Nature influences us in many ways, dare to explore

As an artist, we know inspiration is about finding someone or something that is inspiring and drives us to take action to create. Taking the time to explore and enjoy our local area is something husband, and I enjoy together, the fresh air, simple discoveries and an invaluable opportunity to gather and collect inspirational moments. 

These short discoveries not only influenced my first solo exhibition 'Sunday Drives' they also have an ongoing impact on my well being, artworks and fabric collection. A camera and/or sketchbook accompany me on most explorations. With these tools, I capture images, sketch and record thoughts. A resource I can return to for research and inspiration. 

Texture, shape, colour and 'out of place' items caught my eye in our earlier explorations. Over time, I've dived more in-depth into the theme, taking a closer look and exploring different angles. My sketchbooks and digital library are filled with images of bark, trees, trunks, fallen logs, rocks, ants, flowers, leaves, insects, rusty items, canopies, foliage, feathers, seed pods...etc. And lots of skies inspired images.

Recently we returned to Karawatha Forest Park, located South East of where we live. The park is approximately 900 hectares and is one of the most significant remnant bushlands situated just within the city. There are picnic tables, barbecue facilities, and walking tracks at the park. 

Karawatha Forest Park is an essential refuge for over 200 species of wildlife, including a selection of threatened or endangered species such as the greater glider, squirrel glider and rare frogs. The forest also supports red-necked wallabies, swamp wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos. Birdlife is the most visible form of fauna in the park, with over 100 bird species found in the park.

Karawatha Forest contains mainly open eucalypt forest with areas of heath, wetland and woodlands. There are over 320 native plant species in Karawatha. The area includes a variety of habitats from freshwater lagoons and sandstone ridges to dry eucalypt forests and wetlands. It also contains some of the last remaining water heathlands and melaleuca wetlands in Brisbane.

Natures' diversity influences us in many ways, enjoy the moment and dare to wander without purpose or reason. 

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Inspirations from a recent road trip through outback Queensland and Northern New South Wales

Travelling to new places is a great way to gather and collect inspiration, relax and reset the battery. Husband and I have just returned from a 2,111-kilometre road trip through parts of outback Queensland and Northern New South Wales. 

We started in Brisbane and headed to St George via Dalby, then on to Cunnamulla, south to Bourke, then back to Brisbane via Moree, Goondiwindi and Inglewood. It's been a few years since we've road tripped, so we kept it simple, mixing it up with a few nights camping and a few nights in accommodation.

I gathered and collected inspiration, filled a memory card and several pages in a sketchbook.

Since returning the ideas have been flowing.

Silo Art, Thallon Queensland

"Life is a journey. Make the best of it."

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Texture, the element of art that stimulates sight and touch

The texture is the element of art that refers to the way things look or feel. It is the character of a surface and can be both tactile and visual. Texture stimulates two different senses: sight and touch.

 
Types of texture:

• Tactile or real texture: is the physical quality of a surface, such as rough, smooth, sticky, fuzzy, soft or slick. A real texture is one you can actually feel with your hand, such as a tree trunk, sandpaper, brick, animal fur, etc.

• Visual or Implied texture is the visual quality of a surface. Visual or implied texture can be simulated or invented. The simulated texture is the type of composition that is created to look like something it is not. Visual texture is an illusion of texture created by an artist. For example, Paint can be manipulated to give the impression of texture, while the paper surface remains smooth and flat.

Incorporating texture into the creative process adds another dimension. Painters use different mediums, paint strokes, and surface treatments to create the illusion of texture. 

In textiles, texture starts with fabric selection. When selecting fabric, you consider the weave of the material, whether it be tightly woven to reflect the light or a courser weave like burlap.

With the development of technology, the photographic image now has a role in our textile pieces. The ability to print images onto lengths of fabric means the print on the material also plays a vital role in adding textural interest to our works. Learning to apply digital images to fabric was a pivotal moment in my practice.

Additional levels of texture can be added through the use of hand stitching, thread thickness, quilting, trapunto, beads, buttons, acrylic mediums, puff paint, Tyvek, fabric burning, adding ribbon, lace, applique, and fabric manipulation through pleating, folding, seam construction etc... 

Texture, along with the line, shape, form, colour, space and value are known as the elements of art, the essential design ingredients.

The elements of art help the artist to:

• create visual interest or a focal point
• to create contrast within a design
• to help visually balance a design

Artist across the mediums draw on these elements to create interest or contrast in their works. Sometimes these elements work together and other times the stand alone.

Everywhere, every day we are surrounded by natural and artificial texture. As you gather and collect inspiration keep an eye out for texture. Use a combination of words, sketch and digital image to obtain ideas. Many photographers use macro photography to capture the feel of a subject. Macro mode enables you to get in close, examine the detail and crop the scene. Interested in exploring macro photography further here are a couple of useful articles.

