May 20 2013

Encouraged…educated…and exhibited!

‘Summer’s End’
Oil on Canvas – 2013
24 x 30 inch

This weekend The West Australian Society of Arts had their 117th annual exhibition. It is the oldest arts society in WA, with its history traced to 1890. The present society became incorporated in 1896 and it was through the societies keen encouragement of the government of the day and fundraising through the local business community that WA had its first art gallery, The Art Gallery of Western Australia’s foundations laid in 1908.

The societies motto is “Encourage, Educate, Exhibit” and in this spirit both experienced and emerging artists are welcomed to the society, of which there are currently over 100 members of various levels of ability. I joined the society just 2 months ago after a couple of friends from my art class were talking about the demonstrations they had enjoyed.

I joined just in time to take part in the annual exhibition, though I was in two minds whether to exhibit or not as I didn’t have any new works to display. I had a couple of canvas’ nearly finished but I didn’t want to compromise them by rushing at the last minute. Having decided exhibiting was far better than not exhibiting at all…I put “The Guardian”,

‘The Guardian’
Oil on canvas – 2013
30×24′
Newman Art Expo

“Spring Blossom”,

‘Spring Blossom’
Oil on Canvas – 2013
30×24

“Pomegranates and Pottery”

Pomegranates and Pottery
Oil on canvas – 2012
30×24 inch

and “Peaches and Pottery” on display.

Peaches and Pottery
Oil on Canvas – 2012
SOLD

Well, am I ever glad I decided to join this exhibition….”Peaches and Pottery” one of my all time favourite paintings, received a ‘Highly Commended’ award! These accolades, as tiny and insubstantial, as they may appear to non painters, are a great boost to the moral of anyone that throws their soul into a creative pursuit such as painting…and especially for someone who wears their heart pretty much exposed and seems to go through constant periods of self doubting. Good feeling.

and….’Peaches and Pottery’ SOLD!!! Woo Hoo!! A great surprise that is tinged with sadness for a painting that I have loved over the last 18 months. My Grandmothers pottery so lovingly committed to canvas. Good bye favourite painting, I hope you are loved in your new home!

Anyway, sentiment over…I started a new painting last thursday…and guess what? Its finished already! 1 week. Record. I’m sure to make a few little changes and tweaks but its signed and to me that makes it pretty much done.

‘Summer’s End’
Oil on Canvas – 2013
24 x 30 inch

Sunset colour mixing has always terrified me. Salmon pinks, with tinges of purples are certainly not found in any tube I’ve ever come across. Over the last few months I have been learning the importance of tone and how to isolate a colour to really see it. By using a hole punched in card, it enables you to see a small patch of colour in all its glory – without other colours distracting or influencing it. It’s very accurate.

I also started another still life yesterday…finally in full swing mojo! Thank goodness…

Mia x

May 13 2013

My 17th Mothers Day

High tea comedy – Toodyay

It was Mothers day in Australia yesterday, as it was in many parts of the world…that wonderful day where we celebrate Motherhood and the cherished mothers in our own lives, a day when husbands and kiddywinks make an all out effort to be extra loving and helpful and when Mums can almost get a day off…almost. It was my 17th Mothers day.

Backyard bliss – Toodyay

Have you ever thought about the history of Mothers day though? To be honest, I haven’t paid the history much attention and had just considered it to be another commercialised, retail driven day similar to Valentines Day. My own Mum encouraged me to take a look at the background to this popular event…I’m glad I did, I feel so much better knowing it’s not just about the cha-ching of money through tills.

Toodyay Historical main Street

Here’s what I found thanks to Google…

The earliest history of Mothers day goes back to the ancient Romans and Greeks. A celebration dedicated to their maternal Goddesses. Offerings, parades, games and masquerades…no doubt all rather over the top and gory… the celebrations were so notorious that it was soon banished from Rome. Thank Goodness!

landscape around Toodyay

The roots of the modern celebration as we know it, are traced back to early christian festivities from the 1600′s in England. On the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) after a church service in honour of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ, children were encouraged to bring flowers and gifts to pay tribute to their own mothers. It became a day when servants and those working away from home were given time off to visit their mothers and honour them with gifts, often in the form of fruit cake. This day known as Mothering sunday died off almost completely in the UK until its revival after World War II when American serviceman brought the custom to UK shores and commercial enterprises realised the money it could make.

I love a sunburnt country

In the US, The idea of an official Mother’s day celebration was first raised in 1872, by an American activist, writer and poet, Julia Ward Howe. She proposed that the 2nd of June be a dedication to Mother’s and peace against war. A Mother’s Peace day was observed in Boston for a number of years but was later replaced by the celebration we now know in May.

A childless, unmarried woman, named Anna Jarvis is recognised as the founder of our modern celebrations. She was taught by her own mother, an activist and social worker, that someday there needed to be an honouring of all mothers, living and dead and tribute made to all of them. After her mother died in 1905, Anna resolved to honour her beloved mother and change the attitude of neglect that was rife in the US. By 1911, after many years of lobbying for an official day celebrating Mothers, Mothers Day was celebrated in almost every state in the US and by 1914, the second sunday in May was officially declared the holiday we know as Mothers Day. Carnations became the flower symbolising a mothers pure love…they were Anna Jarvis’s mothers favourite flowers.

