Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre

Last weekend was the Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre annual members Exhibition, this is where I usually do my weekly life drawing, so as a member I added a couple of my recent life painting studies and a couple of figure paintings to the show.

plein air paintings

I'm enjoying my new plein air method of painting small oils on prepared water colour paper, and doing short studies, most of the time of less than an hour.

Archibald

I went to the Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre website this morning and found this photo of Richard Cutler and myself standing in front of my portrait of him that was delivered to the AGNSW this week as an entry int the Archibald Prize.

The Archibald Prize, since 1921 the most prestigious portrait prize in Australia... and probably the most controversial! As one eminent portrait artist said to me... "Why would you spend months on a painting to enter it into a competition where it is dismissed in a matter of seconds... I wouldn't mind until you see what is actually selected!"

Although some of the selections are obviously controversial, it still attracts 8-900 entries of exceptional merit and is always a very fine display enjoyed by a very large public attendance, and a pick of the display goes on to Regional Galleries. There are also the follow up exhibitions the  Salon des Refuses and other spin offs as wells as the other associated Wynne and Sulman Prizes,

In my portrait of Richard, instantly recognizable to all who know him well... standing in front of a couple of his own paintings, haloed hair like a prophet of old, lip pouting, eagle eyed with hands vigorously gesturing as he describes the symbolism of his paintings and how you have to get down to the bones and connect to the inner person not just paint  the outer facade. 

 

Life Drawing

The Blue Mountains Creative Arts Centre is having its Annual Members Exhibition at the Glenbrook Hall on the weekend 11-12 July.

This is where I attend their weekly Life Drawing Group. We usually do a variety of poses starting at 1 minute and going up to 30 minutes I have been trying out oil paint.with some of the 30 minute poses, here are some recent ones.

plein air

I have found an area close to home to do some plein air painting and am experimenting with a new smaller approach, these are some quick ones from the last couple of days

Deerubbin Centre 10th Birthday

This is part of a feature article in this week's Hawkesbury Gazette regarding the Deerubbin Centre's 10th Birthday celebrations

Community Art Expo - Deerubbin Centre 10th Birthday celebrations

Today was the  Deerubbin Centre (Regional Gallery and Library) 10th Birthday celebrations with a Community Art Expo in which local Art Groups were invited to participate.

As  part of the Piggery Lane Studios and Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop I set up my easel and did a handful of live portraits, this is the only one that I managed to get photo of

Archibald Season

I am preparing for an exhibition of Portraits of Artists and Hawkesbury Identities in August, and as I   haven't entered anything into the Archibald for a couple of years I'm going to enter this one of Richard Cutler into this year's.

I was at Life Drawing with Richard today, and he showed me his Entry for the same Exhibition 'Self  Portrait on a good day'

portrait and plein air

Saturday's portrait of Georgia, Oil 24 x18 , 80-100 minutes at Richmond Art Supplies

and an oil on paper plein air sketch at Richmond

Plein Air at Windsor

This week's get together for the plein air group was in the grounds of the Sebel at Windsor. Mornings have been a bit chilly lately, with some ice and frost, but it had warmed up a little when we started.

 

HAWKESBURY ART FAIR 2015

The Hawesbury Art Fair is on again at the Hawkesbury Regional Gallery from 29th May until 14th June, The Piggery Studios have  a designated area to display works, this is a selection of some of my landscape paintings.

Portrait Group

some recent studies from the local Portrait groups, one held once a month on Saturdays at Richmond Art Supplies and one held once a month on Saturdays at Hawkesbury Community Arts Workshop UWS Richmond

recent Plein Air's

It's been a while since adding to the Blog... so there is a bit of catching up to do
The Plein Air group, a combination mainly of Maquarie Towns and Nepean Arts Society members gets out once a week on Thursdays and the venue is usually posted on the Nepean web site

some from the last few weeks, I have been trying out the Arches watercolour Oil Painting paper and find it seems to suit me quite well for plein air work

  Bowen Mountain

  Bowen Mountain

Windsor

Windsor

Windsor

last portrait of  the year

a recent one still to be finished

yesterday's plein air sketch at Tizzana Winery

plein air and Life

Our Plein Air group went back to the same location this week, and I did intend to do a little more to last week's painting, but as the sky was cloudy I started another from a slightly different view

I made the trek into the city by train to discover what the Julian Ashton Sketch club was like, and now I know the routine will probably try and make it there again...
these are from the batch of 1 and 2 minute poses from Glenbrook on Friday

Derryn

Saturday's portrait at Richmond Art Supplies, Oil 16 x 20

Castlereagh plein air

started a plein air painting this morning with the Nepean/MTAS group by the old Methodist Church at Castlereagh, and spent quite a bit of the time talking to the caretaker of the Church about the history of the place, including this building which is the old schoolhouse built in 1878 and the cottage that went with it.

more to Angelique

a few more adjustments to a Angelique, and it may be time to leave it alone

Plein air and Life

an on location shot of Thursdays plein air  at Richmond

and some life drawing at the Blue Mountains Life drawing group

Sketches

Saturday's oil sketch of Donna, 24 x 18

and a some 1 & 2  minute  figure studies during the week