long time no see..

So I've been a bit busy lately. Who am I kidding ? I'm always busy between paid work, family and art.

I recently finished a series of 12 small watercolour pieces based upon scenes from the Yarra Valley and its wine. They will be featured by the Australian Wine Tour Company over the next few months on their website (link here) and social media. It's been a great experience working with them and clearly a subject I am passionate about after 12 years working in the Yarra Valley and many more years imbibing.

I also took part in an online course (#etsyresolution) to revamp and make the most out of my etsy shop (link here). I learnt about SEO, call to actions, tagging and so much more.

Subsequently I've also put more effort into my Instagram  account (link here) .

To celebrate my new found self-education, I'm offering a 10% discount (excluding shipping) when you spend over $20 in my etsy shop. Just use the code "BLOG10" to receive your discount.

pulling threads together

topography
contour lines
conventions
legends
caves
mountains
hills
maps
landscapes
internal landscapes
female body as landscape























seaweed
ozone
fresh ocean
salty air
water
waves

dunes
shifting forms










































mussels
oysters
flesh - soft pliable
saline
cooling
refreshing
























botanical

plants
flowers
flowering
blooms
blooming
growth
unfurling unfolding
many layered
multi dimensional
messy
complex













fruit 
vegetables
ripeness
seeds
flesh

lush
verdant


earth goddess
mother earth





myth
archetypes




weaving 
woven
intersecting
interlinked
connected

watercolours
water
serene
feel it in my waters
aqua
aquifer
aquatic

Great place to buy art

And yes I've another new stockist. This is a gorgeous place in the Dandenongs that showcases a unique range of furniture, homewares, local art and much more.

http://www.thecourtyard.net.au/

Painting en plein air

I've a great travel set of watercolours and am enjoying discovering the pleasures of painting in the open. I recognise it is quite the established tradition but I'm a newcomer to it.

A little tweaking when I got home but most of the work was captured on site.

New stockist! New stockist! New stockist!

"Once the home of Dame Nellie Melba, Coombe - The Melba Estate is a property with an unrivalled provenance. Seven acres of stunning gardens and beautifully appointed facilities in the restored motor house and clock tower offer a truly unique gourmet and cultural experience."


http://coombeyarravalley.com.au/site/

The providore at Coombe Yarra Valley is the latest stockist of my watercolour artcards, aprons and in the very near future - napkins.

Everybody do a little dance now...

I now have a brochure

my Pozible progress

Well I'm just over a third of the way to my goal with my Pozible project and the steps seem to keep falling into place. I'm grateful to those who have pledged support. Thank you so very much!

Whilst I only have a handful of stockists currently, I'm starting to cast the net wider each day. I am always carrying samples on me and it's lovely the way things lead from one thing to another. 

I also now have plans to print an adorable antique cutlery set on white cotton napkins. They look really sweet.

I'm also learning so much more about computers and social media each day. I'm grateful for the knowledgeable friends who are happy to lend an ear or proffer some advice.

Thanks and this ride ain't over yet.

To those, who would like to support even in the smallest of ways, any pledge no matter how small will help this dream become a reality. Crowd- funding projects like Pozible really do rely on people "putting their money where their mouth is". Rest assured, I take each pledge with so much gratitude. I sincerely thank all of you.

Lessons learned from playing with watercolour paints

I recently returned from a week on a tropical island with family. Naturally, I took art supplies to keep sane and allow me a legitimate excuse to steal some time and space for myself. Tubes of oils and acrylics seemed too cumbersome to pack so I only took a sketch pad, some pencils and my recently purchased and mostly untouched travel watercolour set.

Let's just say I learned a thing or five.

1 - Time
Some things really can't be rushed. Watercolour needs time to dry if you don't wan't areas to bleed and blend into each other. Who knew brute force and blind faith weren't always the answer.

2 - I need practice paper to feel out the intensity and value of the colour that is on my brush. Only so much can be adjusted once it's on the paper.

3 - Other people who have experience in this can be very helpful

4 - Less can actually be more. Cliche though it is this is true. Clarity of a single stroke can say/achieve more than multiple strokes.

5 - 'Practice' pieces can really work.
'Proper' pieces can often fail.

Good god - could watercolour be teaching me patience. Perhaps this is why I always knew it was something I wouldn't do till I was older... Does that mean I'm older now? Wiser too? Ha!