Here are the next four pictures in my #100PicturesProject … these four have all gone to good homes (ie. sold) as it happens.
73 Picked Pears
I picked these pears, from a pear tree! Why is that noteworthy? Most of the other pears I’ve featured in paintings have been supermarket pears! Which are great. And, they often don’t have that extra bit of branch and leaf that is so delightful to draw.
Do you recognise that disrupted pattern of fly door that indicates a cat has claw-levitated it’s way up the screen?
74 Buerre Bosc Pears and Dahlias
Someone grew the dahlias in their garden and gave them to me.
After a delightful stretch of packham pear paintings I wanted to try a different type of pear. This type (great for cooking) are called buerre bosc … don’t they have a coolly distinct tall shape, and a different green colour than the packhams?
75 Grumpy Cat “Chilled and friendly”
This sweet beastie loved the garden and was super loved by its people. His name was Grumpy, but his nature was “…chilled and friendly” :)
76 Nasturtiums in Blue and White Vase 2
This is a classic one… with blue and white china and nasturtiums. i don’t seem to be the only one who appreciates nasturtiums. Many people say to me “I LOVE nasturtiums!” So. Do. I… with their specific scent and cheery profusion :)
That’s the thing with being a living artist. you follow your interests or curiosities, ie. nasturtiums, or cats or blue vases. By the time I’m an elder, there’ll probably be 5, 10 or a dozen completely different pictures with the same title, just numbered. My organisational software will be ‘chockers’ (full). Let’s give it a shout out… it’s called Artwork Archive and is made by a techy grown son for his artist mother, and subsequently has grown to serve other artists for their organising requirements – it’s just what I need to keep track of over 200 sold and unsold paintings, limited edition lino prints and giclee prints!
Welcome, kindred spirit! Here are three more pictures in my 100 Pictures Project, this sunny afternoon! All have gone to good homes, as it happens…
70 – Pomegranates for Hannah – sold
Thinking of different times & situations, this still life includes a broad facsimile tribute to Hannah Cohoon’s intricate work The Tree of Life in the background, along with the wonderful colour of fresh pomegranates and lushly patterned fabric.
Researching for an art lesson early last year (immediately prior to the initial covid changes, though unbeknownst to us), I was reading about Hannah Cohoon, an artist in a Shaker community, in which often people did not sign their names to art they received in spiritual visions then created. Thankfully, Hannah did put her name to her picture so we can know about her now!
This painting sold (from Fleurieu Arthouse where I have a display panel) this Winter to a long time member of the bold tribe, who added it to her art collection.
Pic 71 – Garden Flowers (Yellows) – sold in 2020
Common garden flowers are one of my greatest inspirations! Yours too?
These marigolds and nasturtiums caught my eye, and inspired an informal still life. In the arrangement you can (just) see the marigold seeds scattered on the polka dotty fabric, too!
Alongside is a ripening pear :)
This one-of-a-kind watercolour went to a good home (ie. sold) in my Plenty 20 exhibition last year at Mockingbird Lounge.
Pic 72 – Kitty portrait from a photo: Boysie
This painting, of a friend’s dear kitty, Boysie, was completed in 2019, and the patterns allude to some of my friend’s interests!
What else is going to be happening?
Art Lesson next Thursday! There are 4… wait, now just 2 … spots left (of 8) for the October 14 session … is one of them for you? Use the link to book your spot! Bookings close Sunday night or when the class is full, whichever is first.
If you’d like to find out about new art and lessons first, sign up to get my artist eNewsletter, [Tangerine Juice], which flies mostly monthly-ish from the heart of my studio direct to your inbox!
The October Willunga Artisans & Handmade Market is this Saturday. I’m not going to be at this one… if you want anything from me before the end of October, message me, and you can pick it up from another stall holder. Julia L, please contact me about your order (back in July) of a 2022 calendar – I don’t have your contact info! Do you know a Julia L <3 who ordered a 2022 calendar a month or two back? Please can you ask her to reach out?
I’ll be at a Halloween Cat Show (real cats, and a Halloween theme) on Oct 31. And another cat show on November 7. More about those soon…
Which brings us back to November Willunga Artisans & Handmade Market on 13 November … it’s not far off!
I’ve been accepted into the Murray Bridge Regional Gallery Sixth Street Handmade Makers Market… 14th November, 10am – 3pm. That’s a fun day!