A old cemetery we came across on a back road – too many young children lost in the olden days.

It was unfortunate to read that Anna Jarvis became disappointed with the rampant commercialisation of the holiday just nine years after its official declaration… just 9 years for the retail craziness to grab hold! Though it still retained the original spirit of honouring mothers, the religious services gave way to more secular card, flower and gift giving backed by a very keen retail market.

Bel decided to put a flower on each female grave – she was very busy.

I admit to giving into the commercial side of this special day (and Fathers day)…but we also try hard to create memories beyond the bought gifts. Dudie organised a drive into the country for my Mama and I today…a surprise jaunt to destination unknown. It ended up being quite hilarious…

derelict homestead

Our surprise was Toodyay, one of my most favourite historical towns a few hours drive from Perth, The ‘restaurant’ Dude booked ended up being a cafe, the size of the average kitchen cupboard and not the cafe he thought he was booking; resplendent with vased carnations on starched white tablecloths, a lady strumming on a guitar in the corner, a menu of home cooked comfort food delights….and the most frazzled owner I have ever seen in hospitality…She was in her mid sixties, a capable, country gal no less, BUT…. all her staff had called in sick! She had volunteers aged 80 plus, complete with walking sticks, helping in the kitchen and bussed in from the local old peoples home, a restaurant full of unbooked locals who wanted the regular roasts and pies and curries – and not the many high teas she had meticulously planned for the day.

Beautiful stone of the Toodyay, York area

We sat down and were warned there would be a wait…a long wait, there would be disorganisation and she was very, very stressed! Would we like the hot food or the high tea which no one was choosing and that there was an abundance of and she could bring us much quicker than any hot food? 5 obedient hands raised and she smiled a very grateful smile, promising to pile the cakes extra high. Cake it was, by the plate load for lunch! The kids could not believe their good luck. The cakes were abundant and yummy as promised, the tea hot and served in Royal Albert fine china, we were charged for 6 people without realising it and the guitar player ended up helping out with the waitressing. Oh, and the coffee machine broke and coffee had to be run in from the bakery next door. We giggled our way through a comedy of errors. A very memorable outing! Thank you Dude.

The red dirt of Australia

Wide open space and fresh air – divine

Almost home! Crawley Boat Shed – Swan River

Commercialised or not, Mother’s day is such a special day…a day of honouring and I feel so blessed to be part of the honoured. It also makes for some lovely photos of the Aussie bush.

May 6 2013

Lingering

'Sock it to sarcoma' Oil on canvas - 2013 36x36 inch framed Donation to the Youth and Adolescent Cancer Center Hollywood Hospital

‘Sock it to Sarcoma’
Oil on canvas – 2013
36×36 inch framed
Donation to the Adolescent and Young Adults Cancer Centre Nedlands

Here it is, as promised…the signed, finished and framed ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’ painting. (Please read the story behind this painting here :

http://mymiasart.com/2013/04/07/sock-it-to-sarcoma/

I am totally thrilled with the outcome of this painting and ‘Art Presentations’ (Graylands Road, Claremont) my favourite framer, chose the perfect white, double bevelled edge frame to highlight and finish this very bright painting. I love it. I also love the fact that ‘Art Presentations’ in support of this great charity, gave the framing to me at cost! Thank you, thank you Peter!!

It’s gone to its new home at the brand new Adolescent and Young Adults Cancer Centre in Nedlands. The official opening was on the 2nd of May, and though I am yet to see where it is hanging, I have had an amazing response from the ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’ foundation and apparently ‘Canteen’ who helped fund the building of this much-needed centre, were very impressed too.

As seems to happen regularly in my ‘Mum that paints’ life, I am lingering in that no mans land of complete indecision as to what to paint next. ’Sock it to Sarcoma’ was a joy to paint. The paint just flowed onto the canvas, every brush stroke went on with ease, each studio session was completed with great happiness that I was able to paint this special commission and that it came together in record time (10 days!!!) and with such perfection. I felt totally engrossed in this painting…and I hope it shows in the end result.

Details – the fun part of painting!

But, I don’t know how to top it.

It’s stumped me and though this feeling is not completely unknown to me, as it seems to happen… each…and ….every…time I finish a piece that I am happy with, I have an overwhelming case of painters block. The problem is – I have never been happier with an end result before. This painting had purpose and was done without any personal motives other than giving back and hopefully making a not so happy place happier. My next painting needs to be created with Art Prizes and possible selling in mind and therefore the indecision takes on a whole new meaning…and it all just seems so, so…meaningless. I love to paint. I want to paint for the joy of it, the buzz of achievement, the reward of accomplishment, but I also have to be practical and think of earning some money to pay for the materials I need to keep on painting! Oh…and to help pay for my camera fetish.

School holidays have not helped with my artistic block. A lazy trip to Rottnest and quality time with my girls means I have not even unlocked the studio once in the last two weeks. Maybe I just need to do that and the rest will flow. Like Nike says – JUST DO IT.

