I've been looking at other blogs lately and trying to figure out what I like to read about most. Honestly, I really love to see other artist's studios - there's something that really draws me to know about how other artists work - the tools they use and the space they create in.
Here is a pic of my current work space - I've set up an easel in the house, in front of my amazing Janine Daddo painting (inspirational! - I will feature it in a different post) and the giant fish tank (hmmm, a bit mucky, not too inspiring). It's just been too cold to take the bub up to the big studio, so this is where things are created right now (usually v late at night). This pic shows a couple of the 30x30's I'm working on for the show on 22 Sept. I'm enjoying going to town and trying out a whole lot of ideas that I've had in my head for a while - definitely no theme going on, just lots and lots of ideas. I'm about to do poppies - can't wait to post about a bag I painted last night. I'll put up a photo when it's sewn.
And because the hat stand is next to the fish tank, and it's covered in bags, I thought I'd post this pic of my very first ever bag - you can see it's actually painted on canvas and folded over. The background is a metallic rose colour. I did two at the same time, both from paintings of girls that I didn't think had "it" (ie. deserved to be hung on a wall - but still had 'something'), and Mum has (and still uses) the other one. Both were sewn on my mother's 37 year old Elna Lotus sewing machine (it wasn't easy) and I was really feeling my way, totally trial and error. Now the bags are so much better made, the PVC, thread, industrial sewing machine, paintings... so this is pretty much the "acorn" for the business that has become "Shiny Happy Art".
Back to work now! Bub's asleep!
This is my other painting for the Carnival of Flowers exhibition - delivery is this Wednesday. It still needs to be selected by the committee but I think my odds are pretty good. I really enjoyed painting it, and my Dad said he didn't see the butterfly at first, and then he noticed another, then another... I think a painting is successful if you don't see everything at first glance, so I'm happy with his comment. Looking forward to painting more poppies also!
These are some of the new bags I've just uploaded to my website shop - there are more to come, but it's a good start! I'm just loving my new black vinyl shoulder straps. Very professional looking! And each large bag sewn from now will have a triple pocket inside, two sensible sized ones and another for a pen. Now I have to update the front page and everything will be on track again.
