Gaye’s Studio News

Leaving the coastline

12 December 2022

My recent obsession with coastal scenes is drawing to a close. I am pleased with what I produced, especially these aerial views. There are five in this series Voice of tides 1, 2 and 3 and Surging 1 and 2. The Voice of tides trio could be displayed as a triptych. They are a different format to my usual, measuring 47 x 67 cm. The colour reproduction is not quite true. Not had that problem before!

The next two Surging 1 and Surging 2 are smaller, 40cm squares and use a limited palette of turquoise, yellow ochre, burnt sienna and Payne’s grey.

I recently changed the ten paintings I have at Sandy Bay Doctors for another set. The large painting in the foyer is Stella Winds. My favourite colour turquoise is peeping through here as well.

At the Lady Franklin Gallery at Lenah Valley this month is a show titled Urban light. My two entries are abstract. The hanging one, shown below, is titled Industrial 2 and is a multi layered piece with the geometric shapes hinting at architecture.

The next exhibition at the Art Society is Body and Soul focused on figures and faces. Not a favourite subject but I am having a go. This is where I am at. Certainly not finished. I am trying to retain looseness in mark making with unrealistic colour and abstraction. Quite a challenge. To enter a local exhibition requires an investment of resources, both time and money, preparing the work to be hung on a wall. I need to be happy with the end product before commit. Still a few weeks to go.

I attended a four day(although I missed the last session due to a prior commitment) plein air workshop with Rick Crossland recently. I really enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot. Rick is a great teacher; very generous and well organised. Its a long time since I had used solvent and brushes with oil paint. I need to work on getting the right consistency of paint so I don’t over work as I have in these.

I used my new easel successfully except for one instance when I tripped over the tripod and paint and equipment went flying. So now need to practice. These are a few of the small painting I did at Richmond. The last one was on a very moody at Roches Beach. Only had a hour before the rain came.

I featured in Rick’s demo painting of the Richmond church scene.

So where to next? I started two abstract florals at the same time; one I created a dark green background. I don’t know how they have become so different. I think I liked the first one early in the process so stopped and the second I kept building on.

My inspiration was the magnificent rose Sally Holmes, see often on a recent trip to Longford. That’s intuitive painting for you.

Also started, but a little lost at the moment, are two oil and wax multi-layered paintings using black, red and yellow with a touch of blue.

2022 is drawing to a close and I should do a review of my progress and direction soon. I will be updating my website very soon too.

Wishing all my friends and followers a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

May 2023 be all you wish it to be!