With the Perth Royal Agricultural Show Art exhibition and a few other annual exhibitions later in the year, I know I have to get my butt into gear and get some ideas flowing. I’m sleeping on it, pondering it, praying about it…and when the thoughts are sorted and the inspiration has arrived, I’ll be letting you guys know about it!

Do you ever get stumped by past successes?

What do you do to choose your next paint, photo, writing or other creative pursuit?

Does painting toenails count as painting?

Mia x

Apr 30 2013

Reflections of Rottnest

ANZAC Day dawn service

ANZAC Day 2013 saw us at a stunning Rottnest dawn vigil, listening to profound and beautiful words remembering the men and woman who have given, and are still giving, in our Armed and Supporting Services. Dudie has braved the dawn service for many years, usually with one of the girls in tow, but this year we were lucky enough to have my brother with us from Dubai, we were on our boat at Rottnest and I felt the crazy inclination to extract myself from a warm bunk at 5.15am, so we all went.

I’m so, so glad I did. It was beautiful. I was touched by the following words by Reverend Michael Wood :

Make us a people zealous for peace. Hasten the day when nation shall not lift up sword against nation and where all races and people will live as members of one family.

Yes…profound words and certainly a prayer in my heart.

Dawn Sentinel Seagulls Thompson Bay

Rottnest Island turned on another sensational holiday break for us. We were all desperately needing some RnR after a long 12 week school term. The kids were needing time out from routine and technology, Dude from his business and after knocking out nearly 5 paintings since february…I needed a little break too!

Rottnest Island – Geordie Bay.

We chill big time at Rottnest. Bringing your own accommodation, in the form of a floating caravan, is very conducive to retro and relaxing holidays. The first thing we ditched when we bought the boat 2 years ago, was the t.v. No t.v on board makes for old-fashioned entertainment – the music gets cranked, there’s scrabble, reading, reading, reading, long walks, loads of food and afternoon siestas, fishing, swimming and much photo taking. I will not on any account tell you just how many photos I can take over a 5 day break…let me just tell you that it’s not normal and a little insane, but they do say, practise makes perfect.

Hmmm….there was also a little bit of study this trip. Sadly, Year 11 is like that.

Advanced Maths anyone?

Sunset Geordie Bay

…and sunsets and sunrises that take your breath away. Thanks to Dudie, we are serial bay hoppers…most afternoons we fire up the engines and chug off to the bay offering us the least wind and calmest waters. We certainly love to take advantage of quieter autumn moorings giving us a vast choice of what view we want to savour and where we want to sleep. Non “boaties” rent the villas that are scattered over parts of the island. They are comfortable, not particularly flash and probably only 2 1/2 starred in hotel terms, but that is part of the charm of this much-loved island. (I’ve written about Rottnest a few times…Rottnest Island Authority – do you want to pay me?? Huh?? Sponsership deals are welcome!!)

http://mymiasart.com/2012/10/02/relaxing-on-the-high-seas/

and …

http://mymiasart.com/2012/04/12/easter-adventure/

and…

http://mymiasart.com/2011/12/22/rottnest-rnr/

Our boat is almost vintage, a little tired and worn around the edges…but very comfortable! Want to sleep like a baby? Yep…that good… well, most nights.

Sunrise Longreach Bay

Twilight Longreach Bay

Full Moon Rottnest

It always astounds me how much of a cavewoman I am….Full moon throws my sleep habits into complete disarray…Hooooowwwlllllll! Add some tides and I’m history.

Relaxing on the high seas

I just so happened to have a birthday whilst we were bobbing away in our floating caravan.

Pink Paper Packages

I also just happened to buy myself a new camera lens for my birthday…gosh what perfect timing for the family to help me buy it!! Thanks Dude and Mama! I have a Olympus OMD-5. I added the 35-100 f2.8 Lumix to my small collection… weather sealed, beautiful bokeh and with a better reach than the 12-50. (Most of this posts photos are with this new lens.) It still not a huge zoom, but its versatile. Maybe one day, when the bucket list starts getting ticked and safari’s are on the agenda, I will have the need for the 70-300 zoom (equivalent to a 140 – 600mm full frame!!) …now, wouldnt that be nice?

Transit Surf Break

But, with a reach equivalent to a 70-200mm full frame lens, my new lens was great when the boys headed out to a shallow surf break a couple of hundred meters off the main settlement. It was so busy…standup paddle boards, surfers, paddle ski’s, bodysurfers, jet skiers…and mums and dads in tenders keeping an eye on their youngsters. Shark bait comes to my mind.

Cleared for landing

Rotto isn’t Rotto without dinner at the pub. Built in 1864, as the summer residence for West Australian governors, it has recently been renamed ‘Hotel Rottnest’…but with many hours spent here in my mid twenties…it will always be the ‘Quokka Arms’ to me!

The Quokka Arms Pub – Rottnest

The parking bay was a little busy! We have seen it ALOT busier. Imagine this with another 25 tenders!

Parking at the pub – Thompson Bay

So with the weather still warm enough for swimming for the less wimpy family members, (ahem..that would not be me) we have arrived home sun-kissed and refreshed. With an atrocious mountain of washing conquered, I am totally ready to start painting again…if I could just make up my mind what to paint. Decisions, decisions.

The ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’ painting has been signed, framed and delivered…photo coming!

