So the painting starts again

After a brief hiatus of 2 weeks doing nothing and being totally useless following my Exhibition, I have begun painting again. It has, however, coincided with a great need to get rid of clutter. I have worked out that in order to create, I need mental space and the physical space in my studio and home is filled to the brim with STUFF. I am a pack rat! If I continue like this I shall end up on television as some hag with a collection of mental illnesses relating to hoarding.  Cue an intervention from the universe by way of an Instagram friend ( Thanks Angela!) who started posting photos of her decluttering prowess . She told me she had read a book oddly titled "The Gentle Magic of tidying up" and it offered a foolproof ( it needs to be because I have a t-shirt that says I am a fool and it needs to go) system of decluttering and then remaining decluttered. Sell me your magic potion, let me plant those magic beans!!!!! I want! So, I badgered the book out of the library and got reading. I sat up one night and read the whole darned thing. It was 1 am when I closed the book and I wanted to start! I got up and then got straight back into bed because a) it's the middle of winter and damned cold and b) starting at 1 am will not please the rest of the household!We've been down that road before with my midnight antics. It was not well received.
Next morning, I began. I cleaned out my chest of drawers. Once I had done that, I came into the studio and began to paint, unfettered, mind clear, a spring in my step.

If that's what just one set of drawers does for me, by the time I make it to the next exhibition I shall be living in a shell of a house, partially naked with clear surfaces everywhere and some very nervous family members!

So that's my plan. Slowly but surely, I shall declutter my house and then, after an hour of asking myself if object make me sparkle or thanking them for their use and discarding them, I shall wander into the studio and throw some paint around. For the record, the studio is going to be next on the list. I have a shitload of crap ( the technical term, I believe) stuffed under the big table on which I store even more crap and varnish paintings. I think I shall singlehandedly refurnish the Hospice Opshop!

A 30 x 30 cm study

Working on the bigger painting

detail of a another painting finished today

The Glassmaker and the Painter

So, the thing is done. We have exhibited .

Working with Di Tocker( the glassmaker) has been a total pleasure. I am seriously genuine ( sounds fake, hey) when I say that but she is all things that the stereotypical artist is not: Organised, ordered, practical, measured and punctual.
To work with her is to be calm and relaxed.  She is the embodiment of the phrase" work smarter, not harder".

With the help of the incredible curator emily Rumney, we whipped the exhibition into shape in a day.

Would you like to see?

Change of season

Ah, Southern hemisphere autumn is well and truly here. Morning are misty, middays are warmer and the cold starts creeping in again around 4 pm. It's dark early, I'm hungry ALL the time and the orchard smells of apples. In 2 weeks time, all the apples will be harvested and just the remnants will hang on the trees till they fall off , lay under the trees in the long grass and rot. Then the orchard will smell like a cider-house for a while. The dogs are still chasing the rabbits and the hedgehogs are seeking hide holes, but the big hare who provided them with the thrill of the chase has gone. Geese honk overhead as they fly in their v's back to wherever the v's takes them.
 Autumn is all about the smells. The damp earth, the rotting apples, the wet-dog smell of wet-dogs, woodsmoke in the air and a certain mustiness that never really goes until summer. Inhale deeply.

The light in the studio has changed too. I am having to turn the daylight bulbs on and check things in natural light. The heater is now on on a permanent basis and the place is strewn with mugs.

The studio smells of turpentine.Pure, stinky turpentine. I have no odourless at the moment and am awaiting an order, so for the moment, I am back in the 20th century, stinking the place out. Secretly, I love the smell, but it is not PC. It's like admitting you'd really still love to be a smoker.

Anyway, the studio smells of wet dog and turps. It's a pungent and heady combination.

Hamilton Plein air painters group

I am sure I have mentioned I started a plein air painters group .We meet once a month on a sunday morning and paint. Sometimes, it has just been me, but last sunday, I was joined by my dad, visiting from South Africa and 3 others and we had a blast.

The autumn weather was kind: soft light, no wind,an earthiness hung in the air aromatically.With new people joining, I set up in an area a little out of the main foot traffic at the Hamilton gardens and we painted and sketched what was, in effect, an al fresco still life: a statue.

from left to right: Dad, Terry and Angie

Stylie hat wearing painter!

Still life plain air set-up!

Terry's brave effort

Angies gorgeous watercolour and sketch

Terry's handmade paint box!

So, if you want to join us, just hop onto www.meetup.com  and join the Hamilton Plein air painters group. I will send you notification of the next event!

Dad's final painting, gifted to Helen.

My final painting, no one wanted it!lol!

You're Invited !

You are invited to my upcoming exhibition!

I am exhibiting with Di Tocker from Dicastglass. Di  makes cast glass pieces in jewel-like colours that really are quite evocative. We also share the same situation of being working artist mothers with fairly young children, trying to balance all that that entails and remain true to our artistic endeavours.
She also shares, very generously, her art magazines and advice , honest feedback and technical know how. She's a gem.
I am exhibiting some BIG paintings. So, for those of you who came to my last exhibition of 26 small paintings, you will find I have upscaled a bit!

www.davidlloydgallery.co.nz

Poster girl.

I am in a new group show in Timaru in May. This is my first show in South Island and I am thrilled. Between you and me, if I could sneak off and live here, I would be one happy painter. It has amazing spaces. Not just views. I am interested in spaces and it feels like home all over the place.

Anyway, if I ever make enough money, I am going to buy a bolt-hole in South island and built a studio on top of a ridge line of hills and paint till I drop.

So, we start with this exhibition. My painting "Laundry day" has been used in the background. Yes, it's out of focus, obscured and has coloured filters all over it, but it 's there! I am so pleased it was chosen.




This one, remember? I have 4 paintings in the show.

Exciting times!!!

A holiday

I am taking a few weeks holiday to spent time with my family, including my parents, who join me from South Africa for one month of the year, each year. A huge gift on their behalf .

So, brushes down (kinda, sorta) and wine consumption up . They are such fun to have around . The wine flows freely, the quality of meals improve dramatically(because Mom cooks) and conversation is always illuminating and we laugh a lot.

I do a lot of this!

I shall post a few holiday pics as we go.

Cheers!