Wordless Wednesday

Check out what others are doing for Wordless Wednesday

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…...

It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…... to be camping again. This painting is from quite near where we will camp next. It’s not the bush or beach self sufficient camping that we enjoy most, but it will be a nice break.

I am hoping I will find lots of inspiration while we are there, as I would really love to be itching to get into a “serious” painting again.

“Twilight” is an oil on silver leaf and is among my favorite landscape works. It is another one of the pieces from my Dusk till Dawn collection.

This is my first ever “It’s Tuesday and I can’t wait…” Check out who else is playing along and what they can’t wait for at Buttons by Lou Lou. Thanks Lou Lou for starting this fun little game.

Sunday Afternoon Drive

I have been lamenting the fact that the repeat dust storm wasn’t as dramatic as the first. The air here is almost clear again, so after the house was dusted and mopped we drove of to capture a little bit of nature on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Untitled

I have plans to join in with Illustration Fridays, but I forgot to submit this week and the week before the theme of Welcome had me stumped. This week’s theme was Infinite and this is the piece I had planned to submit.

I painted it years ago; I just checked it was 10 years ago. Wow, time is really flying! Nothing I have painted since has ever come close to it for me. It was such a freeing and amazing experience to paint it, I wish I could capture that feeling again. Do you feel that way when you work? Do you have an all time favorite piece?
It is titled Untitled. I always think that’s a cop out when I see a piece titled that, but this one really has me stumped. I know I thought of a title I was happy with one day, but I lost the thought and I have never remembered. So for 10 years it has been untitled, I think it shall remain that way.

Tweet, tweet

Not a twitter style tweet! Just tweeting about these sweet little birds. They are totally out of character for me, but very cute.  I was doodling about a few weeks ago and included these little birds that were inspired by some vintage fabric I saw out in blog land (I can’t remember where sorry). I thought I might laminate them so they will be strong enough to be book marks.

Then this week when I came home with a big stash of my half price art materials, from my favorite supplier who is going out of art materials :(.

I doodled more of these little birds on a scrap of paper with my new white ink.

I then decided that I needed to do more in a more finished version on a little canvas I picked up a couple of weeks ago. I like the doodles better than this canvas, but it has been heaps of fun playing around with something so different from my normal style.

It’s all nearly as sweet as the delicious fudge I am eating right now that we picked up this morning from the Handmade Expo, YUM. Little guy got a handmade wooden hobby horse too, I shall have to share some photos when I take them it is adorable and he loves it.

Dust, dust, dust

Thick dust veiled the sun today. At noon as Little Guy slept,  I crept outside to document the eerie orange glow in the air. In the evening we all drove into the countryside to witness and document the landscape shrouded in grey.

Water, water

Yesterday was such a fun filled, busy day.   Little Guys cousin spent the day with us and he loved it. We visited a beautiful park in the morning; it was so nice having a little helper, I got to take a lot more photos than I would have if it was just Little Guy and I.  His cousin loved keeping him occupied while I was being snap happy.

Little guy was captivated by this waterfall at the park, he just kept looking over the edge saying water, water, he was fascinated and would have stayed for hours. I suppose it nothing to be surprised about his Mum is rather fascinated by waterfalls too. The painting below is one of my largest works, it is called “Cascades” and it hangs in Little Guys toy room. It takes up most of the wall, so I guess it has had an impact on him.

We finished off our day by making chocolate chip cookies and drawing, what a perfect day.

One day only

I thought this was a native (to Australia) iris, but I have been searching for a link to add here and haven’t been able to find mention of a native iris that looks like this. It isn’t listed in my Gardening Australia Flora’s Native Plants book either, so perhaps I have been mistaken about it’s identity for many years. If anyone can enlighten me as to it correct name I would be very grateful.

No matter what it is called or where it comes from it is one of my favourite plants in our garden. It flowers once a year, for one day only and this year’s display was our best ever. I love the colour, the patterns, the leaves, and the form is just stunning, so complicated, but so elegant. Just another year to wait until the next flowering.

Do you have a favourite plant?  What about it draws you to it?

