Bathroom Art

My husband renovated our bathroom in January and since then I've had this idea for a painting in my head. I painted wet in wet and added gold glazes and three different colours of drips and I'm delighted with how it worked out! I'm waiting to receive my first shipment of the wonderful GOLDEN paints and varnishes, and will then coat with a soft gel medium and a high gloss polymer varnish. I"m so happy that it's done! Today I tried 3 more flowers on smaller canvases which I will add drips and glazes to tomorrow - I hope I'm happy with them too!

Fairy with the right idea

This chocolate fairy was inspired by Laini Taylor - it has led me to do an assortment of other fairies. I think I may have to keep this one.

A better pic

Here is a better pic of the top panel of "We Emerge" that I included in my last blog. I think her expressive use of colour is amazing! As I mentioned before, the artist is Barbara Tyson.

I'm getting back on track

I've just returned from a wonderful 5 days visiting Melbourne and am inspired once again. I've made a long 'to do' list and am working through my orders and commissions as fast as I can so that I can get started on a whole bunch of other ideas I've got stored in my head and noted in a couple of places (just can't seem to stick to one notebook at the moment). Anyway, the cake was a DELICIOUS carrot cake that I had at the cafe at Manyung Gallery at Mt Eliza, about 30 mins south of Melbourne. Honestly, I don't think I've had a single piece of carrot cake since I realised the Weight Watchers points value of a slice in 1998. This one was superb though, with a thick layer of cream cheese icing and pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and apricot squares on top. Divine. The painting I've uploaded is by the artist Barbara Tyson and I think it's wonderful too - she is a master of painting movement and form - and these 5 square pieces were coated in resin - something I plan to do again this weekend. You can see more of her work and my favourite artist, Janine Daddo's work at www.manyunggallery.com.au .

OK, the rush is over

I have to confess that the Christmas rush has left me drained. I was in the studio painting every day for about 5 weeks and at the machine sewing almost every night. The figures have come in at 103 bags sold for the months of November and December. And let me tell you, it certainly feels like it! It was lovely thinking on Christmas morning that there were so many people out there opening their presents and finding an Anna Bag. Of course, I've been so busy that no-one received one directly from me... maybe next year. Right now I'm having a necessary break from the bags (altho I have 2 paintings to finish in the studio by Friday morning) and I'm heading to the coast for at least 2 weeks before coming back to the school rush at the end of the month. Then in February I'll hopefully be motivated to work again! I am also spending my little holiday trying to think of better ways to manage this little business of mine in 2007 - seeing as with a bit of luck I'll be bouncing a baby on my knee come late June. So, I'm off and will blog again next month. Farewell for now! (Oh, and the picture is of our lovely new outdoor area being well used for a New Years Eve gathering - thank you to my talented husband for building it and also for subsequently fixing the camera so we won't keep taking blurry images like this!)

Still too busy!

This has been an amazing lead up to Christmas. Have been sewing and painting like mad. All must be finished by tomorrow! Must go!

Too busy

Too busy to write, too busy to download photos! So much to do before Christmas - but only one more open day in the studio (thank goodness!). Must do things differently next year.