Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Washpool National Park


When it is hot, humid and horrible down here in the valley 
I love to pack a picnic and load the boys into the car
 and head up to the very beautiful 
and very refreshing Washpool National Park 


It is so lovely yo escape up into the mountains to this slice of wilderness
and stillness


With lots of different walks and crystal clear running water 


and cool pools to ponder


 There is a huge variety of plants and habitats 
Loads of birds, make sure you visit lyrebird picnic area
 to meet the cheeky local bower birds and lyrebirds


Or just take a seat and breath in that beautiful fresh air
and be surrounded by majesty. 



Monday, January 12, 2015

Finding My Mojo


                                                       
Sometimes life gets crazy
 and days and days pass 
and I have not done anything artistic for ages,
 in these times I especially appreciate the arrival of a travelling art journal,
 because it puts me back in touch with my art supplies
 and comes with a theme and I can do anything I want
-it is a great way to pick up the brush and start playing.


I hadn't painted a canvas for a long time but it was coming up to gifting season and I also had an exhibition looming so I posted a challenge for colour blocking on our Australian Art Swap Group on Facebook and I shared this video.


and this one too


and I jumped right in with this underlayer.


Next came the colour blocking part I really wanted to try.





This how it turned out in the end 
and it also turned out to want
to go and live with a very special girl who loves it :)


Thankfully for me 
because I seem to have lost confidence in my hiatus
 so that will be what I am looking for next.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Capturing Beauty


It has been so long since I downloaded all the photos off my phone 


This was a stunning ferocious storm
and so very beautiful even though it looked like the end of the world approaching.


The wildflowers up at Ebor have been stunning, and I passed through them 4 times this year,


This gorgeous little fellow is made by my incredibly talented friend Monica Schmidt
Stories of Pearls and Plunder 


This is an adorable needle felted camel I met at the Gulgong Folk Festival
he is made from real camel fur
I dont know the talented artist who made him but I think h\she comes from Nimbin.


And this beautiful painting came all the way from England for me from my lovely friend Maisy.
Jeanette House - One Little House 

I just wanted to share some of the beauty from my life recently





Thursday, January 8, 2015

Print Making in Wooli tomorrow


Free Printmaking Workshop at Wooli

3- 5 pm Friday 9th Jan.

In the Art Box at the skate park


Its a beautiful place to be on a hot summer afternoon.


Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Wooli Summer Exhibition


Some of my works on exhibition at the Wooli Gallery this summer,


Wooli as a great little town to visit, 
with the beautiful Wooli River on one side
 and the stunning Pacific Ocean on the other
 and surrounded by national park.



So if you are on the north coast NSW pop in and say hello to Helen.


Pick some lovely little something out


And take home your very own piece of
River Girl Art


I will also be out in Wooli over the summer along with a whole host of other talented artists offering free workshops in the ART box

ART BOX WOOLI

28/12/2014 - Aim to Please - Laser Skirmish
02/01/2015 - Shari Reiman - Kids Yoga & Art
03/01/2015 - Pamela Denise - Art Cards
04/01/2015 - Abbey Mitchell - T-Shirt printing
08/01/2015 - Pamela Denise - Illustration and Design
09/01/2015 - Louise Kirby - Funky Felt Designs
10/01/2015 - Jake Dominey - Drum Workshops
11/01/2015 - Abbey Mitchell - T-Shirt printing
16/01/2015 - Pamela Denise - Illustration and Design
17/01/2015 - Jake Dominey - Drum Workshops
18/01/2015 - Pamela Denise - Illustration and Design
23/01/2015 - Aim to Please - Laser Skirmish



Monday, January 5, 2015

Momento Mori - travelling Art Journal


Happy New Year and Solstice Blessings to you all.
With the long hot summer holidays here we have been doing a bit of travelling
 so I have found it hard to get to the waiting art journals I have.


Both of the journals I have waiting for me for the Australian Art Journal Swap
at the moment are altered books and
I chose to work in Mary's amazing "Momento Mori" first.


 Mary has created the most incredible sculptured cover, the detail and colour are amazing for something I was initially thinking quite macabre.


Mary is one of the artists from The Art Shed in Townsville Queensland and her journal shows her sense of fun and colour from the start.


 I really appreciate the challenge of this journal,
I love things that make me think and reconsider and feel.
Come with me for a wander through this gorgeous journal.


This is a lovely page Deb Parkes ,
I find this page so beautiful and moving.


One of the really lovely things about doing a journal swap like this, is getting to know your fellow artists and their work. These pages are by Sharon Williams from WA and I have fallen in love with her beautiful style and use of colours.


I also love Sharons use of printmaking.


Over to Victora and these pages are from our gorgeous Nicole Dixon and her quirky style has won all of our hearts I am sure.


Nicoles pages are always fun and make me smile.


Still in Victoria, Jan Mullane did these hauntingly beautiful pages.
I love Jans use of the skull in these pages, so subtle and ethereal.


Jan also shared some personal experience of a loved one in ICU and the significance of the 1000 cranes- the book we are altering is about the cranes as well. 


Now we head up to NSW for Roz Willoughby's  beautiful pages
her colourful skull looks rather friendly I think.


And I really like this page by Roz, 
all the pages in this journal are beautiful, 
I feel so lucky to receive an art exhibition in my mail box once a month.


Into NSW Janene McAnally did this delicate and beautiful page,
Janene's grungy style is also distinctive and she loves to play with texture and detail.


This is my page and after lots of thinking
 about just how mortal we are and how little time we get
 this is what I came up with.


My flying clock because "Tempus Fugit"opens up to reveal an hour glass and a quote


 We really do need to make the most of this wild and precious life.


And I close with Mary's back cover that is all about infinity and rebirth.

We have a new group on Facebook
 if you want to join in with art swapping within Australia
 in an effort to save on postage - 
we would love to see you at Australian Art Swap Group 
and we also have another blog for this journal swap
 and I have shared some of my process in making my Momento Mori page today.