Christmas wishes and thankyou's

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The strawberries have been terrific this year, to the point of, as I water around the garden I grab little handfuls of strawberries.

Collaboration with artist John Beard and Bill Moseley

Swinkies garden

I have wanted to write about this garden for a long time. It belongs to our terrific friend Swinkie.
swinkworth.blogspot.com
It's such an honest garden with all her succulents and found concrete pots and golden ladies from around the suburb she really has created a haven of joy.

It's organic in the real sense, it's not trying to be fashionable or ambitious, self conscious of itself or trendy. The garden has become the true cottage garden where objects are found from what is available for free, discarded but reinvented again in the hands of an artist.

All the cracks in the driveway have been filled with I think its called a sea daisy making the concrete drive look like its threaded with lacework.

It's about working with what one has.

There's a vegie patch and plenty of natives for the wildlife.

There's romance with its sculptural ladies but like true romance they're tucked in corners that are not obvious at first, but magic when you find them.

Cottage gardens are often contrived and the true meaning has been lost over the years, all following each other but an honest cottage garden is one that reveals the person whom makes it, not belonging to anyone but themselves.

Very thoughtful gardens

Bravo Swinkie
A garden well done

It's show time!

It's finally here, well just about around the corner, our exhibition at the Damien Minton Gallery Annex Space. damienmintongallery.com.au/

We have made our own individual letterpress invitations using our 100 year old Gordon Platen Press, we are really happy with them, their different and unique, collectors item. A brush of paint and a running man, just about sums us up!

My paintings and poetry are all about getting through winter, with still life arrangements brought together in chaotic and figurative abstract compositions where objects become consumed and heightened by the use of colour. It's the ideal, where my poetry is the reality.

All my work is autobiographical and is concerned with the psychological and seasonal landscape in which I live at Hill End, Central Tablelands NSW.

This series of paintings is called The Wattle Room - Winter's resolve

1. Last years summer roses etched in ice - Oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2011  $1,750

2. I'm suspended in my elbow of words - Oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2012 $1,750 SOLD

3. Winters' resolve - oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51cm 2011 $1,900 SOLD

4. Green grass persisting to remain awake for an hour - Oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2012 $1,750

5. Preening the clotted quilt for violets - oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51cm 2012 $1,900

6. Outside the little hedge leaves have turned quite yellow - oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2011 $1,750

7. Rented Autumn - Oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51cm 2011 $1,900

8. The violets are pushing up through the stones - Oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2011 $1,750

9. A polite storm grazing at the edges Oil on canvas W 102cm x H 102cm 2012 $2,400 SOLD

10. Patch together forget me nots - Oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51 cm 2011 $1,900

11. Centimetre by bright centimetre - Oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51cm 2011 $1,900

12. This or that, never grey - Oil on canvas W 62cm x H 51cm 2011 $1,900 SOLD

13. Cherries signing papers Oil on canvas W 91cm x H 91cm 2012 $2,300

14. Portent of the englarged thought - Oil on canvas W 91cm x H 91cm 2012 $2,300

15. I want to hold you like a waterbottle full of salmon sun Oil on canvas W52cm x H 41cm 2012    $1,750 SOLD

16. Ticking soft seconds in tidal yellow Oil on canvas W 52cm x H 41cm 2012   $1,750

17. The Wattle Room - Winters still life - drawings, watercolour and letterpress on somerset satin 2011 $1,450

Myths, written in a margin
Copperplate photogravures by Bill Moseley

Bill's photography refers to impressions of his life in Hill End, a village set in the margins of rural life and small town suburbia.

The work is photographed in the landscape around Hill End and Bill makes clay sculptures and then places them as props.

The pack 2 - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 60cm x H 50cm 2011
 Framed $1,200    unframed $1,000   Edition of 20

Lonely traveller - copperplate photogravure printed on somerset satin W 75cm x H 50cm 2011
 Framed $1,700      unframed $1,500  Edition of 20

The Grove - copperplate photogravure printed on somerset satin W 60 cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,200   unframed  $1,000  Edition of 20

Running Man - copperplate photogravure printed on somerset satin W 75 cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,700  unframed $1,500  Edition of 20

Pool 2 -  Coperplate photogravure printed on somerset satin W 60cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,200  unframed $1,000  Edition of 20

The Pack 1 - Copperplate photogravure printed on somerset satin W 38cm x H 34cm 2011
Framed $900  unframed $750  Edition of 20