A new dawn

I love the drawing I have chosen as my profile picture. It is a pastel on paper called “Sunrising”. It is unframed, which means I don’t get to look at it much, it is in my unframed drawing storage…..under my bed! It is safely stored and respectfully wrapped in archival glassine paper, but under my bed all the same.


It is enjoyable to see an image of it a lot more often now and to know that is often people’s first impression of me and my artwork. It was hard to choose a piece of art to represent me, as I work in so many different styles and media. But this one just felt right and a bit symbolic as this blog and other work I am embarking on at the moment feel as they are the dawn of a new creative period for me.

Sunrising is part of a collection of paintings and pastels that I have titled “Dusk till Dawn” as the name suggests they depict the time between twilight and sunrise with lots of paintings of the night sky and moon in between. I hope to one day exhibit the whole collection together, but first I will have to get over my inability to let some works go, that I mentioned here, as many of these pieces fall into the would like to keep forever category

How did you choose the artwork or photo you use as a profile picture? Do you change it often or stick with the same one?

Desert Dawn

I miss this painting. Do you ever miss your creations that you have sent of into the universe?

It was a piece I always knew was for sale and that it wouldn’t stay in my life. It’s funny I divide my work up into categories and there are some that I hope will always be with me, some that I may be able to let go of one day, but only if they go somewhere I know I can visit with them. Then there are paintings like these that are destined for sale. This painting was created for sale, but I was looking through some photos of my work tonight and felt a longing for it just the same.

It was such fun to do, painted with real abandon and it worked out better than I had expected. I know I can’t keep them all, I admire artist who live by a credo of getting rid of the old to make way for the new. A lot of my paintings are of special places we visit and therefore bring back memories of good times and adventures; mostly it is these paintings that I feel a need to keep.

Do you categorize your work into selling/not selling? How do you deal with the longing to keep it all, especially the good pieces? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips on how you deal with these feelings.

Chantelle

No I’m not pregnant, but lots of my close friends are. One little bubba recently joined us and many more will make their arrivals this year. It is such a special time when you grow your child inside you. I loved being pregnant and I grew a gigantic belly which I couldn’t stop rubbing and talking to.

The sculpture above is titled “Chantelle” it is of a friend of mine, who has the same name! Who would have guessed? I drew her in the final weeks of her pregnancy and created this sculpture in my spare time over the following year. Chantelle has the clay study I completed before I carved this piece in limestone, I can’t bear to part with this piece yet, but if one day I can Chantelle has first dibs on it.

I love sculpting, it is very therapeutic to break of pieces of stone with a hammer and chisel and watch something beautiful emerge. In essence it is working backwards compared to painting as you are taking away rather than building up and it helps my painting immeasurably. I lust after a pneumatic chisel (although some artist don’t agree with their use) as all of that carving sure takes it toll on your hands and it would be nice to get the bulky early work out of the way quickly. I look forward to the day when I have a little space that is just right for sculpting and I can spend more time tinkering away with my files and chisels.

Creative fun with Little Guy

I haven’t been feeling too well the last couple of days so as a result I have been quiet here and in my studio. Little Guy and I have been having some really easy creative fun. Yesterday we painted the cement with a big brush and water. I had plans to draw on the wet cement with chalk, but he wasn’t really interested, so we just stuck to the painting. He did have a go at painting the grass with water and then the very patient dog. He had heaps of fun and it didn’t require too much energy on my part, or any mess, just what I needed yesterday.

I have just made a batch of glitter green, cinnamon scented playdough, it’s my first ever attempt and it was a success and so easy. I got the recipe from Montessori Journey as well as the idea to add the glitter and the cinnamon. When Little Guy woke from his nap I had it all set up, but he was a bit out of sorts and not very impressed.  I hope he gets into it more tomorrow and that I am feeling up to getting some more creating done tomorrow too.

Misty Morning

It’s a misty spring morning here and it is reminding me of many camping mornings waking up blanketed in fog with a delicious chill in the air. I love watching mist rolling down the river and slowly clearing to reveal a fresh, beautiful day. The painting above is from one of those mornings, it was a bit chillier than most and we discovered icicles hanging from leaves! I don’t generally like the cold, but on a morning like this you just add another layer, stoke up the fire and warm your hands on a hot cuppa. It is blissful and I can’t wait for our next camping adventure, they always provide me with inspiration and clear the fog from my mind so I can start fresh.

