Spring has sprung

In spite of the fact that Autumn has just arrived here in Oz, the sun is blazing and it seems very summery to me. That's probably why I've had flowers on my mind. And the fact that I've had lots of requests for paintings of them. Of course, I aim to please, so here's a look at my latest offering:

'Bouquet in Flow Blue'

watercolour on paper, 8" x 8"

prints available now in my Etsy shop

Oh, and I've just listed the first prints of this abstract too. I've listed two sizes so far (A4 and A3 sizes or approx 8" x 11", and 11" x 16") and I'll be adding large-format prints on canvas very soon as well. If you need any more information, feel free to drop me a line.

'Sway'

watercolour on paper

visit my Etsy shop for details, or email me for more info on custom sizes

Happy Spring to those of you in the northern hemisphere - I'm sure you're all looking forward to some sunshine!

Have a wonderful day everyone,

The next instalment

Just popping in for a quick hello this morning to share the latest painting in my new 'Interior Portraits' series - 'Abstract Ikat'. If the mood strikes you can check it out over in my Etsy shop.

'Abstract Ikat'

watercolour and gouache on paper

210mm x 297 mm 

Although it was a little time-consuming, painting the ikat pattern was very therapeutic - my version of meditation. I'm having a ball with this series, and have lots more to come. Think cabinets, chairs, mirrors, consoles....they're all due to make an appearance very soon.

If you have a favourite room, real or imagined, that you'd like immortalised, I'm now offering custom commissions. Feel free to drop me a line for all the deets.

Righto, no rest for the wicked. Obviously that means I have a busy weekend ahead :) Hope you all have a great one, and I'll catch you next week.

Back in Blogland again

I must apologize for my absence over the past week or so. Personally, I've found it really hard to post about pretty houses when so many Queenslanders have tragically lost theirs. My heart just hasn't been in it, so instead I've tried to focus on ways to help. Last weekend, my sister, daughter and I spent some time out at Old Dog Farm, an animal refuge that specializes in re-homing dogs, particularly those in their twilight years. The farm is on the northern outskirts of Brisbane, and to see the devastation was truly heartbreaking. Fortunately, most of the dogs were still safely in foster care over the Christmas break, but the rebuilding process will take some time, and quite a bit of money. Best Friends Animal Rescue do an amazing job helping animals in need, so if you'd like to learn more about the fantastic work they do, head on over here.

As I mentioned in my last post, the profits from my Etsy shop for the remainder of January will be donated to charity. So many people will be needing help in the coming months, but my aim is to also help the animals who have suffered so terribly. So, here's my latest painting, which will has just been added to my shop:

Sea Coral III in Denim

Oh, and some very exciting news - my fabulous new printer arrived yesterday! I'll now be able to produce my fine art, archival-quality prints in-house, which makes life much easier. New works will be added to my Etsy shop over the next week, so please check it out - it's for a very good cause. And for those of you who have already purchased artwork - thank you so much. Your generosity will make the world of difference.

Ok, that's it from me today. Thanks for bearing with me over the past couple of weeks, and for your wonderful emails and words of support. I know I've said it before, but this community we have here is truly special. Before I go, I can't help but mention some really exciting things that I'll be sharing with you very soon. You know how it is - I just can't resist a good teaser!

I now have a MadeIt shop!

As well as my new Etsy store, I've also just opened a brand-new MadeIt shop.

MadeIt is an online buying and selling destination showcasing Australian artists, craftspeople and designers, and I love the idea of appealing to both international and Australian shoppers alike with a combination of storefronts and websites. Over the coming weeks, I'll be adding more items to both sites, and I'll also be featuring some works exclusively, so keep an eye on my Facebook page for all the updates. And if that's not enough, paintings won't be the only things on offer (yep, another teaser!), there will be insider sales and special offers as well, so stay tuned!

To kick off the new store, I've listed these prints:

 'Dynasty in Ming'

'Ming in Indigo'

'Chinoiserie in Green'

So pop on over, I'd love to see you there!

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a little reminder of a project I've been working on - remember this?

I'll reveal all next week - catch you then!

In the picture

I was having a little look through Wisteria's latest catalogue last night, and as always there were so many gorgeous things to see. Btw, if any of the good people of Wisteria are reading this post (which I'm sure they are!) I'd like to suggest that Australia would be the perfect place for your new store :) Anyhoo, amongst the many lovely things to see, I came across this:

Some lovely blue and white paintings that look rather similar to these, that just happen to be available in my Etsy shop:

'Dynasty in Ming'

'Ginger Jar in Indigo'

Now you've indulged my little bit of shameless self-promotion ;) there is another reason for my post. I'm looking for some lovely, unique frames to pair with my new paintings. I quite like the idea of some sort of chinoiserie frame, but they seem to be few and far between. Any thoughts or suggestions? If you know of any that might suit, I'd love to hear from you. 

Ok, back to some more pretty pics courtesy of Wisteria:

Seriously Wisteria, we need you here. Stat.