Lilly-Lee Gallery Blog

Rising Star - Gabe Boylan

2012-03-07T14:00:00+00:00

This month's rising star is Gabe Boylan, an eleven year old student who attends the Saturday morning class. Gabe's work shows maturity and skill which is well beyond his years. He is a very self-directed student who is able to work at a sophisticated level. Gabe's main subject of interest for painting is landscapes, particularly Australian rural landscapes.

Gabe has only been attending art classes for approximately one year however, he has many artistic relatives who have influenced his style, including his Dad.

Gabe currently has a painting for sale at the gallery, so ask your teacher to point out his work; you will be amazed at the level of his skill.

Emerging Artist- Trevor Webb

2012-03-07T14:00:00+00:00

The emerging artist we would like to recognise this month is Trevor Webb. Trevor has created some beautiful pieces which utilise different styles and materials. His work is currently available for sale at the gallery.

Trevor's Profile

I commenced painting classes with my wife about 3 years ago. I hadn't ever painted before but thought I would give it a go and it would be an activity that we could do in our retirement. To my surprise I really enjoyed it. The structure of the classes at Lilly-Lee allowed me to paint only what I wanted while teaching me the techniques to achieve an outcome that I was satisfied with and others seem to admire. I am semi-retired and enjoy painting landscapes, flowers and portraits in acrylics and oils. We have set aside a room in our home as a studio and spend many enjoyable hours at home painting with the stereo on, thanks to Lee and her team.

Picture Framing at Lilly-Lee Gallery

2012-03-07T14:00:00+00:00

Owen Griffith joined our staff last year, offering his services in picture framing. He is very experienced in picture framing and offers a quality service at a very competitive price.

Owen's Profile

In 1978, I travelled the country photographing old machinery, buildings of the past and historical artefacts. After spending a number of years framing them in old, personally crafted timber frames; I was approached by a well-known artist, to frame his works. This then developed into my business, called Custom Framing as an add-on to Art Requirements (the first business to start Art Classes over 30 years ago.) This business was retired in 2010.

Since 1986, I have realised that the industry had a real need for quality workmanship specializing in custom framing at a more than competitive price, and not just cheap poor quality mass production. I have framed everything from children's first drawings, works of art, famous paintings, photographs, and all sorts of Memorabilia. I have even framed a stuffed possum! Some challenges require a little more thought but still may be possible.

New Products to try

2012-03-07T14:00:00+00:00

Acid Free Tissue Paper- only 10c per sheet and it won't stain your paintings yellow in years to come. You can achieve great affects by using tissue paper with impasto gel, to create a textured appearance- fantastic for landscapes.

Aristocrat High Gloss Coating - If you are looking for a very high gloss finish for your paintings, then try this product. The pour-on finish equals up to five coats of polyurethane varnish. It is great for adding a point of difference to your work.

Gift Wrapped Exhibition

2011-11-01T14:00:00+00:00

GIFT WRAPPED

EXHIBITION

AT LILLY-LEE GALLERY

OPENING NIGHT

FRIDAY, 11TH NOVEMBER 2011

6:00-9:00 PM

Looking for an interesting and original Christmas gift? Lilly-Lee Gallery has the solution for you. Our artists have been painting up a storm creating affordable, interesting and original pieces ready for you to gift wrap. The exhibition will run until Christmas with new paintings coming in all the time.

Emerging Artist � Andrea Douglas

2011-10-31T14:00:00+00:00

Emerging Artist – Andrea Douglas

Andrea started with the Lilly-Lee Community in February this year, with no previous painting experience. In this short time she has produced many wonderful paintings. She prefers to paint people and predominately paints with acrylics. She has experimented with many different techniques such as glazing, sponging and stippling.

Congratulations Andrea.

