What is a Tuck Shop? It is Aussie for a Canteen.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

In The News

Pablo Picasso, Dora Maar au chat, 1941

I just read an article in the New York Times that apparently there is a trove of early works that have never been seen before! There is a box full of 271 previously unknown sketches, paintings and collages by one of the 20th century’s most celebrated artists -Pablo Picasso! I look forward to the day these works appear in a museum.

You can find the article from the New York Times here.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Monday Mantra: You Have Nothing To Lose By Trying

With each action you take towards working on your creative project, you are learning so much. If you don't like what you have done, you can work towards fixing it. What I love about using oil paints is that you can always fix something because all you do is paint over it and start again. But nothing will be gained if you don't try something by doing.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Claude Monet, The Luncheon, 1968

Monday, November 22, 2010

Monday Mantra: Actions Speaks Louder Than Words

Wallpaper courtesy of sentense.me

What do I mean by "Actions Speaks Louder Than Words?" So many times, I say "I am going to do this or I would love to do this or I need to do.." etc. But does it always happen? Not all the time. If you want to achieve your goals or resolve issues, you need to take action.

In relation to creativity, I learn so much by just doing something- whether it be a sketch or working on a painting. Just by picking up a brush or pen, I already feel better because I did something rather than thinking or talking about it. Even if it doesn't look right or it's not where I want it be -that's okay because I can only learn by doing.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Twisties!

Twisties 11" x 14" Oil on Canvas

Okay, so you want to know what Twisties are? they are the Aussie version of the American Cheetos but much better. Why are they better? Because they don't taste greasy and don't leave a yellow stain on your fingers unlike what Cheetos do. What's funny is their tagline: "Life's Pretty Straight Without Twisties."

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Matisse


Since art school, one of my all time favourite artists and greatest influences on my work is Henri Matisse. I love his colours, his subject matters and I absolutely love his style of painting. I tend to overwork my paintings and they become too tight in the brushwork. I would like my work to loosen up quite a bit.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Crazy for Cadbury Chocolate


When I was growing up in Melbourne, Australia -all we ate was Cadbury chocolate. When I arrived in New York 16 years ago, I couldn't believe how bad the American version of Cadbury chocolate was! It tastes very different to the Australian Cadbury and even the British Cadbury is so much better tasting than the USA version.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday Mantra: Just Start


When I was struggling to jump start my art creative process again, I put up another sign in my studio: JUST START. That was it. Sometimes that all it takes to do anything is to "just start."

Friday, November 12, 2010

Late Bloomers

It was last October that I finally broke my 20 year creative block -can you believe it? I was floundering for 20 years since I left my fine arts university in Prahran, Melbourne. I came across this terrific article, "Late Bloomers"in the New Yorker. It was written by Malcom Gladwell. As soon as I finished reading this wonderful and inspiring article -I thought to myself -this is me-a Late Bloomer!

You can find the article here.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Baked, Not Fried


Whenever I go back to Australia, I always gorge myself on everything that I miss, especially the snacks! I am literally addicted to these cheese snacks called Cheese Shapes -they are baked, not fried.

I am going to try and do a sketch of this Cheese Shapes box and post it soon!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Alice Neel

Alice Neel
One of my favourite artists who paints portraits is Alice Neel. I love her style of paintings which are loose, contain luminous colours, and I love the way she captures the expressions of the people she is painting. She was a painter of people, landscape and still life. In the 1930's she moved to Spanish Harlem. Her portraits of the 1930s embraced left wing writers, artists and trade unionists. She moved to the Upper West Side in the 1960's. This led to a series of dynamic portraits of artists, curators and gallery owners, among them Frank O'Hara, Andy Warhol and the young Robert Smithson. She also maintained her practice of painting political personalities, including black activists and supporters of the women's movement.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Monday Mantra: Stop Over Thinking!


It is amazing how our inner thoughts just literally stops us in our tracks. It almost paralyzes us and we simply cannot go forward. I put up a sign in my studio that said "Stop Over Thinking." I looked at it often and it finally turned my thinking around. I stopped listening to my inner negative thoughts and decided to just start painting.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Will Barnet, 99 years old and still painting!


Will Barnet


I saw this article in the New York Times last week about the artist, Will Barnet who has been painting for over 80 years. From Beverly, Massachusetts, Will Barnet became a leading 20th-century New York based artist, best known for figurative paintings enhanced by abstract arrangements and printmaking. He was a key figure in the New York movement called Indian Space Painting, artists who based their abstract and semi-abstract work on Native American art.

In the article, it states that Will Barnet still paints for 3-4 hours a day. How inspiring is that?

You can find the article here.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Damn It! Just Draw!




I know I don't draw nearly enough as I would like to. One of my goals this year was to draw for 15 minutes every day and that I had hoped eventually that it would just be incorporated into my every day life. It is not happening as yet.

One of the best and inspiring books about involving drawing into your daily routine is a book called "Creative License: Giving Yourself Permission To be the Artist You Truly Are" by Danny Gregory.

He also has blog. Here is the link:

http://dannygregory.com/