Joy's Diary

ART NEWS NOW — THE PASSION AND GENIUS OF COLOUR CITY CREATIVES

2012-01-17T19:35:00.002+11:00

ART NEWS NOW — THE PASSION AND GENIUS OF COLOUR CITY CREATIVES

If you wonder why I've been quiet these past few weeks, it's due to the long days and hard work put in at the new studios. I have been using my studio on and off for over 10 months now but it was whilst sitting on the beach at Budgewoi at Christmas, watching the relentless waves beating the shore, that I realised I had to get off my backside and just "DO IT!'

And so I came home, talked to Phil Salmon.... wonderful Phil, he came along and worked his backside off, then Michael Carroll came and joined in, then Lotti and Dan got excited, then Aida got a new lease of life and before we knew it, the plan has come together!

So Friday night 27th January at 6.30 pm, come and join us for wine and nibbles, and see the art, cruise the studios and party, party, party!

The Joy and Life of being an Artist!

2011-11-26T14:39:00.001+11:00

The Year of the Rabbit has left me quite exhausted! There has been so much change, hopping about and so much to do..... so many little ends to tie up, so many decisions to be made and so many new forces to be considered. This last year has left us all a little dazed and I find myself thinking what will the Year of the Dragon bring.

So I am starting early to consider the year ahead. With a very full month ahead of me and an important solo show next April at Aarwun Galleries, it is time I knuckled down to serious work in the studio.But whew! What a year and still some to come.

This morning I was driving, no....cruising along the highway in my comfortable car, looking out over the hills and valleys of this wonderful landscape I live in; abundant growth everywhere and warm sunshine after a week of non-stop rain. I noted that the rivers were full to the brim and wonderful puffy white clouds building up in the bluest of skies overhead. I am always happiest in my car, free as a bird listening to music and cruising the landscape. My heart sings! Or in my studio, paint everywhere.... love getting all messy and seeing what works with what.

I have just had lunch with my dear friend Karrin, wonder woman artist from Lightening Ridge and a true Ehulii woman spirit. She looked marvelous! You can find her art work on her website. We always enjoy sharing together the various stories of our respective lives. True friends are great treasures to be enjoyed while we can so these are special moments when we connect with our soul sisters.

We both are acutely aware of the damage being done to this sacred land we live in and we worry for the delicate deserts and waterways being disturbed by an ever increasing mining presence. It might be that Australia will be uninhabitable in time as awareness of being in touch with the land is eroding in the face of an increasing greed. It is another invasion happening - perhaps the last! I remarked to Karrin that lately it is the aboriginal people that are buying my artworks and not the European descendants. I feel that is a privilege and shows my connection to the land is being recognised by the original land owners. But with it, comes a responsibility: a responsibility to reach out and make others aware of the 'pain' the land is in.

I hope I am up to it. Still Canberra is the place where my next show will be so maybe, just maybe I can make a small contribution to raising consciousness. I certainly hope so! So look out for "LAND /MARKS" in April!

"LAND /MARKS - abandoned" Mixed Media on Paper 52 cmx 70 cm

This painting depicts an abandoned homestead block in the western desert.Man has tried for over 200 years now to conquer the inland of Australia but marks such as these home sites left long ago show the harshness of a desert that we still have not learned to live with.

Forbes Town - what a hoot!

2011-10-31T14:16:00.001+11:00

Well, this last week saw some of my works shown at Forbes Town Hall some 150 kms west of Orange where I live. It's always interesting to take your work into another town, especially the smaller towns and see what the exercise brings! I'm not sure about anyone else, but I had a fabulous time..... the people of our Ozzie country towns are really the 'salt of the earth', super friendly and welcoming!

One very special lady I met called Lee wrote a poem about me and she has given me permission to put it here for you also to laugh at enjoy! Lee also liked my hand painted shoes (grand-daughter's art) so much that she was inspired to paint her own..... now that's my sort of person!

"Limericks de Joy"

To Forbes came this artist extraordinaire,

Environmental from her feet to her hair.

She was surely inspirational,

Her paintings quite sensational,

Yes, Joy, your a lady with flair.

Came this talented artist from Orange,

(which doesn't rhyme with anything)

For her spectacular paintings to bring

All that nature does impart

Painted right from the heart

Glorious colours that make your soul sing.

I have to say, I was wined and dined in style, Pam and Tony made me very very welcome and the last night party! well, what can I say except that 2 days later I am still recovering! Yes Forbes, you are going to be hard to beat!

I had to add a photo of one of the many floral arrangements that the Forbes ladies put around the show....... the colours of our bush flowers are really beautiful aren't they? We all just love those blue gum tips and bright red bottle brushes. I thought this would make a nice painting..... hmmm....

The Town Hall is really quite stunning inside with a colonial architecture that reflects our rather British heritage so the show looked quite good in the space provided. One hopes that the Forbes Council learns to encourage the arts further and support the hard work of their local people. Maybe an Arts Prize or an Aquisition from the regular shows that the people of Forbes voluntarily put on.It would be good to see these country councils participate more fully and engage their arts communities by building local collections of Australian art.

So this week, I'm off to Coffs Harbour, a trek of some 800-900 kms north and to the beach! Yay! My paintings will once again go on display only this time at Opal Cove Resort - so let's see if Coffs can come up to Forbes standard! It'll be a challenge!

Can't think of a thing to paint? Overcoming the blank mind!

2011-10-02T18:05:00.000+11:00

This year has been the most amazing year for me with so many things happening, things to see, journeys to do that I often feel quite saturated and not sure where to start. You all know the feeling: there's either too much going on in your imagination or not quite enough! It's hard sometimes to find that cruisey neutral gear that allows you to roll through the next painting with ease!

Added to the grief of having a mental block, or an avalanche, there's the continual interruptions to one's day / week from a variety of competing concerns / jobs. And so life goes on... so how does one get into the right mindset to just start?

Some of my tricks are:

To just do it! Get in that darned studio and pick up the brushes!

Look at those shoes your grand-daughter made for you, put them on, dance, jump and run around, get free again! Remember the joy of painting when you were young and unencumbered!

Sometimes the best results come out of sheer frustration and trying something completely new. I like to run with a few new techniques and just throw paint around- see what comes! Here's one I did with a business card instead of a brush - just for fun!

That's all well and good if it's a sunny day and warm outside but what if there's a chill wind blowing....?

I like to promise myself a great cup of coffee from Moshi Moshi with 2 of the nicest young creative people around, Lotti and Dan! After seeing their cheery faces and getting one of Dan's neck rubs, topped up with Toby's (great coffee) I head off cheerfully into the chill wind...

Another is to flick through my photo album and print out a couple of inspirational landscapes- you know the ones that turn you on!

But recently I came across a marvellous creative soul who gives away so much information to us arty farty folks on how to be businesslike and break bad habits. Mark McGuiness of Lateral Action is one of us so he really knows the problems we wild children can have trying to do the adult stuff! His FREE book is available online at http://lateralaction.com/creativeblocks/ and well worth the time to read! Co-author is Marelisa Fabrega.

The Year of the Rabbit has hopped around wildly for me but the lessons I have learned along the way have all helped me to maintain focus, overcome 'painter's block' and keep on that journey towards my 'self'- the 'real me' at the core of my being! I reckon it's been a great year with so much still to do! A wonderful end to the year is looming steadily and I'm sorry, I have to get back to my painting! What about you?

Time out is needed even for the best artist!

2011-09-02T10:57:00.001+10:00

I feel all of us artists should take some time out from ourselves at times and so this last week or so, I have been doing just that. I took a short holiday to Coffs Harbour..... so different to going to Broome! Of course as I've been there many times before, I was relieved to find I could put my art eyes and my camera aside for a week and just do the same as everyone else does on a holiday! Read books, watch videos, window shop, stroll on the beach, and talk with friends!

I find myself reflecting on how good it was not to have to think about art for a week and just chill! And so I am writing today to tell all of you that paint and reflect on life and its meaning, take some time off from yourself! Give it a go! It's been so good for me that I really feel like I have had a holiday! So much so, that I am not wanting to get back into it just yet!

I did relent though and give a workshop to my girlfriends! Just one day where we focused on 'eyes' and 'lips' - it was good fun and here's some of the results!

I returned of course to hit the deck running and there's to much to do! I find I've been given a new job in my absence, Publicity Officer for Colour City Creatives! ah well! But I was thinking of being a bit more committed there anyway so it'll be good to get that group up and running.... there's a lot to do! But they're a terrific group of artists and craftsmen and it's a fantastic project!

I rather liked this photo I took off the verandah at the resort! There's a new day dawning in the distance- new beginnings! The forest (people) are growing in the 'light' and I'm standing behind a wire gauze, a separation from it all happening, a protection if you like! I can see it happening but I don't have to be in the middle of it!