See you the other side of the school holidays,

Mia x

Apr 24 2013

The Biscuit of a Nation – Anzac Biscuits

I wrote this post last year, way back when I only had a handful of people following my blog…and that handful were all family! So, for this poignant day in Australia’s history, I’m doing a repost to a substantially bigger amount of inboxes!!

It’s not about art, school holidays can do that to a mum that paints…but it is a goodie.

As we head into ANZAC day 2013, I wish you and yours happy munching on freshly baked biscuits, with thoughts for our fallen soldiers. Enjoy. ANZAC Day – 25th April – is without doubt Australia’s most important national occasion. It is the day we mark the anniversary of one of the first and most bloody military actions by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps of the 1st World War, when the ANZACs landed on Gallipoli and suffered such horrendous loss at the hands of the Turkish defenders. Over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed during this 8 month campaign.

This loss and the news of the Gallipoli campaign had a profound impact on the Australian people. The 25th of April soon became the day on which Australians remember the sacrifice of those who died in the war, which was numbered at 60,000.

It became a national public holiday in 1927 and now has many rituals associated with the day – Dawn vigils (it was dawn when the first soldiers landed and were slaughtered on the beaches of Gallipoli), marches and memorial services.

On a more personal level, Anzac day has become a day for family reunions, neighbourhood gatherings, BBQ breakfasts and the greatest culinary memorial – The baking of the ANZAC biscuit. ANZAC biscuits stand for something more than just a good cookie – they stand for the founding of a nation, the landing of our soldiers at Gallipoli, the ANZAC legend and for the powerful link to a woman’s role on the home front.

ANZAC biscuits have become one of the most enduring forms of public memory and have become firmly embedded in Australian traditions and culture. It is said that they are the recipe of the Australian woman; the mothers, daughters, sisters of the soldiers and possibly developed from a Scottish oatcake recipe. They do not contain egg which is similar to the oatcake, but the Australian originality is the use of golden syrup. Egg was not included to keep the biscuits fresh on the long journey to Gallipoli and the Western Front. The packages of biscuits took several months to arrive and with the inclusion of the golden syrup as a binder, their freshness could be maintained over many, many months it took them to reach the soldiers .Oats were used to make a biscuit with as much nutritional value as possible, that was easy to make, economical and tasty and would survive the long journey.

Anzac biscuits are a powerful reminder of our past and a link through the generations. They are the perfect biscuit for Dude and the girls upon arriving home from the Kings Park dawn service that Dude takes the girls to each year (Daddy/ Daughter tradition and a 4.45am get up!)). Even though they are a more historic bake for the 25th of April, they are an all year bake in our house. My girls love them and they are a regular biscuit in my baking routine.

All the original motivations are still there for making these biscuits…they travel well in a lunch box and have better nutritional value than some biscuits, to give my girls energy for their busy day. And they taste amazing!

Enjoy! Mia x

Thermomixer Anzac Biscuits: from the Thermomixer ‘Everyday cooking’ recipe book: (I doubled the quantity – Makes approx. 45 biscuits)

240g Butter

200g Golden syrup

2 tsp Bicarb soda

200g rolled oats

300g Plain flour

150g Raw sugar

150g Dark Brown sugar

100g Desiccated coconut

Pre – heat oven to 160 degrees celcius. Line biscuit tray with baking paper.

Place butter and golden syrup in TM bowl. Heat for 3 minutes – 60 C / speed 2 until fully dissolved. Place Bicarb soda into bowl and mix for 5 secs on speed 3.

Add remaining ingredients, set dial to closed lid position and mix for 30 -35 seconds/ interval speed. use a spatula to help incorporate the ingredients. Repeat 2 or 3 times until it mixes. (Because of doubling the recipe it is quite thick.)

Place tablespoons of mixture onto 3 lined trays and flatten slightly. Leave space for spreading.

Bake 8 – 10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool fully.

No Thermomixer – No worries:

Melt butter and golden syrup in a medium-sized pot over medium heat until fully dissolved. Add in bicarb soda – stir until mixed.

Add in remaining ingredients – stirring until combined.

Follow instructions above to place mixture onto biscuit tray and bake.

Easy!! Enjoy!

Mia x

Apr 15 2013

Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

A few weeks ago I had the job of photographing a friends twin girls for an updating of their casting portfolios. Oh, the fun we had!

Photography is one of my passions beyond paint and an area that I am trying SO hard to get better in. Like painting, photography is a constant learning curve and a practicing of concepts. It’s all about learning to see a moment worth capturing, finding the best light and utilising the correct settings on the camera to hold it in time. I’ve finally taken the step into RAW formatting… Yeah! I have no idea why I was so scared of switching from jpeg to RAW, but I’m so glad I have finally done it… now, I need to do an editing course. See, the learning curve never ends!

Over the last 5 months, I have been quietly beavering away in my ~~spare time~~ late at night, at an online photography course through ‘The Photography Institute’. It’s been good. The first few assignments were incredibly challenging on the ol’brain cells, as they pushed the technical side of photography that I have never even thought about before – grey cards, calibrating, lighting, raw processing, white balance, to name but a few areas. It has pushed me and taken me from self-taught hobbyist to …well, slightly more taught hobbyist!