Fingers Crossed
Hopefully everything will somehow be ok. Or maybe it already is? Despite the impression we gain from watching the “news” and hearing about political and capitalist shermozzles, there are LOTS and LOTS of good people in the world, doing good things. … I’m going to keep practising noticing them, acknowledging them, supporting them! I know you do/will, too! Plus do our best to BE them!
For example, supporting makers and other local small businesses means a LOT. I like the Just a card message, which is:
JUST A CARD is a grassroots campaign on a mission to encourage people to support, value and buy from artists, makers, independent shops and small businesses. Every sale, even just a card, is vital to their prosperity and survival.
Thanks for reading this!
Somehow, things are shit and things are wonderful too, right?
Take care!
Meg :)
PS How cool… I just read on Hannah Cohoon’s wiki page (linked to earlier) that:
She is mostly known for her paintings, but she also composed music.
I’m in the 90s of this project (in real time (woot – almost at the finish line!)) and slowly, surely catching up (in blog time)! Join my mailing list to be first to see my latest creations – next newsletter I’ll share fresh new nasturtium still lifes… I hope you like nasturtiums too, ‘cos I don’t seem to get sick of them! :)
These three pictures were completed in early 2020 and a couple are featured in calendars…
66 Gum Blossom and Geometry
Some intuited geometrics in the background make me think of my mentor, Ruth Tuck. She was a teacher of both art and maths. I like that. It reminds me that they are not mutually exclusive realms. (It’s gonna take all of us, working together, not, “Oh, I’m this and you’re that and never the twain shall meet…”)
If this bold art is calling to you, the original is available now (unframed as of this writing). Contact me if you’d like a closer look in real life, and I can bring it to Willunga Artisans and Handmade Market for you this Saturday. Or, if you’re interstate/overseas, I can hook you up with a link and postage info…
67 Wavy Glass and Marimekko
Helping a friend clear out her barn blessed me with this wonderful wavy glass piece with its own combination of reflection and refraction.
This picture was included in my 2020 exhibition Plenty 20 (just after South Australia’s first wave of lockdown last year!) and bold souls with the 2021 Plenty Calendar will know this picture from the March page.
If this picture resonates with you and you’d like to give it a good home, the original is available now for AUD $525 including (already done) custom framing. Message me and I can bring it to Willunga Artisans Market for you to pick up! Great wedding, engagement or housewarming gift! :D
68 Bonnie – custom cat portrait
Isn’t Bonnie a gorgeous cat?
Being a commissioned cat portrait this dear kitty painting has already gone to her fur-ever home.
Bonnie is featured in the Blue Cat Friends calendar of 2022 :)
Lessons
Join my email list to hear first when a new lesson gets scheduled … Find out even ‘first-er’ if you email me that you’re interested in the art lessons … that way I can let you know when I email the current peeps.
Be.Slower. More lockdowns, Mother Nature and what are we doing?
I put up a post that said:
Mother Nature is probably going to keep Slowing Us Down until we understand that we need to Be.Slower.
I imagine Mother Nature has more variants up her sleeve if she needs to make her point!
Personally, much of my creative work is reasonably self-contained, and I was able to utilise (even enjoy?) the snap short lockdown in SA a few weeks ago. After I brought a bit more Organised to my studio, I somehow found the brain space to complete a started-2-years-ago kitty picture! Yey! It has sold and gone to a good home – like a kitten – and you’ll see it here when I’m introducing number 91 of my #100PicturesProject … Or, in a week or so if you’re on my mailing list. :)
Still working on the idea of clearing the decks for ones self and only doing what you can do. “It takes as long as it takes.” Haha. I’m working on it!
Side note: Phones are innocuous-looking little slabs, aren’t they?
Ducking in to say hi [Hi!] and catch up on the records of my #100PicturesProject. In real time, I’m already in the 90s of the project – nearly finished! [In future, I’m gonna take on more ‘wieldy’ projects!]
Picture 63: Green cup and Child’s Daisies
This was inspired by a soft yet rich coloured, just-right-size-for-hands mug – an op shop find. When offering guests a choice of cup for their tea, it often gets chosen! The daisies were a gift from a neighbour… so tiny that their vessel is a nice old china egg-cup! This assemblage prompts a memory of a moment in life… The original is available for sale as of this writing, so if it draws you in, go check it out in person at Artworx Gallery Goolwa!
