Untitled painting, for Brigalow Arts Festival

I like to put at least one painting in our local annual Brigalow Arts Festival each year. This year I procrastinated so much that I didn't have the painting started before entries closed, so it's "Untitled". Not only that, but I finished this painting Friday morning, before delivering it to the Biloela Civic Centre just a few hours later! Tsk tsk.



Yes, it's not like anything I've painted previously. This was an experiment.

What's life without "having a go"?

Painting: "Stoney Creek"

"Stoney Creek"
34.5cm x 22cm (13.6" x 8.7")
Acrylic on 300gsm watercolour paper


"Stoney Creek" is one of a series of paintings inspired by prints for sale at the Etsy shop "smallstump".

A creek winds through my parents' property. When we were children, we were allowed to 'swim' in the waterhole only when the creek was flowing with clear water.

Painting: "Inspired but Grounded"

"Inspired but Grounded" was inspired by a masked abstract called "Wisps" by English artist Amanda Hone, who I found on EBSQ Self Representing Artists.



I didn't use masking tape for this. For the figures I used a cardboard template, which I first drew then cut out.

"Inspired but Grounded" is one of my most popular paintings, even though it took less time to create than my other artwork. Perhaps its popularity has to do with the fun/play factor - I painted it with more abandon than is my usual painting style.

It's acrylic on thick watercolour paper, professionally framed, 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" (21.5cm x 31.5cm), and is AUD350 (350 Australian dollars).

It's one of a pair of paintings actually: these are the ladies; the other shows the 'blokes'!

Painting: "Violinist in Scarlet"

"Violinist in Scarlet" was painted over a weekend, especially for the art auction on opening night of Brigalow Arts Festival in Biloela, with proceeds going to the Banana Shire Art Gallery Association.



This painting is of Amiee Groundwater, who performed for several years with the local orchestra "Strings Attached". She is also an artist.

"Violinist in Scarlet" is Winsor & Newton Finity acrylics on 300gsm watercolour paper. I like to use 300gsm because it's thick and absorbent, so there's less chance of buckling, even with washes. If I do see a slight buckle, once the painting is dry I sit it under a very large very heavy dictionary overnight.

Painting: "Childhood Memory Tree"

Today I'm taking the plunge - I'm showing you one of my paintings.

"Childhood Memory Tree" was exhibited locally in March.



My mother has always kept a wonderful garden. In this painting you can see some of the flora which made up my childhood, both in our garden and on our farm, in south east Queensland: guava, honeysuckle, frangipani, scotch thistle, pomegranate, dandelion, hibiscus, buttercup, and plumbago - along with a Wanderer (Monarch) butterfly, and a Willy Wagtail. That's me in the apron, with my younger sister.

"Childhood Memory Tree" is in acrylic on ready-to-hang 45 cm (about 18") square canvas, but is now in my sister's private collection!