Loving Small Boards

Messed around with the small boards again this afternoon . . . and loving it.  Not sure if its the texture of the gesso on the board, the lack of 'give' that you get with canvas, the little size, the squareness, but these little boards are just doing it for me.  Results below, from shots taken flying to and from Darwin earlier this week.  Can see another series happening.  Cloud Number . . . Location . . . might be fun to do on the flight to the UK if its not all in the dark . . .

 

Painting for the Exhibition

I'm still somewhere between 'way hey' and 'uh oh' about being offered an exhibition at Araluen in February (yes this Februrary, yes the month after next, yes not many painting days . . . ), but I'm getting somewhere now.  I finihsed a portrait I've been working on for the last few weeks (more on that one in the new year) so have now been able to take a run at the 'recent works' which the exhibition blurb talks about . . . (thanks to the supportive exhibitons officer who wrote a lovely blurb that managed not to describe any of the works, because I've not yet painted them . . . )  Titling the exhib. was problematic for the same reasons (plus trying to tread that fine line between pretentiousness and disingenuity). I'm calling it 'Dappled Things', alluding to a poem by my fav. poet Hopkins.  So I'm off in different directions with the work (quicker and less finished pieces are the go).  All very exciting in a slightly nauseous way.

This one is a start (to pair with Frames 1, this is Frames 2 . . .)

These ones are in fact finished . . . the painting equivalent of drawings I guess.  Series is currently called '3 Views of Betty' but may become '16 views of Betty' (I have that number of the gesso'd 30cm square boards)

In the Middle

This is the bit of the process I really don't like too much:  working on the form and colour (which needed work) but losing the impact that the earlier version has.  It's always a bit of an act of hope/trust (or something) that I'll be able to work through this and 'find' the picture out the other side.

Still Spoilt

Managed to put some more paint on linen on Sunday (including starting one too).  These three are going to be fun playing with light and shadow, and a kind of tangential story-telling. Mmmm.

 

Spoilt for Choice

Didn't know where to start with developing the Adolescence series, so just went with the one that was already on the easel. Spent some time moving Silke (on the left above) over to the right and moving Peta's eyes (!). Having fun.

Lots of Beginnings

What an accommodating bunch my now ex-Yr 12s are: it doesn't take much in the way of inductive reasoning to conclude I'm a tad enthusiastic (and spoilt for choice) about this new series of portraits.



As a result, everything (apart from the first and the last) is in first lick of paint stage.




Trying to tread the line between a portrait (character) and a scene (situation or relationship) and having some fun with it all.

Oh, and I also started a new Pyndan camel eye . . . think it's TC but I'll have to check next time I visit.

Betty's done

Phew! As always when I've only got a 'bit' left to do, I spent most of today on her, but she's all signed and waiting for her appearance at Studio 12 next saturday (bi-monthly changeover, and I'm hanging camels this time). Glad I've made the deadline as I've already started blocking out some pics of teenagers (thanks, soon to be ex-Yr 12 students!).