Pic 64: Hafiz quote: “An awake heart…”
“An awake heart is like a sky that pours light.”
~ Hafiz
Ooh, Hafiz said some joyful human things, didn’t they? This quote does warm my heart… Yours too?
Picture 65: Still Life with Gourd
The gourd really was an amazing sight of orange-red and yellows – next to the pinks of the fabric it became a colour party! Naturally some delightful nasturtiums joined the still life set up too. The original of this vibrant painting sold at my 2020 SALA Exhibition. If you’re interested in a print, let me know :)
Calendar update
Due to South Australia’s recent snap little lockdown (to stem a potential delta variant getting loose), calendar production has been a little delayed. I’m now scheduled to pickup the 2022 Bold Art Calendars later this week! Hoorah! If you’ve already ordered yours, you can pick it up this Saturday at Willunga Artisans Market (SALA event). 9am-1pm at the Willunga Show Hall.
Or, click this to order your 2022 Bold Art Calendar here at my website and I’ll post it to you early next week!
Hope you’ve done ok in lockdown if you’ve been in it again – or are in it again ugh – and hopefully it’s quietly getting towards a tipping point of vaccinated people where you are. [I got my second dose on Monday. Hoorah!]
Since the recent snap lockdown, the lovely and organised gallery directors of South Australia have rallied to get their SALA exhibitions up and ready – as have the artists! I myself delivered fresh paintings for several multi-artist group shows.
The new owners, Belinda and Steve, at Artworx Gallery and Gifts at Goolwa are manifesting John and Liz’s SALA exhibition plans. They’re now showing Gracious (Rose of Sharon) and Still Life with Goblet from me, plus 76 other artists – what a huge show! – in their Art to Artworx SALA exhibition…
Pepper St Arts Centre have Sabrina and Decorated Cat by me – plus 29 other artists – in their SALA exhibition, themed Home is Where the Heart Is. I chose these two radiant-hearted cat pictures because I always appreciate a reminder that our homes are within us, in our hearts.
Willunga Artisans and Handmade Market is having a special SALA event on August 14th, 9am-1pm. We might be in the Festival (basketball) hall next to our usual venue as it will be more spacious for social distancing requirements… keep an eye out for that info closer to the day. I’ll have some of my framed originals there – keep an eye on my socials the week beforehand. If you’re drawn to Past and Future Poppies, Cuss Like Sailors, Wavy Glass and Marimekko or Soul Garden, you can see them in real life, plus others…
Of course we’ll utilise masks and social distancing :)
Fleurieu Arthouse has a mixed group exhibition – 42 artists! – for SALA. From me, a newly framed selection of Fine Art Prints, lots of cards and the originals of Arcs and Iridescence and Wassily Playing…
The venues will have calendars as soon as I can humanly pick them up & drop them over!
All About Health now has Kandinsky’s Dream in their front treatment room.
What about lessons?
Classes will come back once a Feels Right amount of time has passed since this local delta covid flare up – all but the most essential were shut down for 7 days.
That snap ‘mini’ lockdown has also meant 2022 Bold Art Calendar printing is a little delayed… click this text or the picture below to whoosh through and order yours because the quantity margin is pretty tight this year … the earlier you order, the more likely you get the one you want, the one you really really want… Here are the covers:
Mild Evolution
I’m changing things around a bit with my art and business … To be in a front row seat when the good stuff happens, get on my mailing list. This is staying the same: you get free updates every month, sweet sweet art downloads, and first/best dibs on everything I make. Oh, did I mention, 10% off bold art calendars all year…
I did some sketching and came up with a few initial ideas, and then got to this one…
… I got the essence of my graphic-y musings (mew-sings?) here in this my first response to the challenge, Wassily Playing.
So, did Wassily Kandinsky have a cat? It turns out he did. And it’s name was Vaske.
From the article: “Vaske was photographed with Kandinsky in a garden on at least one occasion and the two seemed to share a special bond. The robust orange and white cat was no doubt the inspiration behind Kandinsky’s masterpieces.”
How brilliantly coincidental that Mr Kandinsky’s real cat was reputed to be a “…robust orange and white cat”, cos my second Kandinsky-inspired cat piece, Kandinsky’s Dream, coincidentally features just one such character!