Pool 1 - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 75cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,700  unframed $1,500  Edition of 20 SOLD

Dark Shelter - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 62cm x H 52cm 2011
Framed $1,200  unframed $1,000     Edition of 20

Encounter - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 53cm x H 43cm 2011
Framed $1,200   unframed $1,000  Edition of 20

Pack 3 - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 75cm x  H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,700  unframed $1,500   Edition of 20

Spirits - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W 53cm x H 43cm 2011
Framed $1,200   unframed $1,000  Edition of 20

Visitor - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W60cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,200   unframed $1,000   Edition of 20

Decline - Copperplate photogravure on somerset satin W60cm x H 50cm 2011
Framed $1,200   unframed $1,000   Edition of 20

Fremantle print award

This year Bill has been selected for the Fremantle Print Award with his photogravure on copperplate with the image titled  'Raquel at Hawkins Hill'.

This image was done using two plates called a Duotone which was quite a feat in itself registering the colours, the two plates were created to achieve  depths of colour.
If you have the chance pop in and have a look!

Abc radio interview Yay

Last weekend we were both interviewed by Angela Owens of the ABC radio about our art, Open Studio Day and our coming exhibition at Damien Minton Gallery Annex Opening Tuesday night 6pm - 8pm   9th October 2012.

Angela was assisted with her colleague Skye and Tom Thompson whom spoke about the history of the artists here at Hill End and his collection. Tom  and his wife Elizabeth are currently restoring one of the evocative 1870 cottages in Hill End.


You can hear it on http://www.abc.net.au:80/local/audio/2012/09/14/3590471.htm

Yoga Rabbit

Green bird

We also have printed and sent off a beautiful selection of letterpress stationery which is now available in the National Library shop in Canberra.

Open Studio Day was again a big success and all the people that attended were such a delightful crowd whom so enjoyed the enthusiasm and effort that the artists are putting into Hill End today. Keeping the tradition of arts strongly alive and active.

The sun shone on the day like you wouldn't believe and it was just perfect weather to walk around our very pretty town.

I have been in the garden again and nearing the end of digging up, it seems like hundreds and hundreds of artichokes in a very small area of dirt, quite astounding how these have multiplied.

I love them in the summer time when they grow tall and sway in the wind with a yellow flower resembling a sunflower, which is the family they are related to but the time has come for a change as they really do over take everything. I'm sure I will miss a few and they will spring up again, but just a few is fine and I can keep on top of it.

Finished another painting the other day, well I think it's finished, or I've just declared it's finished as it's been a wrestle from the word go. But it's a curious one and a bit of a change from the others. So I will leave it looking curious and leave it to breathe its own personality.

The studio has had another 3 loads of gravel loaded onto the base and leveled out, but you know it needs more so all in all it will be about 10 truck loads to form a base for the slab. We have found out that we don't have to leave it to long to settle before the concrete is poured which is a relief are we are so keen to have this up and running before the next winter. Aiming at it being our Christmas present!

It's here again - Whoop de doo

IT'S SNOWING OUTSIDE

I could hear this droning wind, then a pitting sound on the chimney, could that be snow or sleet.

Opened the door and the noise was quite loud and there it was all our boots and shoes covered in thick icy snow, heading for the door.

We grabbed the camera and took these shots, it's always exciting when it falls. I don't wish for it to be day in and day out but little bursts of it are just delightful and more reason to eat chocolate.  

Our dog Tango has wrapped herself around the pot belly and is in total bliss I would imagine.

Sydney College of the Arts

Last weekend saw Bill and I  teaching at Sydney College of the Arts  print media department organized by the very capable artist Janet Parker Smith whom streamlines the working environment to be a pleasure to work in.

We had eight eager students, some students and some are part of the print media access. This enables artists to visit and use the print media studio for a yearly minimal charge. Which is a dream printmaking room overlooking the historical buildings and gardens at Rozelle.

Like the bookbinders Guild we once again taught the letterpress printmaking in the format of an ABC book with each student getting 3 letters and editions of 10.

Working in this way everyone goes home with a complete set of ABC prints which can be made into a book or individually framed.

The first day is just understanding the way to set type and getting a handle on the presses and tools, the second day they have had the night to ponder their letters, then they fly with ideas.

It was very successful and we met some really gorgeous people along the way. The workshop was two days, but by the second day everyone is in full swing and hooked on letterpress wishing for one more day.

The group were very inventive with their use of letters.....