Back again....

Well, once again it's been awhile, but sometimes real life gets in the way of blogging, so please excuse my absence dear reader. I think I mentioned before that I have moved back in with Mum and Dad, which is just wonderful (both of them and for me). Broke up with Ten for good after finding out a few things and having a good hard think. Now I have my own bedroom back, my studio and Tafe are just down the road and people are happy to see me when I get home so everything is win.

I'm submersed in a world of Art, living, sleeping and breathing it. Here's a few shots to catch you up....

Mum came home with poppies one day so I painted them for her

My tribute to Monet, painted last weekend. Was going be for sale but when I hung it on the wall I realised that the damn thing was wonky, one side longer than the other. That will learn me for being lazy and buying a cheap Chinese one instead of making my own.

Found a Cherry Blossom tree when I was on a sketching things walk. Tore myself off a branch for the studio then spent the day playing around at drawing and painting them. Had my students do the same.

Been making wrapping paper by splodging watercolour paint onto A2 sized cartridge. V. fun.

Some of my stolen blossoms on display in the Emerald Arts shop window. Wasn't until I took this photo that I realised that the silver spinning thing next to it has cherry blossoms on it too.

Sketch made in life drawing. This lady is my favourite model. She's so gorgeous and always looks very tranquil. A dream to draw too, curves are way easier than angles. For once I listened to Cherie and drew really lightly, amazed by how much it helped. Still not finished, but quite like it.

In Sculpture class we are building Toas, which were markers used by certain Aborigional tribes. I'll let Wikipedia illuminate you further: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toas

I'm making mine to look like a bird, even though that's not quite in the spirit. They're supposed to be simplistic, but I want mine to be fancy. Will probably lose me marks, but for once I don't care because I can just picture how it will look and it makes me giggle.

Here are my anatomy drawings up on the wall in the upstairs gallery at Art School. I'm that proud of myself I can't tell you. First real exhibition *dances*

Le Windpipe

Oil paint crayons on black paper. Not so fond of this one, was really hard to make it distinct because they are not exactly a precise tool....

Braiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnssss

Am orf to (finally) write the speech I'll be giving on Wednesday night. It's about the design principles behind Emerald Arts....

Ciao ;)

-Emmeline

Anatomy Day

Today I had the very great privledge of visiting the Anatomy Laboratory at the Uni as part of our School's workshop week. We were shown around the room, then set to work on watercolour paintings of the museum specimens and human subjects. Before I go on, these are photos not scans because I don't have a scanner at the moment, so they don't quite do their subjects justice.... but hopefully they'll give you some idea of how intricate and amazing the experience was.

Hat's off to all who donate their bodies to science. The medical profession and artists worldwide salute you.

This is the Circle of Willis. Someone had painstakingly removed all of the blood vessels that supply the brain and suspended them for study. They're incredibly delicate. Everyone thought that they looked like a rather lovely tree. Cherie brought along black paper (along with magnificent watercolour paper and paints) for us to play with. There was a gorgeous white ink there, which turned out to be rather shiny. It's not my most complicated drawing, but it's my favourite from the day.

This is the piece that I worked the most on, spent about four hours probably. Lots and lots of washes.

I'm starting to really love watercolour. Thinking it might just be my thing..... or one of them anyway. I love the way you can layer them.

This subject died of a brain embolism. You can see it as the black that surrounds (compresses) his brain, scary to look at, but also very beautiful.

A heart, or section thereof. This photo is close to the actual colours, but then I changed the settings....

and it became like this.... I really need to get a scanner.... haha i already said that didn't I :P

A lung. Don't smoke kids..... *cough*

So that was Anatomy Day. I loved it so much that I'm going again tomorrow instead of to the Sydney Gallery crawl. I have the itinerary anyways, so I'll just go later with Cas and Mum, spread it out over a weekend instead of a day.... all civilised like,

Better get to bed, it's hella late and I have a big day tomorrow.... and tomorrow night is the opening of the Margaret Olley exhibition at the NRAG OMGYAY!

-Emmeline

Hairdressers are better than counsellors

Just got back from having my haircut. It's gone from long and straggly almost to my waist, to just below my shoulders. I look less like a twelve year old and more like a lady :P


This photo was sent to me by a lovely visitor to Emerald Arts called Eliza. She's trying for a baby and this is her physical manifestation of that hope. The pose that the mannequin is so beautiful, says everything that needs to be said really. Best of luck to you Eliza ;)



My Adult watercolour class students, Lindsay and Rachael. Had a lovely afternoon, pottering around with paints. They painted some translucent bluey green leaves on my tree mural.

In painting class on Friday we had a live model from whom we had to do a face study. This is my partially finished version.

This is my teacher Dallas' demonstration. Watching him paint was like going to a magic show. Yet another reason why I am beside myself to be studing at Newcastle Art School. You can see more of his work here:

http://www.damienmintongallery.com.au/artists/dallas-bray/

My stall at the Olive Tree Markets last saturday. They're held in the grounds of a local primary school, full of beautiful arts and crafts. Only on once a month, but Saturday is usually a pretty quiet day in the mall and I do so well there that it is well worth relocating the shop for the day. The only creatures left at the end were the dark blue velveteen (Bob the Accountant), Josephine and Christopher the Cuddle Creature. I needs to get sewing.

The beautiful watercolour cards that Cas made for me. I sold the one on the top. She was very excited.

Wondered all day why no one was buying the wrapping paper.... did I price it too high? Was it not pretty enough? Turns out I just accidentally hid the price sign, which may have had something to do with it ;)

I heart flowers.

Found this amazing glass sculpture in David Jones. It's by Georg Jenson, who I had only ever heard of making watches. If I only had $950. It is THAT cool.

Cas's birthday presents all wrapped and ready to post. It was her birthday on Saturday, but I was at the markets and then had an earache so I thought I had better not drive to Sydney. Still, hopefully the novelty of getting mail and presents will put me back in the good books ;)

This is Buddy, who is waiting in his transitional vase to be moved in with my brother's fish. I've had him since I first moved out of home about five years ago. He is so awesome. Really expressive.

Yes, I know, he is just a fish. But he is SO MUCH more than that. Buddy rocks. His best friend, a little black moor called Emo, died last week.

Feeling more like myself being in my old room, surrounded by family. Things had been difficult living where I was. Now I feel like I can breathe and get my head right.

-Emmeline

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