Great website to look at

2011-10-30T14:00:00+00:00

Great new website to look at-

http://www.explore-acrylic-painting.com/about-us.html

If you are looking for advice on working with acrylics or if you would like some step by step instruction on painting particular subjects, then this is the website for you! Mark Waller gives us tips and tutorials on working with acrylics. The website is called Explore Acrylic Painting, and here is an extract of some of the expert advice offered.

Glazing

Mixing thin glazes tinted with pigment is exciting in many ways. Not only does it allow you to make small adjustments in colour and hue, it can bring life to something that is a little dead. I think better painters have an ability to avoid and recover from mistakes. Glazing is one way to do that. It's fun and is much easier to do with acrylics. Glazing is a must for your acrylic painting techniques repertoire.

Scumbling
Another technique perfect for acrylic paints is scumbling. This involves brushing broken and/or thin layers of paint over another so that some of the paint beneath it shows through. You can remove the thin paint with a cloth, brush, piece of plastic or even a hammer should the mood take you (used when all other ways of pulling up paint the way you need are exhausted). Faster drying times mean the sooner you get to scumble again.

Wet On/In Wet

This method of applying paint obviously refers to working over the surface while the paint beneath (and around) is still wet. This goes hand in hand with impressionism and plein air painting. Can be a little harder to manage because of the faster drying times, although most quality acrylic paint companies have additives that extend the drying time. Atelier Slow Medium is a case in point. Working wet on wet can often "build" some texture in your work.

Watercolor Effects

Generally this is mixing and laying watered down pigment and allowing it to blend, and do its own thing to a certain extent. This acrylic technique can create lovely, luminous effects. Good quality acrylics are OK for this as they have fine and strong pigments. Working with water colours is not something that I know a lot about. It is a style of painting that is a little more "sudden death" than I am happy with. Having said that, we can certainly borrow some ideas.

Have you started your Christmas shopping?

2011-10-30T14:00:00+00:00

Have you started your Christmas shopping?

Most people dread the first signs of Christmas in shopping centres; the shop windows, shelves stacked with ornaments and continuous Christmas carols. The reason why we dread these things is that they remind us about the age old problem of what to buy people for Christmas?

This year, why not give the major shopping centres a miss and focus on giving something unique and hand crafted. The obvious place to start is by looking around the gallery. Our new exhibition, 'Gift Wrapped'; will give you loads of possible gift ideas for all your friends and family. Another wonderful gift idea is to paint a black and white portrait to create a really personalised gift; or why not give them a gift voucher for lessons or a workshop? We can personalise the gift voucher to suit your needs and budget.

If art is not high on the wish list of your loved ones, then a great place to find other 'one of a kind' gifts is from the Southbank Young Designers Markets

Young Designers Market

Meet and buy direct from some of the best design talent in Brisbane!

The Young Designers Market on Little Stanley Street is held on the first Sunday of each month. Featuring; Fashion, accessories, jewellery, home wares, object design, furniture and arts.

The markets have become a great launching pad for some of Brisbane's best designers as well as a must see market for the fashion and design savvy.

What: Young Designer Markets
Where: Little Stanley Street South Bank
When: First Sunday of the month
Why: Young designers, creative product, great atmosphere

For more information, check out their website-:http://www.southbankmarket.com.au/ydm.html

Travel Diary Workshop

2011-10-03T14:00:00+00:00

Learn how to create a visual diary of your travels. A diary that will capture the sights, sounds, smells and emotions you experience while travelling around all of those exciting destinations. It's not difficult and will give you an enormous amount of pleasure when recounting your travels Check out http://www.lilly-lee.com.au/workshop-view/travel-diary-11 for more information

Getting to Know Watercolours

2011-10-03T14:00:00+00:00

In this workshop you will be taken on an exploration of the beautiful transparent and fluid properties of watercolours, using just 4 colours.You will be shown how to have a lot of fun making brushstrokes and laying smooth washes to get the feel of the paint and what it will do on the paper. You will gain an understanding that will give you the confidence to go on and exploit the many possibilities of this wonderful medium. http://www.lilly-lee.com.au/workshop-view/getting-to-know-watercolours-21

Black and White Portraits

2011-10-03T14:00:00+00:00

In this 4 hour workshop you will create a beautiful black and white portrait using simple methods that are suitable for the beginner.