Anyway, thank you for reading my blog! I hope I've inspired you to take some time off and reflect and meet with friends! Till next time......

Ruminations of a frustrated artist!

2011-08-15T16:52:00.000+10:00

You know the saying "Just do it!" Such wise words, so hard to follow but today I did! I did it!

I think finding this website "The Flinty Hard Road" and reading it made so much sense to me and brought me back to the place where I know I'm not alone..... the arts is a hard career choice.... probably the hardest! I really related to the heading "Fabulously successful, penniless and deranged" particularly the 'deranged' bit!

Lately I've been well, let's say "occupied" but today, I bit the bullet and "just did it!" and boy does it feel good. I went to the studio and prepared all those canvases that have been patiently waiting for me. There they are now, all virginal white, covered in that clean clear pure pristine coat of gesso. They wait for me now to pour forth all my energies onto them..... sigh! What a good day's work!

The weekend saw another exhibition of works open to an assembled throng of art lovers, purveyors of fine art and wine, some really decent and genuine people amongst them..... the wallets remained firmly locked and who can blame them for today's economy sees most people worrying about their retirement plans as their super funds vaporise before their disbelieving eyes. Not so for us artists, we don't have the luxury of retirement plans. We'll be painting until we're blind and hanging around hopefully for a sale.

But we do have the luxury of filling our lives and walls with wonderful art that others can only dream about! Not for us, those dreary prints and commercial crappy decorator pieces, don't they make you cringe!

At least 3 people promised to buy work.... ah that's nice and I remind myself that despite the current downturn this year, I have had some sales and offers that other artists would be glad to have.

So to get into the studio today and back to my virginal white canvases was a joy! My mind started to focus immediately as I imagined the images starting to appear. I could feel the paints calling to me from their tubes to squeeze them and spread them luxuriously across each virgin in turn. Ah what a pleasant day!

It's going to be good year after all! There's so much to do and so much opportunity lying right here at the doorstep.... it reminds me that "everything you need, is right there in front of you!" So watch this space as the year rolls on.....

"Flooding of Twin Lakes" Oil on Canvas

Here's one that I would like to see painted up into a large work...... hmmm.....

So keep painting out there!

At last! The colours are flowing!

2011-07-10T13:26:00.001+10:00

Well finally I have found my flow and the colours are starting to get onto the page! It has taken me a good couple of weeks of pondering to get to the point where I can begin to relax into the works from the Top End. I must say that whilst I was there, I was amazed at the clear light of each day and how the colours of the Top End dance before your eyes! I loved it!

It certainly is a challenge though to get the various energies of that place onto canvas! I like this little work here though that I think achieves the amazing clean cut colours of sandstone reflected on water in the gorge. Hope you like it too! More

"Reflections" Oil on Oil Paper 29 cm h x 48 cm w

I am amazed at the variations of colour and forms in the Western Australian landscape. It certainly is one of the most wonderful places to paint and visit! Loved it from the air as we were flying over it and saw some inspiring places......hmmmm wish that I was a desert wanderer! or maybe a bird! Till next time!

Dreaming of the Kimberleys!

2011-07-06T12:57:00.006+10:00

Waking up this morning to sub zero temperatures, I stick my head back under the blankets and begin dreaming of the Kimberleys again! I see myself bumping along looking out the window of the 6WD at what has to be one of the most amazingly beautiful landscapes in the world.

The colours just bounce off each other, the shadows, the light, the blue blue sky, those limes of the spinifex and oranges of the rocks....opposites on the colour wheel, they dance around each other forming their own magical music! Songlines the aboriginal people call these places/ridges/ranges and to me, they definitely do 'sing'!

"The Bungle Bungles at mid morning"

I go to my studio and prepare my papers to start but it's so cold, the paint won't dry so I head off to the art shop. Staggering out more exceedingly poor than before, I am happy with the colours I've found....quite a different palette to the one I am used to. The grey cold wind whips around my legs as I huddle into the car $200 spent. OMG! This is such an expensive 'need' of mine!

I am reminded of poor Gaughin in Tahiti writing to his dealers asking for money to buy paints! Like him, I also rely on my dealers and gallerists to keep me going but this year, I keep getting told that sales are slow. I'm afraid to say, it's been my own sales that have kept me in paint and paper. The GFC has bitten deep!

"Echidna Rock"

I take out my colour notes from the journey. I have to burn that blue blue sky into my deepest psyche so that I can recreate it perfectly. I could not believe when I looked up, just how wonderful that deep blue sky was above the tones of oranges and limes. This was indeed an inspiring journey......which reminds me, I am in the running to win another but to Uluru! Hmmm wouldn't that be fantastic!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be putting my field notes (small works on paper), my explorations (large works on paper) and major works (large works on canvas) as I develop them in the studio from my memories, studies, diary and photos so keep an eye out. Here's the link as I paint away the days!

So happy painting to all of you out there or happy collecting - or both!

EXHIBITION OPENS SUNDAY 14 AUGUST 2 PM AT JAYES IN MOLONG NSW -
Everyone welcome!

Colour Blind or what?

2011-07-01T19:29:00.000+10:00

Here's a great test from Pantone for all you colourful people out there!

Take the test and let me know your score! Put it in the comments field if you dare! I am pretty pleased with my results I tell you......for eyes that are getting on in years and used every day to sort colours, I am pretty chuffed with my score!

It's great fun too!

You'll ind it here thanks to Pantone!

Back from the Bungle Bungles! WOW!

2011-06-29T10:07:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!

Well I'm back from the trip of a lifetime! The Top End of Australia in the the Kimberley Region has to be one of the most colourful landscapes I've ever been in. Truly painter's country!

The variety of colourways runs through the violet, orange and lime green ranges and form the most wonderful and inspiring landscapes I've ever had the privilege of seeing. Definitely a 'must do' in this lifetime so get out your bucket list and add it if you haven't!

However, I must warn you, you need to be fit, able to put on your runners sitting on the ground, climb and walk in wobbly circumstances - definitely no broken or wobbly ankles!

The Bungle Bungles - awesome, huge!

Me in my muffties! These clothes took a beating! and I look a bit worse for wear as well!

Ngumbun Cliffs - we had a forced stay in this beautiful spot and Thank You!

Moon over the Osbourne Range near the Bungles!

I'll be having a small showing of my field notes, photos and sketches plus a couple of larger works at Jayes Gallery next month, August so just go to my website for details of dates of the opening! Love to see you all there!

Gotta get painting!

Recent ramblings.....

2011-05-27T15:33:00.001+10:00

Winter is here and it's so gloomy looking at blue that I decided to do something a bit brighter and warmer for my blog background....makes me want to paint!

Recent days in the studio have seen me exploring hotter and hotter drier landscapes as the cold of an Orange winter sets in! Seems a bit weird calling it an Orange winter but that's what it is......winter in the town of Orange! My desire to travel west into warmer climes always drives me crazy at this time of year and this year, my car broke down delaying the outback trek that I love so much......what to do? I think I'll take a few smaller trips....next week off to Forbes though for a workshop and it's always warmer and drier out there! Maybe I'll just keep driving west.....hmm now that's a thought!

More here

So for a little preview of what I'm painting, here's a sample! I'd love to say it's the finished image but the finished works has a few more marks on it.

And another inspired by Lake Eyre, currently in flood for the second year around.....

I've been asked a couple of times lately how I would describe myself as a painter. One person felt I was an impressionist, which is a description I rather like but no sure it fits. The second person told me they had been told by their art teacher that I was a landscape painter which isn't a good description either.

So for the record, I personally describe myself as a contemporary landscape painter. My works are done from 'memory' of landscape, and are not actual places. If they have a place name with them, it is for reference purposes only and to let you know where I was when I gathered the 'feelings of place' that I paint. I prefer to paint 'memories', 'sensations' 'form' 'marks' 'patterns' that come from being in a 'particular place' at a 'particular time' such as sunset and sunrise, my favourite times of day as the gods change over their influence....

My interest lies in the abstract nature of the earth and her patterns, the marks that we all leave behind as we try to change this place and make it bend to our rules, mostly with dire outcomes. I love the terra forming patterns of farmlands especially from above and my works are increasingly becoming aerial landscape patterns.

My palette is drawn from the iron rich soils of Oz, the deep red soils of our outback and the fabulous blue skies above, reflected on the earth and waterways.

I've added a share button so you can share this blog with your friends! Take care through the winter cold months and keep warm! See you out back!

Time to GEE UP and get to it!

2011-04-16T14:40:00.000+10:00

Robert Genn says in his recent email "Thinking ahead is good! Starting is better!"