We hope you can get to our FLOW(ER) exhibition before June 26 (open everyday except Sundays) – it’s a chill-of-Winter-challenging experience seeing our heartwarming colours in real life! People who have been are saying our work is great together! :D
Knowing our work would be exhibited together, Julie and I set ourselves three challenges to respond to in our own way, own mediums, with the aim of a coherent display. It worked really well, even better than I could’ve hoped – our work is vibrant and alive together. Have you seen the exhibition… do you agree?
The challenges are: Kandinsky, Kahlo, and a tip the hat to Australian Native Flowers. We allowed ourselves to interpret the challenges however we liked.
This kitty’s playful pose was inspired by the adult-yet-sometimes-kittenish cat at my house and the concentric circles of Kandinsky. [I’m realist enough to know one doesn’t ‘own’ a cat! Like one doesn’t just ‘walk’ into Mordor…]
If you go to the exhibition… check out the entrancing fine background detail up close, and the colours almost glowing under the Very Good Art Lighting at T’Arts Collective :)
Kandinsky’s Dream
Imagining the hand-drawn yet geometric dream vibes of an artist so fascinated by colour combinations and concentric circles…
[I kept the picture width the same here for my blog, so this one looks tinier than the other pics – but in real life it’s actually the same size!]
This one’s on the easel at the exhibition.
Here’s some of Julie’s Kandinsky inspired jewellery:
What if Frida was a moggy on the cover of Vogue? Good lord, would the world be awesome or what? I dearly wanted to have a go at the iconic green backgrounded photographic portrait, later used as a VOGUE cover of Frida. Here, a black and white kitty sits in her stead, rocking the red and yellow flowered Mexican shirt and lariat neckpiece.
While I painted I kind of wished Frida had been alive when her picture was used for the Vogue cover.
I’m so grateful she took lots of photos and created dozens of painted self portraits. So grateful she left so many clues and stories for us to know about her – thankful there was no decluttering zeitgeist at that time!
Decorated Cat
Inspired by Frida’s beloved Mexican embroideries … Frida loved the native handwork of her home country, and often wore skirts, blouses and jewellery made by local artisans.
I experimented with bright stitch-like patterns, decorating a calm blue kitty in her garden under the moon…
Here is some of Julie’s Frida inspired jewellery:
How I love the Many Bird earrings Julie has made… Both Julie and I danced with the bird motifs in Mexican art/jewellery.
There’s much much more at the exhibition … Go see – it’s so vibrant and alive, and might even help ward off Winter blues…
Challenge 3: Tipping our hat to Native Flowers
Native Flowers : Our way. While I adore-adore-adore native plants and animals and believe we need to protect-protect-protect them, they are rarely the motifs I play with in my art.
I have ‘my’ dear kitty (the playful one) indoors mostly, and when they’re outdoors have a lovely area that’s netted. Kitty is safe. Birds are safe. [Errant mice taking a shortcut through are not safe!]
Still Life with Gum
This still life is the only nonKitty pic of mine in the exhibition!
The almost airy fabric background hints at the movement of autumn winds, and the rainbows and and storms which blew in a corella and a magpie’s feather.
Gloria’s Patterns
Say the title aloud … it sounds like Glorious Patterns, right?
My native flower jumping off point was the red background shapes… some amazing red gum flower pod lids (the part which pops off and reveals the yellow flower). The pods seemed sculptural, colourful, intriguing on their own, and I wanted to create a pattern just for them – that’s the background.
Meanwhile dear kitty has a heart on her sleeve chest and is surrounded with rich joyous patterns, a cosy Autumn patchwork.
I’m writing this blog post at the start of week 2 of our exhibition, and the print of this picture has already proved popular.
Here is some of Julie’s Native Flowers : Our Way jewellery:
Julie Frahm and I have been conspiring, planning & creating for months to make our window exhibition happen. On Sunday we set up the display … Here we are! We did it!
The wall of colourful goodness is open now at T’Arts Collective for your perusal and delight.
Can you believe: Our names are on the window! [Haha, we hadn’t yet put away the ladder when I took this photo!]
That’s the display, through the glass (lightly). Wait ’til you see it, there’s just happiness-inducing levels of light in this venue – a great ambiance for our enthusiastic colours.