My latest assignment is to question where I ultimately see my photographic journey taking me. It is an interesting thought, that has had me mulling over where and how my art and photography combine and which one will be the bigger focus in years to come.

Travel is the issue here – painting is just not quite as portable as photography! For the plein air painter there certainly is some portability, but even then, it has its drawbacks – easel, palettes, brushes, paints…mess….wind, rain….weirdo’s invading your personal space whilst you are in the throes of painting. I’ve heard of many artists who have had to pack up and run from both wildlife and lowlife!

Thank goodness travel with a camera is a little more discreet and safe! The practise I am putting in now, with my girls still at school and life very much ensconced in the suburbs, will eventually be used for travel…and writing about travel hopefully!

One area I need a lot of practise in though, is street photography. It takes guts to wander foreign markets and streets and openly take people shots. I find it very confronting and invasive, but would so like the courage to try it more often.

Imagine getting a photo like this one (above) with a child of another culture and language?

But right here, right now, its practise, practise, practise with my kids and any I can borrow!! I want to get to the point where I am confident to set up a photo shoot with kids I don’t know for a photo session or painting commission and to visualise a painting idea and have the photography skills to capture it.

Miss L and Miss V were the perfect models for my first non family photo shoot! I am thrilled with the outcome. (My camera is an Olympus OM-D5 if you are wondering! The perfect travel camera.)

I used the following image for my last photography assignment….

The tutor was “VERY impressed” with this photo!!!

Hey! I impressed myself …LOL!!!

So, as we approach the school holidays once more, I have nearly finished the ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’ painting. See last weeks post for the story behind the image (WordPress was a little quiet on the sharing front last week…I think many of you may have missed it??! I only got one like which is really odd? I know this blog is tiny but not that tiny!) Anyway, have a read, its been my most important painting to date. http://mymiasart.com/2013/04/07/sock-it-to-sarcoma

It’s beautiful and I will share the final image next week. I’ve poured my heart into it but it certainly has been a case of speed painting to make sure it was finished before the busy school holidays. 10 days for a 30×40 inch canvas, start to finish….

Remember, ‘Dreams dont work unless you do’!

Mia x

Apr 7 2013

Sock it to Sarcoma

Sock it to Sarcoma – work in progress.

“Oh, here she goes again, painting those darn (cute) kids of hers again.” Yep, I can hear you!! The thing is, yes, I AM painting one of my gorgeous girls…again…yes, it is a Bubble painting …again….but I have a very, very good reason for it this time.

‘Sock it to Sarcoma’.

Huh?

‘Sock it to Sarcoma’…the vision of a remarkable, courageous girl, named Abbie Basson, who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma at the tender age of 17. Throughout her short battle with this sinister disease, she had a dream to try to make a difference to other young people living with and fighting these rare and complicated cancers and to raise awareness and funds for sarcoma research in Western Australia.

work in progress – sock detail

Abbie wanted ‘odd socks’ to be the main identifier to the cause, as many people whose primary tumour is in their leg, will need their leg amputated, and therefore end up only needing one sock! Abbie envisioned that with the greater public awareness that the charity could bring, more people would understand sarcoma and help raise desperately needed funding into research…and therefore, ‘sock it to sarcoma’!

The funding figures are not good for AYA (Adolescent and Young adults) with cancer. Their age group is 15 to 25 years old. This age range has the lowest improvements in survival rates when diagnosed with cancer and primary bone cancer, which was Abbie’s diagnosis.. It’s one of the areas with the highest death rates…and sarcoma unfortunately, scarily, is found frequently in the pediatric and AYA group.

Sarcoma attracts less than 1% of cancer research dollars and because it is so rare (1% of adult malignancies and 20% of pediatric malignancies) and because AYA cancers make up just 1.7% of all cancers and sarcomas just 10% of these, very few clinical trials are made available to this age group. There are national moves to start addressing this issue and to how the AYA age group get treated once diagnosed…..but here in Western Australia, with the help of Abbie and her vision, there is a special AYA area being opened on the 2nd of May in the new WA Cancer Centre…http://wacancercentre.org.au/

and that’s where my painting comes into this story.

I was asked by a follower of my Facebook page, Jenny (who is a friend of Perth chef, Emmanuel Mollois who I painted last year – thank goodness for social media and the internet!)

Entry to the Black Swan Portrait prize – 2012

if I would consider donating a painting to be hung in the new specialist treatment centre for the youth affected by sarcoma. ( Jenny is part of the Sock it to Sarcoma’ Action Team, and both she and Emmanuel do the …..’Ride to Conquer Cancer’, team ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’ each year.)

YES, YES! YES!!!!

My Goodness, I have a daughter aged 16 and a second daughter who will be this age within a blink of an eye… I cannot even fathom what a family, a mother, a father, must go through when something so horrific as cancer affects someone you love and cherish. Abbie, sadly lost her battle just two short years after her diagnosis – the battle still remains for her family and for the foundation that Abbie dreamt would help other young people in their fight.

It is an honour to paint this picture. It is a project that is both joyous and incredibly heart wrenching in the same breath.