With that in mind, I am about to put the hectic pace of 2011 behind me and enter the quiet space of the studio and START to paint! I'm not sure about you but everyone I know is telling me how busy and fast this year has been, that time is speeding up and there's so much to do, that making decisions is becoming more and more difficult. I know for myself that this Year of the Rabbit has chopped and changed about quickly and is proving to be a difficult one in which to 'focus' in the way I need to focus!

So here we go, to make a START!

Even my newsletter and blog have gotten well behind and there are many, many friends and colleagues that I just haven't had time to connect with....and on that idea of connection, isn't it now a strange concept...to connect (?) or do we?

I was thinking this morning about how many friends and connections I have around the world (and I love all of you - you are all such fantastic artists, philosophers and people!) and how much I would like to be able to 'connect' with you all more! My mother on the other hand had only 2 friends who lived overseas and to 'connect' with them, she used to write long letters by hand, send them off by post (6 weeks to deliver) and then wait patiently for replies! They were long letters though and full of stories about the family, her feelings and desires and well-wishes for her 2 pen pals (old nicknmae for people we used to write to).

How my mother would have loved this new mode of connection - but back to my question - do we really 'connect' nowadays? I rather doubt that we are connecting! I feel we are having quite a shallow experience these days compared to my mother's.

Our lives are now filled with rather tenuous promises of "I'll remember you!" "I'll definitely be in touch!" "You'll see me again" but each day brings us 'new' connections, new people and new promises and our past words fall like leaves in the Autumn on cold and hard ground.

So now back to my studio to re 'connect' with my 'art'. And hopefully now that I've made a START back on the internet after some 8 months doing other stuff, I'll be able to keep a connection with you all as well!

Last year saw the end of "The Eye of the Eagle" Series and I am now preparing myself for the long way forward into the next series of work.......the idea has come from the past series but is more focused....more later as I progress forward.

My works are now available at Wentworth Galleries in Sydney CBD as well as Aarwun in Canberra and Jayes in Molong. I will be discussing exhibition dates over the next few weeks and will let you all know when and where but in the meantime, take a look in the galleries if you're near them!

Reminiscing at Year's end!

2010-11-23T17:28:00.003+11:00

Well, I've just looked at the date of my last blog and see it's back in the middle of 2010.....which just goes to show how quick this year has passed by. I set out to have a good year and it's definitely been that!

The Survey of my artworks over the last 30 years or so has been hung at the Orange Regional Gallery and opened to a large crowd of the best people I know. It was fantastic to see the different crowd that came to the opening that night. There's a 2 mb video on my website if you want to wait for it load....shows about 1/3 of the show.

With 6 exhibitions behind me this year, I am looking towards hopefully a quieter 2011. This year has been quite strenuous and one has to wonder what sort of perverted amusement one gets from all the pressure. Along with my own shows, I have hung and curated another 10 or so at Jayes in Molong so in many ways I am exhibited out!

There was also the larger than life itself, putting together of CONTEMPORANEA with Jim van Geet which traveled from Melbourne CBD to Canberra over the month of October to November. Jim and I were amazed at the exceptional response we got to our proposal for the Florence Biennale Artists of Australia group which we head up, to exhibit together. We expected about 20 artists to respond but no; 33 artists put their hands up and we ended up with over 100 paintings, all of which were large or really, really large to hang. Argh! But Jim is an amazing man and whilst the whole exercise put me into hospital with a 'stress' attack,. Jim carried on and hung the Melbourne show then packed it and took it to Canberra. Thanks also to all those wonderful artists who pitched in and helped!

You can see my friend and artist, Sibylle Werner here with Good Boy by Gillie and Marc! Good Boy was a great drawcard and brought a variety of responses!

Here we are at the National Gallery testing out the pears!

All round it's been a great year! Hard, but great! So till next time, break a leg!

Strange New Ideas!

2010-07-30T12:38:00.001+10:00

I was wandering in the mind this morning....hmmm...as I often do. The topic I was wandering around was the idea of digital images and the lack of understanding of this new art form here in Oz.

The reason for me wandering off into a maze of thoughts and ideas around this topic was brought about by a conversation with the curator at the gallery in Canberra where I currently have a show. One of the offerings on hand is of course, a digital print otherwise known as a Giclee Reproduction. Now this seems perfectly obvious to me as an extension of my artworks but to the average punter, it is a frightening thing to think that someone can make a copy of a work and then print it in "how many" copies?

The curator was asked whether it was a lithograph? Does the print method make a difference? Lithographs can be reproduced ad-infinitum also and the artist rarely has a hand in making them either.....that is if they are as complicated as the painting I am rendering in a different format. The buyer still needs to trust that the edition is limited as the artist says.

But why are we so afraid of new printing methods here? I felt that perhaps there is a feeling that artists should be keepers of past technologies, masters of secrets long forgotten, the shamans who will bring forth those ideas when a society collapses......hmmm? Is that why here in Oz we are so afraid of the 'new media' or is it a completely philistine lack of knowledge.

When I went to Florence, the biennale had 2500 works there to ponder and amongst them were a great number of artists working in the new media. So prevalent was digital technology that there were works, not only on canvas, but reproduced on paper, aluminum sheets, glass, plastics and polyurethane surfaces and on and on. These were fascinating to look at! They challenged you to look further into the new.......

So for the life of me I can't understand why here we still think that working digitally is something of a fraud; not 'real art' is it?

I hope for the sake of all the artists out here in Oz pushing the boundaries and seeking out the new (which is what I thought artists did?) that the art voyeurs start to look in wonder at some of the wonderful pieces that new technologies are allowing us artists to pursue! They are artworks just the same as the old and true!

Anyway I feel better now, do you?

Review of Canberra Show

2010-07-26T17:02:00.004+10:00

Sarina Locke from the ABC opened the show last Saturday night! Here's Bob (Director), Sarina and Joy (me!) All round a great success!

For more....

How to get FREE press!

2010-07-26T16:21:00.001+10:00

Ever wondered how some people always seem to manage to get those good stories written about them? On the road to Canberra the other day, this question was brought home to me loudly and clearly!

I was able to drop in to see a little gallery in a tidy and friendly village where I regularly stop for decidedly yummy apricot slice and creamy coffee! Today, the gallery was open, so having a bit of time to spare and being the super sleuth that I imagine myself to be, I popped in.

A pleasant enough woman stood at the counter and engaged me in conversation. Bright with curiosity, she asked me where I came from, so with my writer's hat on, I whipped out my business card and told her I was in search of stories and would like to perhaps write the gallery up on my blog.

With hardly a glance at the card, the blinds came down and the shutters went up and in a stern voice, I was informed that the gallery didn't advertise and wasn't interested. No, I couldn't take a photo as I might steal someone's copyright, etc blah blah blah.....

After getting off my left foot which had mysteriously become glued to the floor, I managed to assure her that I wasn't there to sell her anything, that I really was trying to familiarise myself with the local arts goings on.

After a rather awkward and lengthy round of general questions about the gallery, I was finally allowed to take a photo and I beat a hasty retreat to the safety of my car. As I drove down the road, I composed a nice positive story about the gallery and the work I had seen but my gut instincts and over-riding emotions won out and this is the story that has demanded to come forth - so just a few words for those of you who have ever wondered "How come some people get all the press?"

1: ATTITUDE
When someone approaches your gallery, shop, studio and hands you a business card, do take some time to actually read the card and understand 'why' they are there. A friendly smile and co-operation on some level cannot hurt; a warm hand-shake, a cuppa offered, a question or two about the person all would lighten and brighten everyone's day and make a good impression of you and your space.

2: AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
I for the life of me can't understand why someone can't see the difference between the words "editor" and "sales" - my business card clearly states "arts editor" - now in my world that means a person who writes stories - and that is an opportunity!

Taking me off at the knee just in case I ram an advertising schedule down your reluctant throat, doesn't help to advance your story.

3: INFORMATION SHARING
Some people have a press ready file available with current stories, recent press clippings, photos that can be used in both digital and print format available at all times just in case an opportunity arises - think about putting one together today, duplicate x 3 or 4 copies, hand it out with a generous heart before you leap into aggressive and assertive action to oust the 'intruder'!

4: LOOKS ARE DECEIVING
Now it may be that 'madam of the gallery' didn't like the look of me. I am quite an imposing woman at 6 feet tall. I can cut quite a ludicrous site to the more conservative of us with my colourful Zandra Rhodes hair and jeans that are worn at the hems, not quite right for a woman of my age I am sure some must exclaim! But I am who I am and as I am comfortable with that, then to meet with a disapproving stare and judgmental glance of 'madam director' was a clear indication to an artist and arts writer that indeed this was not a creative space.

For the most part, galleries are fun filled, laughter enclosed spaces where people are free to express themselves as they look at and are intrigued by the freedom of expression and abundant views of the artists represented.

