Dahlia Bud

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90+ shipping

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This weeks entry to the DPW challenge. What am I thankful for? There are a lot of things I'm thankful for, this is one of them! I was given a dahlia cutting from a special neighbour I used to live  next door to. This is one of the buds from that plant!!

Xmas Exhibition Paintings

                                     

                      Royal Spoonbills                                 Little Shag                  Estuary Morning Light

                             

I have been working on paintings for two exhibitions next month. These three, 12x12in are the first to leave my studio! They will be showing in the Quay Gallery Christmas sale opening on  the 1st Dec.

All paintings in the exhibition are 12x12in. 

I decided to have a bit of a theme and because I live so close to an Estuary I have painted pretty much what I see each day!! These are my favorite coastal birds!

2015 Calendar

My calendar for 2015!!  "Fun with Food Paintings" I DID have fun setting up and painting these! I have not ordered a big amount  because I'm not sure how many will sell. If you would like to buy one, you can email me and I will send you a paypal invoice.

They are $25 including shipping.

Armed and Dangerous

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 +s/h

SOLD

I still love painting my cottons and no doubt I will do more when the mood strikes me! I did a graphite and pastel drawing as a study last year, with the thought of painting it later...so here it is!

I like setting up these reels, sometimes it takes nearly as long as it does to paint them...I never realised there are so many different ideas with pins, needles and thimbles!!

Mary's Lamb

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
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When I saw this lamb, the nursery rhyme 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' came to mind...so that's the title!  I usually paint flowers to celebrate spring... but when I saw this little lamb, I thought it would be a nice change!!

Blue Matches

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 + s/h

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Nearly back to normal again!! Most of the house renovations are finished at last! The builders start my studio next week...I will be so glad to have some space! 

I've had this box of matches sitting around for ages, it's the first time I've seen blue ones, I have no idea where it came from but love painting closeups and reflections... my glass palette has become ideal  to sit still life subjects on!!

I'm busy doing a few larger paintings but will always love doing my small ones and will fit them in whenever I have time.

Seagulls

70x40cm (27"x16") Oil on canvas

This is a biggie compared to what I have been painting for the last year! It is for an exhibition in December.... I did start this last year but had to put it aside because we were moving house. A big thank you to Matt Kemp  a photographer from Sydney, Australia for allowing me to use his fantastic photo... I loved painting it!!  Take a look at his beautiful photography at  http://www.mattkemp.com/

I have more big ones to do for the exhibition and all going well  some small daily ones as well!!

30 Day September Challenge

Well...here is my collage of the 20 paintings I did in the challenge. I would love to have completed thirty but I'm really pleased I managed to get this many finished! It was a very busy month so now I'm looking forward to a break before I start bigger ones for an exhibition in December.

The Waiter

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

I particularly like painting people going about their daily lives, like this young guy getting plates and cutlery ready to serve customers in the restaurant.

This is the last day of the 30/30 challenge and I have completed 20 paintings! I would like to have done 30 but it was impossible with house renovations going on. It's been hard at times going out looking for people to paint, but the upside is that I have become much more observant!!  I enjoyed doing figurative work and learned so much... that was the reason I took part, so I'm pretty pleased with what I achieved!

Deco Dancing

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

This is another couple enjoying the Art Deco festivities here. It's great to see ordinary people dressing up and having a great time celebrating!! Thanks again to Jules for the photo! I have loved doing these paintings in this challenge, especially because they are all everyday people!

Time Out

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

I came across this girl sitting on the beach one morning...I'm not sure what she was doing but it looked to me like she was taking a bit of time out before lifeguard duties. This is number 18 in the challenge, I hope to get another 3 finished before it ends!!

Cousins

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

SOLD

Ordinary People

These four little cousins are my friends Grandaughters... they were on holiday in Fiji when this photo was taken, I loved the photo when I saw it and knew I wanted to paint it. Next time I will think more about it before I launch straight in!! It was a nightmare and would have definitely been better painted larger....  I will make sure I don't do that again!!

Dressed for Art Deco

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

An older couple out strolling during Art Deco week... I liked that they were both dressed in cream!! Thousands of people from all over the world come here and dress up to celebrate the 20s and 30s. The festival runs for a week every February with hundreds of events. Pretty much something for everyone!! The color is not so good in this one, it looks better in real life!

Lifeguards

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

These guys will soon be on our beaches again, summer isn't far away! They really do a great job of keeping people safe...most of them are volunteers and it's a huge commitment to take on!! This is number 15 in this challenge so I am now a week behind...not sure I'll catch up now!

The Painter

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

I found this guy painting a big shed door down near the Marina the other morning. I loved the shadow!! I'm well and truly behind...I think it's about three days now!

Baiting Up

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

We have a lot of people around here that fish off the wharf. This was a lucky photo of a guy baiting up! It's a bit more interesting than just standing there. I'm a day behind in the challenge now....hope to catch up sometime!!

Pay Day

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

SOLD

Ordinary People

I'm sure everyone likes this day! There is almost always  someone at these automated teller machines no matter what time of the day! How times have changed!! This is number 12 in he 30/30 challenge, 18 to go!!

