the regular Thursday plein air paint-out  was very hot and windy, and the watercolour painters had a bit of difficulty especially with the wind blowing the easels around... I decided to just stick with the gum tree under the shade.

16x 12 oil

last two portraits

 Oil portrait of young Harry at our last group session in November, wearing traditional Indian dress

at yesterday's session I tried a watercolour and an oil painting of Jamison, this is the oil

Portrait workshop with Evert Ploeg

highly regarded portrait artist Evert Ploeg decided at short notice to put on a portrait painting workshop at his studio on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th November. I noticed it on his fb page and decided to go along, it was 2 days of painting  with enjoyable and useful discussions with 7 artists including our uncomplaining model, artist Greg Somers.
this was my effort ... with a little tweaking of the background and shirt

Ian

Ian was our sitter today, I have already painted an oil portrait of him before, so I thought I'd try something different, and did a one hour Conte drawing and a one hour Pastel drawing

Life Drawing Exhibition

The first weekend in November is our Life Drawing Group Exhibition, traditionally called the 'Fruits of the Figure' exhibition after the now defunct 'Fruits of the Hawkesbury' Festival of which it used to be a part.

13 artists in the group, and we all set up our own sections... this is a photo of my display, some paintings, a pile of portraits and folders of drawings.

a photo of the photographer Kylie Pitt from the local paper taking a photo of me.

kaya

kaya, the last group portrait for October

current paintings

some paintings I have been working on with the thought of maybe entering into some shows... but I'm not sure if they are up to it yet.

Alan

I sometimes do two different portraits at our 3 hour group sessions, this week's portrait of Alan were   40 minute and 80 minute sketches.

Peter

Oil portrait of Peter from this week, linen panel 20 x 16

Portrait & Life drawing

a 2hr  portrait, 16 x 20 Oil  from last week

and a 20 minute life drawing

Adelaide

today's oil portrait of Adelaide 16 x 20 oil, 100 minutes

Springwood Art Show

Awarded the portrait prize at the Springwood Art Show for this painting

one of four that I entered

Kathryn

today's 2 hour oil portrait 20 x 16

a frame makes a difference

landscapes

I'm intending to try and get out once a week if I can  to do some plein air painting, this is last week's plein air

and a little study of a plein air from the previous week

most recent portraits

the last couple of group portraits that I have been refining...not yet finished

20 x 16 oil

                                                                         24 x 18 oil

Ellie

Today's oil portrait of Ellie, 16 x 20

refreshed and old painting

Stuart

the paint flowed well today and I finished up doing two portraits one in 80 minutes and the other in 40, 16 x 20 oils

Hawkesbury Show results

I put 4 works in this year's Hawkesbury Show
'Best in Show' in the Open section.
judges comment " a painting showing good drawing skill and understanding of tone and light.
A strong focal point - well painted."

1st Seniors
judges comment " Nicely captured gesture.Painted in harmonious tones.Nicely drawn."

1st Drawing
judges comment "A lovely sensitive drawing, well controlled"

Jim

today's portrait of Jim, oil 20 x 16

David

today's portrait of David, 80 minutes, 16 x 20 oil on canvas

a little bit more on Phoebe

Phoebe

Another oil Portrait of Phoebe 20 x 16 oil

Margaret

yesterday's portrait of Margaret, 20 x 16 oil on canvas,  80 minutes

Archibald entry

I thought it was about time to start entering  paintings into some exhibitions, never tried the Archibald... so here goes. Earth Colour Pastellist Greg Hansell, Oil 36 x 30

Georgia

yesterday's oil portrait of Georgia, 16 x 20 detail

Phoebe

I'm  in the middle of a two week landscape painting workshop with John Wilson, but Saturday was our regular Portrait group, here's this weeks study of Phoebe, oil on linen 20 x 16

Anastaysia

detail of yesterday's 2 hour study of Anastaysia 24 x 18 oil

Sansnee

24 x 18 oil portrait of Sansnee painted at the Piggery studio  from a couple of live sittings

self portrait

I thought it was about time I tried a self portrait!

Bert's Portrait

Bert came round to the studio today and I did a bit more to his portrait, there's plenty more that could be done to it but I'll leave it as it is... as one for the record!