Friday 20 February 2009

The Weekly Portrait: Self Portrait, Azaria age just 6









I love kids art. I've used it as part of the design in many of my public art murals, faithfully reproduced borrowed kids art mostly or directly painted on the wall as part of the mural by the kids themselves where scaffolding height and safety concerns allow.

Truth is I am trying to get back to the freedom of expression that kids art has.
They inspire me at least as much as all the old masters of art
It is a beautiful world that we live in dear reader
Especially if you don't watch television or read newspapers
Life, growth and relationships and the small part we all have to play in the big picture.... kids art keeps me sane and grounded . . .

Wednesday 11 February 2009

The Weekly Portrait: Heidi


This commission to decorate an antique oak door with Souvenir de Malmaison roses, violets and a renaissance style angels face became, in the fullness of time, a portrait of Heidi.
It took me ages to do, for reasons that I won't go into here, but when I finally delivered it to Heidi I really missed seeing it in my studio.

Souvenir de Malmaison Roses

Painting commissions one learns a lot about many different things. In Heidi's painting on an old oak door she wanted Sounenir de Malmaison roses. Heidi is a keen gardener and these are one of her favourite roses.
I learnt that the Empress Josephine, years after Napoleons death, had a rose garden at her mansion; Malmaison. To a visitor she gave these roses she had bred and said they were a souvenir de Malmaison. This was around 1840 and I guess if that's so she must have been an old girl. Anyway it's a great story. The roses are big white blooms with a subtle pink to them.

Friday 6 February 2009

The Weekly Portrait: Penny

Isn't she gorgeous? Penny is here playing her Bodhran as percussion for the all girl group "No Boys Allowed" she is singing harmony with.
It's Waitangi Day here in New Zealand which is a national holiday to celebrate political stuff from our colonial past, an agreement between the Maori and the British Crown back in 1840, read: we get Friday off to go to the Waitete Cafe and enjoy live music! Yay! Such pastimes are essential stuff for artist types like myself.... keep me dander up, you know, bathe in the warm glow of the atmosphere of creative people enjoying life....