My advice is, if you accidentally stumble into a conservative space and are met with the type of reception I got, then turn and run for yur life as quickly as you can.

The gallery will remain anonymous, the experience will never be forgotten. Unfortunately the artists represented, although on the safe and conservative side, were quite affordable and collectible but their stories are safely being guarded by 'madam director' - some people should never have made the 'tree-change'!

A Country Ramble

2010-06-09T15:02:00.001+10:00

Hi everyone!

Well I've finally made it back here to write a few thoughts down and show you a few highlights of the last few days!

Imagine my surprise and delight to see Jessica Watson in her boat coming through the Spit at Southport the other day! I had just taken a walk along the beautiful beach, dreaming all the while, when I noticed how busy it was. I thought "Isn't it great that people use this spot?" But no, they were gathering to see Jessica return home. And here she is!

I said to a couple of nice young men with their surfboards next to me "She's a hero you know!" and they replied "She's definitely our hero!" It brought a tear to my eye to see one so young make such an impact on us all with her bravery! Well done Jessica!

And here's a shot of the beach - amazing shades of blues and greens - so fresh and clean!

The contrast between the Moree Plains and the wide ocean are wonderful to experience within a few days of each other ..... makes you think and feel ...... reminds you of what a wonderful place we all live in! How wide and free, remote and sparse, how diverse!

The colours of Australia make you want to paint, to splash about in the studio and create great big canvasses! Check out this Moree sunset!

and here's a colourful view of the Glasshouse Mountains along the way! It was a lovely journey, 2100 kms by car all on my own with some wonderful friends and dinners along the way! But today, well, I'm back at the desk doing what artists do....surfing the net and writing up their blogs hehe!

Happy painting! nJoy

New adventure - oh Joyous!

2010-05-14T12:58:00.001+10:00

Well hi,

It always seems a little weird, sitting here at my desk, pondering the outside world......they tell me that computers make you antisocial......not sure whether that's right in my case as I seem to get about a fair bit......yep, even at my age!

Just lately, I've taken up the new role of arts editor for Style Magazine......"the essential lifestyle guide for rural and regional NSW". And just this week, the first edition came out with my glamour shot, editorial and feature article in it! Couldn't be more thrilled really.....amazing what glossy white paper and crisp clean print can do for one's words. I have cleaned up OK for the photo.....am amazed at how good Diana's photography is. Either that or she has a fabulous camera that should be gold plated!

See what I mean! Hmmm! This is going to be a good journey for me, I feel it in my bones! And it's always good to be able to write about the thing that inspires you the most in life and for me that would be the arts! All those wonderful images and objects that people create...there's always something new to look at, wonder about or trigger something deep!

So anyway, the adventure begins.....who would of thought that at my age I'd start yet another new journey and one that will inspire me to grow more! Life just gets better!

Joy

2010 - Faster - Weirder!

2010-04-25T15:23:00.001+10:00

Well, it seems my paintings have made it to Bologna for the "Small Treasures" exhibition in May at the Galleria de' Marchi.

Above is the painting I executed for last show which didn't make it due to the economic downturn and now this time around, we have the volcano in Iceland doing it's thing.....just a reminder of my current theme for painting - Climate Change.

I must say I just love it when Mother Earth behaves badly! Just as we hear that there's a One World Order creating Carbon Credits to bring climate change under control (? what's that about), ol' mum lets off enough pollution to remind us just who is charge.

Of course if you live in those big battery sheds called cities, you hardly ever get out to see how awesome nature really is and so you can imagine in your mind that man is really in charge......for those of us however, that live out in nature, just one summer storm reminds us to be on the lookout.

"The Eye of the Eagle" exhibition at Jayes in Molong went really well and was received with interest by all who came along. Many were surprised at how positive the show was as they were expecting something gloomy but really, I just paint the beauty of the earth as I see it and despite what we do to her. I focused on landscapes from an aerial perspective as seen by the eagle in flight. As I googled my way across the earth daily, I found amazing patterns and places that inspired me to put paint to canvas in the brightest of colours trying to capture the eagle's pentachromatic vision.

Here's one that I did for "Small Treasures". I was inspired by the recent flooding of our inland. I think this one is called "Flooded Outback" but can't be sure, such is the state of my thinking this year! If you look close, you'll see the little farmhouse caught in the middle of islands between the floodwaters with all the roads closed.

It has been such a busy year and so far, too much to do and think about. The floods have been amazing though and right across our land bringing relief to our drought stricken land which is the 'boom and bust' nature of Australia.

I just love this place. It's so amazing to be alive here and now! and to be able to see it all from Google Earth - what a fantastic invention!

I wish you all the best out there in lala land! Keep sane amongst the madness of it all!

Early Morning Australia

2010-02-02T07:18:00.001+11:00

I don't know why but I just had to get out of bed at sparrow's fart this morning and head off for a walk/stumble in the bush. Of course, my fave spot of the moment is Gosling Creek. So off I went.

I think it was the fact that for the first time in a while, we had clouds in the sky, a promise maybe of rain but certainly of a colourful sunrise. Clean crisp and cool air.....not to be wasted I felt! The recent heat has made me very thankful for the early breeze of morning.

And there's always the beauty of watching nature paint the early morning sky.....that blend of colours, that big soft water colour, an amazing thing to watch and for me, it had been too long since I had gone out and appreciate the sunrise and bird songs.

And there's the other thing, nature painting the trees as the sun rises, the way the light captures the beauty of the branches and the eternal clear light of Australia. It's a beautiful place, inspiring and ancient.

Although out of focus, an effect I rather like as it reminds me of a soft water colour work, the light and colours of the early morning amongst our trees is always wonderful to catch.

Well, this week has seen the last of the paintings for my next show at Jayes and I am glad to be able to rest again at last. The year ahead is quite daunting with 6 shows, 2 of them overseas and 2 in major cities......it'll be a big year! As well, I am hoping to catch a trip outback......whew!

But bring it on! One day at a time and I'll be there!

Hope you have a great day painting and being inspired. Do stop and smell the roses or at least take a break and look out at the world in wonder.

"The Eye of the Eagle"

2010-01-17T12:09:00.000+11:00

"Gorge and engorged" 68 cm x 48 cm Mixed Media on D'Arches

This recent month has seen me hard at work in my studio imagining flying over the deserts of Central Australia as an eagle and then putting this down on paper. I was amazed whilst reading up on eagles and how they see, to learn that they have pentachromatic vision (we have tetrachromatic). Eagles can see ultraviolet and infrared colours - so Wow!

Pondering the complexity of this, I felt that they saw far more brightly than we did and so I pushed a few colours round in Photoshop to see what effects I could get. All this dreaming and fiddling around has led to very colourful exhibition indeed. At first I found it too much but as I settled into it, the paintings burned into my soul and I now feel quite at home with them and their intense colours.

Why eagles and why now? Firstly, recent heatwaves have crossed the country leaving it bare and exposed, dry and parched. Daily reminders of the planet getting hotter, have left me wondering once again about Climate Change; is it real, why does it happen and what does it mean?

I don't have answers to this although I find it extraordinarily fascinating......like most of us I believe.

Australia is the driest and harshest continent on the planet with the most ancient and exposed soils. Millions of years have passed and former mountains have eroded down into floodplains and deserts. These cover over 90 % of Australia. The colours when viewed from a plane, are bright reds, oranges and yellows with tracks and dry river beds crisscrossing the land.

Secondly, I feel, if we could read the land, if we could understand the patterns and their meanings, then just maybe we could learn to live with the earth successfully. We could stop building cities on fertile lands and fields, we could build for temperature and climate changes, we could do things better. It's true we've survived for almost 5 million years but the recent upswing in our skills has hurt the planet more than ever before and now we worry about our own survival as a species for probably the first time ever in our history.

I have painted these paintings from a deep part of myself that yearns for a greener place, a safer place but at the same time is amazed and drawn to the wondrous colours of the earth.

Australia may be the oldest and most exposed place right now, but believe me, it's where other countries are headed over the next few thousands of years as the glaciers dry up and and the mountains erode down to floodplains and deserts. Look at this place, Australia and learn for this is where you are headed. It is not a country that can sustain many more people than it currently does......it is not the lucky country it once was.......and we will need to move whole towns and populations as the heat increases and the desert continues to grow ever larger.

There is no doubt in my mind that human activity here in this 'sacred' place has exacerbated the rate of desertification. The ripping out of whole forests, the ploughing and chemical spraying of large tracks of land, the channeling of water away from floodplains and marshlands continues today despite the warnings written already in our land and able to be seen by the eagles looking for their old hunting grounds.

Try looking at the earth through 'the eye of the eagle'!