How To Create Your Own Unique Textures and Apply Them To Your Photography by John Davenport

How To Take Amazing Smartphone Macro Photos by Max Therry

The random smoothness and roughness of texture are what draws us in to touch and get a closer look. In addition to photography and sketching, you can use rubbing to capture the character of the texture. In school, you probably placed a piece of paper over the surface, and with a B pencil or charcoal, you lightly rubbed to reveal the pattern. 

This same exercise can be done by laying a piece of fabric across the texture and using a Shiva Oil Paintstik or similar fabric crayon rub across the texture.

1. Prewash the fabric to remove any sizing.
2. Place the textured surface under your fabric.
3. Tape your fabric in place to prevent it from shifting too much.
4. Oil paint sticks are self-sealing, using a piece of paper towel gently remove the film.
5. Lightly rub the paintstik across the fabric, an image of the textured item under the material will appear. 
6. After applying the colour, allow the painted fabric to dry 3-5 days, then heat-set to make the colours permanent.
7. Place a piece of baking paper on the surface of your ironing board, then a bit of old muslin (an old tea towel works well too) and set your iron to the proper setting for the painted fabric, e.g. cotton setting for cotton fabric etc.
8. Put the painted fabric paint-side down on the muslin (or tea towel) and press for 10-15 seconds in each painted spot.

Once the paintstik rubbing has been heat-set, it is colourfast, washable & dry cleanable. Not only have you captured the texture but you are have also created a unique piece of fabric. 

One of the great things about texture is that you can find it everywhere. The more you look, the more you'll discover, you can also make your own texture. Observe your surrounds and enjoy some creative playtime while building your texture library.

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it's a new season

together we start of a new season

Winter in the North, Summer in the South

seasons that are filled with many celebrations & festivities

inspired by colorful beds

 Calendula officinalis

 also know as Pot Marigold

 uses include medicinal, cosmetic & culinary

easy to grow, propagate from seed sown in autumn or spring

 once know as "poor mans saffron" as the petals dried or fresh add color to rice dishes and salads

The courtyard where we have the Aquaponics setup is protected so while the nights have been cool our winter days have still been warm. The grow beds are currently filled with marigolds, watercress, sweet basil, sweet peas, cos lettuce & Asian greens. I couldn't resist capturing a few shots of the colorful marigolds.

frosty ground & clear blue sky - a natural contrast

When I saw the weather forecast yesterday for today predicting a fresh start of 2 degrees Celsius with isolated frosts yet still getting up to a top of 22 degrees, my initial plan was to sleep in until about an hour after dawn. Being sub-tropical if you sleep in through that dawn period you usually miss the coldest part of the day. That was my plan, but the fur-child is accustomed to our household stirring from 4am and getting fed pretty close to that, today would be the same, and she dutifully meowed like a little alarm clock with a broken snooze button. The flip side of this, I was now up and awake enough to enjoy the early morning sun rising up over the tree line and into the neighbouring parkland. An opportunity not to be missed especially with the sun rays glistening through the frosty grass. Camera in hand and donning an additional jumper off we went fur-child in tow for an early morning stroll enjoying the moment and seizing the day. The morning vista from our window was beautiful but how inspiring to be out in amongst the natural contrast of a clear blue sky and the frosty ground.  

snippets of daily detail

a picture is a poem without words

-Horace-

Leaf of marjoram, citronella lantern, paper flowers, a lady beetle, a white picket fence and
lettuce that's gone to seed - these are a few of my daily things.
Exploring & enjoying snippets of daily detail one frame at a time.
  -inspiration everywhere, everyday-

inspiration even when doing those dishes

Who would have thought that one would see inspiration even when doing the washing up. Somehow I missed washing this knife and spoon when I placed the items on the sink, the reflecting light caught my eye. So, I reached for the camera and preceded to take several shots.

After a few shots, I switched the camera settings to monochrome which evened out the tired colours of our poor old kitchen enabling me to concentrate on the line, shapes and pattern the knife and spoon created against the draining board. The kitchen my second studio I see it as a creative extension of my practice. The top photo became my main inspiration for "On the edge".

Inspiration everywhere, every day

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updated April 2019

oh my it was delicious

A recipe for Strawberry Meringue Cake caught my eye in the latest edition of Feast magazine. Perfect timing as I had made husband chocolate mousse, so four egg whites were awaiting inspiration. 

The base is the meringue with a crushed sweet biscuit (I used ginger-nut cookies) and chopped nut (I used macadamia) mixed through. The top is a similar consistency to that of cheesecake, a combination of cream cheese, sour cream (I used sweetened Greek yoghurt), icing sugar and vanilla. Decorated with fresh berries - simply delicious. 

Over the weekend we also visited a couple demolition yards looking for old screen doors to put on the chicken coupe. While out, we also popped into a couple of op shops where I purchased serving plates and three bowls.


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it's like china

Taking a moment to enjoy natures' gifts, I noticed the bud forming yesterday and it bloomed overnight. The flower is so delicate and elegant; it reminds me of precious china. A beautiful flower that usually only lasts one to two days.

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