I hope everyone was thoroughly spoilt on Mother’s day – I certainly was. Gifts that were just my thing – rose bushes, teacups (some with kingfishers!), orchids, bromeliads and as Jez put it, “Two of your favourite things combined mum – chocolate and seashells!” As you can see, not very many left…

We went bushwalking by the lake in the morning, saw black swans, kangaroos, a hidden blue tongue and stumbled upon some intriguing caves. So happy when I found a velvety soft feather, perhaps from a mopoke? After a lunch out, onto an Orchid show, where I was given a bromeliad in flower and the most unbelievabley perfumed orchid – “Zygopetalum”. The house is filled with it’s giddy scent – I’m swooning still!

I’ll post some images of our day soon, along with the amazing orchid – hard to believe my painting is based on a real flower!

Seaweed watercolour on hibiscus tea dyed paper

Sunday’s Super Moon made waves in more ways than one. Combined with a storm front, the full moon high tide was spectacularly huge. The entire beach had been covered with waves, the dune plants being washed, and the boardwalk scattered with seaweed. Great for gathering seaweeds and algaes. Not so good for seashells. There was not a one to be seen – I think they were buried – the beach was covered in an extra 2 foot of sand.

Click on the above images to see them super big.

The second image has a tiny weeny spider crab somewhere. I didn’t even notice him myself until I moved the seaweed. I’ll have the solution at the end of this post if you need it….

Lots and lots of sponges and fibre balls also blown ashore. Fibre balls are rolled up remnants from the sea grass meadows. Click on the photo to see them up really close.

Thanks to Jeff who collected all the  fibreballs for me as a surprise. You can see where the high tide mark was travelling up the dunes. I have never seen it this high before.

The tide usually hovers before the rocks – this time it was wandering along the boardwalk as well.

A taste of wild winter weather to come! And as promised, here’s the crab’s hiding spot if you couldn’t find it…

Storms and lovely rain lashing the coast. Bush, beach and gardens soaking it up thirstily. Extra high tides thanks to the Supermoon on Sunday (moon closest to earth for the year). A beautiful blue tinge to Luna as she rose up above the stormcloud bank.

Rain pelted the windows as we worked during the weekend pastel workshop. New and old students producing amazing work again.

Sunsets, reflections, shadows and waves – all beautifully portrayed in pastel.

New students to pastel really did themselves proud.

And in a very short space of time, Lil treated us to a portrait of a different kind!

Well done all!

A short time ago I found a piece of extra special treasure at my local beach. It was just on sunset, and I saw something sparkling amongst the seaweed and shells at the waterline – a  titanium, gold and diamond wedding band. I have advertised in the “Lost & Found” section of local and state newspapers, but no response so far. So if anyone out there recognises this ring, please let me know.

Of course it may not have been lost here. With our strong currents, and the extreme lightness of this ring, it may have been carried from far far away. It may even have been thrown into the ocean. A whole mystery novel could be written about this ring!

Re:my previous post, below is the varnished painting – what a difference to the colour vibrancy it makes!

Hope everyone has a great week ahead!

“River’s Song”     Acrylic on canvas    91cm x 91cm (3ft x 3 ft)

Another river piece finished in time for the City of Wanneroo Art Awards, which opens Friday Night. I’ll satin varnish it to bring out the deep richness of the colours, the matt finish paint can seem a little washed out without it. The title of this piece did not hit me until a couple of days ago; Dr Who Fans will recognise the unconscious reference!

Lots of splish splashing about, with the first real rain in 10 months (38mm, 1.5″). That’s a lot of rain in one hit for Perth, compared to when I lived in the Tropics and daily Wet Season rainfall was measured in feet! Big fat raindrops were welcomed by many garden residents. Can you spot one below?

He stayed motionless for over 24 hrs on the leaf, then took to the fish pond.

Motorbike frogs in the garden = happy gardener. Click Motorbike Frog to hear their “song”.

Since I removed the Google Followers button, some of you have asked how you can follow my blog. I’ve now added the “Follow Me” subscription option, at the top of the sidebar. Thank you again for all the support, you guys are the best!

Visitors to my place have little choice – they are sat down and pastels placed in their hands. Arty sisters Melina and Diane spent morning tea time putting pastels down on paper, fuelled by cups of tea and tasty treats. Thank you girls for a lovely morning, and the pastries!

It’s lovely to be painting in the garden again. I went to the Garden show last week and brought home some real treasures. I’m sure they will be appearing on canvas and paper very soon. I am deeply in love with my waterlily in the Big Blue Bowl.

 5 buds, opening and closing with the sun each day, it is such a joy to watch.

When I reserved this plant at the Show, I gave my biz card to attach to it – the waterlily card for the waterlily plant. Such kismet!

I miss these beauties from my days living in the Tropics. They grew as weeds there, flowering their heads off in every drain and puddle.

Happy now

Recently I was asked to demonstrate at the evening meeting of the Wanneroo Art Society. They were a lovely group, around 70 people this particular evening, so I was very nervous!

I started with some acrylic painting, followed by a pastel demo of a horse’s eye, and then some show and tell with watercolour and claybord.

An hour never passed so quickly in my life! Thank you to the Society for inviting me, keep on painting everyone!

Best of Friends   Watercolour   41cm x 51 cm (16′ x 20″) framed.

It seems like ages since I last posted, painted and exhibited. I’ve been laid low for the past few weeks with everything from head colds to Whooping Cough. Happily, I’m well on the mend and back behind the brush. This weekend marks my first exhibition for the year with 3 paintings on show at the St Mary Magdalene’s Art Exhibition in Heathridge.

I’ve such a soft spot for kingfishers, and this shows some of the steps in creating a kingfisher painting. It is a long and involved process, but the final result gives me great joy.

A heartfelt Thank You to those who have purchased my paintings this weekend. It gives me such encouragement for the future paintings to come!

Exhibition runs till 4pm Sunday 15th April.