Gaye’s Studio News

Experimenting with tissue collage and other things

August 2024

I finally emerged from my fruit bowl series and called a halt. From a beginning of two in a some what muted palette which I loved.   But then, never satisfied, I thought I could play with a brighter coloured palette and paint a few more. I achieved my intention but think I like the earlier ones better. This one was a Staff Pick on Bluethumb last week.

They are now up on Bluethumb but might revisit them after a change in focus.  

The 3 aerial coastline set are awaiting a final coat of wax and titles.

My two Antarctic paintings are finished and ready for delivery to the Long Gallery for the “Antarctic and Southern Oceans” Exhibition opening on 22 August. I am very pleased with them, although I struggled in the middle stages. Serendipitously, some experimental collage making I was working on in parallel merged and transformed them.  They are titled Fractured ice 1 and Fractured ice 2. Have to say I love these colours.

As you can see there are distinct and random shapes, lines and marks created from transparent monoprinted tissue.  I have been doing a short course with Kasia Clarke to learn how to do this but with inks. Still struggling with it. I didn’t have the right plastic work surface so will try again. I love the effects you can get with this and how well they integrate with oil and cold wax.

Much to my surprise I sold a large painting on Bluthumb this week. Delivered today to a suburb of Adelaide is Red abundance.

I enjoyed a group tour of the Hadley’s Art Prize Exhibition last week with friends. Very enjoyable and informative. A must see!  Better then previous years in my opinion.

Recently I wrote an article on Pricing your artwork for the Art Society of Tasmania’s quarterly newsletter. I think collectors and artist themselves aren’t always aware or acknowledge the amount of time effort and skill that goes into creating an art work. Editing down to the word limit was a challenge. Much easy to write than edit. Might stick to painting!!

Last week I changed all my 5 Doctors Practice mini exhibitions. I have them now in one sequence which will give a lot more variety and flexibility.  Physically hard work but now it’s now 6 weeks before I have to prepare for another change again.  

I have joined an online art community to encourage and enable me to go further with my art practice. We are undertaking a project to create serieses of paintings. In doing this I want to develop my technical  and conceptual skills. Will be time consuming and I hope to share my journey in my future newsletters.  

Picked my first real daffodil yesterday, the roses are budding, the weather is warming and days are noticably lengthening and I am very excited about my current projects.

Your interest and support are greatly appreciated

Gaye