December 2022

As the year winds down, I look back over the last 6 months and my painting seems to have slowed. Perhaps because we are less scared of venturing out into public with COVID now seemingly sort of under control and I have too many other distractions.

The goal for next year will be to paint more and be distracted less!

I guess the biggest highlight and thrill from the last few months was my Third place award at the RNA Fine Art Show for my painting of a Hendricks Gin bottle and a few lemons. It made me think I should concentrate more on Gin than on landscapes!

THE TOWER ART SHOW in June was fantastic, as was THE DOYLES ART AWARD and Sydney's the INCOGNITO ART SHOW @incognitoartshow was a huge success, raising lots of $$ for Studio A and artists with intellectual disabilities. June was a busy month!

Also in June was the LETHBRIDGE 20,000 SMALL SCALE ART PRIZE. This exhibition is always wonderful and this year's winner was an amazing latex sculpture titled “Unwanted” by Paul Trefry.

The ART ST @ RBWH ArtSpace exhibition was held over August/September. I love seeing beauty in a place which can hold so many challenges and so much sadness. I hope the paintings managed to brighten the day of staff, patients and other visitors.

In July, I attended a portraiture workshop with the fantastic Archibald finalist, Daniel Butterworth. I attempted portraits of Boris Johnson, Nick Kyrgios, Magda Szubanski as Sharon Strzelecki and Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander. All were painted in 2 days! I have never painted so fast in my life. It was so much fun and liberating to splash house paint on to cardboard. Daniel is a very generous and gifted teacher as well as extremely talented artist!

In October, I travelled out to Longreach and Winton with some friends on a long over-due holiday. I am looking forward to creating some more outback-holiday-inspired paintings next year. I was so thrilled to see some real blue trees... Several years ago I was commissioned to create a painting of a blue tree in the countryside. This was to be a gift for someone special. The story of the blue tree and the Blue Tree Project came about following a tragic suicide and aims is to raise awareness of mental health issues. It is to remind everybody that it is OK not to be OK. I found these real blue trees in Charleville, Longreach, and Hughenden.

May 2022

This year is flying and we are just getting to the busy time!

TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR ART SHOW back in March was fantastic! So many beautiful paintings and records sales!

Have just received very exciting news!

I have been accepted into the LETHBRIDGE 20,000 SMALL SCALE ART PRIZE this year, amongst some really tough competition! All of the finalists will be released soon.
“Trapped” will be showing in the gallery and “Warped World and Wildlife in 2050” in the online gallery.
So many talented artists and many professionals now from Sydney and Melbourne. It should be a fantastic exhibition again this year.
The exhibition runs 10-18 June, 136 Latrobe Tce, Paddington.

My landscape of a drive to Mt Lindesay (situated in the beautiful scenic rim area of SE Qld) will be displayed at THE DOYLES ART AWARD. This exhibition is open to artists residing in Australia, and for two dimensional paintings or drawings in any traditional medium.
22 June to 3 July 2022, Mudgeeraba Memorial Hall, 62 Railway St, Mudgeeraba

I have also entered the INCOGNITO ART SHOW @incognitoartshow.
An annual event, all artworks are displayed and all are $100 each. The artists names are not revealed until the artwork has been purchased which means if you have a good eye, you could pick up a real bargain! Last year was a sellout and the queue went out the door and a couple of blocks down the street!
All proceeds go to @_studio_a_ who support artists with intellectual disabilities.
As well as helping other artists, I love the idea of my painting being hung in the same gallery as amazing artists such as Ben Quilty, Nicholas Harding and Reg Mombassa who all entered last year! 
The exhibition is held online www.incognitoartshow.com and on 18 June in Sydney.

It has certainly been a busy month with preparation for THE TOWER ART SHOW which is scheduled for the first weekend of June.
This annual show features professional and emerging local artists and exhibitors from all over Qld.
Opening 3 June 6.30-9.30pm; Runs 4-5 June, 2022

The ART ST @ RBWH ArtSpace exhibition has been post-poned to August/September. A good move I think as hopefully there will be less COVID restrictions at the hospital by then.

There have been a number of other art shows that I have entered and am hopeful to exhibit in. Am patiently waiting and keeping fingers crossed. It is difficult to guess who will be accepted and who won't!