The exhibition can be seen at Jayes Gallery in Molong NSW from 5 February to 7 March or online closer to that date.

Summer turns up the heat!

2010-01-12T00:05:00.001+11:00

Summer is really here with temperatures soaring inside the studio to over 30 degrees let alone outside.....temps at 35 degrees and higher! Tonight it's still 30 degrees outside at midnight (or nearly!) and bush fires burning in South Australia and Victoria on catastrophe alert!

But all the while, it's raining across the desert and the water is collecting in Lake Eyre. There's floods to the north of here whilst we languish with little water in the town. The amazing thing is, the mines nearby (Cadia Mines) have just announced another extension which will need a further 6 mega litres daily from an already ailing system. Our town doesn't have the luxury of a river nearby but relies totally on local rainfall for the supply. And we are told that the mine is already planning to mechanise the processes so there will be a short burst of employment then back to the same number of employees as we have today. Once the mine water goes through the system, guess what, it's unusable in any form and so can't be returned to the system.

Amazing shortsightedness.....all about money and a once very beautiful town, the Colour City, now becoming "the brown town" very quickly!

As an artist, I have painted many works on climate change, been collected by the Federal Department for Climate Change and one of my paintings (a collaboration with Nyree Reynolds - aboriginal artist) sits at the doors to the Conference Rooms for Climate Change in Canberra. It is a warning......I wonder if anyone ever stops to consider it?

The exhibition I am currently painting is also about the changes to our landscape and the lack of water......not that many people want to think about it! But it constantly keeps in front of me and I fear for the future of this place.

In the north hemisphere, the winters are the coldest for many years...wish they could send some of the snow down here! But still we use up all the fossil fuels we can, we don't lobby governments to change and we idly stand by as they send 45,000 people to a conference designed to fail......imagine the carbon footprint of that exercise alone?

For my bit, I am trying to adjust down and this year is my year of 'clearance' and I am determined to reduce the size of my personal footprint to as low as possible and repurpose what I can. Tonight I sit here and wonder how simple it can get......I live in a small studio, I wash by hand, I dry my clothes on an old fashioned clothes line and I walk a fair bit nowadays. The cooler is currently turned off as I sit here sweating away writing this.....the studio is in darkness and the doors are all open waiting for a breeze to spring up but it will be closer to morning when the breezes come. They say tomorrow will be worse than today and I expect it will reach over 37 degrees here tomorrow (for the temperature challenged, that is over 104 degrees F)

I wonder if people will come to my next solo show and I wonder even more, if they will want to invest in art that is so "hot" and 'dry'? "The Eye of the Eagle" - a bird's eye view of what we are doing to this sacred place.......

Is this the Australia that we should know about? It is written in the geology of the land that this has happened many times before....Australia is a land of cycles of extensive drought and heat followed by floods and cooler weather.....is this just another cycle or is there anything bigger going on here? And can we as humans make a difference? I wonder.......and wonder......how about you?

Thinking about 2009 and beyond as the bushfires burn.....

2009-12-08T08:27:00.002+11:00

Waking up this morning to yet another extreme day (temps will be over 35 again) and with the smell of a distant bushfire in the air, I can't help wondering how Copenhagen talks re Climate Change will work out. My thoughts also wander to my grandchildren and I wonder what the planet will be like for them.

Over recent years, my serious art has depicted climate change (scroll down page to see "Spirit of the Land) and the drying of the Australian landscape. Indeed, I thought it important enugh as a subject to take it to Florence and there I was awarded a prize. But I wonder if it was because the judges saw the artworks as being relevant to today or was it the techniques I use to dribble and layer and colour the paintings. Did anyone even notice that my painting was a statement on what is happening to our beloved 'earth'. I know Charlotte Lugt got the message and was very excited that an artist would paint about the climate.

Those paintings glow out from the walls at you eerily, they're hot and dry and parched......they warn you of impending heat and fire; not unlike waking today and smelling smoke from fires close by. The acrid eucalypt smell pervades my room and brings back memories of fires seen over my lifetime.

Australia is hotter now than I ever remember, certainly dryer now in this area than I have known it to be. And with summer only one week in, I wonder how we will cope. My mother used to say "like mad dogs and Englishmen, standing out in the hot day's sun!" and that is what we have become. I am personally thankful that I can arrange my day around the midday heat but when are we going to introduce a siesta for Australia to help people who work through the heat.

I attended a rural women's conference recently to hear of what changes need to be made on our farms to cope with the continuing upward climb of temperatures. Hotter and wetter summers for this area, dryer and frostier winters.....different grasses, new ways of growing crops. All food for thought. At least there is a dialogue going on. I am reminded of how adaptable humans are. I wonder if we are governed now by money and regulations to the point where we can't change though. While people are flexible and adaptable, banks and governments aren't.

Our Prime Minister is off trotting around the globe to his conferences. Today they talk about Climate Change in Copenhagen and how to offset carbons in the environment. One wonders if he wouldn't be better off at home planting a tree or two instead. Carbon credits are basically now another commodity for the big banks to trade and the rich to get richer on. On the ground, there is little being done......reafforestation, replanting back native pastures and scrub lands, rebuilding wetlands and protecting species are all off the agenda as 'they' talk about how to keep the money flowing and stay with coal trading etc. Surely we need to be talking about new energy sources such as wind power and solar power and how to get them replacing coal as quickly as possible.

I continue to paint away in my studio; I continue to read Peter Andrews and his book "Back from the Brink"; I continue to live my rather simple life and downsize where I can and I continue to be intrigued by a planet that will survive long after 'humans' are extinct and I wonder what the 'new' species will be like.......hmmmm maybe I'll paint them!

End of year coming up fast and furious!

2009-11-28T12:56:00.004+11:00

Click on photo to go to Seth's (photographer) blog to see more photos! Scroll down to the wedding on his blog as he keeps adding more!

I cannot have ever imagined how fast this year would go by! With the economic downturn blah blah blah and all that stuff they force feed us with, the year loomed ahead last January like an empty cavern only to be filled with delights and wonderful events!

First there was my dear friend Nina of Chop Art Gallery fame, who found love and a new baby early this year......and James and Katrina Sweetapple of Cargo Road Wines fame with new baby Mackenzie! Such a delightful start.....people doing what people are meant to do!

Then my son, David and his beautiful fiance announced their wedding dates for September .... best birthday gift I could get!

Most of the year was spent with friends doing stuff! Some great holidays to the coast, one to see family up Newcastle way and then Julie at Woolgoolga.....so many beaches walked and pondered this year! Australian beaches are so very beautiful......so lots of photos and material for paintings.....and I missed most of the cold winter of Orange.....

My lovely grand-daughter, budding artist and great little friend came and stayed with me for holidays......exhausting but such a treat! She's such a sweet little girl and artistic to boot! She loves to paint just like I did all my youth....she's observant and wise.....a thinker!

Then there was the massive weight loss I undertook amongst it all.....36 kgs gone....for good!

No exhibitions this year, not for me anyway.....but have hung several out at Jayes Gallery for many others. There have been a raft of new and emerging artists bringing their works to the gallery which has kept me on my toes as I have inspected and thought about each work. Jayes Gallery has grown into quite a well respected place with a large audience. Sales have increased throughout the year steadily as the stable of artists expanded to include glass artists and jewellers.

Sculpture in the Gardens had to be organised and got underway and created quite a lot of interest in the region. For the first event, it hung together well and the gardens were a good foil for the works to be displayed against. Really, sculptures are a great addition to gardenscapes providing more interest to draw you in.

All of these events have created a busy and fulfilling year in so many rich and rewarding ways. The economic downturn with it's promises of doom and gloom have actually been so far in the background that many of us forgot about it. For me, it wasn't an affluent year but richer in so many other ways.

Now the Florence Biennale Australia group are all ready flying into Florence for the next biennale. Having set up the website and maintaining it over the past 18 or so months has had its own challenges and rewards and we are now planning to hold a show of all of our biennale artists next year somehwere in Melbourne. Go Jim van Geet! He's onto it so watch this space!

I might just take a big breath between now and Christmas as next year is shaping up to be busier than the last, with 2 solo shows and an overseas show already on my own calendar, let alone all the other things I seem to have a hand in.....whew! I get tired thinking about it!

So this is retirement! I have to say it's a bit of challenge......

Sculpture in the Gardens

2009-11-02T10:32:00.000+11:00

Amazingly, we have all survived the last few weeks and managed to get "Sculpture in the Gardens" underway. This is our first event with what promises to be an annual show thanks to the enthusiasm of all involved, the gardens, the people, the sculptors!

So well done everyone! Why not take a quick look at what the Central West can offer!

Birthday Week!