Did you know that I create custom cat portraits? I’m booked out for this year, but if they sound intriguing to you, read more here, and message me to get on the wait list for 2022.
I mention this because I’m slowly wending my way through a long-term 100 Pictures Project and this custom cat portrait is number 62. (IRL I’m up to picture 90 cos I’ve been working hard, but blogging reportage has yet to catch up…)
Here’s Adam.
I’ve been wanting to create pictures of more ‘breed’ cats, but it takes a while when I’m naturally accompanied by a delightful moggie.
Adam’s human asked me at a Cat show “… what about a Devon Rex?” And here is her elfy beauty, Adam, surrounded by Devon and UK wildflowers and patterns thereof …
What else is going on?
Bookings are now open for my June Art Lessons! I released them first to my mailing list (get on that BTW) and spots have started to be taken up already.
A recent student said:
“Definitely these are great classes for ovecoming fear of drawing and painting” due to the “… relaxed approach. No demand or expectation of perfection”. I’m SO glad they got that out of the sessions.
Another said she’d recommend the classes, they are “suitable for complete beginners as well as someone with a bit of experience.” Click this to read more and book!
Exhibition approaching: My first second exhibition of 2021 is in June. I’m so excited to be working with a brilliant local jeweller – we’re readying our artwork for a light-filled Adelaide venue. Get on my mailing list to hear the details first, in my May newsletter! If you can’t make it to Adelaide in June, there will be some components available by mail order :)
I now have created enough new pictures (12) for a the next round of calendars! The cals will be for the year 2022 – yikes! Way. Too. Early. To. Speak. Of. It’s only May, but good news all the same, right? Also true: it’s already May.
I’m enjoying re-reading Glennon Doyle (Untamed if you’re playing along at home) and Martha Beck. I like to read Finding Your Way in a Wild New World once a year if humanly possible. I’m a late comer to discover Women Who Run with the Wolves (Clarissa Pinkola Estes) and getting a lot out of the archetypal stories.
I still watch TV, and also have just let Netflix go for a while, in a flurry of tight-arse-Tuesday-ing. On Free-to-Air, I’ve been enjoying Dr Who – I have a lot of fave episodes it turns out, mostly relating to art and forests. What’s going on with the time slot though, ABCPlus? It’s been 8pm weeknights for a couple months and this past week it quickly moved later and later until it started at my (important-to-me) bedtime. So sad I missed it. I’ve just done an internet search, and it looks like it might be a bit earlier again so I can again keep up with regenerations, aliens, villains and companions!
What is it with life and feelings? It seems like feelings are our navigation and our anchor, our balance and our trueness indicator. Surprisingly, with life generally playing out, a funeral and misunderstandings it’s been a cathartic, exhausting, and centring few weeks! Laughing and crying brings me back to feeling human and vulnerable and not in control at.all. Did you know this is how we move through our human life? Was there a memo? I feel like I did not receive it.
What’s happening with you? What’s your lockdown status? What have you learned about yourself? What are you reading/watching/enjoying? Are you a Whovian? Are you doing ok?
Something has been upended, and it can’t be put back the right way. My sense is we haven’t acknowledged the underlying thing, yet now want to ” … get back on with it ” before we fix – or even name – the broken thing.
Not sure where I can plug in my experience, or what to write … so, I’m gonna start writing as true as I can & feel the uncertainty. Let’s see what emerges …
The global costs of the pandemic have included loss of life, revealing of systemic weaknesses, and a variety of leadership effectiveness. I-wish-it-was-but-it-just-isn’t only about Ben Lee’s dear, true song, We’re All in this Together (here’s a gorgeous version). Yes we are. And: not equally. The exisiting social unfairnesses have been highlighted: racism, sexism, poverty, and more …
Supermarkets – their convenience camouflages where
food actually comes from.
[Spoiler: Food actually comes from the earth.]
Also true
We aren’t going to resolve anything by hiding our goodness, imagination or creativity! We need joy and rest (they are the revolution!) in order to live well, have something worth living for. This world wide wave has highlighted the soul sustenance we gain from People Who Make Things. And, we need walks and knitting, conversations, kitchen dances and Creating Beautiful Meals that will Never Get Put Online!