My brief was to have something joyful, an image that would bring some light into the rooms where the teens will spend many hours sitting with their parents and carers, awaiting diagnosis, treatments, check ups and both good and bad news. Though the youth are still classed as children, they are often too old to be treated at the children’s hospital (16 years old is the cut off for Princess Margaret Children’s Hospital) The new specialist rooms will give them a place to go which is not as confronting as the adult hospital.

I have used Abbie’s sock theme and touches of teal and fuchsia, which are the colours of the foundation, in the final painting. I’ve made the sneakers more of a fuchsia colour and the socks have changed colours from the photograph I am using for my reference picture.

Photo Image for Sock it to Sarcoma

I was thrilled to capture this photo of my youngest daughter (I would have loved to get one of Bel, who is in the AYA age group, but I just couldn’t quite get the perfect one) hysterically laughing as her big sister blew bubbles towards her, whilst our fur child golden retriever sprung around trying to catch them. It took 2 photo sessions, a bottle of bubbles,and about 40 photos to capture this one perfect joyful moment! It met the brief; I was given the go ahead just late last week….and I have roughly 3 weeks to paint it…minus drying time and minus framing…

work in progress painting

YIKES!! That leaves me about 2 weeks – with school holidays approaching fast! Dudie and the girls are on board, giving me space and a bigger help around the house and with meals…It’s going well.

work in progress painting detail

I put in a 7 hour studio day yesterday. It was divine. The family were busy with homework and general weekend fun, but kept checking in every now and then for a peek. The girls are always fascinated with the painting process…Bon stares mesmerised at my busy brush work and Bel discusses various art concepts. I know they are sponging up this knowledge and it helps me feel better about the time I need away from the family to achieve this. I also know that I am teaching them a great lesson in giving back, giving thanks and helping out with our skills and talents where we can.

work in progress painting detail

All the photos are works in progress…many adjustments are still to be made as it comes to completion . So watch this space for the finished canvas…or better still, check it out as I progress on my Facebook page. Here are also links to ‘Sock it to Sarcoma’:

http://www.sockittosarcoma.org.au

http://www.facebook.com/SockItToSarcoma

Wishing you all some bubbly fun,

Mia x

Mar 25 2013

It’s My Studio…And I’ll Cry If I Want To

'Stormy Reflection's - Freshwater Bay'Oil on canvas - 2013 30x40 inches

‘Stormy Reflection’s – Freshwater Bay’
Oil on canvas – 2013
30×40 inches

Happy tears, sad tears, hair ripping, foot stamping exasperation…These are the myriad of emotion’s that can flow daily in an artist’s studio. Believe me…I know.

Thankfully, it’s the happy tears I have been on the brink of this last week…I’ve been in the ‘ZONE’ and if you are a creative in any field whatsoever, from craft, to photography, to writing, to painting, you will know what I’m talking about.

The ZONE.= informal (especially in art) a state of such concentration that one is able to perform at the peak of one’s physical or mental capabilities: e.g: I was in the zone, completing the creative act of applying paint to canvas without resorting to ripping my hair out, raiding the pantry, or even noticing how many hours have disappeared.

Good feeling. Yep.

For me, getting into ‘The Zone’ is a signal that I’m on the right path; I’ve chosen the best photo to paint, the composition is good, that I’m using the skills I have learnt from numerous instructors over the years, books and the internet, that I’m not just slapping paint on canvas and hoping for the best, but I am actually visualising the finished canvas and academically assessing what I need to do to get it to a finished state.

I’m thinking about composition, taking each photograph that I ‘think’ will make a good painting and analysing it…where is the focus, what area needs to be pushed into the background, where should I use softened/blurred edges, what details are distracting to the eye, what colours would work best. Is there ‘atmospheric distance’ and how much? Do I actually possess the level of talent needed to paint this particular photo…or should I put it into my ‘future paintings’ file? (Hmmm…that reminds me…Firstly, I need to make a filing system!!)

I’ve just completed a large landscape..or riverscape actually. If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will have noticed that landscapes are not a regular subject for me to paint. I have thousands of photos of gorgeous, varied land and seascapes, but, to be honest, the thought of painting some of these landscapes has filled me with dread. Landscapes can be soooo detailed!

I realised after painting ‘The Guardian’, with its thick forest of trees

‘The Guardian’
Oil on canvas 2013

…and actually enjoying it, that I was ready to tackle a few more landscapes. Welcome to the world ‘Stormy Reflections – Freshwater Bay’.

I like a challenge…and I got one! I even ended back in the beginners class, with my instructor (re) going over the principles of ‘atmospheric distance’, (also known as atmospheric perspective or aerial perspective) which is basically, the effect you get when far away objects, trees, or hills, take on the colours of haze, become less saturated and have less detail and contrast the further away they are. Next time you are viewing a gorgeous landscape…check it out…bluey-purple haze in layman’s terms!

This painting was a challenge in many ways…for a start…boats and many of them! I took some out, I put some back in…I slightly altered boats with Captain Dudie’s seafaring knowledge as my guide. I painted and repainted the reflections until I felt they were right…hopefully they are now!!! I painted upside down (not me silly, the canvas!)

