Just a quick one

To let everyone know that I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth but I have been away from the interwebs lately. The weekend before last crumbs somehow got from the bottom of my glass into my cereal and I was glutened again, had to use my epipen. It's a long story that I'll elaborate on later, but Ten is going to stay here while I go live with my parents for a while and try to get the business to a stage where I can pay my half of the rent and we can get a place of my own.

Money troubles have been a giant strain on Ten and I so this is sort of a trial separation. We're hoping that a bit of a break will enable us to see that we really do care about each other and want to live together again. But for now I can't live in a place where I'm not safe. Him having to pay for everything was creating resentment and stress, me not being able to pull my own weight was making me feel worthless and being in a place that was not our own was definitely not helping matters.

So away I go, to work hard and move back in with the parents. Great way to start my 30th year :P

-Emmeline

Em's Day of Cranky

Today started quite beautifully, snapped this rainbow on the drive into work.


Made some wrapping paper by splattering A2 paper with watercolour paint. So much fun to make, hopefully I price it right and people buy it so I have an excuse to make more.


Went to put the new decorations that I had made for the Winter display in the window and discovered that it had leaked again, guess the plumber didn't fix the leak after all. That or the neverending awning revamp at the Newcastle Permanent has disturbed my building somehow.

Aurgh. Poor bonsai tree, I don't think it's going to survive it's third soaking. Tried to dry it but the paper started to ball up, so I just left it to dry by itself. Really hope it's ok, but prob. not.

I have no idea why this picture has just turned itself sideways, but I'll try to sort it out.


This is my friend Nick's little patch of Renew Newcastle, "Upcycling". These are some of his repurposed Skateboards. If you look along the bottom of the windows in the moss he's growing there you'll see two little action figures fighting. Win!


Nick's Mum is an artist, these are some of her handmade cards. Violets. Gorgeous.
Back at Emerald Arts... My new winter sculpture thing. Made using a parasol found at the Asian Grocery and gift wrap from the lovely Kim.

Playing paint splatters with student Maryanne. We painted masking fluid onto canvas then splattered over the top of it and waited for it to dry.

Had a momentary heart attack, thinking that Maryanne had cut herself, but it turned out she had just splattered her hand with red paint. Phew.

Maryanne's flower painting. Turned out really well and was such a fun exercise. Modified the lesson from a class I took at Hamilton Island. Can't wait to try it out at the grownups watercolour class next Wenesday and see how they take to it.

A customer kindly let me take a photo of her very awesome pipecleaner rings. Not a bad idea for the students actually....

Right, orf to get drunk and forget about the poor sodden shopfront....

-Emmeline

A new student and a Bonsai

Had such a great day at the studio today. It was miserable and blustery outside, so I cranked up my little heater and turned all the lights on, the place must have looked cosy cos I had a lot more visitors than normal...

This is Monique, my new student, making splashy watercolour paintings which is SO MUCH FUN seriously. Here's hoping Rosie doesn't have too much trouble adjusting to having someone else in her tuesday class... she seems to like that it has been just her and I so far, said she didn't want any other students... but I'm sure she'll come around.

My lunch. Ten bought me a new salt, chicken flavoured, to add to soups. The lid fell off and half the salt plus the lid went right in. Needless to say I had noodles instead.

I heart holidays. Finally got the time (and resources) to make a custom bonsai for Angelic. I've had the cranes folded, she's been waiting for ages, but it's a pretty lengthy process making the things. Going to have to remember to take a deposit on orders from now on so I can buy supplies to make stuff.

Twisting the wires onto a pencil for shape.

The (almost) finished tree. Now I just need some moss to make it look a bit more natural and a small figurine to put in the base like the original.... which has a Jesus that Lachy found. Such a good feeling to have made it. Been bugging me not to have finished it.

About four this afternoon a couple of girls from my brother's school dropped by (different year though), we got to talking about their art projects and how it can be hard sometimes to just "make art" without it feeling forced. So I showed them how I've been making watercolours lately, by spritzing the page with water then watching the colours spread into the grain of the paper. They had a play while I worked on the bonsai, was lovely to have people to chat to at that time of the afternoon. I like the thought that they felt comfortable enough at Emerald Arts to hang out too, because that's kind of how I see the place, somewhere to chill, create, stuff like that.

Off to trivia at the Pub with Tenski, Steeeve and Matty. Here's hoping my brain will get out of holiday mode enough to be of use hehe.

-Emmeline

Epic Picture Post... catch up

Creating the Winter Window.So far I have ripped up a pillow and shoved the innards down the side of the window. I'm making a lake and some trees as well as some silver cranes. I'm not sure what else yet :P

My Landscape assesment is finally MINE ALL MINE!!!!

Red painting test for Mum. I added some inteference today, which refracts the light and alters the paint it is put over. This one has an orange tinge.



The Guest Wall.Repaired the purple painting that was damaged going to and/or from the Markets. Put my prints from Digital class up on the wall too, starting to look rather well stocked.



another angle of the Guest Wall. Thanks for the gorgeous prints Flossy-P. I heart you.


The small table I yoinked from Mum and Dad with stuff on it including roses that Ten's grandma made, Joe's metal sculpture and stuff, more stuff.


A few of the new prints. I heart Photoshop now. Just so ya'll know.

Watercolour tests, was preparing for the adult class today.

The new Artist Trading Card table.There's blank cards, textas, glue, pens, stamps, all sorts of crazy. 50 cents lets you make one and swap it with one someone else has made.



The back wall is coming along. Need to make some red curtains to go behind the puppets... more cushions for the Toy Bed too I think.


The Bookshelf. Where I keep all my trinkets and art supplies.

Cas made me some new cards to sell. They're the very colourful ones. I heart them.

Right than, orf to drum up business for the holiday classes.... somehow.

-Emmeline

Meet Pig and Wuru

I cannot tell you how beside myself I was to finally see a dugong in real life... I have been obsessed with them since I was very little. These two are called Pig and Wuru, they live at the Sydney Aquarium and they are the most beautiful creatures in existence.

Commentary provided by yours truly and a pair of American tourists.

-Emmeline

A bit late, but RIP Michael Jackson

Like millions of kids the world over I spent most of my childhood studying Michael Jackson's dance moves and making up routines of my own to his songs with Cas.

I love him and his music, the world has lost a beautiful person and performer. Hopefully now people will stop talking about how he bleached his skin to be white (not true, he had Vitiglio), that he was a paedophile (yeah right) and a wacko. He was not.

Whatever people might say or feel about Michael Jackson, the beauty and joy of his music will be what endures, not the rest of the rubbish.

Rest in Peace Michael, I hope they let your family bury you in Neverland.

-Emmeline

Ps. I apologise that since we heard the news my family can't stop saying "Poor little Prince Michael the second aka. Blanket" because we find it as amusing as Heavenly Hirani Tiger Lily. We laugh so we don't cry. Honest.

You wanna be on tv?

Very exciting news, Renew Newcastle was just featured (yesterday) on the ABC program Sunday Arts... yours truly and Emerald Arts included.

For all my nervousness in front of a camera I didn't come off too badly at all, even if my voice is a lot lower than I thought it was.... saucy.

You can read about our episode here:

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/sundayarts/txt/s2615102.htm

and watch it by going to the iTunes podcast section and searching for the most recent episode of Sunday Arts.

Can't stay and chat, off to drum up business for the holiday Art Classes I'll be running.

-Emmeline