Residency Report 2

Back with more paintings.

As I said in my last blog of my work, I have been using various forms of inspiration in an attempt to learn as much as I can about the different ways I can use the wax/resin medium.  This has continued.  I have again used the Swedish glass artists in some pieces.  This was one piece I painted where I started to create my own marks instead of trying to mimic the glass textures.

You will see that some of the photos are a little blurred because I only have a point and shoot camera with me and the texture of some pieces confuses the focus mechanism... .....that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

I wanted to see how I could go in taking this technique into portraits.  So the first attempt was this, which I admit was from a photo of Phoebe but, as you can see, I got caught up in technique and forgot about some of the proportion.  Still, I rather like the painting itself. Quite quirky.  Sorry, Phoeb.  Better one to come.

Then went on to paint the immediate family.  Let's conitnue with the Phoeb

A better likeness but still not quite there.  Dom was next.  This painting is the right way up.  And it looks like him this way as well

Next was the Professor.  You know it's him but only because of the (receding) hairline I think.  Struggled with this and decided to let it be. I liked the colour combination. I have to remember these are only studies.  I get quite anal sometimes.

 

The most successful ones, besides the second Phoebe, were Stef and Dylan. 

And they both liked their own portraits as well which is great.  My kids are used to being used as models in all sorts of styles but this is a first for Stef and Dylan.

I have yesterday started to paint some pieces just, hopefully to sell. I have a small exhibition planned here in the studio for the 27th of this month.  The following day is a huge open day here at Konstepidemin and I will have an open studio that day.  Lots of people.  So am hoping to sell off as much as possible to cover some of my costs and save transporting home.  These pieces are similar to one I have already sold and based on the glass artist style. 

I am also doing some landscapes inspired by travels in Sweden.  You may remember the winter pieces from the last art blog.  These pieces are either 20x20cms or 40x40cms.  I am using supports for the painting made out of either plywood or perspex.  On some of the ply pieces, I allow the grain of the wood to show through, as in this one.  Canvas can't be used for the hot wax process as it may crack due to movement of the canvas.

The piece above utilises layers of paint and tissue paper.  I can draw on the paper before I lay it into the painting. Gives another level to the painting.  Am presently working on several more paintings using this technique which are not quite finished.

A couple of weeks ago I came across the work of a well known artist from Sydney, Jenny Sages, who does some work in wax encaustic.  I then also yearned for my Australian palette and started to think about how I might adapt this work to my Australian landscapes.  Here are the results.  The first two, slightly influenced by Swedish winter as well. 

This piece below is actually a piece I showed you last time  - I have painted over it.  My brother made a comment about the previous incarnation looking like a pregnant woman sunbaking nude and every time I looked at it after that it annoyed me because he was right.  So, not my best piece, but I wanted to show it to my brother, Kim.

And below this is an attempt to use the wax to paint the Lake Eyre series I am working on at home for my exhibitions in Surat in August and Brisbane in October.  Anothe one that is a bit blurry, sorry.  Just could not get the camera to focus any better.

And these are probably Craig's favourites.  Hopefully some Swedes will like one or two of them. 

More posts to come.