When i grow up

May 15, 2012 § Leave a comment

When i grow up (2011) 4 panels 12″x16″ Acrylic, glue, paper and fabric on canvas

What creative things did you love to do as a kid? Drawing battle ships, insects, dress after endless dress or maybe losing yourself for days on end in a book … ok with that list maybe it was just me 😉

Still life

May 15, 2012 § Leave a comment

The Happy Mother (2011) 36″x48″ Acrylic and glue on paper and canvas

One of my favorite books about mothering and taking care of yourself is “Buddhism for Mothers” by Sarah Napthali (2003 Allen & Unwin).  At the start of the book she sketches an image of the ‘Happy Mother’: “Imagine a calm, serene mother, who accepts whatever life presents her with. Unexpected or unwanted events don’t rattle her. She never over-reacts. She’s aware of the times when she lacks wisdom or compassion but doesn’t waste days feeling guilty, she might do better next time. She’s self-aware, but because she has fostered self-love, she is not self-conscious or self-absorbed when she talks to others. Her friends say she is gentle and kind in a genuine way. Her brothers and sisters add that she is clear in her thinking and good at making decisions. She seems to make others feel comfortable, special even, and there’s no shortage of people who love her. Her children delight in her company for she makes them feel important and understood. She’s creative, spontaneous and quick to laugh because no matter what she’s doing, life is play, not work.” (page 9).

I am not this woman. But looking at this painting reminds me of the loving kindness and calm I could find to be.

Dream (2011) 4 panels 24″x36″ Acrylic and glue on paper and canvas

Home?

May 15, 2012 § Leave a comment

Home? (2011) 20″x24″ + 20″x60″ Acrylic paint and glue on paper and canvas

Home? is a painting that asks where is home? Is it your physical location at this point in time, maybe the place where you spent you childhood, or is it the place where loved ones are even if you are not.  This painting was created when I was feeling homesick & realized that I didn’t actually know what ‘home’ it was that I wanted to return to … so I created a list of the places our little family has lived in to see if I could work out where I wanted to be…

Universe Series

August 19, 2010 § 2 Comments

Big Bang (2010) 40″x30″ Acrylic paint and glue on paper and canvas

Rainbow Serpent Traveling The Universe (2010) 76″x26″ Acrylic paint and glue on paper and canvas

Universe is a series of two paintings representing different interpretations of the universe and how it was formed.  ‘Big Bang’ depicts modern, scientific understanding whereas ‘Rainbow Serpent Traveling The Universe’  highlights the role of storytelling and fable in our knowledge. The works are compiled using a mixed technique of paint and collage and are influenced by indigenous Australian “representational” art as well as fabric quilting styles.

Florida Wild! Series

August 18, 2010 § Leave a comment

Sea Turtle (2010) 40″x30″ Acrylic paint & glue on paper & canvas

Aligator (2010) 36″x36″ Acrylic paint & glue on paper & canvas

Manatee (2010) 48″x36″ Acrylic paint & glue on paper and canvas

Florida Wild! is a series of three paintings depicting iconic Floridian animals – the Sea Turtle, the Alligator and the Manatee.  The works are compiled using a mixed technique of paint and collage and are influenced by indigenous Australian “representational” art as well as fabric quilting styles.

Sea: Legs Series

August 17, 2010 § 2 Comments

Sea: Legs – Sea Star, Crab & Jellyfish (2010) 20″x16″ Acrylic paint & glue on paper & board

Sea: Legs is a series of three paintings which highlight the radical differences in morphology of marine life and in particular what many loosely (and incorrectly) call ‘legs’.  The works are composed using a mixed technique of paint and collage are influenced by indigenous Australian “representational” art as well as fabric quilting styles.

All Around The World Series

August 16, 2010 § Leave a comment

All Around The World (2010) 20″x16″ (each) Acrylic paint & glue on paper and board

This series of six paintings uses shredded maps as the background for each of the continents.  Paper mache was used to apply the maps onto art board, while the continents are acrylic paint on paper.

Tropical Foliage

August 15, 2010 § Leave a comment

Tropical Foliage (2010) 40″x30″ Acrylic paint and glue on paper and canvas

Printed Leaves (2011) each 16″x20″ Acrylic paint and glue on fabric and canvas

I love South Florida’s amazing vegetation – the wetlands of the everglades, the shrubs of the coastal dunes and even the mass of lush green tropical species that have been introduced from around the world. While many of these non-indigenous species cause problems through their high use of water and invasive growth that crowds out local species, they do have beautiful leaf structures that I could draw all day …

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