Plein Air Oil Painting

We went to Fitzroy Gardens this afternoon, and set up our easels here. 

We spent about 2 hours. I noticed it's getting colder these days. 

Again, I think I should have painted background much paler to create depth :(

It was a good session. Very quite in the park. 

Oil on panel. 11 x14 in. 

 

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Paint Out Day

We drove to Banksia Park in Buleen, about 20 min drive north-east of Melbourne. 

John from Victorian Artists' Society has been organising this monthly paint out day. 

We set up our easels here. 

I spent 2 1/2 hours on this one. Again, I tried to measure overall production very carefully. There wasn't much colour in this subject, so I focuses on tonal shift in the painting. 

I think I should have knocked down tones of tall trees bordering with sky area. 

Oil on panel. 16 x20 in. 

After lunch, I decided to do some study of this tree. 

I spent 1 1/2 hours. Again, tones of top area should have been less strong towards sky. I seem to have trouble seeing it correctly. 

Because it was Easter Sunday, there was a small group of artist today, but it was great to see good friends again, painting together. 

It was a good day. 

Oil on panel. 11 x14 in. 

 

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Plein Air Oil Painting

Because I usually work on Saturday, I can't take part in this weekly Saturday painting session by Victorian Artists' Society. 

Well, I got a day off, so I was very excited about this afternoon painting. 

Alas, the session is at Treasury Gardens in City, so we walked there, and set up our easels here. 

We spent 3 hours. Fountain and reflections on water is always a big challenge. I tried to measure overall proportions very carefully. 

I'm reasonably happy with this one. 

I really enjoyed this painting with other familiar faces in this beautiful garden. 

Oil on panel. 16 x20 in. 

 

 

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Lawrence Leung - Comedy Festival

We went to Malthouse Theatre this evening. 

I've never seen him on stage, but this performance was really great. 

More a conjuror than a standup comedian this time, he succeeded in creating mesmerising tricks one after another in a very, as you would expect, comical way. 

Kate and I were asked to come up on stage, and he did an awesome magic on us. Because we were closing our eyes we didn't realise what's going on, but audience came to us afterwards and told us what really happened!

It was fantastic. 

He was very amicable all the way through, and everyone in the theatre had a great time. He is very good. 

Highly recommended. 

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Oil Painting Lesson with Gregory Smith - Day 9

I struggled today. I was fiddling this bits and that bits.... 

Greg told me to establish a big structure first. So, I wiped it off and started again. 

I didn't progress much today, but it was a good reminder. 

We have a two week break. Looking forward to coming back again. 

Work in progress.

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Art Studio Open Day in Castlemaine

We drove to Harcourt this morning, 1 1/2 hour drive north-west of Melbourne. 

Ben Winspear (his website is here) is a great painter and we met him last year during Paint Out Trip to Maldon. 

He's a very kind and supportive artist. When we found out that he's a part of this visual art festival, we decided to visit his studio and paint in his property. 

We had a great chat with him in his studio, and it was great. 

After lunch, I set up my easel here. Kate found a different spot. 

The light changed constantly and that was a challenge. It was very difficult to paint rocks on the hill. I'll ask Greg how to do it. 

I spent about 3 hours, and it was a beautiful day. 

Oil on panel. 16 x 20 in. 

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Australian Ballet 'VITESSE' at State Theatre

With last year's extraordinary performance '20:21' still vividly lingering in my head, we went to Arts Centre this evening. 

On top of that, after seeing two principal dancers in person, Kevin Jackson and Lana Jones, at Debra Luccio's exhibition just two days ago, I was very excited to see this triple bill. 

We sat right at back in balcony section. It actually offers a great overall view of performance, and we really liked a lot. 

Kate said she particularly loved seeing shadows from dancers swerving around on stage. That's a really good point. I've never thought about it. 

'Forgotten Land' is a superb opening piece that is lyrical and serene. 

'In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated' is very different with pulsating, thunderous electronic beats. It's a great physical performance, but its sound track was way too much repetitive for my liking. 

The evening ended with 'Dance A Grande VITESSE'. This we loved so much. Lighting, costume, performance... Particularly music!

It was a great piece of art that definitely reverberates in our mind for a long time. 

It was a great day. 

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Oil Painting Lesson with Gregory Smith - Day 8

I started this statue today. It's always challenging to paint a marble cast, that's why I chose it. 

Greg gave me a great tip before I did an initial Raw Unber wash. 

The point is, again, "not to draw", "see patterns", "everything is tone","create illustration of depth"....

We can achieve these with oil paints. 

It never ceases to amaze me. 

I'm happy with this one so far. 

Work in progress. 16 x20 in. 

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Debra Luccio 'The Sleeping Beauty'

I've known Debra and her husband Marco for a while, witnessing their stellar career taking many fascinating pathways. 

They're not just great artists but also extremely kind and supportive. 

I went to Step Gallery in Carlton this afternoon to attend artist talk. 

Lana Jones and Kevin Jackson from Australian Ballet shared fascinating insights into their creative process and life story with Debra. 

It was very informative and witty conversations among these artists who are operating at the highest level in their field of art making. 

It was a great privilege to have been given this rare opportunity. 

Her new body of work in the gallery keep me inspired for a long time. 

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Plein Air Oil Painting

I went to Fitzroy Gardens this morning. 

I decided to challenge myself by choosing St Patrick's Cathedral from this spot. 

It's a very complicated subject, and I wasn't sure if I could make a decent painting out of it. 

I checked its proportion very carefully. Because there's much difference tonally, it was a great practice to render its subtlety. 

Towards the end, it got sunny, and it was very tricky, casting many shadows in the building. I just tried to ignore it. It was too late to change. 

I spent about 3 hours. I'm reasonably happy with this one. 

Oil on panel. 16 x 20 in. 
 

 

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Oil Painting Lesson with Gregory Smith - Day 7

I spent an hour polishing the statue. It reflects light differently, for example, some area is warmer, and others cooler. 

I had a very tough time doing his head. It's very small and I couldn't see it well from my position. 

However, it's been a great lesson, and I've learned a lot. 

I spent the rest of lesson painting a red cloth. I don't think it's convincing, and Greg helped me a lot. 

I think I need more practice. 

So, that's it. I'm looking forward to new project next week. 

Oil on panel. 16 x 20 in. 

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Plein Air Oil Painting

We had lovely lunch at Trofeo Eatate in Dromana, about an hour drive south of Melbourne. 

The place was very noisy inside, we barely could hear each other. Once we asked to move outside, however, it was a peaceful experience with great food and wine. 

Then we drove back to Mt Marrha, and set up our easels at this place, just off the street. 

Kate painted overlooking the bay, but I decided to paint this tower. 

We started around 5pm, and spent only 1 1/2 hours before it got very cold. 

As a quick sketch, I think it's ok. 

It was a great day. 

Unfinished. 16 x 20 in. 

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'East Melbourne pochades' exhibition

Update;

It's on now. Kate took this photo of me. 

 

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'East Melbourne pochades' exhibition

Kate and I are exhibiting a small group of paintings at East Melbourne Library during March.

These were painted in our neighbourhood with a pochade box on my lap.
We both think it’s fascinating to paint a small oil painting sketch, while sitting on a bench. 
The fascination that, we believe, inspired artists like Roberts and Streeton, and culminated in their famous ‘9 by 5’ exhibition in 1889.

If you’re around, please have a look.

March 2-30

Library opening hours:
Mon, Wed, Thursday 10-6pm
Tuesday 1-8pm
Friday 1-6pm
Saturday 10- 4pm
Sunday 2-5pm

Take care.

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