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.

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.

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.

Thought I would share with you a commission I am working on at the moment. The owner who is interstate has sent me some great photos to go by, plenty of angle with good light. This is the first time I have posted a 'work in progress' on my blog, quite a different experience, thought I would push the boundaries a little for a change. Will post next stage tomorrow etc until complete. I love getting the ground work done and then comes the building process until it comes to life. Her name is Layla, the size is 700cm x 480cm. Thanks for checking her out.

Together 4 Ever

This is the pastel painting that I use as my logo on my business cards with the caption above their heads 'the eyes are the window to the soul'. I could almost feel the hair on their coats as the painting was coming to completion, they came to life! Lot's of long hours into the night and seeing the sun come up went into this one. I love these guys! You know when some paintings get you in the zone (that's what I call it) and you find it so hard to move away from it, the painting takes over, I just love that feeling....anyone else out there knows what I mean or am I a bit weird...love to hear your thoughts. Available in Ltd Edition Canvas Print, A3 Linen/Ripple Block Mounted prints and Greeting Cards.

Dingo

This is one of my commissioned work. The customer loves Dingo's and took a photo of one at a zoo and asked me to paint him. He didn't want any background, just the statement of the Dingo. I did him on Earth Red background to represent the Australian outback. Loved doing his tongue, that's when he came alive to me, you could almost hear him panting. Hope you like him too?

I'm watching

This was an absolute delight to paint, it seemed to come about real fast. I got totally lost in him. Sometimes when I paint, depending on the animal I either leave the eyes until last because of the distraction they cause me or I paint them early on.  With this wonderful animal I put the eyes in quiet early on and it was as if he came alive even before he was completed. His eyes are indeed the 'Window to the Soul'. SOLD

A Mother's Love

This is a one of my commissions. The owner phoned me when the foal was born and I went round the next day, the foal not even 24 hours old to meet her, sit in wonderment of the miracle of birth and take photos for my painting.  What an honour!

 I love the way  it feels like the mare is cuddling her foal and the foal is hiding behind her mum for protection.  The mare's name is Stevie and the foal is Kunarma. To me it just speaks volumes of a mothers love  for her baby regardless be it human or animal. SOLD