Wednesday 17 August 2011

Artist Profile

http://www.julieharris.com.au/new-works



Just received the latest edition of "Artist Profile" and found it jam packed full of essential readin g about contemporary artists and upcoming exhibitions situated at various galleries around Australia. i chose two of these to highlight on my blog. Julie Harris is a landscape painter of series, her 'walkthrough' concept consolidates her process and experience into large compositions with multiple panels.

 "There is an intiuitive process with the washing away and reapplying paint, and when its working and reaching some sort of logic it becomes the opposite of chance." Julie Harris

Her acrylic works simulate watercolour in appearance as does her works with oil and inks on paper. A weathering effect completes the 'feel and emotion' of the landscape which is experienced by walking through the series of panels.
Julie's exhibition is ego'pop  15/9/2011 - 8/10/2011  Pelotin, Sydney  www.peleton.net.au

http://www.timolsengallery.com/pages/john_olsen_works.php 
John Olsen is the second artist I would like to feature. A master watercolourist, he is reknowned for making intuitive and instinctive marks that arrive at their own configuration. john's latest exhibition is about lake Eyre. he agrees there is a resurgence of interest in landscapes because of climate change but he found stimulation in
painting Lake Eyre because it is the lowest point below sea level in Australia and it is now full of water, wildlife , which is rare....its definitely unfinished business. A network of coloured veins of earth coloured piments suggest a type of fleetingness, a fragility of the landscape, a delicate balance.

 "The quest for perfection just leads to frustration. It's best to be human, to have that sensibility to say 'I feel and therefore I am.' 

John's exhibition is Lake Eyre  until 28/8/2011 at Tim Olsen Gallery

Saturday 13 August 2011

I Touch myself

Isaac, our hunkiest model-his muscles are too hot to show..........Lucien Freud SBS 2 Saturday night was such a great doco on England's greatest life art painter. His models are not happy with their over realistic portrayals done by Freud. They are ugly yet compelling, I was dumbfounded by the fact that most of the nudes were his daughters (and their partners). Nepotism taken to extremes and spreadeagled. His palette of skin tones and blemishes is so lifelike it makes his subjects appear with the typical ruddiness of the English complexion. All his models have the Russian expressionist peasant like exaggerated feet and hands, with stocky limbs and bodies. I don't believe he appreciated the human body, he merely sees it as a receptacle to carry the mind and engage in work. His sittings were long and gruelling, hardly the work of a man who respected his subjects or cared for thir physical demeanour while he was painting them. Lucien Freud..RIP...I wonder if Granddad Zigmund was a little more sensitive, did he psycho analyse his grandson ?

http://painting.about.com/od/famouspainters/p/bio_LucianFreud.htm 

Thursday 11 August 2011

Portrait Workshop at Catherine's

Saturday week come along for some intuition and good cooking.....Catherine

Art Equity Newsletter

Great publication for art investors providing informative stuff on artists and works' currently in the investment spotlight. Enjoy.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

New Title

Found that I had to  change blog title and corresponding blogspot URL due to the large number of blogs with the name 'Catherine's Commentary'. I also wanted to point out the content theme of art commentary expected in the postings.

New title:- Cath's Art Comments
   URL   :- cathsartcomments.blogspot 

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Picasso and Me



Found a Good Weekend lying around the floor of my bedroom and wondered why I hadn't thrown it away. The front page showed a photo of Picasso with Francois Gilot on the beach. The feature was an interview with Gilot detailing her life with 'the love of her life' who was sadistic, merciless and cruel to everyone of his 7 women as well as himself. She says he was marvellous to be with, creative, intelligent and seductive. The 'Bluebeard' genius of the artworld, would have destroyed Francois and her children if they had not left him. An insight to the relationships of the artist, 2 of his women developed psychiatric illnesses and 1 died of TB. The women and acquaintances were constantly lied to and kept them revolving around him like an manaical, egotistical despot.
All his women inspired his artworks, "Weeping Woman", "Guernica",but by the time he met his last muse, his best years of painting women were over, and he began painting erotic images.
Gilot's book"Life With Picasso" will probably be my next read.
The article can be found at;
http://goodweekend.fairfaxmedia/picassoandme

Sydney Morning Herald 'Good Weekend' July 23, 2011
Janet Hawley   "Picasso and Me" interview with Francois Gilot

Picasso:Masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso is at the Art Gallery NSW Nov 12, 2011-March 25, 2012
www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au

