Flower boxes

 Another new experiment, this time it's trying out Folk Art Architecture in pastel.

page 24 of 40 in my personal visual art diary challenge.

Art prompt from @thebotanica_collective on instagram.

I'm not sure whether I like it enough to keep going with this style. There's so much to try out, but how do we know if we don't try it?

This original photo has lovely shadows, but I left them out, artistic license right? 

Doorway in Rabat medina

 This photo taken by my friend Georgie Parish, reminds me of my own trip to Morocco in 2008.

This door was photographed in the Rabat medina.

The outer door is large enough for a loaded camel or donkey to walk through into the family courtyard. The smaller door is the personal door opened for just a person.

The flowers were a bit tricky. I feel like it's easier to create sweeping petals and leaves in pastel than to create depth of flowers growing in a vine.

I may want to revisit this image in paint also.

In the meantime, I will keep drawing and keep practising. I wonder what my drawings will look like at the end of this journal? Or in another year?

A pastel desert

 When I saw this desert image on instagram as part of the hashtag #plantpaintchallenge, I was captivated by the plants, and shapes, but not the colours. 

Inspired by folk art type paintings, I thought I'd try it out in pastel. 

As you can see, I've used creative license tith eh shadows on the footpath, and I'm very happy with the look of ths colours, but its missing shadows in the plants and of the plants.

I even love the extra pink around the clouds. Ooh, I cannot wait to paint this scene!

I've used a variety of textures in the mark making, which are new to me - I need to try out folk art again, or just try some other textures.

I'm so happy to be keeping this blog as a record of my artistic and creative endeavours!

Oh, this was page 23 of 40 in my personal visual journal challenge.

There's a time lapse video on my instagram and Tik Tok - username @bizarrequilter

Drawing from a friend's holiday

 page 20 of 40 in my personal visual diary challenge.

A3 black paper

Thank you to my friend Georgie Parish for letting me draw her photo. The composition is amazing, look at the focus and the use of thirds!

I loved translating this into artwork. The lines in the building aren't completely straight, and perspective may be off a little, but overall, I love the depth I've achieved, and the bright colours elevating the iamge.

I prefer the full version to the cropped version.

Such a great photo though! Thank you Georgie!

The Street Behind

 I think this is about page 10 of 40 in my personal visual diary challenge, where I skill build my way through 40 pages of A3 black paper with chalk pastel.

It's obvious that black background isn't always the best choice. My drawing looks more stormy than sunny.

I practised composition - lining up with the rule of thirds, perspective - road getting narrower in the distance, and layers in the landscape.

I used a setting spray after drawing, and it makes the pastel a bit more translucent. Eep!

Edit: I've since found out that i can layer over the top again after spraying to make the colour more opaque.

I've created a time lapse video: it's on my Tik Tok and instagram both with user name: @bizarrequilter

Eddie Koiko Mabo Library

What a way to combine architecture and landscape while sitting in a bush setting!

Today's drawing was so fulfilling. I also made a time lapse video (see it on my Tik Tok @bizarrequilter).

Page 8 of 40 in my personal visual diary challenge.

 

After school drop off I went for a walk through the local university. I had my beach trolley containing drawing materials, easel, table and chair, and a thermos!

I enjoyed a blissful time sitting in the dappled sunlight. I can see how my use of colour can change the image!

The Marriage of Trees

 As a family we went out to the bush (our block of land), for some fresh air. A chance to sit and draw.

I took my easel, table and chair, while the boys wandered about exploring and making plans.

These two trees were so close, they seem to be intertwined as though married. 

I can almost feel how this would go in paint, rather than pastel. I can't wait to blend and layer the colours, using opacity and transparency for effect.

Can you see what I mean in these trees?

A landscape study

 I work out!

Ha! Photo taken on morning bike ride.

A study on perspective. Keeping on working at building my drawing skills.

There's a time lapse video on my tik tok - see @bizarrequilter

An experiment with colour and pastel

 I've bought a new black A3 art journal, and I'm using the soft pastels I already have. 

I want to build my drawing skills, so it's time to practise at home.

 

I snapped this photo on my morning bike ride.

First landscape with chalk (soft) pastel.

First impressionist style image.

You can see the creative process on my Tik Tok account @bizarrequilter.

I cannot wait to do this with paint! But I haven't started painting lessons yet.

Stimulating the Senses at Quilt Camp

It was a special time for me over the Mother's Day weekend. I went on the Phillip Island Patches Weekend away - it's Quilt Camp really. We stay in a school camp, our meals are prepared for us... we relax, chat, socialise, and sometimes even sew!!

Upon arrival Friday afternoon, we unpacked the hugely overloaded car (poor little Kermit) into our sleeping quarters, and moved our sewing supplies into our designated workshop areas. After fish and chips on the beach for tea I finished quilting this little mini quilt - remember this??? It's been a heckuvva long time in between stitches!!! The binding was ready to hand-stitch down.

The next day we settled into our workshops. I enrolled in the Caroline Sharkey "thread and painted landscape" class.

Basically, we chop perfectly good fabric into little pieces. Like so...

This (above) will be the greenery in front of the water - I am using a photo as a guide to "build" my landscape. I've included lots of tulle pieces to add texture and depth. Actually, this photo isn't very accurate. It's much more green than blue.

These little bits of fabric will be used on the water. The little pink scissors are what we use to cut all the little snippets or confetti pieces.

With so much snipping it was necessary to take a break - numerous walks were required, and enjoyed... breathing in the seaside air.


The smell of spray glue and hot sewing machine oil made stimulated us all... but conversations couldn't be sustained while sewing machines were making zoom zoom noises... Music filtering into the ears surely assisted the creative process.

The R-rated coffee machine (adults only) sure was a hit with a lot of campers. Personally, I thought the drinks from the machine tasted disgusting. But, I'm a kid, and I'm not supposed to use it anyway...

Different people were constructing different parts of the scenic landscape. This is how a tree went together.Saturday night dress -up. The theme for the weekend was flowers - these are the flower children.

Every now and then I glean a little inspiration from somewhere... like these toadstools growing in the kiddy playground.

Olga Walters (legendary quilter and quilt teacher) have some sort of bond... we really only see each other on these weekends each other.

But as you can see, we are kindred spirits...

Not sisters... but sisters... :)
My dear friend Rosie introduced me to these weekends away.... They bring such blessings and joy.
Show and tell from everyone in my workshop.
Of course we stopped at a cafe while journeying home... and because it was Mother's Day we were treated to special cookies.
Jocelyn said this cookie was meant for me because the swirls matched my Maori koru pendant.

Blessings, blessings, blessings.

And now, I feel inspired to keep sewing!!