November 2010 New Work

New work & the Australian Art Excellence Awards



'China Blue II' Oil on Canvas 24"x32"



November has been another busy month with new work being finished and shipped in preparation for next months opening in London.


This month I was also invited to be a finalist in the prestigious Australian Art Excellence Awards in Melbourne, of which one of my entries was China Blue II as seen above. It was a real honour to have been one of only 25 artists invited to participate and I pass on my warmest congratulations to the winner Christine Cafarella-Pearce AGRAF, who produced some stunning work for the exhibition.

October 2010 London Exhibition

October 2010 London exhibition at The Alexander Miles Gallery.


In December, an exciting new gallery is opening at St. Katharines Dock, London, called The Alexander Miles Gallery.
Mr. Miles has very kindly invited me to exhibit at his gallery and I will be attending the opening night on December the 2nd, 2010.
If anyone would like further information, please find contact information below.
I wish Mr. Miles every success with his new venture!


　
'China Blue' Oil on canvas 24"x32"


The Alexander Miles Gallery Ltd
1 Cloisters Walk
St.Katharines Dock
london E1W 1LD
　
Tel: 0207 481 1199

http://www.thealexandermilesgallery.com/

September 2010 AGRA AAL Exhibition

September 2010 AGRA AAL Exhibition Australian Guild of Realist Artists AAL On-Line Exhibition





Award winnining painting 'Primary Colours'

The AGRA AAL (Artists At Large) Exhibition is an on-line competition that is open to all members Australia-wide. A maximum of five entries per member are judged by three judges individually, with the results put forward for further imput by the society. A vote is then put to all members and the public at large for the final results.


I entered with five paintings in May, and the long awaited results are in. I am so thrilled to discover that I have been awarded first and second place with the other three being highly commended in the top ten! So I am completely lost for words and so awestruck by the response I have had to my work since returning to Australia from the UK! Thank you to all thse who have voted for my paintings, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! Visit the following Link to see more http://www.agra.org.au/

August 2010 Mortimer Prize

2010 Mortimer Prize




'Summer Harvest' 10"x20" Oil on canvas

After all the excitement of Florence, I have returned to my studio and begun many new works for the whirlwind of exhibitions and competitions over the next twelve months.


But the most exciting news for the month is that both of my entries for the Mortimer Prize have been accepted for exhibition!



The Mortimer Prize is a travelling exhibition and shows will be held at St Brigids Hall, Brisbane St, Dubbo from the 26th September to the 17th October and selected works at The Scots College, Bellevue Hill, Sydney from the 22nd to the 31st October , KIKU ARTs, Bungendore from 26th November to the 27th December and Byron Bay from 3rd to the 31st January.

June/July '10 Study Trip to Florence.

Study trip to Florence, Italy.


I have just returned home after my latest trip to Italy, where I studied once again at the Angel Art Academy in Florence, in a bid to improve the more technical aspects of my work. The methods of the Old Masters from the Italian Renaissance through to the French Academies of the late nineteenth century have always fascinated me, so where better than the 'home of the Renaissance' to undertake further studies in these techniques.





'China Blue', unfinished, oil on canvas 50cmx70cm

This year I was able to set up my composition with objects carried all the way from my own studio, and this still life concept is the first in a series of new works which I have already begun in ernest since returning home.
The methods and procedures used in this technique are very involved and time consuming, often taking between six to twelve months to complete a single painting. The process begins with canvas preparation and setting up the composition, both of which have many technical considerations in themselves. Next comes the sight-size drawings and transfers, before moving into the many painted layers, using a mixture of glazing, toning and opaque application of paint. The paint is mixed with a variety of mediums which are 'home-made', mixed in the studio using the Old Master recipies, and vary from layer to layer. Even some of the paints are hand-mixed from dry pigments! Although it sounds exhausting I just love the overall finish that this method gives to my work, and I hope that anyone who sees my work enjoys them as much as I have enjoyed painting them!

June '10 AGRA Winter Exhibition

Australian Guild of Realist Artists Winter Exhibition, Melbourne.


Just before leaving for my latest study trip to Florence, I travelled to Melbourne to deliver my entries for this years Winter Exhibition held at the Australian Guild of Realist Artists headquarters in Camberwell. Just as I was about to board the plane to Italy, I received a message that I had been awarded a prize at the Exhibition!



'Sharp Contrast' Oil on Linen

The Award was for the painting of lemons titled 'Sharp Contrast'.

This award capped off a very sucessful few months and kept me smiling all the way to Florence!

