works that were created are on show at the homestead in the Access Gallery at the Bundoora Homestead Art Centre from June 2 to June 19th. The exhibition is called common place.

It is open from 11- 4 Wed to Sat, and 12-5 on Sundays.

Students created drawings, paintings, lino prints, collages and photographs.

I submitted these photographs of the staircase - trying to capture the ghostly feeling in the homestead. The memory of thousands of people who have climbed these stairs is hazy - and many of these people would have been lost in their own dreams.

The photos were framed by the NMIT Visual Arts Department in large frames with generous white mounts. I was thrilled to see them looking so well presented.

Many thanks to Kirsten Perry the teacher who had the idea and organised the show, and the people who helped her mount the exhibition,

The City of Darebin has acquired these images - so they will be on display around City of Darebin properties in he future. This was a lovely compliment.

Robert ParkeHarrison The Architect's Brother

2011-06-06T09:07:00.002+10:00

Yesterday I was shown a book by this photographer.
I had never heard of him, but was immediately captivated by his whimsical images. He works with his wife, and their book The Architect’s Brother was named as one of 'the Ten Best Photography Books of the Year' of 2000 by the New York Times. He explains his work:

My photographs tell stories of loss, human struggle, and personal exploration within landscapes scarred by technology and over-use…. [I] strive to metaphorically and poetically link laborious actions, idiosyncratic rituals and strangely crude machines into tales about our modern experience.

Pinhole images

2011-06-06T07:20:00.002+10:00

Assignment for Photography at NMIT has been to use a pinhole camera .
I have used the school's Zero 120 Camera to create these images.

Took a while to get the exposure right as I forgot to over expose one stop - f90 is missing from the conversion dial.
The aperture fixed at f138 so some calculations are required.

Printmaking - small works

2011-06-05T22:42:00.000+10:00

At last I think I am making progress with my printmaking assignment.
I have been stuck at a point not knowing how to combine images to incorporate mixed media into the printmaking process. Today I created some small prints that seem to resolve this issue.
These are works in progress - ... at last. Progress.

Portraits of Lina

2011-06-03T20:14:00.001+10:00

Practising portrait shots with Lina

Painting again - in progress

2011-06-03T18:43:00.000+10:00

I have been finding printmaking rather frustrating - things are not working out as I would like. So I have started 2 paintings that make me feel happy and cheerful. I can see a trend with earlier works.

blue landscape

2011-05-26T13:33:00.005+10:00

One of 2 landscapes - collage/montage/mixed media.
The canvas is around 85x40cm
Not sure how to orient them!

Affordable Art Fair Melbourne

2011-05-24T22:02:00.002+10:00

Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, a set on Flickr.
These are some of the works I took to the Melbourne Affordable Art Fair last weekend. I was pleased that people liked them; but it was a bit hard to part with them, as there were so long in the creation.

Set up for pinhole photograph

2011-05-24T21:33:00.000+10:00

Trialing positions for the pinhole camera - the chess set seemed inviting .. or maybe the statue.

Spent around 4 hours all up setting up and taking the shots with a pinhole camera only to have the films being messed up in the development - so these are the only(digital) scraps of evidence of what might have been.
Will try to borrow the pinhole camera again next week to repeat the exercise!

Autumn Leaves

2011-05-16T00:50:00.001+10:00

From the tree in the back yard

Printmaking class

2011-05-13T20:17:00.000+10:00

Having thought lots about these prints, I have created plates from pasteboard and acetate plates to decide which I like best.
These are smallish- around 8x10 inches.
Here are the proofs.

And these are the pasteboard plates.

The plates start to take on a character of their own after they have been printed a few times.

Autumn in Melbourne

2011-05-10T10:18:00.000+10:00

The colours are so vibrant after a wet summer - the trees are happy and coulourful.

Printmaking Assignment @ NMIT

2011-05-04T17:14:00.000+10:00

I am working on some mixed media approaches to printmaking.

These are from my visual diary as I try to decide which materials work and in which combinations

City abstract

2011-04-21T11:49:00.000+10:00

Experimenting with abstraction in photography

Light and monotone

2011-04-20T21:00:00.000+10:00

Visit to the Botanical Garden Melbourne

2011-04-19T10:44:00.000+10:00

An afternoon walking around the gardens on in autumn provided many opportunities for colourful images.

Autumnal Equinox Group Show

2011-04-12T17:24:00.000+10:00

Opening Saturday 16th April 4-6pm at 69 Smith St Gallery.
The show runs from 13th April to 1st May
Wed - Sat 11am - 5pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm
I have entered 3 photographs in this show. The criteria was that they had to be inspired by the Autumn Equinox.
Here are my images.

Fairmuse 365 day Blog: Friday 8th April

2011-04-09T16:42:00.001+10:00

I have put this on my 365 day blog... Fairmuse 365 day Blog: Friday 8th April

Centre for Contemporary Photography Kodak Salon

2011-04-07T22:02:00.000+10:00

This is the image I submitted for the Kodak Salon event at CCP.