Crystal teacups!

I finished it!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!

I'm pretty happy with the result.

I stuck Swarovski crystals to the teapot and tea cups... Something I want to do for the next few paintings I do.

I'm also thinking of going back to oil paints for a while... If I find the time to work with them because I really miss the effects I get with oils.

I need a kick up the pants.

I have plans to post 4 paintings to the 696 Gallery in Melbourne.

I have finished 3.

If I don't post them today it's going to be another week before I get the chance to send them off.

I haven't started the last one yet, I have to have it done in 4 hours because I have work later this afternoon and here I am .... typing away, non plussed and procrastinating.

Lame Cakes.

I'll post the results of my efforts later... or non results as the case might be :)

hanging up yr delicates for all to see!

Hope you can make it :)

Fin.

Shhhh....

No talking in the Library!

hehe

Buttons of fun!

I remember as a child I LOVED what lucky dips at fetes and fairs had to offer. Of course my mother knew they were almost always full of useless rubbish (cheap lollies that were rock solid with age, wooden peg dolls that looked like they were made by 3 year olds, rubber bouncy balls that would inevitably get lost under the wardrobe) but she bought them for me because she knew how much it thrilled me.

I felt that way again today when I bought two bags full of miscellaneous buttons.

There is something about buttons that gets me really excited. Illogically excited. I spent $10 on them and spent at least an hour or so sorting them out. Flower shapes, bunny shapes, lady bugs and not to mention the millions of plain buttons in all their assorted colours and sizes *swoons*


I managed to fit in some more Op Shopping (I know, I'm addicted!) and bought some awesome pins and clip on earrings. I've been collecting pins and pendants for a few years now, but the clip on earrings is a bit of a new fetish for me :)

I also tried to fit in some painting seeing as I'm supposed to post some to Melbourne but I feel like all my ideas are a little bland. I'll share a sneak peek at one I started today but I'm not sure if I'll paint over it yet. I've already painted over 2 this week so hopefully the 3rd one is a charm.

Remember it's just a draft so far so be kind :)

Doing a bit of laundry!

I was staring wistfully at an old flier for an art competition that I wanted to enter. It was the Clothes Peg Project calling out for any 2D art with the only other limitation being that it had to be A5 sized.

I not only ran out of time but also appropriate paper to print on. I'd never entered a competition before and I was really curious as to how I would go, so there I was... staring at this flier with it's expired deadline date... and before I know it I'm meeting the lovely lady who is organising the event and she tells me she has a few other late entries coming in and would love to give me the chance to enter my work!!

I entered a print of an acrylic painting I did about 6 years ago called Dreaming in the Garden.

I just found out that it's been accepted!!! WHOOOO!!! I had to do a double take and reread the email a couple of times to make sure I hadn't conjured it up out of my imagination (many crazy things are conjured there..) so yeah my first gallery exhibition!!! So exciting!

Hopefully my 2nd will be happening rather shortly too! There is a gallery in Melbourne that would like to see some of my work too! Fingers (and toes!) crossed that it goes ahead!

Getting my face done...

My stall at markets usually resemble something not so unlike the kids toy section at a last minute garage sale.


But lately I've been really working hard to make it look more like a store rather than a pile of coloured odds and ends. Actually my stuff is a pile of coloured odds and ends to be honest but then.... aren't most stores anyway??


My packaging has really improved lately and I've found some great ways to display my work. Sometimes it works a little too well and I get people wanting to buy my actual display rather than my work on it!


Trevor and I went Op Shopping on Friday though and I found this AWESOME wooden jewellery case that I can use to put my rings and pins in! There is also a necklace tray that pulls out which is the most thrilling since displaying my necklaces is what I have the most trouble with.


I also managed to buy a bust of a Mattel 'hair styling' doll that in its original form looked super creepy! So I've painted over it and I'm going to use that as well. I'm still considering to paint it one more time since although it's not so creepy looking anymore, it looks too much like a Bratz doll...







My other awesome buy for the day was a wooden base. I'm not sure what it's original purpose was for but I'm loving how my necklaces look on it! The necklace in the photo however is one I bought today from designer Koi Koi who also has stock in Libertine. I can't believe it only cost $15! If you get a chance you should go visit her at the weekend markets that they have in the city near the Perth Train station.

Breaking news!

Just thought I would tell you all the results of the Myspace/Yen T-shirt competition that I asked you to vote in...

My friend Jess came 2nd!!!! Well actually it was equal 1st. They had a crazy 3 way tie for first place!

Mona Lisa and Me

I've been approached to do a portrait! I'm a bit nervous since none of my experience with portraits have been traditional portraits and I get the feeling that this is what is going to be expected.

I don't do photo realism. For one reason only. I can't do it.
Well, at least not without resorting to oils which also means it will take A LOT longer to finish and that it will cost A LOT more in materials. And I'm pretty sure my deadline for this project is for early December.... not long at all if oils are involved.

I'm really looking forward to it though since I love a challenge! It's been a while since I've done any portrait work and most of that is either caricatures, comic book styled work or simple, more modern portraiture work.

I know my style of portrait isn't quite what most traditionalists are after but here's hoping that it all goes to plan and my client likes my work.

sun burn and rain, dear.

last weekend was a scorcher of a day and I was out in the midst of it at the annual Subiaco Craft Fair.

I made most of my sales before 11.30 in the morning ... and the rest of the day proceeded to bring nothing but potential skin cancer.

All in all the day was a lot of fun though :) I found a great bead stall and walked away from it with a hefty, coloured, glass filled, bag of happiness!

I received a couple of lectures for my troubles though. Fellow artists and Etsy store owners gave me a stern talking to about how I should put my prices up by at least double. Then proceeded to reference other well known artists who sell stuff similar to my work for a BILLION.

One of them proceeds to tell me her stuff sells at least at a price 4x more than what I price my paintings at. Mean while she's an artist who has been mentioned in countless magazines, currently has a solo exhibition with countless more lined up, sells internationally and is the highest selling Etsy member is Western Australia. The End.

At the moment I don't feel confidant enough to sell at huge prices. Keep is small, keep it affordable, keep'n it real yo! (hehe at least until I feel more comfortable selling at higher prices)

And on that note here are some of the paintings I had on sale and for the record none of them sold even at my LOW LOW PRICES!

And a special thanks to Judith who made these suuuuper cute reindeer!

Cos she's sooo fiiine!

Vote for my good friend Jessica Bovenkerk in the Yen/MySpace T-shirt competition! She puts the ZING in amazing!

Jess is an emerging artist and graphic designer who is in a league of her own and recently won the judges choice award for a skate deck she designed and that is currently on exhibition!All you have to do is email: tee.votes@ptmg.com.au with Jessica Bovenkerk as your subject heading.

Doooo eeeet. We know you want to!