Rainbow bushwalk

There is nothing better on these beautiful spring days than spending some time in the great outdoors. We spent a few hours today on a leisurely bushwalk and as usual the camera got quite a workout. I was inspired by a post on exhale.return to centre to go on a rainbow hunt. It was quite a challenge, but lots of fun, I think I will be going on many more rainbow hunts!

Spring

Spring has certainly sprung in these parts. It is my favorite time of year.

buttons, buttons, buttons.....

I am loving the "Buttoned Up Books" I have been creating with thrifted buttons on thrifted notebooks, aren't they just the cutest? I can't wait to get them all finished and into Handmade Heaven.

Check out how adorable some of these buttons are up close.

I think I may have to start a serious button collection. I have had so much fun sorting through all of the buttons that I have thrifted lately and upcycling them into little works of art.

Here is the painting I finished the other night using buttons and a vintage doily.

 I have more works planned with buttons; I think I can feel an obsession coming on!

Drawing, music and thrifting treasure......

I have had such a great morning. The Little Guy created this lovely green drawing, which reminds me a bit of an oil painting I painted a couple of years ago. It is titled Optimism and it hangs in my bedroom. I will never be able to part with it is is one of my favorites.

Then we went of to music for some singing and dancing fun and a catch up with mates. One of my favorite thrift shops is right near music so we had to go and see if we could pick up a bargain.

We really scored today, some days are just like that thrifting! today Little Guy scored a wooden train for $10 a couple of the blocks are missing from the wagon (we have about a million blocks so I am sure he will find a replacement) and one of the links that joins the engine to a carriage will need a minor repair, but other than that it is perfect and I am thrilled.

I didn't miss out either, I found another jar of vintage buttons and a stack of little brown note books that I will upcycle along with the buttons into some funky little note/sketch books. I also picked up some vintage pillow slips and doilies, I plan to upcycle these into little artworks.

I completed my first little upcycled painting last night using a doilie and vintage buttons and I am so happy with it, it is very sweet, I shall share a photo soon. Off to get creative now while the little guy sleeps.

"Cogs"

"Cogs" is a very contemporary abstract that would suit a modern home or a corporate environment. It is currently on display at Handmade Heaven it is an acrylic on canvas and at an impressive 90cm square it is sure to be a striking addition to any room. The textures are layered beautifully giving the painting lots of depth and the metallic highlights are the very latest decorator trend.

I love painting in this style, it is so freeing and lots of fun. Before the Little Guy came along I was doing lots of this sort of work for bussiness, goverment deparments and commisions for private homes. It is a buzz walking through the city knowing that in this or that flashy new highrise my artwork is on display and helping to create the right look in business foyers and boardrooms.

Don't you wish you were here???

I am craving the beach, the smells and sounds and that incredible view. Alas a visit to the beach is not on the near horizon, but I do love the way my paintings can take me back there. This is a pastel title "Double Island Point II" that I completed after a fabulous, refreshing camping trip. I can't wait for our next camping adventure.

By any other name?

This is one of the mini paintings from the collection that I recently delivered to Handmade Heaven. It is just 20cm square, which is such a great size to fit into any little corner or space that needs brightening up. I love the texture in this piece and the metallic background. I haven't named it yet if you have any ideas for a title, please leave me a comment.

Things are looking up

Things are looking up in the creative side of my life and starting "created by Kylie" is my way of celebrating and expanding on that. I have found some time in the last month or so to get back into my painting, for the last 19 months Little Guy has been taking up so much of my time and energy that not much had been happening in the studio!

Recently I created a new line of funky little magnets and bookmarks and I delivered them to Handmade Heaven last week. If you haven't checked out Handmade Heaven before, it is, as the name suggests, a heavenly little shop full of handmade goodies. You can check out what is going on there at Handmade Heaven.

Check out a couple of the book marks and magnets from the range. They are all one off originals on artist canvas. Such an easy way to add some art to your everyday life and at just $3 they are an absolute bargain.

I also delivered some mini canvases and a couple of large abstracts, more about them soon..........