It's Holidays... but I can't stop myself from painting :P

Blew up the picture that Mumoir wanted me to paint from so I could see it a bit better, tested the new paint colours underneath so I could get a look at them. Bit hard to tell from this, but the gold we bought is just AMAZING! So shiny, couldn't wait to try it out. Completely in love with the Vermilion too, v. pretty.

Prepared a canvas board that I found at a cheap shop down the road for $2.50.... bargain! With a tube of Red found at same shop. Mixed a little bit of orange in to give it depth, then left that to dry while I set to work with the gold on a purple base I prepared earlier...

Started by squidging out a line of gold then smoothed it in and scraped it off with a broken old ruler I had been saving because I knew I would totally need it one day (not because I am a compulsive hoarder).

Created quite an interesting effect. The gold in the newspaper photo is heavily applied, quite possibly used as the base, but I like things a bit more contrasty, so for these tests I wanted to start with the colour first before laying on a few coats of gold. Going to do three or four of these layers and see what sort of depth I can get out of that. Will keep you posted.

Then I took a self-portrait, MySpace style, feeling like a complete dork whilst doing so, but I wanted to show off my new haircut. It's all part of my new marketing plan. Look polished, have hair and nails done, wear paint splattered apron and somehow look like a Bohemian yet put together artiste.

We'll see how long that lasts :p

Then we have Rosie, who is my sole student at the moment. She has been with me all term and she is an absolute sweetheart (when she wants to be... as most kids are really). Rather than spending all my dosh on advertising and trying to get a whole lot of students all at once, I've focused on learning how to be a good teacher to one student. You wouldn't believe how much she has taught me! I've learnt that kids will not always want to do the activities that we have so carefully planned out for them. Kids will have trouble using scissors. They will get glue and paint everywhere and should always wear an apron. They will have chirpy days where they want to do a thousand things at once, and they will have quiet days when they just want to draw stuff and that is all.

Rosie is hysterically funny, very good at picking colours and quite the little artist. I hope she is my student for a very long time.

Sculpture and shopping with Mumoir

Sculpture assesment was on last Friday, these are my submissions, featuring "Rex" the wooden fish with kissing lips, a rather featureless head that was made the day Eddie died thus never finished and a skull that from this angle looks rather happy... good for him ;)

On Saturday I was rather hungover whilst in at Emerald Arts, so I wandered up to GoLo to see what gluten free sugary delights they had for me there. I found this apple flavoured killer python for $1.49 and was absolutely beside myself. Excitement dimmed somewhat upon eating, there wasn't much flavour there, but it was still pretty great.

Mum and I had a lovely art afternoon today, bought supplies from Eckersley's and had coffee and tiny cakes at Lime.

I'm going to paint a couple of pieces for mum, as well as a Life Drawing for Richard at the office. So I'm going to use the oil sticks for that. Mum liked the paintings that appear behind the guy in the news article, so will get Dallas to help me figure out how to create the same effect.

Ooohhh *shivers* I love trying out new techniques. So glad it is holiday (from Tafe) time so I can work on Emerald Arts and creating the commissions I suddenly have Oh Hurrah!

Am Orf to have baked dinner at West's and watch Top Gear at Benny's.

*MWAH*

-Emmeline

In my family we don't smack for accidents

Took the big yellow canvas outside so that a coat of varnish could dry... wasn't counting on the wind that a painting that big can pick up behind it on a suddenly blustery winter's day

It fell down onto a chair and ripped twice

so I sewed it up with embroidery thread, and now I kind of like it even more

Today in Life Drawing we each picked our six favourite drawings from the semester then pinned them on the wall. Then we had a chat and said what we liked about each other's work. V. positive and lovely.

My six favourites, clockwise from top left.

A cross-hatch study

tonal study of plaster casts

sepia ink wet on wet technique

ripped paper 3 tone portrait of Scott

painted ink lady

Oil stick study of marble bust

I think I need to work on the neck and the cheek a little, but pretty good for a first try

Two very colourful giraffes being installed in the front lobby. I can't tell you how much I love them. They are so beautiful. I was a bit late to class because I couldn't leave them this morning.

He wants to live in my backyard and be my friend.

Always late but worth the wait, Joe putting up his drawings ;)

New Arrivals from Flossy-P at Emerald Arts

Last week saw the arrival of an envelope full of wonders from Flossy... Three firm favourites (as chosen by helpful customers) in the front window

Prints and gift tags along the Guest wall

Gift cards on the new wooden table yoinked from Mum and Dad's garage.... they didn't mind, honest ;)

Beautiful tribal lady bids you adieu as I stop procrastinating and finish my digital assignment.... no really ;)

Handing in the Paintings Day

Today I handed in all of my paintings and accompanying sketchbooks for marking, then Joe and I went to EA where I was interviewed by the lovely Fenella Kernebone from Sunday Arts. That show (and most excellent podcast) is featuring Renew Newcastle, so Fenella and crew were shooting footage of the spaces and chatting with their occupants.