‘Stormy Reflection’s – Freshwater Bay’
Checking the reflections…yep…they look like boats!

and checked and double checked. I’m pleased with the result…lets hope my instructor is! I’m almost too scared to show him, in case he makes me change something…again. Having a mentor,instructor or tutor, no matter what level of skill you are at, certainly does push you to do better and to see differently. Never, ever think you have moved beyond learning more!! I have decades more learning to do.

Anyway, it’s been a busy week in the media for me also…three, yes, three media hits in one week – thanks to the owner of the restaurant ‘Suburban table’ where my still life paintings are currently exhibiting. Articles about the restaurant (and therefore my art) in two local papers and an article in my old school magazine. Always good to get positive media exposure, that’s for sure!

I also officially joined ‘The West Australian Society of Arts” and went to my first society meeting. My instructor, D’hange Yammanee was doing a painting demonstration, which gave me the incentive to finally go after a year of procrastination!!

Well, onwards and upwards people…its back to a life portrait for me this week…guess I’m not ready to get locked into one genre yet!!

Raw Umber Underpainting – untitled

X Mia

Mar 18 2013

Ye, of so little faith

Newman Art Expo

Art Shows have taken on a whole new meaning for me since I started working my art passion as an art career 18 months ago. Pre art career, when I was just a Mum who dabbled in paint, I would rock up to exhibitions and dream of having an artwork on display, sip my champagne, hob nob with whoever was there to hob nob with, have another champagne, peruse the art works, dream of filling my walls with a selection of chosen paintings, then go home, sad that I wasn’t ready to hang in an exhibition.

That all changed in October 2011 when I finally summoned up the courage to submit a painting to the Perth Royal Agricultural Show…I was so proud of my painting and was naively holding that glimmer of hope that it was a winner. Boy Oh Boy, was I ever wrong…there were hundreds of amazing paintings and such a high level of talent , that my beloved painting just looked, well, simple and sweet, but not an award winner, or sellable. Mind you, this is still my all time favourite painting as it was the first painting of my ‘career’.

Long Summer Day – 2011
Private Collection

That brave step of entering my first exhibition opened up a whole new world for me…the world of ‘exhibiting artist’. I’ve been involved now, as an exhibiting artist, in a miniscule, 6 art shows and had a win in two of them. A very small number, I know, but I’m so happy to finally be regularly exhibiting and pre-planning what I will eventually submit to the various shows.

This weekend was the Newman Art Expo, a well-respected and prestigious art show that has run annually for over 30 years and is organised by Newman College, a leading co-educational school in Perth. I received a letter late last year, inviting me to exhibit in this show…Wow!! An invite! For my work…I was super happy to submit 3 paintings, yes sirree!

Art exhibitions, when you have works on display, are a totally different game, then when you are there as a patron and just get to sip the ol’ bubbly and chitter chatter about genre, tonal distance and abstraction. Exhibitions, with my work in them, fill me with dread… A little part of me feels like it’s also hanging on display. It’s very confronting for an introvert.

Given the feelings I have had at past exhibitions, I wasn’t even planning to go to the opening night of this one. I had planned to just slip in sometime over the weekend and have a sticky-beak. Surprisingly, Dudie wanted to go, as some friends were going to be there, so I obliged…nervously.

Well, can I tell you, the first thing that hit me as I walked in was….OH MY GOODNESS…there was so much divine artwork!! Hundreds and hundreds of pieces. It was totally overwhelming. Perth, your artists are incredibly talented…incredibly! There were landscapes, and abstract, contemporary and collage, pastels, watercolours, oil, prints. EVERYTHING! Dudie I and didn’t quite know where to start looking, so we grabbed a drink and started at the main door, keeping an eye out for my pieces. We didn’t need to go far….I had the best positioning I have ever had in an art show…slap bang in the middle of the room as you walked in the main doors…my three paintings…and that little piece of my soul dangling beside them!!

AND GUESS WHAT?? There it was, ‘Look Before You Leap’ with one of those gorgeous, tiny little red stickers beside it….A RED DOT, a SOLD sticker!! Oh My!! How did this happen? Especially since the show had only been officially opened for 20 minutes!

One beautiful red sticker

People’s Choice Prize Winner – Mosman Park Art Awards

As we stood there and I re-gathered my wits about me…and ~~sipped~~ gulped another champagne down, and grinned like a Cheshire cat…ANOTHER little red dot was placed next to ’Beach Love’….WHAT THE!! Two sold stickers. Catch me.

TWO gorgeous red stickers!

Me, of so little faith in my own abilities, hadn’t even considered that even one of my paintings would sell, let alone two! I was floored.

‘Beach Love’
Oil on Canvas -2012
24×30′

As it turned out, I actually got introduced to the new owners of ‘Beach Love’…Newman College bought it for their collection. They chose ‘Beach Love’ for the positive body image it portrayed for their year 11 and 12 female students. That little snippet of information was like gold to me…the fact that how I am painting and what I am painting is touching hearts. That my goal to always paint light and life and joy in simple things is being noticed by other people. It’s my year 11 girl in the painting, covered up, proud of her femininity but not flaunting her body, strong in who she is, loving time at the beach with her family and enjoying the simple pleasure of being a kid drawing in the sand to mark a beautiful day. A moment in time, captured forever, in oil on canvas.