The Collective Heart Project I started (too?) early in COVID times feels like it kind of went out of date or didn’t go deep enough, before we could even finish it. Thank you if you contributed, your photos are filed and safe, and I still hope to complete that little film at some stage.
I offer here thoughts, mini listicles and some books and podcasts that have kept me company and my heart uplifted …
Listening for your heart and soul – mini listicle of podcasts
It seems worthwhile to highlight some unexpected positives (silver linings, if you will) that have accompanied the obvious huge and crisis-y upheavals. Here’s a wonderful episode of The Guilty Feminist podcast where they talk about silver linings and helping refugees (in the UK but we can do it in Australia too). Deborah the host even talks to former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (speaking of – which we weren’t – people who have left politics and are doing no end of wonderful things).
If you’d like to hear Amanda Palmer and Claire Bowditch have a chat about life, making music and attending to one’s mental health as everyday activities, listen to this one. And this episode when Amanda Palmer talks with KT Tunstall, normalising women talking about creativity and life is also a heart balm.
Governments? Haven’t they shown what they really think? Yikes! The Australia Institute podcast wrapped up the year. If I could ask the leaders to listen to one, this would be it. Listen to the podcast… it will be clearer than me writing patchy, second hand recollections. The Australia Institute shows that there are indeed some sensible adults in the room.
Connecting
The lockdown revelation for this introvert was that introverted life can get too isolating! Who knew? At some point – quite suddenly – I needed to prioritise connection with others, for the sake of being fully human! That has looked like: deliberately nurtured local/in-person friendships and online sisterhoods …
It was explained to me (cos I can barely imagine) that in lockdown strongly extroverted people have palpable social needs not being met. Sorry to hear this, extroverts, it must(‘ve) be(en) so painful :/ Hang in there <3
Is the intro/extro-vert thing more a spectrum than an either/or switch? I reckon it might be situation dependant, too… What do you think?
Introverts, and extroverts, and all along the spectrum (if it is one) … we’re all human: all different, all beautiful.
Art Lessons for the first complete year! Now what?
Towards the end of 2019, I trialled just 12 Drawing and Painting lessons for adults, which were enjoyed by me and the attendees. See what some of them said here.
For 2020, I scheduled 5 blocks of 5 lessons … We made our way through the Autumn sessions via Zoom, which didn’t work quite as well for us … We accepted that was our option at the time, and it was way better than not doing art together at all!
This year, 2021, we’ll do another 5 blocks of 5 lessons on Thursdays, in fact we’ve already completed the first block. We’re trialling a few in-betweeny, stand alone lessons on public holidays :) If either of those sound good to you, now is a perfect time to book in for April lessons … some spots have opened up, ‘cos a few of our number are heading back to Uni for the year, or attending to family commitments.
Book Listicle, what I’m loving
Our bodies are the first bastion of equality and fairness.. we have to do our own inner work as part of our activism work. Get hold of Your Body is not an Apology if you possibly can. I’ve mentioned it before… the author Sonya Renee Taylor is some kind of genius. It’s a dense book with much to teach…
Margaret Salomon, a qualified clinical psychologist also says we need to do our own work, face our own climate fears and the reality that we could’ve already doomed ourselves, if we want the courage to do the activist work… Here’s Margaret talking with Sarah Wilson.
Playing Big Tara Mohr. This book has the most definitive chapter I’ve ever read about imposter syndrome and what to do with it. The following chapter is about accessing your inner mentor. It’s gold.
Regarding physical health, Emily and Amelia Nagoski address why and how to complete your Stress Response Cycle in their book Burnout. That’s been A Key Thing to know this past 6 months or so. Daily walking for the win! I know I’ve mentioned this book before … it’s important information for humaning, and clearly written.
Thank you so much for reading bold soul! I dearly appreciate your attention and support – and [I know you can’t help it >>] your blatant wondrousness!
Wishing you peace & love,
Meg x o
PS While I will be at Willunga Artisans and Handmade Market on March 13, I’m not doing markets every month at the moment. If you need cards in between market days … click this to go to my greeting cards page… Meanwhile here are 6 of my designs. There are 150+ by now.
PS2 Keep in the loop with my eNewsletter, if you want first looks and first dibs when new paintings are finished, join my email list!
PS3 There are a few 2021 Bold Art Calendars left – now $31…