Arkaroola Art Tour a hoot!

Well hi everyone!

We're back from Arkaroola and it was as usual, amazing! The artists found inspiration and healing in this very special part of the Ozzie outback - deep in the heart of South Australia. It has to be one of my own very favourite places to visit......

We started by flying over Lake Frome - less well known than Lake Eyre and a gem..... this time, the lake had a 50-75 cm cover of water making the surface like a mirror. We were so dumbstruck by it that we couldn't speak much to the consternation of the pilot who thought that we might not have been impressed. But I assured him that we just couldn't speak at the sheer beauty and ethereal nature of the lake in flood.....

 

Lake Frome

After having our minds expanded in the observatory that night by Doug Sprigg who showed us the starry night sky through his wonderful telescope, we climbed exhausted into bed our sides aching from laughter.

Next day saw us take a gruelling tour of 4 1/2 hours of back breaking chiropractic abuse in the open back of a 4WD across country to Sillers Lookout! But it was well worth the rough ride with everyone sliding up and down the seats into each other!

View from Sillers Lookout

On Day 3, we took a fair hike of just over a km the guide said (hmmm..... it was definitely a lot longer than that!) down through Mawson Valley and to the riverbed where Sharpie, our aboriginal guide told us some dreamtime stories from the area. I think we were all so tired by this time, that we were just happy to have a seat even if it was in the sand! But it was a gentle way for the tour to wind down.

We headed back into the studio, but I feel we all had so many images fighting to emerge in our heads and hearts, that we all found it quite difficult to focus on just one thing to paint..... so we chatted away the afternoon with some people painting hard!

There are more photos on Panoramio and I will load some more as I find time. But in the meantime, consider Arkaroola as a must see destination for the Australian painter! They are friendly, helpful and ready to welcome artists with open arms..... it's well worth the long (fascinating) drive out there! But take plenty of memory cards as they won't go astray!

Looking forward to being able to take more of you on wild painting adventures!

Joy - oh and, we are having a group show at Aawun Gallery later this year! So don't forget to keep an eye out for details as they come to hand!

"SUMMERTIME" at Jayes Gallery! Painting along.....

Hi there

Well summertime is here and my paintings (or a few of them) will be the fabulous Jayes Gallery in Molong in a group show along with leading artists, Eris Fleming, Jaq Davies, Ian Grant, Glenn Hoyle and Josephine Jagger- Manners. The show opens next Wednesday 30th January and runs for 5-6 weeks...... further details from jayes blog!

Ther's not a lot of engelman works available at the moment as I'm painting for my mid-year solo show with Jayes (19 July - 25 August 2013) and then, my nose will be well and truly in the paint bucket getting the large works out for next year's big one! Or maybe that will be 2015..... who can tell as I have big plans for large, large works from my recent outback journeys..... well documented landscapes that have burned into my soul!

But for now, here are the paintings that Jayes has available...... why not pop out to the gallery, stroll around the sculptures and have a chat with Libby and Hugh Oldham in their beautiful setting in Molong!

"Anticipation" - a painting inspired by my grandson William with his red hair and handsome face. I tried to capture the feeling that a boy has when he first goes to catch that ball! The moment that makes him a cricket fan for the rest of his life.... it's 100 cm x 88 cm and framed in a black box frame! Would make a great gift for a cricket fan or young boy!

Then there's a watercolour for the kitchen (?) I'm not sure where to hang this one but I think a nice clean modern kitchen/dining area, which is why it is framed with a deep white box frame and 120 cm mount in white all round - sort of building on a white on white theme - anyway, it's a fresh painting in watercolour with some black and gold inks on D'Arches watercolour - full sheet 70 cm x 50 cm framed.

And last, a small watercolour titled "Up Close Poppy" which shows the heart of our favourite red poppy in all it's summer glory!  There are many paintings in this group show that will delight you from Eris's spirited outback humour to Josephine's pretty interiors, there's a painting there for everyone!

The group show for Coloured City Creatives finishes tomorrow so then it's back into the studio and up to the elbows in paint, paper and canvas with the whip cracking.....

Love to see you at the studio some time but remember you need to phone and make an appointment as once I get 'on the brush', it's hard to focus on the 'real' world!

Ruminations of a frustrated artist!

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!

Recent ramblings.....

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!

2010 - Faster - Weirder!

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

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.

And on a lighter note!

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!

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?

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

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!

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!

Welcome to my diary!

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

"Under Autumn Skies" - all welcome!

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........

Romy Tysoe-Taylor Exhibition

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!