Have to admit that I was completely terrified of the prospect that being in front of a camera afforded. I failed Drama in year 11 for goodnesssakes, I'm a ghost at parties, disappearing as soon as one emerges. It's not that I fear it will capture a part of my soul or anything, more that I will have to maintain the one pose for more than a millisecond, that just feels wierd. Everybody knows I suck at standing still.

Never fear however, I didn't pass out or freak out or do anything silly. Fenella kept me at ease with excellent conversation and Joe was there too. Things went well (I think).

It seemed it only took a minute to do the whole interview... and wierdly the words coming out of my mouth were not gibberish but how I feel about Renew, Emerald Arts and my beloved Newcastle.

It's so exciting to be a part of something like this, I really hope I convey that enough. Newcastle is My City. I grew up here, my family built a great deal of it and I have longed for something like the Renew Newcastle project to work is magic on our struggling city centre for a very long time. I didn't dream that I would be a part of it.

I'm very lucky.

New Abstract in Yellow

Since Dallas refused to let me do anything else to my red abstract (or rather strongly suggested that I leave it) we decided that I may as well make a MASSIF one. So on Saturday, which also happened to be the day before my crazy awesome birthday, I found a patch of sun and started on the undercoat.


Looks kind of hideous right? Not to worry, that's only the underneath layer, so that when I paint over and scrape back some contrasting colours come through.


Today's effort. The Mall was absolutely freezing and devoid of customers, so I cranked the music and had a dance around to warm up, then got to work with the yellow.
Looking pretty spiffy so far. Now all I have to do is get my hands on some more paint... totally ran out.

Abstract piece for art school

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire,

I hold with those who favour fire.


- Robert Frost

Edina Bear Rug Stronach

Rest in Peace Eddie.

You were the most beautiful friend and family member. We will miss you dearly.

Love Em, Cas, Lachy, Mum and Dad.

Eddie at Emerald Arts

Investigationing at King Edward Park with Em and Ten.

Christmas with Cas, Mum and Lachy.

She found the blow-up Santa Suit fascinating

So beautiful.

Creature Feature

Emmeline is back and feeling you have no IDEA how much better.... probably because I've figured a few things out lately. Sort of.

Taking on Tafe and Emerald Arts in the same year was a big task. I had scheduled myself Mondays off, thinking that one day of chilling would be enough to see me through for a while. Then I forgot to chill and got worn out. I didn't factor in catching germs, moving house and... well, life in general really. So I got sick, a lot, and missed Tafe classes and had to close EA a couple of days last term. That made me worried, which probably made me more sick, and I fell down in a bit of a heap.... and it seems that when I fall down like that, Ten falls down too and he withdraws into Ten world where I can't get to him.

We had a big talk, discussed the stresses we have been under and I told him how I need to know that even if we are freaking out like people do sometimes, we have to know that we can count on each other. Not having our own home may suck, but where we're staying is lovely and we are so lucky that Scott and Julie are looking after us. How many bosses would let their employees do that eh?

Anyway, I explained how much it shook me when he stayed out. How technically after epipen I should be checking myself into Emergency or at least be under supervision. He said that he was stressed and we've been fighting lately and that he just needed time out. I said he had really bad timing. He said he loves me, of course he loves me, but it's just hard when I'm sick all the time. So we're drawing a line under it as a really bad aberration, and starting again.


I did a stock take at Emerald Arts last week. I tallied up what was in the store against what I have on my spreadsheet and everything except one rabbit was accounted for. Guess I did learn something at business school ;) Looking over everything made me realise just how much I have achieved in the past year. I might not be rolling in it, but I am starting to be able to pay my own way... slmost... and here is a list of the things I have designed this business year to sell:

- Fold Your Own: Origami Crane Strand Kit
- Voodoo Susan kit (sewing)
- Widget the Brave kit (sewing)
- Creatures & Dreams Vol 1 & 2 (colouring books)
- Book Art Vol 1 & 2 (colour art zines)
- The Sketchbook Adventures of Emmeline Stronach (mini-zine)
- 35 origami crane strands
- Fourty paintings
- 95 Creatures (hand Sewn toys)

There's stacks of other stuff but I'm bored of lists now so whatever :P

So yeah, I have been like really REALLY busy, and in being busy totally forgot to take time out. Oops. Just thanking my lucky stars that until we find a house I don't have to freak out about lack of $ for a while so I can concentrate on rocking my tafe assignments, kicking butt (artisticly speaking) in the Hunter St Mall and making time for Oh NO They Didn't and hanging out with my friends.

My new resolution is that I'm not going to stress about anything. Worrying is such a waste of time, far more useful to think "it will all work out" and "I totally rock" than omigodeverythingstoohard

Right then, here are some pictures of my new creatures... I'm off to read Famous magazine in the sunshine out the back, day off biatches ;)

The more comic book style bunny. Does not have a name yet.


If you're wondering why there is blue smudging near the mouth, that is fabric marker. I draw the smiles on first to get them right.

The back of the bunny, which is called Jane btw.

My mother always told me that everything looks better after a good night's sleep

add to that a bit of dancing around to my favourite music videos and the realisation that I need to make my own happy, not rely on others for it, and your Emmeline is feeling recharged and ready to kill it in the Art world once again.