Arum Girl by Leah Clarke

Gabby Malpas - Tickles my fancy

2015-05-05T15:00:00.000+10:00

Bright crisp colours, east meets western perspective, and the beautiful simplicity of Gabby Malpas watercolour paintings, are a delightfully serene.
Gabby Malpas, was born in New Zealand, and is currently living in Sydney, Australia.
Her painting feature flowers, and plant foliage, Asian crockery, small delicate creature like butterflies and birds, and fruit and vegetables. Her still life paintings are magically domestic.

Gappy works on paper with watercolour, and ink on canvas. In an interview on Parka Blogs

she describes the method she uses to paint on canvas, and maintain the look of her work. It gives me courage to try canvas again.

Her work is printed on lots to different produces: Silk scarves, coffee trays, cushions, platters, tea towels, cards, seed packets, calenders, and even wall paper.


Lillipilli	strawberries and papaya

For more of Gabby Malpas's work follow the links below:
Gabby Malpas's Website
Gabby's Blog
Gabby on Flickr

Blog Reno

2015-05-01T17:33:00.002+10:00

Please excuse the mess, I am renovating my blog

Alison Worsnop. Artist’s that inspire me.

2015-04-28T15:00:00.000+10:00

I would like to tell you about Alison Worsnop, an Northern Territory based artist, who is a tutor at Adult Night Classes, Casuarina.

During her watercolour classes, last year, Alison taught me new techniques and help me expand my skills, and this year I am enjoying her Art Anatomy classes. Her advice and encouragement has given me courage to reach beyond my perceived limits.

Alison Worsnop 'Wings' Exhibition

I've watched over Alison's shoulder as she has demonstrated different painting methods, and I'm impressed by her knowledge of colour, and her sure hand as she sketched the local flora with a brush.
Alison is a talented watercolourist, and also works in pastels, acrylic, and mixed media.

I've seen her work on display at the Territory Wildlife Park , and Framed Art Gallery. Her landscapes are vivid, communicating the atmosphere as well as the observed. Alison work demonstrates her concerns about the effects of progress on the environment, and her knowledge of the natural history, Alison has a Honours degree in Natural Science.
I am looking forward to seeing more of her work her exhibition, 'Wings', which opens 8th May at the Framed Gallery.

For more of about Alison Worsnop follow the links below:
Alison's website
Alison at Framed Art Gallery
Alison's exhibition Off the Leash

Darwin Life Drawing: Time and Scale – a video tour

2015-03-07T23:54:00.000+10:00

There are many people I wish could come to see the exhibition I am participating in with Darwin Life Drawing.
Here is my solution, a video tour.

So grab a glass of wine, and cheese with Jatz, and spend the next four and a half minutes out of the mid wet season humidity in the air conditioned DVAA Wood Street Gallery, Darwin.
… but if you are in Darwin, come and see beautiful art works by these amazing and inspiring artist in person.

Darwin Life Drawing: Time and Scale – a video tour

Life Drawing: Time & Scale
DVAA, 56 Woods Street Darwin,
6 March until 28 March
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm.

Alison Worsnop
Bill Davies
Carolyn Bursa
Cathy Hinder
Catherine Miles
Christian Clare Robertson
George Curran
Kaye Strange
Leah Clarke
Lucy Barnard
Pia Armitage
Shaquille Wright
Shilo McNamee
Sonia Martignon

Life Drawing: Time & Scale. DVAA 12 x 12. Opening Night

2015-03-07T07:42:00.000+10:00

Last night I got to show my cousin Leroy, and my husband Robert, why I get so excited about drawing.

First the DVAA 12 x 12 exhibition. In the Rollerdoor Gallery 12cm by 12cm works by members of the Darwin Visual Arts Association are shown.

This is my watercolour painting I have put into the exhibition. They are of my husband Robert, and from left to right are titled Past, Present, Future. I found the process of first figuring out what to squeeze into 12 cm²and presenting it a fun challenge.

I will show you more of the DVAA Exhibition and the Life Drawing ,Exhibition in a later post, after I take some more pictures. Every time I attempted to snap some shots, both spaces were crowded, which is a good thing.

