Toot toot(blowing my own trumpet)

I sold 3 of my 4 pieces I submitted to The Original Art sale. The one I though was a sure thing did not sell! Seems like I don't know my own market.

But I hope whoever bought them enjoys them . I loved painting them.

I wrote a bit about painting

I was approached to write an article for an online magazine called " Life as a Human". I was asked to contribute an article about my art or something of that nature. Essentially, share something about my art that was readable!

I thought about what it was I should to write and then ignored that and wrote down what I would want to read! I decided to write a bit about my personal  painting process. It is still an evolving process, but it is a subject I find myself drawn to with other artists. I love reading how other creatives behave and the way they structure their approach to painting. For some it is a specific routine, for others a sudden urge, but for the most part, their experiences echo my own. Just show up in the studio and start. Start anything, just start. Showing up is half the problem!

If you want to read it, please follow this link http://lifeasahuman.com/2014/virtual-art-gallery/sway/

And so this got me to internet trawling and I listened to some amazing talks on creativity and read some  clever quotes , read some interesting interviews and watched some videos of artists in action. Then I had to stop wasting time and just get on with it and write! I showed up, stumped up with my thought and now I have something that I can review in a few years time and see what( if anything) will change in the way I approach my painting process.

It was an interesting experience in a good way. I have become quite mindful of the process and that mindfulness is paying off with a series of paintings that have all evolved from one experience.

But right now, I have to stop this writing experience and collect kids from school, feed them and take them to hockey practise, feed them again and do homework with them and then feed them again. Just as well I love cooking or all this feeding would be a problem. BOYS!

Too cold to swim

Too cold to swim,
oil on board,
122cm w x 100 h

It's autumn...well and truly autumn. The days are short, the nights are cold, the fires are lit, the stews are simmering.....You get the picture.

Not my kids. My kids went swimming in the neighbour's pool. They dared each other to stay in as long as possible, timing each other.

They turned blue.Their teeth chattered. Their speech staccato-d into gibberish.

I left them to it .

Note on the door: Gone shopping

School holidays are over, troll boys are occupied with the workings of the world, lovely husband is still tied to his 9 to five( although it's more like 7 till 6 these days)....and I needed to breathe deeply and enter the world again.

I drove up to Auckland to drop paintings off at The Original art Sale (16-18 May, Telstraclear centre, Auckland), then on to buy some studio lights and then lunch in POnsonby. It's as pretentious and fabulous as a name such as Ponsonby WOULD be. I took Christine, a friend from pilates class, with me for the ride.. We trawled design shops, small exhibitions of oddities and several places I swore were not anything but turned out to be something. She made me laugh ...she touched EVERYTHING and would ask, quite loudly, " Now what is THIS all about?!" at some conceptual pieces. Very refreshing. It would appear that a highly groomed dog is the "in" thing to have in a design gallery. Nearly every one we entered sported this intellectual breed.

Feeling peckish, we strolled  up a flight of stairs, through some seriously S&M chain curtain ..."uh-oh," I thought, "shady as f..." ......into an asian food court and it was fabulous. I had a vietnamese noodle salad that was beyond a delight.I could have chosen from Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India.....but the vietnamese family group cooking(yes, I decided they were a family. Let me have my fairytale.) were the happiest and the food looked amazing..and it was.Grandpa took my order and money(in that order) Sister suzy cooked as her brother chopped some mint, shredded carrots and chopped chillies. Grandma brought me the delicious offering. I asked to be adopted.I am not sure the language barrier didn't work in their favour.

So, tummies full, we sauntered down Ponsonby Road, popping into galleries, decor shops, art stores, some one's office(whoops! Sorry!) and generally having a good look at just about everything. I felt very much like a country mouse but it was fine, It is what it is. I love that the big smoke leaves me giddy. Everything is so shiny and so grimy...all at the same time.

Too soon ,the clock chimed. Soon we would have to collect our pumpkins from school and resume our life. We drove home in a chatter of ideas and "note-to-self" moment.

I love my lights.4 x  35 watt 5500 kelvin daylight bulbs, on a tall stand.......yeah, baby! It's Showtime!! Now I can paint instead of sleep. Nah, don't think that will happen, but it could if I wanted.Just saying.

Yummy lunch

Easel solicitation

Dog tie at shop front