Supply one good quality high resolution digital single head shot for enhancing for this wonderful one day workshop. Paints and brushes will be supplied. Includes canvas and paint.

Check out http://www.lilly-lee.com.au/workshop-view/black-and-white-portraits-7 for more information.

People and Places Exhibition

2011-08-14T14:00:00+00:00

Gallery

Presents

PEOPLE AND PLACES

AN EXHIBITION OF ARTWORKS BY THE ARTISTS OF LILLY-LEE GALLERY

OPENING NIGHT

Friday, 19th August 2011 7:00 pm

Exhibition runs until November 2011

6/465 Oxley Rd Sherwood

PH 33797828

info@lilly-lee.com.au

www.lilly-lee.com.au/

Technique Tip: Crack up your Canvas

2011-07-11T14:00:00+00:00

Are you looking for a new technique to try on your canvas? This technique is easy and inexpensive; you just need two contrasting acrylic paint colours and some white craft glue

How to create this striking effect in four easy steps:

Paint your canvas with one colour of your paint and let it dry completely.
Mix ¼ cup of craft glue with 1/8 cup of water, and liberally brush it over the painted surface. Let it dry partially- only until it becomes tacky.
Brush the contrasting paint in one direction over the tacky glue, and let dry. Don't brush over this layer.
Just let it dry and the cracks will appear.

Article featured from Cloth Paper Scissors Issue35 March/April 2011 by Tory Brokenshire

Emerging Artist: Holly Stokes

2011-07-11T14:00:00+00:00

Holly started painting at the age of 5 when she was given her first set of oil paints which were quickly replaced by water colours after she tried to open a tube with her teeth, causing it to burst and send oil paint down the back of her throat. Holly says "if you've ever wondered what oil paint tastes like, it's truly disgusting"!! Despite this early trauma with one of her favourite mediums, oil paints are still Holly's preference for creating strong, bold images that literally build themselves out from the canvas. Holly says the texture is amazing and the slow drying time allows for long contemplation and self-critiquing. She started classes with Lilly-Lee to help improve her techniques with oils and she's impressed with how much this tuition has improved her work. Holly's main love however is drawing children's portraits. They are simple, black and white sketches created with her favourite Derwents and carry a lovely sense of honesty. She started drawing portraits at the age of 13 and now takes commissions, creating pieces for new parents, foster carers who want to remember a child who was in their care, 50th birthday presents of the birthday boy or girl as a young child, and memorial pictures of children who have tragically passed away. Holly says "it's a special feeling when your art work can move people emotionally and this is why I hope to continue children's portraiture for many years to come."

How to choose the right paint

2011-07-11T14:00:00+00:00

Not all paints are created equal.

They are manufactured for a particular purpose and budget. Paint is made up of two components – pigments and binders. The quality and amount of pigment used is the single most important factor in determining the cost of paint. Next time you choose your paint, think about the sort of job that you are using it for. The series number of paint on different products denotes the amount of pigment it contains and this determines its value. The cost of different coloured pigment can vary dramatically, from just a few dollars up to a hundred dollars per kilogram. This is because some pigments are made from very cheap, plentiful materials whereas other colours are derived from rare expensive resources or involve complicated reactions to create. Cobalt blue takes the prize for the most expensive colour to manufacture. This why many brands sell a version of the original colour and these are called "Hues".

Some colours, like Pthalo blue, are lightfast and this means it will not fade quickly; so you can select a less expensive series paint in this colour. However, lightfast yellow and reds are always rare so you will need to spend more on those colours.

The pigment load in paint must be high if you want strong, intense colour and good coverage. Fillers like chalk and clay can enhance covering power but will spoil the colours and create dirty mixtures.