Thank you to AGRA, the Judges and, of course, the tireless Brenda who is always ever-helpful!

May '10 Camberwell Rotary Art Show Award, Melbourne

'Best Realist Art in Show' Award, Camberwell Rotary Art Show, Melbourne.

This years prestigious Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show in Melbourne has just finished seeing its largest number of entries in its 44 year history. With 4900 exhibits of which 3400 were entered for only a handful of awards, it makes it the largest exhibition of realist art in the country, attracting artists from both Australia and overseas.

This is the first time I have entered the Show and was stunned to be awarded the inaugural 'Best Realist Art in Show' Award , sponsored by the Australian Guild of Realist Artists, for my painting titled 'Classical Red' seen below.


'Best Realist Art in Show' Award winning painting
'Classical Red'

Thank you so much to the Rotary Club of Camberwell who put on such a well organised and magnificent show and also to AGRA for this wonderful award!

May '10 'Peoples Choice Award'

'People's Choice Award' Clare Rotary Art Show

May beholds a whirlwind of events, with the Rotary Club of Clare Art Show being the first one for the month, before I head to Melbourne for the Camberwell Art Show and the AGRA Winter Exhibition, then packing up and heading overseas for a few months once again to study.

'Perfect Pitcher' Oil on Linen.

The Clare Art Show was held in conjunction with the Gourmet weekend and the opening night was a roaring success. The town hall was packed with art lovers and artists alike and I met many new people from the local area. I received a wonderful response to my painting and was awarded the 'People's Choice' Prize for my painting 'Perfect Pitcher'. It is such a priviledge to win this kind of award as it is voted in by the public who attend the exhibition, and so thank you to all those who voted for my painting and the Rotary Club of Clare for the award!

April '10 SWA, Mall Galleries, London

Mall Galleries SWA Juried Exhibition London

It's that time of the year again when the judging panel selects the finalists for the Societies Annual Exhibition held at the Mall Galleries, London, in June. Last year I was priviledged to have been awarded the Rosemary & Co 'Finest Brushwork in Show' with the Black & White piece 'All that Jazz'. This year I entered a smaller and more delicate piece entitled 'Summer Peonies' and am thrilled to say that I have been selected for exhibition in June. HRH Princess Micheal of Kent shall be in attendance and presenting awards at the opening.

If you are in London during the show, I urge you to visit one of the finest galleries in the UK!



'Summer Peonies'
Oil
14"x18"

March '10 Solo Exhibition

Upcoming Solo Exhibition

15th April - 16th May 2010

Peter Franz Gallery
Barossa Valley Way
Lyndoch
Barossa Valley, SA
Australia

Hello!

Just to let everyone know that I am having a solo exhibition at Peter Franz Gallery, Lyndoch. We will be having an opening on Sunday the 18th of April, from 2 - 5pm and everyone is welcome! One of the local wineries will be providing their wine for tasting and I will be there for the afternoon and look forward to meeting fellow artists and art lovers alike!

I hope you can join us!



Just one of my new works which will be on display at the exhibition

Febuary '10

Royal Society Fringe/Autumn Exhibition Awards

This month the Royal Society of Arts incorporated their annual Autumn Exhibition as part of the Adelaide 'Fringe Festival'. This show was another of their juried exhibitions, which take place throughout the year. This time I entered two works and was delighted to recieve awards for both my entries seen below.

'Spring Blooms' 24"x 28"

Oil on Linen

With the Autumn Exhibition underway, its time to finish the new work for my up-coming solo exhibition in April and start work for the two society exhibitions in the UK and finish several commission pieces - and all before my next visit to Florence in June!

"Classical Notes" Oil on Linen

12" x 22"

Thank you so much again to the RSASA for these two awards!

January '10 New Works.

New work for 2010

Happy New Year to all!

A new year and a new decade, with many exhibitions planned and another trip to study in Florence not far away! But in the meantime here are some new paintings .

' Twilight Tipple', 'Full Bloom' & 'Clarinet'.

December '09 Award RSASA Summer Exhibition

Award at Royal Society Exhibition.



Last month I was privileged to receive another Award of Merit at the Royal Societies Annual Summer Exhibition in Adelaide. Those who have been following my blogs will know that I began exhibiting with the Society in Autumn this year and that this award is the second of three required in order to be invited to become an Associate member by the committee.



Once again it was a lovely show put on by the Society in their North Terrace Gallery which is part of the State Library.



Thank you to the committee for this award!