Nautilus exhibition


Collaborative exhibition of mixed media

Please put it in your diary for opening night Friday September 2, 6pm

Saturday 6 August 2011

BlogRank for Catherine's Commentary

BlogRank for Catherine's Commentary is 75 in the Art category


Bangarra Dance Theatre: Belong TVC

Catherine's commentary: Feltmaking Workshop/Carbon footprint

Catherine's commentary: Feltmaking Workshop/Carbon footprint

http://illawarrafeltmakers.netau.net

Feltmaking Workshop/Carbon footprint

Saturday morning and I have planned to meet some Drawing class mates at the Shellcove Community Centre for a feltmaking workshop. Haven't done this for years but believe its like falling off a horse. So I'm looking to add a 3D sculptural element to my artwork/photgraphy perception, this is a familiar medium, let's see how I go. 20 participants, so production line technology immediately in place. These ladies are extremely organised , I begin with a preprepared ball of fleece offcuts and proceed to add layers of colour and texture then dunk in soapy water and mould using cricket ballhandling techniques of spinning in hands, squashing, sqeezing out water, soaping, re-dunking, generally slapping around the ball to make the wool fibres matt together and meld. Now hot water to wash out soap, then final shaping(mine is egg shaped) then drying in sun. Well that was easy now to the next technique, Nuno felt. Strands of silken fleece are laid horizontally on piece of material then overlaid vertically to form layers. These are wetted, soaped and patted and pressed with palms then rolled in cane matting or bubble wrap. Turn piece around and roll. Repeat 20 times, the more rolls, the stiffer the felt. I went for a flimsy webbed effect to make an artpiece rather than for durability.Next, a felt picture on felt. I need an exhibit for an upcoming show with a nautilus theme. A seahorse made from coloured strands of fleece and wool. Roll. roll yes that looks great. Another wool ball shaped to look like a shell to add to the seahorse and "Voila" a felting star is born. Checking out the work of regulars showed some great potential for this media. Anita Larkin has just won an international award for feltmaking and has also been a Wynne Prize entrant with a felt sculpture. I must say I was inspired and I am planning a trip to Jenolan Caves as inspiration for a felt piece.....coloured drupes and solid plinths........
Contact  http://theillawarrafeltmakers@westnet.com.au

Thursday 4 August 2011

Carbon Footprint

Freda's having a ball!
Monique hard at it








Biggest Morning Tea


Georgia
Alyssa the organiser
Waiting to pose
Pat, queen of Shellharbour

Reducing my Carbon Footprint

This week I'm thinking local to reduce my carbon footprint. After spending last week fleeing to the city for some upmarket cultural exchange and to speed up my heartrate to match that of my children (urban dwellers), I'm looking for Art in the country. Life Drawing at Shellcove, first stop. What better time to spend creating, relaxing and mingle with like mindeds......media, purchased black A4 diary and white charcoal pencils ,used with white ink and white watercolour, sanguine pencils , practise sketches leading to major drawing on Parker's Fine Art ebony textured paper next time. Love eperimenting with media. Cup of orange pekoe and I'm done. next meeting, Saturday for felting workshop with Anita Larkin  (sculptor) who has just won a global award for her craft. She has designed the windows for the new tourist centre which is also our exhibition centre. beautiful, sensitive community artist-collaborating with her for sure.
Mum's  Anniversary,dad's in care, better take her out-lunch at Relish. Great idea, she loved it and the inclusive bottle of wine. Haircut, shampoo-yes she's up, good, we'll do it again next week !
I'm worried about developing my web presence but this lunch helped promote my "Village" presence...no one has seen me for ages, where have you been, must be creating some intricate artworks, can't wait for the exhibition. God, better get one organised...just to satisfy the adoring fans...LOL Lol,lol,lol.
Any way, according to Nicola Conville ,SUNDAY,June 26,2011, Think local. There's no better place to to start making a difference to the planet than in your own community. Visit www.govolunteeer.com.au for opportunities in your area. I have a herb garden, am vegetarian, and only wear natural fibres. Really hard to eplain to local clothing vendors that I am opposed to wearing their fashion made from synthetic fibres or eating their meat friendly meals. I'm a freak, lost in the 70's, don't contribute to the local economy. How can i get them to realise that adding to their bank balance is the least of my concerns....now I know why they are reserved to participate in my classes and exhibitions.......Oh The World's Biggest Morning Tea, that's a local carbon fottprint reduction material..just found the photos on my camera.

Monday 1 August 2011

portrait drawing workshop

Saturday 20th August,2011  Portrait workshop at my place....
$50/$35 cons. 10 am -3 pm  all materials provided. Bring something nice to eat for lunch, I am making minestrone and Marg is making some dips, you could bring a mirror if you want to draw yourself.Places limited so let Alyssa know if you are interested, or post interest to this blog. Bring some mood music if you don't trust my choices.

Art competition

Just entered "Jason" in art competition run by Eckerseley's. Want to win some materials.