2009-10-06T18:08:00.001+11:00

Well, I went out and had a little walk again this morning....nothing fancy....tried another stumble / shuffle that I think is a run along the path...it's a beautiful spot, the sun is shining and look what I found.....

This little Aussie Pea Flower is called Hardenbergia and at this time of the year can be found in abundance throughout the bush.....just lovely! It'll make a nice Aussie card.....hmmm!

Then went out to the Orange Highland Gardens to measure up the first sculptures to arrive for "Sculptures in the Garden". This is our latest event to be organised and is a new event for the area. Over 14 sculptors will be exhibited with over 26 sculptures....we are really happy as this is the first time for this event!

It's a beautiful outlook from the gardens across the valley to old man Canobolas....love the way the chair reflects the shape and blue of the mount behind it.....nice balance.....I wonder if this was placed here on purpose?

I find one of Norman Organ's emus as I stroll about! They're terrific! Can't wait to see them this weekend in all sizes!

It's fun and warm hearted art isn't it? The work from Suvira McDonald from Byron Bay is very very good.....2 lovely pieces called Citadel that I could definitely live with....this is promising to be an excellent show....hope the weather holds!

And last but not least, this is a brush I bought myself for my birthday! Found it in Raw Canvas for only $14.95! So all you budding artists, get down and see Raw Canvas and buy one! They are great for watercolour paintings!

I have to say my birthday week has been a good one.....tiring in many ways, but happy and quiet as well.....plenty of time to start to catch up on things like my online diary!

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Dubbo Arts Society Biennial Exhibition

2009-09-08T20:09:00.005+10:00

Well, yours truly had a lovely time in Dubbo last weekend judging the Dubbo Arts Society Biennial Exhibition. What a truly lovely group of people.

There were some exceptional artworks among the display and some categories were quite hard to choose between. Over 3 days, we judged, we talked, we hung, we ate and drank many a cup of tea, great scones by the way.

Well done Dubbo. I look forward to seeing you all again one day soon.

Tao of Drawing

2009-07-19T12:00:00.011+10:00

Hi everyone!

It was a lovely day at Katoomba yesterday. I really enjoyed the class and the good company. The afternoon was sunny but a bit chilly, but we still managed to get down to Wentworth Falls to have a look around. The lake was gorgeous, clear and bright!

I have put 76 photos of my stroll through the forest for you on Picasa web so just go and take a look at the pictures for added inspiration and to remind you of the day. Just click on the "Tao of Drawing" title above or click on picture at bottom of post for the album!

It was a Tai Chi exercise for the 'mind, body and soul' and many of you found the peace in just being in the moment by drawing a simple drawing of something you 'found' in the forest, an element of the nature around us!

Drawing is an excellent way to connect to Tao, so take some time out when you're stressed and just 'be' with an object of your choice, lose yourself in it by drawing it and you will find that inner peace once again.

For those of you in the class, you can use the photos as inspiration for your own paintings with my permission.

I found a small potaroo (Australian Marsupial) in the forest. He is different to the house rat or mouse, in that he has a long nose, a softer look to his face, and rounder, browner ears......he was just sitting on the path when I walked up. Lovely! If you find one of these in the bush, don't hurt them. They are an endangered species and need our respect and care.

See you all again one day!

nJoy

Tao of Drawing Katoomba

And on a lighter note!

2009-04-27T09:06:00.003+10:00

From my friends in Fuerteventura

Ida and Tito sent me this video this morning. Tito has organised and an event for the town! Wow! Well done Ida and Tito......I want to be there! Look at all the sunshine! Happy faces and good fun!

For all the biennale group, Tito painted the big bright paintings on the side ogf the building towards the end of the video! He was such a funny man and Ida made the funny video on the biennale (plus this one) that's on my other blog at

http://joyengelman.blogspot.com/

and for more of Ida's work, go to here.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAODaefNC_M&feature=email

Have a great day...the sun is trying to peep thru here in Orange in Oz!

Winter Blows In! Food Week!

2009-04-26T17:28:00.008+10:00

Well Food Week went out with a bang! The usual damned cold blustery and rainy day for a grand finish! I climbed out of bed this morning grumpily facing the another winter's day! It's been four days since sun greeted me through my early morning window! I do love that sunlight to awaken to! As I grow older, I find the winter more and more depressing - cold seeps through the floorboards and into my old bones - ah yes, you say! I'm not old but I've packed a hell of a lot into this little ol' life of mine and I feel it! But Food Week, well that's for Sydneysiders visiting our fair place with their galoshes and brollies......not for me....in my world, soggy food, cold rain, mud and wine don't mix!

So here's a pic of the day!

See what I mean - no colour! Where's all my colour! What a day and then the phone rings....it's my good friend and confidante, Nina from the Chop Art Shop! She wants to give me a cheque and wants more paintings! Heavens you have to love that woman! She always sells well! I promise I'll come out straight away so I drag the weary bod into the car and head out!

Here's what I found on the way!

A rainbow but even it was finding it hard to be beautiful on this dreariest of days!

Had a lovely time at the Chop Art Shop even though a grim storm was promising to ruin our lives at any moment....the Gods really kbow how to wreck a Sunday....(Sun...day hmmm!) more like Stormday! If you're in Millthorpe don't forget to check out the Chop Art Shop - fun place filled with beautiful women and big smiles!

But on the way back got all inspired by this wonderful tree....had to stop and take a shot....

Hmm! Starting to think of e new theme to do......getting a bit inspired at last! Hope you're all good out there! and painting along well!

Easter Breakdown.......or was that breakout?

2009-04-15T14:16:00.006+10:00

Well I don't know about you, my friends, but Easter was just lurverly......I took myself to Sydney and looked after my 2 grand children.....what a hoot! but boy oh boy, am I paying for it now.....

The energy of the young is so fantastic! A continuous thread of high power, loud and bright noise that almost reaches the white point in your brain after just a few hours......still, for a gran, I think I did pretty well.

I did manage, amongst the melee, to grab a shot or two of that over the top and bright muralised room that Josie wanted......it took 3 long days over last Christmas to complete and will be due for renovating shortly......I think it would completely over power me but she seems to be happy with it.....so here's a shot for you to ponder.....

ah life is grand but today, I'm feeling a bit slow so here's hoping that you are all well and fine and painting along....selling as well....it's always good when someone else likes your work too.....

Time to focus on the good things in life....food....and off to the markets so I don't completly starve!

Doings

2009-04-06T18:39:00.004+10:00

Good grief....it's damned Toosday and I haven't had a blog for a week!

What with all the goings and comings, it's been hard I tell you.

First there was the hanging of the art at Jayes.......two funny artists Greg Hyde and Eris Fleming, 44 works to be hung and catalogued, whew! then it was the opening that I didn't (couldn't make) too busy lying on my back watching Vincent and Rebus, too tired to hold the remote even......

Here's a little vignette I put together that I endearingly call 'the village life'......reminds me of Molong!

Nice saying to put nearby, "It always good to live in a village because if you wake up in the morning and don't know what you're doing, you can always ask around!"

But a great show....the long painting is by Eris Fleming and is "The Village".....and 2 of Eris' sculptures depicting humanity!

Then there was the art class (Autumn Art School) for the ill-advised........but thye came in droves, painted and conquered the empty canvases in front of them, ate fabuluous country fare, talked too much, and drove off into the sunset satiated and tired.........I was completely farked by then.......back to the remote.......

and today is Mad Monday.........phone hasn't stopped, the flat has been like Pitt Street in a mid morning clearance sale day rush, people coming and going, more of them.........ah the world's gorn completely nuts!

Decided today that there is no economic downturn, only a media furphy to keep the slaves in serfdom.......my decidely small budget hasn't changed.......and managed to sell a painting on weekend to a rash of tourists.......it pays to be on the lookout.......

Sorry I didn't take any snaps to give you a gander at the rabid goings on in the bush....so you'll just have to guess or go and look at my friend Phil's website (lookaround.com.au) He's usually got the happy snaps thing going!

The bat phone is still ringing and someone's due in for dinner sometime tonite ....good grief it could be midnight before they make a show......ah well back to the remote!

Life goes on in downtown bush........

Josephine Jagger-Manners New Art!

2009-03-29T09:13:00.003+11:00

Well last night was a blast! Really! It was a fantastic night with probably 200 people all up! They were spilling out of the Chop Art Shop and all over the pavement in every direction......

The Chop Art Shop Directors, Nina and Tonya, looked very pleased and so they should.....everyone had a fabulous time....the wine from Borrodell was great (as usual!) 17 artists work adorned the walls and plinths, contemporary and new bouncing off the Victorian interior with energy.....