Morning Stroll

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

I saw these two taking a stroll along the beach one morning while I was walking my dog. The green jacket caught my eye! I'm still able to keep up with this challenge...two more days until chaos begins and I have no kitchen for a few days!! Not fun!

Art Class

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

This is another one of the ladies in the art group I go to each week! I kept it simple and left out the table  where she kept her paints and palette. I was running out of time and it was just too much detail for a painting this small!!

Girlfriends

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

What a  nice way to spend a Sunday morning! These two friends were sitting on the grass down near the Marina, deep in conversation and unaware of anyone around them! I remember doing the same... oh to be young again!! This is day 9 in the 30/30 challenge, so far I've managed to keep up but I'm not sure if it will stay that way. Things will be disrupted here next week when we have a new kitchen installed and I have a visitor the week after! I didn't know this was going to happen when I signed up so what will be will be!!!

Morning Catch

 
8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

I live close to a marina and usually come across a fisherman when I'm out walking...  this one had been out in his boat early and  was stringing up his morning catch!!  

Morning Tea Break

8"x6" oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

I came across this lady when I was out walking. She was on her morning tea break and was happy for me to take photos! It was late today by the time I took this photo, so it's not clear and the color is not quite right... it looks  much better in person!!

Rubbish Day

8"x6" oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

What better way to take the rubbish out on a dull rainy day! Shoes off, trousers rolled up... and not a young person either...loved this when I saw it!!! This is day 6 in Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 day challenge, so far so good! I have managed to keep up. Learning figures and skin tones is good practice, it's all new for me!

Cooling Down

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

I was on holiday in Western Australia when I saw this couple at a beach, sitting in the water with their dog trying to cool down. It was extremely hot and seemed like the only way to stay cool...even the dog hardly moved!!

Spectator

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

One of the many spectators on a balcony at Art Deco Weekend. Every year in February our city celebrates it annual festival. Thousands of people dress up in 1920's -30's fashion and over 40,000 people flock from all over the world into Napier to see it transform back in time and enjoy this iconic event. Thanks to Jules 'Suspended Time In Photography' for allowing me to use this image!!

Art Buddies

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard
$90 with display easel
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Ordinary People

 

I'm a bit late posting this, I ran out of light to take a photo. These two ladies discussing this work are from a lovely art group I paint with every week. It's always nice to get out among like minded people instead of being stuck away in a studio!

Window Cleaner

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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 Ordinary People

This guy cleaning windows was actually up on a hydraulic lift, so it was a great opportunity for a photo! I have been carrying my camera everywhere with me since I decided on the theme of ordinary people. There are subjects everywhere that I probably would not have have noticed before...great fun! The colors in this are not very good it seems to be too blue...this is the best I could get it!!

Sunday Morning Walk

8"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel

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Ordinary People

 

This painting is the first of my 30 in 30 for the Leslie Saeta Challenge. My theme is Ordinary People...I have been out with my camera taking lots of photos for reference and have been lucky to be able to use  some images from  talented photographer Jules! I saw this man out walking his dog and loved the fact that even though he had to use a mobility aid, he still went for a walk!!
 I will try to  to finish one every day even though my house is in the middle of renovations...here's hoping!!!

Measuring Cups

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 with display easel
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I managed to get a painting done at last!  This is a companion piece to 'Spice is Nice' that I did back in April just before we shifted house. It's been sitting here half finished looking at me every day!! I always enjoy painting metal, although this one gave me a bit of grief because of all the angles. Life has been pretty busy lately and I haven't had a lot of time to paint...but...I have been gathering reference material for the September 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. Don't know if I'll actually complete a painting every day, my theme is 'Ordinary People' and I'm new to figurative work...that in itself is a challenge...we will see!!!

Another Study

My second attempt at this one! I have been practising sketching  more to get the dimensions of the figure right.. this is done from a reference photo I took in Australia. I signed up for Leslie Saeta's 30 Day Painting Challenge in September and my theme will be Ordinary People. This will be a  challenge!! For me, the drawing takes longer than the painting...I hope by the end of it I will be quicker at drawing figures!!

Busy Practising

Because I have limited space and time until my studio is built, I haven't been painting as much and all I have done are small ones....so I  thought now might be a good time to step out of my comfort zone and try some figurative work! I've always loved it but never pursued it.There is a certain amount of unease in doing this but I guess it has to be good for me in the long run! I have been learning from Peggi Kroll Roberts video 'Translations from a Photo'. I think it will keep me going for quite a while, it is so interesting and lots of learning to be done!!

Last Iris

6"x6" oil on board

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This was the last Iris from my garden this season!! The color is not quite true, the violet is warmer in the painting itself...this is the best I could get it! 

I have been painting small figure studies this week. I bought Peggi Kroll Roberts video 'Translations from a Photo'....she is a great teacher!! There is a lot to learn and her "one idea at a time" exercises make it easier, I'm really enjoying it.

"I'm All Ears"

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
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This is another one of the goats I took photos of at the animal farm. They are such characters! This one kept standing up at the fence and really making her presence felt. She had such a sweet nature and I loved those ears!!

