Winter Update

work-in-progress oil painting

Time for an update. I've put this off for a while since I didn't have much to show for myself. I got home from LA and back into painting, but discarded the first four because (quite frankly) they were a bit crap.

I was trying to do mixed media with acrylic, indian ink, then oil paint glazes over the top. It was a time consuming disaster and I've come to the conclusion that pure oil painting is the way forward.

I've also turned into a psycho-workaholic and am finding myself shunning my social life in favour of working on my art 24/7. Not sure how healthy that is, but I keep telling myself that once I get myself on track (and am able to pay my rent!) I'll be able to relax a bit. I'm hoping it's just a survival instinct rather than a long term condition. Part of the problem might have been the first lot of paintings not working, then panic setting in. My head is everywhere - too many ideas I want to work on is preventing me from focusing on just one.

I'm currently working towards a 4-person show in late August at Gallery1988 in San Fransisco.

Los Angeles

I'm now back in Melbourne. I had such a great time in LA, just hanging around, going to shows and getting a feel for the art scene over there. The highlight was definitely seeing my work up on gallery walls in person for the first time. Also seeing the new LeBasse Projects gallery - it's such a great space.

Thanks to Beau, Kim and Christine for putting the show together, putting up with my hanging around the gallery (and drinking all the coke from the fridge...if you're wondering where it all went :) and driving me around to see some sights. And thanks to Yoskay and Nate for letting me stay with them.

If you are in LA and haven't seen the show, it's on at LeBasse Projects or you can view it online (although it looks better in person). I took a few photos before the show opened:







I was showing in the project room, so to give some context here's a photo of the main gallery where Yoskays show being hung. I wish I had taken the photo when the show was up, rather than when it was on the floor and everything was a mess, but oh well:


I took the bus around LA and did some sight seeing on my own - here is Santa Monica Pier:


The Beautiful gardens at the Getty Center:


And my favourite painting at the Getty, a still life by Jan van Huysum. The details are amazing, with the fruit overly ripe and covered in insects:


I can't wait to start painting again, but for the next few days I'm organising and cleaning my flat so that I don't get dust in the oil paint.

Apparition Print Release

It's been a while since I released a print so I'm excited to announce that online print store A Paper Tiger has just released a print of my Apparition drawing. Details are on www.apapertiger.com, It's only an edition of 25 so get in quick :)

Interview

The lovely people at Arrested Motion have posted an interview with me. Thanks guys!

Show Info

I fly to the US tomorrow but instead of packing, I'm still painting. (!!!) Luckily I'm onto the last one. Here's one I finished last night, called Gardens Edge.



I'm not sure if I'll get another chance to post again before the show, so here are the details. If you're in LA come and say 'hi'. My show is in the project room with Yoskay Yamamoto in the main gallery.

Opening night is Saturday 9th May 2009 at
LeBasse Projects
6023 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Wild Fields - upcoming show

Honey Hive (for upcoming show)

It's been a while between posts. I've been so busy working on this show. I'm just about done (1 more week of working to go), I've been working 7 days a week since the end of Dec and am amazed at how little I've produced from so much effort. I will have 3-4 large drawings and 3 medium paintings, I guess art just take a long time with a fair amount of the work being preliminary - sketching, ideas, photographing models (thanks Suzie!), walking around the streets with a camera finding the perfect tree to match my sketch (sometimes I have to take bits from different trees and join then together).

I've decided to call the show 'Wild Fields' because it's the thing most common between all of the works. Maybe that's telling me I need to get outside a bit more?

I'm flying to LA in a week - can't wait! I haven't been overseas for 3 years - much too long.


Honey Hive - detail

On the drawing board

I'm working on some more large drawings for the show at LeBasse Projects in May, but this time they'll have colour.

Work in progress:

Inaugural show @ LeBasse Projects

The Inaugural show 'Vous Avez Eté Juste Servi' opens Saturday 21st at the newly opened LeBasse Projects in Culver City. If you're in the Los Angeles area please check it out - it looks like an amazing show. I have a few large (approx A1) drawings in it, including this one:



P.S. I have found out who is stealing my mail - it's one of the other people in my apartment block. He has been stealing everyones mail and also going through all the rubbish bins, collecting info on people. I wonder if he reads my blog? If he does, please give me back my Elle Girl magazine! And also my Visual Arts diploma. I was wondering why that never arrived...

Elle Girl

I have a little interview in the March 2009 Issue of Korean Elle Girl. The lovely Lilly Piri (also interviewed) sent me this photo. Sadly, I don't think I will be getting my own issue as I'm beginning to suspect my mail is being stolen. My landlady came knocking on my door asking if I had received the rent increase notice she had sent me two months ago (I hadn't), and other things I know of have not arrived either.

If you are stealing my mail, please stop. Or perhaps just take the junk mail, I wouldn't mind that so much.

Writings

Emily over at Ninja vs Penguins has written a nice piece on my work - you can view it here.

I've removed the last post because it mostly consisted of me holding a conversation with myself, and I'm not sure if that is normal behavior (you can probably still read it in google reader).