Wedding Ducks and Roses

Wedding Ducks & Roses by Artist Bee
Copyright 2012 www.artistbee.com

I started this painting of roses as a demo for my watercolour class. When someone commented that it reminded her of a bridal bouquet, I decided to put my pair of Korean wedding ducks at the bottom to complete the picture. These ducks were purchased from a very nice Korean lady artist in Malacca some years ago at the batik studio which she and her Malaysian husband ran. Hers was the tale of ultimate romance. When she and her husband first met, it was love at first sight though neither of them could speak the other's language. Somehow they managed and were happily married with a bouncing one year old boy when I first met them in the early nineties.

Finished Sunflower Painting

Sunflowers & White Hibiscus
Copyright 2012 www.artistbee.com

Finally finished the painting this morning! 

Sunflowers Class Demo

Next to roses, my favourite flower subject has to be sunflowers, in the tradition of so many artists who have gone before me. I brought a bunch of these to class together with some white hibiscus from my garden for my students. As if they had anticipated this, two of the ladies had wanted to paint sunflowers this week too!

I did a brief demo on my approach to painting these glorious blooms, though the painting is still unfinished as of now.

A Frog for my Cistern

This week I got my little frog bisque fired and ready for glazing. As I was in a hurry, I did not finish applying the glaze so will have to wait another week before sending it for a second firing in the kiln. I did this little frog for my blue Vietnamese cistern which used to have a metal frog spouting water from his mouth, but sadly has rusted with age and fallen into bits, thus needing a replacement.

I am excited at the prospect of getting a new frog for my cistern. Meanwhile, my abstract piece has been put on hold.

These pictures show my frog basking in the sun while waiting for the glaze to dry. Although he appears white, he is actually coloured a light yellow-green with red fingers and toes, and he sits on a dark green leaf. Once fired, the colours would hopefully emerge!

Painting Roses

I took a bunch of roses to class today as inspiration for still life and as a post-Valentine's day treat. I have loved roses above all other flowers as far as I can remember, ever since I saw my first rose as a child. I remember being spanked once by my sister because I had plucked a red rose from our garden. It left a deep impression on me, for I had never been spanked before, not even by my mother, as I was usually a very compliant child. My sis, who was an avid gardener, had specifically forbidden me to take any flower from her rose bush. However I was so smitten by the rose that somehow I could not resist taking it, such was its attraction to me.

 

As an artist one has to understand one's subject in order to paint it well. A thorough understanding of the structure and form as well as love for the subject will show through the painting. As someone has aptly put it, "It's not what you paint but how you paint it" that truly matters. I hope my understanding and love of this beautiful flower will shine through my paintings.

Sculpting Again

My sculpture classes have started again, and so far I have had 3 sessions. I look forward to each Friday class, and I particularly enjoy the drive up to Freo by the coastal road on bright summer mornings. I have completed a frog sculpture which will adorn my water jug on the patio, and am now starting an abstract piece. My curious teacher and classmates would pop by every now and then to ask what I am making, and walk away bemused by my answer " I don't know yet, but it's growing".

I do know the direction I want to go... it will capture the essence of body contours as well as a tree... if that makes any sense? I am thinking sensual lines... intertwining limbs or hands....

It is exciting when a work is developing and one just gives free rein to intuition and feeling. I too, wonder where it is going to lead me in the end.

An Old Holiday Sketch

This is a sketch I did while waiting at the foothills of Wu Yi Mountains in Fujian, China last year. It was a very emotional family trip when I together with my two daughters and three sisters and one brother in law went to the birthplace of my father. These famed mountains produce some of the best teas in the country. I was not fit enough to climb, so sat at a tea kiosk with my two sisters while the others attempted the ascent. This is a treasured souvenir of that memorable trip.

Fishermen at Cottlesloe

This evening I was down at Cottlesloe beach watching a bunch of men fishing. The sun had just set and the colours of the sky and sea glowed against the silhouettes of the men and their lines. I could hardly see what I was doing but I just had to do this quick sketch as the light was fading fast. It was a magical moment. I told myself I really must do this again, and often!

Back to Life in Perth

I have been back in Perth for more than a week now, though I am still recovering from my two months away from home. At least the weather is getting more amiable, and I am venturing outdoors more. A while ago, I discovered this group called the Urban Sketchers online. Actually they are more than just one group. It is a worldwide movement, and I am pleased to have located a group here in Australia (Urban Sketchers Australia). Looking through their members list, I found that most of them are in Sydney. Regardless, I think that this concept of sketching is wonderful, and just the sort of impetus required to spur artists on. I really miss the times when I was part of a plein air painting group. Perhaps I really should get a group going again this year instead of just reminiscing about it.

I did get into a bit of sketching recently, when I did these two sketches one afternoon while sipping tea on the grounds of the Fremantle Arts Centre.