My Own Artistic Attempts

I never intended posting my own artworks on this blog, but my students became quite interested in the art I was creating last year.  We had numerous discussions about the fact that great art, just like great writing, requires a huge amount of effort, care, attention to detail, constant reflection and improvement, and persistence.  We also regularly discussed the fact that everyone makes mistakes or has off-days, even experts (& teachers!).  I'm hoping the photos and comments below help my future students to see this all in action!





This is probably my favourite artwork I've done. I love the colours
in it and the peacefulness. I created it with watercolour pencil & white
acrylic paint. It's currently hanging in my bathroom. I also made another
copy of this painting for my mother-in-law with 4 children in it rather
than the 2 of the original, to represent her 4 'kids'.

About my Art
Art was my favourite subject the whole way through high school- it was a great creative release!  I especially loved to draw with oil pastel and charcoal and used these mediums in my Year 12 major artwork for my HSC.  Unfortunately, without regular timetabled art sessions and the guidance of an art teacher to motivate me, I haven't done a huge amount of art since high school (other than teaching it at school, of course!).  Consequently, my skills have slipped!  However, a few years ago, a friend and I joined a 10-week watercolour painting class at our local community college.  We loved it so much we even went back for a second round at the start of the following school term!  It really inspired me to get back into art, though of course, with full-time work, house renovations and postgrad. study, finding time for art hasn't been easy!  Below are some of my attempts over the past 10 years or so.  I'd love to get back into classes at some point and really build up my technical know-how... at the moment my artworks are complete creative experimentations and often turn out as a bit of a mess!  But it's a dream for the future...


Year 12 Drawings and Major Artwork






 



Artworks Since High School




This is an acrylic painting I did for my mother for Christmas
while I was up in Tamworth on my first teaching prac for uni in 2003



My first ever watercolour painting after a few classes at the
local community college



My second watercolour painting which I ended up giving to my mum
for Christmas in 2010. This is probably my most technically-correct
artwork as I did most of it during art sessions at the community college-
tends to make you take a bit more care when an art teacher is
watching over your shoulder!!



I was never really very happy with this one- it started well with the mountains
but I could never get the house and wheat field right... maybe another day...



I have this waterolour hanging in the entrance of my home. 
I was very pleased with this one (except for the pears! I could
never get them quite right!)



This is another watercolour painting I created.  I have always
liked this one, although I still look at the yellow jug and wonder
how I can get it to look more 3 dimensional!



A watercolour painting I did at home of the Amalfi Coast in Italy-
I had wanted to paint it ever since my husband and I went there back in 2007.
 It still needs a bit of work- I'm not happy with some of the house
windows and would like to give the sea a bit more depth



In high school I did some great charcoal drawings of cathedrals
after a visit to England with my family.  Trying to see if I still had
the skill level to do it, I attempted this a year ago... it started well
but I really struggled with the right side of the cathedral...
obviously I need more practice!



A day of painting in 2011

Watercolour pencil artwork (2011)

This is my current project... lots still to do!
It's made from water mixable oil paints. It's a medium I'm
quite unfamiliar with but I was craving working on a painting
with lots of texture after all my gentle watercolours.
Unfortunately my lack of any technical skill (& no proper
oil brushes!) has made it a bit of a mess, but I'll keep
plugging away at it!

Moonlit garden, 2016 (Watercolour)

Seaside Cottage, 2020 (Artline pen and watercolour)

Covid bushwalks, 2020 (acrylic paint)

Outback - 2020 (artline pen and watercolour)