Next, the Life Drawing Exhibition

Above is my watercolour painting, titled Andi, after the model. Below from left to right is my pencil on brown paper drawing, titled Biara and my ink and watercolour drawing on watercolour paper titled David. From the top, then left, then right I purposely spent less time on these images.

The first I fussed and stressed over, applying soft washes, then working in sections until I told myself to stop and call it complete. The second I mostly finished during the life drawing session, a 30 minute pose. Then when i got home, spent some more time finishing it off.

The third I completed during the last life drawing session before we submitted and started to hang the works, ready for the show. It is a combination of three longer poses.

The drawing I most admired are the ones that have the most trouble with myself. The quick sketch, made with ease, but with knowledge of the human figure, anatomy, fore shorting, and proportion. These images are made in minutes and once the pencil is lifted, complete.

Its something I aim for.

Life Drawing: Time & Scale

DVAA, 56 Woods Street Darwin,
6 March until 28 March
Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm.

Alison Worsnop
Bill Davies
Carolyn Bursa
Cathy Hinder
Catherine Miles

Christian Clare Robertson
George Curran
Kaye Strange
Leah Clarke
Lucy Barnard
Pia Armitage
Shaquille Wright

Shilo McNamee
Sonia Martignon

I hope to put up a virtual (ish) gallery, so I can show you more of the after artist work.

Write an Artist Biography

2015-03-02T12:05:00.001+10:00

As part of the exhibition with Darwin Life Drawing, I was asked to write an Artist Biography. Writing an artist bio combines two of my least favourite things, writing and self-promotion.

So I looked around the net for advice:

· Keep the bio structure short, concise and to the point.
· Proofread your biography or give it to someone else to make sure there are no spelling and grammatical errors.
· Include your name, DOB, and medium.
· Avoid cliches.
· Eliminate tentative-type words like "try", "attempt", "began to try", "started to make
· Tell your audience what they want to hear, not what you want to tell them.

Here is my Artist Biography

Leah Clarke was born in Adelaide, 1976. She has been living in Darwin for fourteen months, and has also lived in Sydney, Brisbane, and Wagga Wagga. Since moving to Darwin, Leah has attended Drawing, Watercolour and Oil painting classes at Adult Night Classes, Casuarina and Darwin Life Drawing, Winnellie. Leah likes to experiment with lots of mediums, but mostly favours watercolour. Faces are her most frequent subject, her goal is to convey the emotions and thoughts of her subjects.

A site that made me giggle was 500 Letters where after you answer a few questions it creates a artists bio for you.

http://www.artright.co.za/

http://www.lightspacetime.com/

http://www.luannudell.com/blog/

Members Show 12 x 12: an exhibition with DVAA

2015-02-26T13:04:00.000+10:00

About a month ago I joined the DVAA, Darwin Visual Arts Association. DVAA offers support and resources for artists. They also host a members exhibition.

The parameters for the exhibition was to create artwork 12 cm x 12 cm, the size of a CD cover.

I am displaying 3 painting, all of my husband Robert.

The exhibition will be on display from 6 March until 28 March, at the DVAA, 56 Woods Street Darwin, gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm.

Darwin Visual Arts Association

Off The Leash

Life Drawing: Time & Scale. An exhibition with Darwin Life Drawing

2015-02-19T11:16:00.000+10:00

I'm very excited about participating in "Life Drawing: Time and Scale", an exhibition with Darwin Life Drawing, opening Friday 6 March at 6.00 pm.

The I am displaying a paintings, and an art journal, I've started to keep track of my progress in Life Drawing and Anatomy for Artist. Frequent participants at the Sunday Life drawing sessions have been invited to submit work that had its origin in the class, within the last 12 months.

The exhibition will be on display from 6 March until 28 March, at the DVAA, 56 Woods Street Darwin, gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday 12-5pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm.

Life Drawing: Time and Scale Exhibition | Off The Leash Darwin Life

Drawing, life drawing in Darwin

Neridah Stockley - Tickles my fancy

2015-02-10T07:40:00.000+10:00

Just saw the Neridah Stockley retrospective at Charles Darwin University. She has an amazing skill with colour, and her landscapes are authentic and really beautiful.

If you aren't in Darwin, the website has an online gallery, if you are, its on until 20 Feb 2015.