Dinner after at Tonic was good.....the company was better.....Aida is very funny....haha.... and her friend Robyn was a delight. The conversation hilarious as is usual for our lot. Libby and Hugh are always good value. A wandering young girl flashing her rather flat chest at us late in the evening through the window also helped to bring the table to a roaring finish! Noisiest table in the room and not for the faint of heart!

But today.....today we head off out to Molong for Josephine Jagger-Manners new works. This is her first show and is being held at ther home. Her interiors are very intricate and elicate and remind me a little of Grace Cossington-Smith. I think she will do very well with these. It should be another grand gathering and most of us are looking forward to Michael's art in catering....!

So if you're around this way, this is where you'll need to be today in Orange!

CHOP ART SHOP

2009-03-28T10:54:00.002+11:00

Ah! Today's the day that Nina opens her new venture at Millthorpe, arty little village near where I live......it'll be a grand opening I am sure and we are looking forward to heading on out in our best pink and purple hair to commune with other arts bores over a vino etc So.....if you care to join us, please do at 6.30 at 25 Victoria St.

Some smart names, Alan Sisley to open the show, always entertaining - all the right ingredients for a good feast!

later we'll head off to Tonic - that very smart restaurant up the road for fine wining and dining of the very best kind.......and arts talk!

Have updated my little online shop of prints etc this morning , added a few more images etc etc.....but my right hand is giving me grief! It has a little tendonitis at the moment....from too much work....yeah yeah I hear you say.....but it's true. Can't seem to pick anything up aaargh!

Maybe a new artform.....left handed paintings - been done before I know but new for me....anyway away! see you another day!

Welcome to my diary!

2009-03-26T11:13:00.001+11:00

Found this fellow on a headland just ready to fly. He had a little chat with me about how peaceful it was floating above the earth and sea, like a bird! and WOW!

I dunno about you, but I have found the last few months exhausting......several of my dear artist friends from all over the world are also finding it hard this year! There seems to be so much bad news these days, that for many of us, it is dragging us down.

I love to paint....I am always happiest with a brush in my hand or a forest to sit in....or a beach to listen to.

This last week I have been lucky enough to head to the beach and finding the open air, the fresh sea breezes blowing, the sun shining and the endless call of the sea still there made me feel alive.

I have returned to see last night's TV, all gloom and doom, then a show of some sheila cutting up a body (oh yuckie!)....and it all tumbled in on me again....I think I'll just go on back and sit by the sea.... Now I don't want to beat on the press, but when are they going to realise that we're all so sick and tired of their endless moaning and groaning that we are turning off to them in droves....no wonder Facebook, Twitter etc are winning over the press....it's all a breath of fresh air and most important of all, it's 'real'......good stories about 'real' people! Gotto love the web.....

So a few photos to remind me of what the world is really like....for those who care to take matters into their own hands and head on out and about....

Sat and stared at this wonderful surf over good coffee at Birubi Beach! The dunes just went endlessly to the horizon and beyond, much like the desert that I love......gives you such an awesome feeling of being small in the world! Always good for a big bird like me!

So this morning, I though, I think I'll start an online diary....for anyone who's interested....Thought it might be a bit more fun than Facebook, a bit more personal, no ads etc....so if you care to join me here, feel free to speak easy and from your heart......

Joy

Sunset Roadkill & Hubcap

2009-02-23T18:02:00.000+11:00

Well, you never know just what is around the corner and just the other day, I was invited to participate in a Landfill Arts Project in USA......

Being the serious artist that I am, I just couldn't resist to take a few moments rest from myself and put together a painted hubcap.

Scrambling around the junkyard was inspiring in itself....amazing array of stuff there.....sculptureal! Finding a great Thunderbird hubcap (must be a classic!) I eagerly paid my $5 and headed home to the studio.

I have to say i was fun...and now today, it is finished and I've made a little video of it in progress.....background music courtesy of Four Second Fuse (my son's band!).......semmed to fit....."gotta make it in time!"

Hope you enjoy it!

An Amazing Afternoon! Where there's smoke, there's fire!

2009-02-14T16:12:00.000+11:00

This afternoon, my neighbour nearly burnt our block of units down! Yes! Really!

It has brought home to me the importance of insurance....you know, as artists, we're all a bit laid back, but if the fire in No 2 had escaped, if I hadn't responded to my neighbours telling me his flat had smoke pouring out of it, if I hadn't seen him working at the pub lat last night and realised that he was still sound asleep in his bedroom etc etc....then all my artworks could have been gone, finished, done with now.......

A survey of 25 years of work waiting for the next exhibition at the Orange Regional Gallery sometime in the next 12 months......

How would I have replaced them......I wouldn't of course as they are singular items, not reproducable ... my techniques aren't replicable nor my inspired moments......so hmmm.....might rethink that insurance thingey......

My afternoon spent sorting out all that stuff we artists make art out of........isn't it interesting how inspired one becomes when sorting paints, liquids, picklers, applicators etc.......there's some great little colours there that are just begging me to get going with the brush again......

next time....what I'm up to at the moment! It's pretty cool!

nJoy

Getting into the Flow!

2008-10-25T16:06:00.000+11:00

My dear friend Jola sent me to Ted.com where I found this great little video for all of us wanting to live a happy life in the 'flow'!

Losses in the Art Market!

2008-10-24T17:38:00.000+11:00

In these astounding times, auction houses such as Sotheby's (US) are posting losses against guaranteed sales.....what does that mean?

Basically, if you are a seller, Sotheby's guarantees a selling price at auction for you (this is only for some, not all).....

As an artist, to me it still feels like gambling........I have never been privy to the prices that Damien Hirst gets, nor do I think I would get those prices, but nonetheless, my artworks have risen steadily in value over the years, they don't rise and fall like the stock market or auction houses, and sales are always about the same year after year......owners of my paintings can usually get back their money if they do decide to auction, although most choose to keep their work as far as I can tell.

You know, we don't muck about gambling with our work, but just enjoy creating mostly beautiful works that sell to a market.......

It seems to me time to be honest about values and not let things get out of hand as they have as the 'greed principle' of late has led to a lot of speculation in not only houses and shares, but all sorts of 'goods'.......time for a wake-up call has come.......

This last exhibition of mine sold well, and at the right market price.......still I'll never be a millionaire! but I am happy with my lot as are most of my artist friends!

So keep on painting.....I don't think Sotheby's making a loss (or the stockmarket being shaky) is really going to affect us much out here in regional Oz!

Happy painting!

nJoy

Art Class for Forbes

2008-10-24T17:29:00.000+11:00

Hi everyone,

Well I've been flat out of late doing this and that so I haven't been back to my blog.....so much has happened and some will necessarily have to miss out.

Last weekend though, we had a lot of laughs and a great day at the Forbes Art Society's rooms learning all about perspective (what blokes know, bt we gals missed out on!) and an overview of some watercolour techniques to finish off each days' work with fun!

We splashed about and the results were pretty good! From the photos, the class seemed to be pretty intrigued with their watercolours....specialty for the day was creating 'hard edges' where you want them to be!

Next workshop will be with Robyn Ross in Orange.....Nov 8 & 9.......Don't forget!

ciao

nJoy

Masked Ball - Orange Regional Gallery

2008-09-27T14:34:00.000+10:00

What a Grande event! Orange Gallery's La Grande Masquerade was an wonderful evening full of fun and laughter....much amusement as we all guessed who was behind the mask!?

The evening just got better as it went on......so here's a little show I made from it....forgive the arty shots, can't help myself......lot's of Alan Sisley enjoying himself! and others, can you guess who.......

"Under Autumn Skies" - Exhibition a Success!

2008-09-24T17:38:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone

and thank you to all of you that came to the opening on Sunday last! It was a beautiful day out at Molong and we all enjoyed each others company......

For photos of the event, go to Phil, the rampant photographer's site at lookaround.com.au/joy

It's great to have Phil around at these events! Some nice close ups of the techniques in the paintings as well.....

cyu again!

nJoy

"Under Autumn Skies" - all welcome!

2008-09-12T16:20:00.000+10:00

Sunday 21 September sees me open my next solo show at Jayes in Molong. The gallery there has changed so much over recent months and now is dedicated to exhibiting the works of career artists.

There is a Smalls Gallery and the Cafe Gallery as well on site, along side a new sculpture garden being developed at the rear of the premises as well. So lots to see and do in this largerand more complex group of buildings and courtyards.......

Join me over lunch at 12.30 or just come along for the opening at 2.30.

I was inspired to paint these works by my travels along the road to Canberra from Orange during March this year. The colours were beautiful....rich wines and deep creams, cloudy skies and grey days........

Mezzanine - a great addition to the town of Forbes!

2008-09-12T16:00:00.000+10:00

Further down the street in Forbes, you will find Mezzanine.....a fantastic place! Great coffee, good vibe, excellent art on the walls from Roger Bennie.......

