From Garden to Canvas.6.

This is another painting in the new still life series, it is 120 x 98  oil on canvas, it will go on display in Kyneton Victoria, at the St Pauls Anglican church in Yaldwyn Street in a group exhibition, as part of the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges Art Trail, you can check out all the artists on the new website,  www.dmropenstudios.com.au  my studio will be open on the 3rd 4th 5th and 6th of November should anyone be up this way, If I get my blog act together,!! I will add a few more images soon.

From Garden To Canvas 4.

My camera hasn't done justice to this painting,! I just took the photo, but I must admit the sky is dark grey, the temperature is only 7 degrees, it's freezing and about to rain, and it's 2.00 in the afternoon,!! but that's what I have got to get used to here in Western Victoria.! I love the brooding mystery of this one.

Kerry.

This is a drawing from life class last week, the weather in this part of the world is freezing at the moment, so I applaud the bravery of all life models doing their work in winter!! this would have been a 15 minute pose and the medium is Rembrandt pastels.

From Garden to Canvas.3.

This one is 1x1 meters, it has a very rich finish, with 2 layers of varnish,

I can imagine this picture hanging somewhere in a modern apartment, maybe in an open plan kitchen space,?  it should look really fantastic.
I wonder where it will end up? thats the nice thing about creating art, to imagine where they end up, in which city,?  which state ? or even which country,? what a privilege it is for someone to enjoy your paintings enough, that they will live with your work on their walls for many years,

From Garden to Canvas.2.

This is my second painting, same size as the one below, I will post up another two tomorrow.

From Garden to Canvas.1

This is the first of a new series of big still life paintings, (1220 x 910 ) they will be shown in the Daylesford Art Show in early November this year.  unless sold beforehand, I am enjoying doing them, and in a really modern setting, maybe on a white wall, they should look stunning.

Apples and small Vase

A little still life, from last weekend, 460 x 360 mm.  trying to get away from the dark background,
and also attempting to "free Up' the brushwork a bit.

Back to the Future!

This little painting was done about 5 years ago, something troubled me about it,
so I added the leaf to the lemon, and changed the colour of the bottom edge, from blue to Van Dyke Brown, it puts the colors back in 'Range' and improves the overall appearance. the little dolls head has been staring at me from the shelf for many many years, it doesn't seem to get any older, I wish
I could say the same for me.!!

A Bigger Pear.

This is a largish painting 920 x 610 mm. it has two coats of varnish on it, and in real life looks very,
much like a painting from the 16th century, I have a few people asking for new work so I must start to produce more paintings. The cold weather is settling in now, with grey leaden skies,
here in Daylesford, luckily I have  the studio fire on!!

I'm reading a book at the moment called 'A Bigger Message'  conversations with David Hockney
( Hence the title above!!) published by Thames and Hudson, well worth a read, he is so knowledgeable about art, and it's history,  you will love it. anyone that follows my blog will know how much I love life drawing, and in the book Hockney remembers at a meeting of teachers and administrators.... when
the discussion was about the abandonment of drawing in art schools, they said to him So, it's back to the life drawing room is it Hockney? he said No, it's forward to the life drawing room.

new drawing.

My camera is playing tricks!! the paper is white not blue,!! but until I take a new shot this will do same model same night as the one below, next Wednesday, I am off to a new drawing group at a village nearby, called Malmsbury, hopefully I will do something nice, and if so I will post it up.

COMMENTS.
 If you like any of the work please leave a comment, I had an old email address in the system and for 2 years all the comments from you nice people disappeared into cyber space,!!!  but it should be O.K. from now on.

New Life drawings

I went over to Castlemaine last Thursday evening, and joined a new life drawing class, not many people there, only 5 of us drawing, but I was pleased with the result,  this one was a 20 minute pose.

Fun in the Garden!

The stone turtle is always a hit with the Kiddies!! I have to replace the marbles from time to time!!

Sculpture from my garden.

We had our new garden, ( only 2 and a half years old.)  open for The Australian Open Garden Scheme, a few weeks ago, so I assembled some weird and wonderful sculptures to keep the visitors happy, I had some nice big old fence posts which I dressed up!! we had really positive feedback, so there was plenty for people to see, as well as a bushland setting we also have a more formal traditional garden.
the number of visitors were very good, almost 350 people, and they all loved the studio, with good sales of original artwork as well as cards and prints

Life drawing.

This drawing was done in 2009, I have two big drawers full of them, the result of 5 years of regular attendance!! so I may post up a few, every now and then just to break up the still life paintings,

 I will be making enquiries about the life drawing classes in this area, I have heard there is one in Castlemaine, which is about 20 minutes from here, (Daylesford ) so watch this space!

new drawing

I went back to Adelaide a couple of weeks ago, and as I was there for a week, I asked if there was space at the life drawing class again,
it was great to catch up with lots of old friends, and to experience the joy of standing at an easel, and
getting covered in charcoal and pastel dust!!, and then just drawing,
 I had forgotten how enjoyable it was, I did about 7 sketches, for the evening but as it has been 2 years and 3 months since my last session, I was a bit scratchy!!  The drawing above was done in a  5 minute pose.
 Harry is in charge and ran the class well, with lots of good music, a terrific model, and coffee and Tim Tams, how can you top that!!

Bowl with Peaches.

This painting was done about 6 months ago, I put a really heavy varnish over it adding to the depth and mystery, the size is 600 x 300 mm thats about 2 ft x 1 ft in the old language.

Blue vase.

This is a very small painting, I tried to loosen up the brushwork a little, I like the blue of the vase against the orange.

Pears.

I feel proud of myself for keeping the background a little lighter than usual,! always like the effect of fruit against a darker background it seems to add mystery to the picture, but this one works O.K. I think, it has some nice tonal qualities to it.

Figs and grapes.

I recently finished this painting, it's about 610 x 450 mm. my photo is probably a little darker than the real thing, I had to work fast as figs don't like sitting there while I paint them!! they tend to fall apart and rot, ( I know the feeling!)

Mellow Yellow.

The weather has been so hot recently, that my usually 'too cold' studio has been up to 35 degrees inside, Yikes!!

even my little fan doesn't help very much!! I may have to cave in and get an air conditioner,

we have been here 2 years and I can't remember it being this hot before,

( dreaded global warming!!) this painting is 61 x 46 cm. hope you like it, please contact me for price details.

The Golden Egg (sold)

This is a painting that was originally done for my Adelaide exhibition last year, and has been sold recently to a collector in Melbourne, the painting is large at 152 x 102 cm.

Apple and Cherries. (sold)

This is a commissioned painting, from clients in Melbourne, it's the same size as the one below,

I must admit to eating both the apple and the cherries after the session!!

Forbidden Fruit.

This is a new picture about 770 x 770cm larger than normal for me, I like the sensual nature of the fruit, and the reflections from peach to grapes.

Aviator.

This is a recent nest painting, it is 122 x 91 c.m I have completed a second painting showing found objects scattered on the ground, which I will post up soon, when I get some time!! enjoy, anyone interested in coming up to visit me in my studio / gallery near Daylesford in Victoria, just phone me, or contact via email, I can give directions, and would love to show you large or small paintings, or drawings from life.

save on gallery prices by dealing direct with the artist.!