Neridah Stockley: a retrospective
Neridah Stockley is landscape painter who lives in Alice Springs.
More of her work can be seen here:

Damien Minton Gallery

RAFT artspace

Follow arum's board Artwork: Neridah Stockley on Pinterest.

My Mugs on society6

2014-07-28T19:12:00.002+10:00

I've updated my Mugs on society6.
http://society6.com/arumfaerie/mugs

Liz

2014-07-26T16:42:00.003+10:00

I'm really happy with this painting of my Aunty Liz.

My Tote Bags on Redbubble

2014-07-21T19:45:00.000+10:00

I've updated my Tote Bags on Redbubble.http://www.redbubble.com/shop/trending+arumfaerie+tote-bags?ref=sort_order_change_trending

David

2014-07-10T16:12:00.000+10:00

If at first you don't succeed... sketch of Robert's grandson, ready for my second attempt.

A painting of Robert's Grandson, and progress pictures.

David
Water colour on cotton paper

Watercolour Colour Dots

2014-07-08T16:16:00.000+10:00

Nothing seems to be working out, so I thought I would do something simple and fun.
Watercolour on cotton paper.

Painting Water

2014-06-04T16:23:00.000+10:00

Exercise on painting water.
Really enjoyed watercolour class last night.

Sarah and Amy

2014-05-29T16:27:00.000+10:00

Another sketch for a watercolour portrait. My nieces Amy and Sarah, or is it Sarah and Amy?

Sarah and Amy
Watercolour on cotton paper.

Krystal

2014-05-24T16:46:00.000+10:00

Beginning a new portrait. This one's of my niece Krystal.

Krystal
Watercolour on cotton paper
-worked from a photo sent by Krystal, and added the ladybug for fun.

Painting Clouds

2014-05-14T16:49:00.000+10:00

Watercolour class last night. Learnt more about washes.
Exercise on Clouds. I really like the soft dreamy colours.

Pears and Capsicum

2014-03-29T20:39:00.000+10:00

Pears
Water colour pencil
2014

From this weeks art class.

Exercise on drapery

2014-03-29T20:26:00.000+10:00

Exercise on drapery
Water colour
2014

Last week's exercise from art class.

Magnetic Island

2014-03-16T20:17:00.000+10:00

Magnetic Island
pastel pencil
2014

From my Thursday night art class, about landscape.

Custom Illustration

2014-03-15T20:10:00.000+10:00

Rachael and Liam.
First Anniversary.
2014

If you are interested in a custom illustration for a wedding anniversary, or a birthday, or whatever, I will be happy to give you a quote.

New life to unwanted sketch paper

2014-03-09T23:55:00.000+10:00

I was starting to get a big pile of paper, that had been drawn on, but I couldn't bring myself to throw out.

At the beginning of Life Drawing sessions are quick poses of about 10, 15 seconds. The aim is to warm up, and to capture to the shape and the direction of the motion. I’m not sure what everyone else in the group manages to achieve, by I mostly get a few rushes lines, a vague idea of where I think the spine hips and shoulders are. I end is with is a mess, which is fine, as I am still quite new to Life Drawing, and timed drawing was completely foreign to me 12 months ago. But still, when I sort through my drawings from the session and put aside the ones I will pop into my journal, I end up with a lot of (not) waste paper.

This is an idea for a way to reuse the paper.

I tape down the paper to the a board. I use Saint-Gobain tape, but still have to be very careful not to tear the paper.

I mixed a little acrylic colours to the gesso. Now I can experiment with many different coloured backgrounds. I tried to get medium tones, so I can focus on high lights and shadows when I draw.

The gesso/acrylic paint combo went on well, I was worried that the brown craft paper, which is only 89 GSM would get too soggy and brake up. But it only wrinkled a little.

When dry, I tested the results. I used pastels, which is what i have been using to sketch with lately. The pastel stayed on the paper quite well, it blended and erased really well. When I brushed water over, only the pastel washed, not the background.

I think might use it for my next Art Anatomy class, which is focusing on feet.

Autumn

2014-02-09T15:00:00.000+10:00

Autumn
2009
Water colour on cotton paper

Available at Redbubble as a card, poster or print.

Blue

2014-02-02T15:00:00.000+10:00

Blue
2009
Water colour on cotton paper

Available at Redbubble as a card, poster or print.