The lively owner, Jane is friendly and looking to the future of art in the town with plans to expand her gallery to include a regular program of solo shows!

The height of the ceilings certainly make the space one of those rare finds; one that displays art really well......and the current show certainly holds it owns in the space.

It's great to see contemporary paintings in the outback.......Roger's work is expressive and full of life!

It certainly has to be on your 'best visit' list....be sure to drop in for lunch, coffee and view the art!

Orange Art Society Annual Competition

2008-09-12T15:54:00.000+10:00

It's been so busy these last few weeks and so much to do, be done......well at last it's done!

And it was a great roll up at the Orange Art Society Competition the other week......about 2 or 3 weekends ago. We all gathered round to see a wonderful exhibition of local talent.

I was invited to judge the show, 7 or 8 sections and then formally open the evening's celebrations and hand out the prizes. There were some outstanding works amongst what was an excellent collection. There is no doubt about it, the local artists are good painters.....with some good teachers, past and present.

With four seasons a year in the region, from bright autumn colours, through winter whites and greys and into fresh spring greens and our sunburnt summers, this region really develops the senses. The Central West has always produced excellent artists, Tim Storrier (Parkes boy), Elwynn Lyn (Canowindra boy), Lloyd Rees (Bathurst way) and Brett Whiteley to name a few. There's also Reg Campbell of Sunny Corner, and his protegees, Greg Turner then Tony Mason who kept a line of good basic realism going, and gave a thorough understanding of European traditions to their students.

I travel all around the place, east to west, and visit many art societies and galleries, and really, Orange can hold its own.....

This year saw the CWA exhibit as well......so it was representative of a large group of painters. Well done to all who helped out and supported this venture. I hope to see more of these in the future.

Next great show for Orange!

2008-08-28T16:29:00.000+10:00

Go West for Inspiration!

2008-08-09T10:45:00.000+10:00

Art is alive and well in Forbes! Yesterday, Wanda and I went wandering along the long road to Forbes, we stopped, took photos, laughed, and gained inspiration from a beautiful landscape.

It was getting ready to snow in Orange so we escaped a gloomy day and headed out in the car, cameras in hand. The mists were hanging over the landscape giving it a soft gentle light, and the blue gums were cerulean with grasses of apricot and creams.......an excellent day for painters to be out and about!

We landed in Forbes and took a peek at the Lachlan St Gallery, the home of the Forbes Art Society. They were all painting furiously and enjoying each other's company. A great little gallery fronts their workshops area and displays a wide range of loval arts plus a few from other areas.

It's a terrific space and one could feel the pleasure that these artists shared in their love of art and painting together. We were made to feel very welcome as we shared a cup of tea with them and talked about their work.

13 Photographers at Borrodell!

2008-07-26T14:51:00.000+10:00

Well Wow! What a great night! The gallery was crowded for an interesting night again at Borrodell Cellar Gallery....the wine flowed, the noise, the noise, the noise, ah and yes, it 'was noise' as well.

13 photographers showing off their art which included some gimmicks, some tricks and some really cutting edge images. It demonstrated how photographers now feel the need to break away from classical photos and become more edgey as the market becomes flooded with wannabees. In some ways, the work reflected the break from traditional art forms that artists went through when cameras first came into being and threatened the life blood of artists.

Back then, recording the family and their belongings was the realm of realist painters and of course this shifted as photographers took over. Artists had to find the edge and they did. Now we see this happening as photographers find their domain being impacted by the digital camera.

So an interesting show that demands attention and raises questions about the place of photography in the modern world and the future.........must go if in town........open until end August!

Next Big Event! Mulga Bill Festival!

2008-07-19T17:40:00.000+10:00

Hi everyone!

Next weekend sees a great number of festivities happening in the bush! Cumnock will come alive on Friday night with an art show - that is after the sheep are shorn! No! Really the sheep will be shorn at the pub as part of the festivities......bike pedal power drives the shearing plant so the going could be rough!

Followed on by 2 great days of novelty bike races plus the real thing over Yeoval way! So drag out the old penny farthing and fire her up for a great weekend......do come along!

The Army is coming along as well with 1000 ration recipes for you to try....just the thing for when the petrol runs out! You can camp out or hotel/motel it in any nearby town!

See you there!

Romy Tysoe-Taylor Exhibition

2008-07-13T10:38:00.000+10:00

Well, last night, yours truly was once again invited to open an excellent exhibition. The cold weather has closed in now and today as I sit here with the temperature dropping, I think back on what was a wonderful evening.

Romy is truly an extraordinary painter. Her favourite subject is nudes, and nude they are; bright, colourful, strong lines and explicit. They draw you into their private worlds as they sit there on the canvas with no shyness or cover. From the first time I saw Romy's work over 10 years ago now, I have always loved her freedom of painting the human body with such abandon.

It certainly was a joyful evening, with many others in attendance...... a good country supper as always and plenty of local wines to help the evening along.

I noticed the red dots appearing as I was leaving and saw Romy beaming at what is a successful first solo show. Romy has 10 years of solid instruction in the arts from Seaforth TAFE (4 years) and a further 4 years at CoFA leaving with a Masters in the early 90's. A seasoned and well developed painter who can hold her own.

You can visit Romy in her studio, Mandagery Art Studio, Broad Street, Eugowra if you have missed the show!

Snow, Snow, Snow in Orange NSW!

2008-07-09T12:15:00.000+10:00

I know, I know! It'll be all over the news tonight how we got snow in Orange! But don't rush to your car and head out here just yet!

This morning I looked out the window and oh heaven! There it was! Snow! Thought to myself "Oh Goodie I can paint snow!" So headed out in the car to the mountain.......beautiful rainbow in the Towac Valley.......

However, the snow was a terrible disappointment.....not much of a fall after all!Did find some intrepid souls though trekking up the Pinnacle! and saw Neil, local arts fellow, out with his camera.......hope you did better than me Neil!

Well it's now 3.5 oC...sun is shining.....hopefully more on the way!

Saatchi Gallery Showdown

2008-06-18T09:59:00.000+10:00

Well, here's a bit of fun for all artists outback!

Recently I joined the Saatchi Gallery online and this week I have put some artwork in their online Showdown....it's all a bit tongue in cheek and fun to do!

I put in a painting well known to some of you that features my ol' Oz Emu friend.......

I ran into him whilst wandering around the sand dunes of Lake Mungo. He stuck his head up out of a saltbush and stared at me. I could just see him ticking over in his mind what a funny looking bird I was. I titled the painting "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"

The government initiative that inspired this work it is the tourism advertisement with the blonde ladette who says "Where the bloody hell are you?" to the supposed toruists coming to visit Oz....and indeed, where are they?

The recent news that certain people are now contemplating Paul Keating (who the bl...y hell is he?) as the next face of Oz Tourism is even funnier than the last failure.......from ladette to old laddie! Can't for the life of me see what a clock collecting lizard has got to do with tourism......I feel another picture coming on....!

But in any case, it's all a good laugh and brings out the larrikin in all of us!

Unfortunately voting is over now but it was all good fun!
Have a great day! Till next time.......

Bush Galleries

2008-06-13T11:37:00.000+10:00

Out here in rural Oz, our exhibitions are mainly held in places of mixed business rather than purpose built galleries. But they are very exciting and great places!

Take Borrodell Cellar Gallery for instance - fabulous gallery space which is the cellar door for a heart warming range of boutique cool climate wines! Recent exhibitions which included my own "Living in the Landscape" achieved good sales and opening nights with over 100 guests. Nina, the Director is lively, educated and beautiful and as an artist of note herself, a great advocate for regional arts.

The next exhibition will feature local photographers - an event not to be missed!

If you are visiting Orange or coming this way, let us know and we will make sure your visit is filled with exciting places to visit!

Hello! You've found my blog!

2008-06-12T18:12:00.000+10:00

What a difference the web has made to all of our lives...... and continues to make daily as it grows beyond what we all dreamed......

It allows me as an artist to keep abreast of what is happening across the world in the arts. Living in regional Oz, it has been hard to know what is out there.......until the web! Thru this amazing technology, I have found old friends, made many new ones and been invited to places I could only dream of.......

Last year, I was invited to the Florence Biennale, and for me this was the biggest challenge I have ever faced. I realised how far away Italy was from Australia, the cost of getting there and the awesome fright of exhibiting in front of the Italians with their exceptional artistic achievements that span centuries.

It took me 6 months to decide on what I would paint, another 3 months to execute the 3 panelled work, and a tight, tight budget to achieve it.

But the experience taught me so much about myself, the art world, how other artists see their place in society and on the planet that it was well worth the effort. I loved the Biennale! It has been the highlight of my career to date.

Please feel free to comment......