Watching

Another one in my series of Australiana wildlife. I feed 6 kookaburras every day. The families live in the gums around my home. I love their call. Hope you like.
Original for sale: also available in A3 Linen ripple prints.

Here's looking at you

Have started on a series of Australiana wildlife paintings. I just fell in love with this little guy, such a wonderful face. Just finished a Kookaburra (will post soon) and now started on a Eastern Grey Kangaroo. It is a nice change doing Australian wildlife, I think my time in the Australian Outback motivated me. Hope you like him...Original for sale and Ltd Edition prints also available in Canvas and Linen Ripple.

Elephant Walk

A dear friend of mine took this photo on a visit to the Western Plains Wildlife Park at Dubbo, NSW, Australia. I have really enjoyed painting him and will give him the finishing touches over the next few days. Pastel Original available FOR SALE 24cm x 35cm.

I also have Limited Edition Linen/Ripple, Canvas Prints and Greeting Cards of most of my Original works for sale.

Horse mirage1

First stage of another painting from the outback. We travelled for 350k's without seeing another car and during that time we came across a herd of horses that were walking towards a mirage. It reminded me of the Native American painting of the Vanishing Breed, these horses out in the middle of nowhere, no feed on the ground, terrain like a Marscape, the harshness and yet the beauty, heading into the haze...vanishing. This part of the trip really touched my heart. Lots of work to go on this painting, have not put the horses in yet. Will post next stage with the original photo.

Moonlight over Menindee

I love dead trees in water scapes. I had just finished taking heaps of photos of a sunset to the west turned to the east and there it was, the full moon rising over the lake...so soft, it took my breath away, the calming beauty of it is unforgettable. Have attached the original photo, aren't the colours just glorious?

Nearly finished this commission, just a bit of tidying up around the edges, and the final once over. I love seeing horses do this, a look of total enjoyment comes over the eyes, unspoken communicaton. Hope you like seeing the stages of development.

Just got back from what started out as a 3 week holiday and turned into a 4 week holiday. A friend and I went on a four wheel drive/camping/swagging (sometimes the luxury of a hotel room) trip to the Outback. We travelled approx 4,300 k's, what a fantastic time we had, the landscape, the stars at night, the people, the animals...absolutely wonderful for the soul. The photo above is of the Dingo Fence that runs on the border of Queensland/NSW, South Australia/NSW, you have to drive through a large gate to go into state, this was at a place called Cameron Corner, the dirt is the most beautiful rich earth red and as fine a icing sugar. I loved the Outback. A big Thankyou to the Davies family who allowed us to camp for a couple of days on their station on the banks of the beautiful Darling River near Wilcannia, country hospitality you cannot beat it! Have been painting madly since I returned home, is taking a while to get my head space back here, but it's coming. Will post what I have done soon.

Scamp Day 1

This is the start of my next commission following Layla. Her name is Scamp, has the most soulful eyes, had to do her eyes real early on, have a long way to go, her colouring will constantly change as I keep working on her. Will post updates, hope you enjoy?

Layla finished

Here is the finished Layla, overall the painting is lighter than in the photo, especially her head and background. The dual green background looks great in real life, the colour really compliments her colouring. Will post in a few weeks the framed result. I get the framers to put a bronze name plate in the matting when framing. It really personalises the painting. Layla was an absolute delight to paint. I find I really connect with the animal when painting them as they slowly come to life, you really get to know them on a deeper level, just love it!!

Layla Day 3

Here is yesterday's work on Layla. Have spent all day today working on her , will take a photo in the morning with better light so that I can post. Made a few corrections today on her eyes, shape, highlight colour, etc. She is now finished, she feels alive to me now. Don't you find it amazing how by just adding a different colour sometimes the whole perspective changes...in this photo Layla looks a little saggy around the chest and front legs but I know with more depth and light she will get dimension. Don't plan to do too much with the background, will just add waves of lighter green to make her pop. Thanks for looking, comments greatly appreciated.