Mr Smooth

6"x6" oil on gessoboard
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I took a lot of photos of goats a couple of months ago...I think the  name of this one is Whitey but I called him Mr Smooth! He was very friendly, wasn't  at all shy about getting photos taken...he just posed  and whenever I moved he followed!

I'm managing to paint the odd small painting and although my space is small I am going to tackle a bigger one... I can't wait until I have a studio again!!

White Delight

 

6"x6"Oil on gessoboard

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I started this rose painting for the  Daily Paintworks Challenge in May, we were in the middle of moving house, so it has sat here until  I had some spare time to finish it!! The name came about because  I love white roses.... or any white flower for that matter! It feels good to get back to painting again, now all I have to do is wait for my studio to be built!!

Bender

8x6 Oil on gessoboard

This is a commission for a birthday present...I hope Julia likes it! I love birds and Galahs are so colorful!  These colors were difficult to get right and the photo is not quite how it should be either. ( I hate it when that happens!) It looks better in real life. It is the only painting I have been able to finish since we moved...hoping that will change in a day or two!!

Chrysanthemums

8"x8" Oil on gessoboard
$150.00 +s/h

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I did this painting just before I moved house and have been meaning to post it all week! At last I have some breathing space!! Hopefully I can get back to painting next week. I haven't painted flowers for a while, so I bought a bunch of  Mums to paint but ran out of time and could only salvage these few before they wilted!!

Life's Little Pleasures

6"x8" Oil on gessoboard

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I love chocolates...definitely one of life's little pleasures I think! This painting was a bit of a challenge... I find orange hard to paint and the wrapper was a nightmare!! With a bit of perseverance I ended up feeling ok with it!!

It is good to get back to painting! I had a great holiday with my family and I didn't want to leave them!! I did realize though, that I am lucky I can paint...it helps to pass the time doing what I love! Now all I have to do is shift house, build another studio, then I can paint every day again!!

Wooden Spoon with Olives

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard
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I came across this olive painting...it's one of a series I did last year and had  forgotton about. I haven't been doing any painting and won't be able to until later next week...I'm still on hloiday and thouroughly enjoying it!!

Cover Girl

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

SOLD

I love the gentle faces of sheep and this girl was looking very smart (hence the title) and well groomed! I enjoyed painting her!!

I am going to Australia to see my family in a few days so won't be painting for two weeks...I will be taking lots of photos for when I get back!!

Spice is Nice

6"x8"Oil on gessoboard

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My new measuring spoons! I love spices and use them all the time in cooking. I saw a photo of spoons a long time ago set out with spices in them, I can't remember where, but it's always been my plan to paint them when I got around to buying new ones!! I love the little bit of  color with the grays.

Red Onions

8"x8" Oil on board

$120 + s/h
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These red onions came from the market, I don't often see them with the roots still attached like this...so it was a lucky find! They look like they have beards...fun to paint!! I liked the strong shadow the light created and muted reflection from my gray glass palette.

"Photo Session Over"

  

8"x8" oil on gessoboard

$130.00 +s/h
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These geese did not want any more photos! I was taking some of them swimming over in the Estuary...they put up with me being there for a while, then just turned and waddled off. Ha! I won out. I actually liked this with the bit of attitude better than when they were in the water!!

Eggplant Babies

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90 +s/h
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I bought these eggplant babies from the market...nice colors and shapes to paint!! It's good to paint something simple when short on time! I am finding it difficult to focus and stay in the ' zone' lately! I have plenty of paintings  in my mind, but that's as far as they get...I tell myself...it will get easier!!!

Palm-Dampier Beach

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

$90+s/h
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I found this small palm tree close to the waters edge on the beach in Dampier when I was on holiday in Western Australia last year and I've been wanting to paint it for a while. I love the bright green fronds against the blue water!! Very tropical!

Color on a Gray Day

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

SOLD

I love the Agapanthus flower...I took this photo on a gray day when I was walking around the Estuary. There are a few of these growing along the walkway and they add such lovely color.  I loved the blue against the gray sky background!!
I'm a bit slow on the painting again...been too busy clearing out 'stuff ' so we can sell the house, I hope that will change soon!!

Being a Boy

8"x6"Oil on gessoboard
$90 + s/h
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I was walking down by the Marina one Sunday morning and saw this boy, doing what boys do, throwing stones into the water....  each time trying to see how far he could throw them! I sat and watched...eventually he stood still enough for me to get this photo. I liked the soft morning light!!

I am still clearing out 'stuff ' so when I move it won't be too much to do. It is taking a lot of my painting time...trying to stay calm!!!

Dancing Daisies

6"x6" Oil on gessoboard

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These daisies were swaying in the breeze along the beachfront...all that was missing was the music!!  I love the violet color of the petals and the bright green leaves...brightens up the day!!

No Bull

6"x6" oil on gessoboard
$90 +s/h
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I like painting animals close up and trying to capture the expression in their eyes....this is another one where the title came to me before I painted it! He looks pretty serious about something...could be me with the camera telling him to smile!! 

This looks better in real life...I spent a lot of time trying to get a good image and it only seems to be on my blog that I have trouble...so frustrating!!!  This was the best I could do!