These two sales, have given me a much-needed pat on the back and guide as to how I am going and that I’m on the right path. It’s very reassuring, as I find a lot of anguish goes into deciding what to paint. Paint to sell? Or paint what I love? Is it too personal? Would anyone want that on their wall, or is it just my family that will like it? The selling of these two paintings, especially of ‘Beach Love’, reiterated that I must paint what I love…that any painting, no matter what subject, if it is painted to the best of my ability, will speak to someone else too…and if it dosent speak to anyone else…well, it will still be treasured by my two girls…who will need to buy very big houses one day, with lots of walls, to hang all the paintings they will be given when they fly the nest!!!

Surprisingly, it was ‘The Guardian’ that I thought would sell…funny that…I painted it WITH selling in mind! Hmmm…

‘The Guardian’
Oil on Canvas – 2013
30×24

Anyway…

Now that the hype has settled and my heart has stopped fluttering, its time to get back to what I know best…

Housework…

Oh, and painting!!!

Mia x

Mar 11 2013

Sculpture By The Sea – 2013

Sculpture By The Sea 2013

It’s that time of the year…Sculpture By the Sea has returned to shores of our beautiful and iconic Cottesloe Beach. A pristine playground that becomes a superb backdrop for 18 days of art celebration. Sun, sand, sea and sunsets, graced by the amazing talent and creativity of over 70 local, interstate and international artists.

Ken Unsworth – “Look this way”

In its 9th annual exhibition, Sculpture By The Sea, seems to go from strength to strength and get bigger and more popular each year. It is expected to attract more than 220 thousand visitors over the next two and a half weeks, though I do believe they ALL came yesterday…with us! It was soooo busy, with throngs of people enjoying a sunday outing to this amazing FREE event. FREE! (Though the organisers live in hope of a gold coin donation!) There are certainly not many places where you can enjoy art with a million dollar view for next to nothing!

Ayad Alqargholli – ‘habibi’

Ghostnets Crocodile

What I love about Sculpture by The Sea is the ‘people watching’ as the crowds mingle through the exhibitions…especially of the children. Many of the sculptures are touch friendly and tactile and so tempting for little hands. What a brilliant way to introduce children to art on a grand scale. The whole beach becomes a giant adventure land for all ages.

Robin Yakinthou – ‘Gift from Gods’

Kathy Allam – ‘happy floating cloud dream’

Yep…I do believe at some time in our past, the girl’s playroom held this many plastic toys!

Suzanne Bosanquet and Sarah Foley – ‘Skittles’

‘Liquorice Allsorts’ reminded me what to throw into the food shopping this week!! YUM.

Michael Grau – ‘Liquorice Allsorts’

The Sculpture park also makes for some fun photo taking…the photographers, amateur, professional and everyone in between were out in force! It always surprises me just how many people own a SLR these days…and how many people now use their iPhones as their sole camera…or their iPad. iPad? That’s just weird.

Hilde A Danielson – ‘Upside Down Again

Cave Urban – ‘Mengenang (Memory)

I don’t know whether it’s just because I am a realist painter …but I just don’t get some of the art. Seriously…green masking tape on rocks? Please explain? I’m sure there is an explanation but without one, I’m a little lost.

Veronica Herber – ‘slowness shifting’

Installation?

It seems there were one or two others who just couldn’t quite get it either. Or maybe the creativity just exhausted this poor fellow. Pretty good place for a snooze anyway!

Jonas Hallberg & Rene Dybdahl – ‘how close we are’

Sticky tape aside, most of the sculptures were amazing! This one (see above) flashes a lightbulb in Denmark, Europe every time someone climbs inside it. Wowsers.

Vaughn Bisschops ‘Transparent Sea’

‘Transparent Sea’ is my personal favourite…made of glass on 5 panels. The light shining through it will be constantly changing. I would love to see it a sunset. Stunning.

I don’t know what the name of this one is, but once again it was gorgeous and perfectly positioned under the magnificent pine trees that Cottesloe is renowned for.

Tim Burns – ‘autogeddon’

We had a murder in our local area this weekend and the police have been out in force doing their CSI bit…Bon thought this was another crime scene!! No darling girl…its art. The dead giveaway, aside from the native grass at the beach, was a dead kangaroo, sculpted of course. Hmmm…again…why?

Rico Eastman – ‘crosshatch’

Perth turned on a humid, sticky day for our wanderings. We are waiting, waiting for the temperature to drop and the autumn weather to arrive, but it certainly made for some prettier skies for my photos.

Thank you beautiful Cottesloe Beach and Sculpture by the Sea…

Friday 8th – 24th March.

Dont miss it!! I’ve only shown you a tiny sample of the art on display, in fact, I think I need to go one more time to take it all in…minus the sunday masses!

Cottesloe Beach

See you there…

x Mia

My Mia's Art

Life at the end of a paint brush

Encouraged…educated…and exhibited!

My 17th Mothers Day

Lingering

Reflections of Rottnest

The Biscuit of a Nation – Anzac Biscuits

Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

Sock it to Sarcoma

It’s My Studio…And I’ll Cry If I Want To

Ye, of so little faith

Sculpture By The Sea – 2013

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