Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Betty's Xmas



"Betty's Xmas", 2008
Oil on linen on board, 18 x 12.5cm (7 x 5 inches)
SOLD

Season's Greetings to all my readers, thankyou for all your support, comments and purchases this year. I wish you all a very safe and happy festive season and all the best for 2009. My Xmas gift to you is this specially priced work. Hope you like her.
#35

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Frog Cakes


"Frog Cakes", 2008
Oil on linen on board, 10.2 x 25.4cm (4 x 10 inches)
SOLD

Which one, which one! I've heard so many wonderful stories about these Adelaide Balfours iconic frog cakes. My favourite is of a lady who was in her eighties at the time and was telling me how her mother took her into town once a month on a Saturday and her special treat was a green frog cake, somewhere around the 1920's era. As the sweet ol gal was telling me, her eyes became young and I could see she was suddenly five years old again, it brought a tear to my eye actually. My grandmother also spoilt me, with a trip to the bayside cake shop when I was a little girl, where she would buy me a green frog cake, they always had to be green for me and they always seemed so special. Its a pity that simple pleasures are not appreciated as much today.

#34

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Retro Astro Boy


"Retro Astro Boy", 2008,
Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD


#33

Monday, October 6, 2008

Stanley


"Stanley", 2008,
SOLD

One of my favourite plays is, Tennessee Williams, "A Streetcar named desire" and one day when I was out hunting for images, I found this man leaning out of the Central Hotel in Port Adelaide. I'm sure his name is Stanley Kowalski and would at any minute scream out...S T E L L A! It all seemed pure poetry to me, a man enjoying a cigarette at the end of a hard days' work, with the warm winter sun on his body. Even the curtain has the tree of life pattern motif on it, and as it happened, I had the same pattern but in wallpaper on the walls of my bedroom as a teenage girl.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

What lies beyond


"What lies beyond", 2008,
Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
#31

Friday, August 29, 2008

Night Shift



"Night Shift", 2008,
Oil on stretched canvas, 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inches)
SOLD

Sometimes, its the humble cup of tea that can provide comfort and when it is served in such a beautiful container it satisfies more than one of the senses.

#30

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Squeak Doll


"Squeak Doll", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD

An early American Squeak Doll made by the Sun Rubber Co and designed by Ruth E. Newton. I have found conflicting information about the dates these dolls were manufactured, some say 1960's others much earlier. I think its a very interesting object with a great character.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Deco House


"Deco House", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD

This is a Art Deco house with a view, its on the esplanade at Port Lincoln, very close to where I saw the Ford Star Customline. A restored Deco House that has incorporated a mixture of architectural styles, which is a bit of a shame, however, the basic integrity of the design remains. The view out from the house, is of Boston Bay and the Pine Trees that line the shoreline, which can be seen reflected in the plastic that is stretched across the veranda. A nice place to sit, dream and enjoy the sunshine.
#28

Friday, June 27, 2008

Roadtrip in a Pink '58 Ford Star Customline


"Roadtrip in a Pink '58 Ford Star Customline", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD

I came across this beautiful pink 1958 Ford Star Customline at Port Lincoln some 8 hours drive from Adelaide, I managed to speak to the driver to discover that he and his wife along with another couple in their FJ Holden had driven all the way from Sydney (which is about 24 hours drive from Lincoln at the speed limit, going the most direct route). I was so impressed on so many levels, firstly, how much better cars were designed 50 years ago and how they, with lots of care, can outlast the hunks of metal modern car manufacturers serve up for us to buy now. What went wrong! Why can't we produce good looking electric cars that don't look like trolleys but more like beautiful works of art that we actually are proud to drive around. The other thing that impressed me, was that these couples were taking the time off from life to travel and use the cars, BRAVO! Oh and I did get to hear the engine a little later, all V8 180kw of power of it, it purred beautifully...
#27

Monday, June 16, 2008

Michelin Man


"Michelin Man" 2008 Oil on linen on board, 12.6x12.6cm (5"x5")
SOLD

This lovely sign, resides at the sleepy town of Streaky Bay on South Australia's beautiful coastline of the Eyre Peninsula, which is about a couple of hours drive from Port Lincoln. It is so rare to see one of these signs in such good condition, he was like a beacon in the town for me against the clear blue sky.
#26

Friday, June 13, 2008

Rita


"Rita" 2008 Oil on linen on board, 12.5x18cm (5"x7")
SOLD

This is the first painting study I've done for my new work which I've called "Rita" after my grandmother. It is taking awhile to resolve my new direction, but I feel like I'm finally making some headway. It won't be until next year that the larger work will be on exhibition but I cannot wait to be standing in a room of these large dark paintings.
#25

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Mr Cheerio


"Mr Cheerio", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
#24

Thursday, May 29, 2008

POP! Astro


"POP! Astro", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
Gotta love Astro Boy! I do so adore his cute smile and in this painting, I added a bit of POP! with a vibrant turquoise background to add extra cheer.
#23

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Meteor Jet 1952



"Gloster Meteor Jet" 2008 Oil on linen on board, 12.8x15.2cm (5"x6")
SOLD

For as long as I can remember this aircraft has been parked at Parafield Airport, I drove past it nearly every day for the past three years as it was next to where I was working. It always looked great parked on the tarmac and often admired it whilst waiting for the traffic to clear. The warbird is a 1952 Gloster Meteor F8 and is much loved and cared for by the Classic Jet Fighter Museum.
#22

The Bunny



This is a work in progress, I don't normally put up paintings at this stage but I liked the way its looking so much I thought I'd share the process with you. I'll finish the little naughty bunny in the next couple of days and post the finish work up for you to see.



Here is the finished mischievous Bunny painting, I always picture him running about the studio up to no good, teasing the fish, making a mess and eating too many carrots and leaving them on the floor for me to trip over.

"The Bunny", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
#21

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Cascade Brewery


"Cascade Brewery", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
This building is famous for representing two great Australian icons, firstly, the Tasmanian Tiger or Thylacine, now extinct and the popular Cascade Beer, which the company has publically been pumping out since about 1832. Its Australia's oldest brewery and one of the oldest manufacturing enterprises still operating.
#20

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Little Star



"Little Star", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)

Painted for a very special little girl called Aria in Perth WA is this cute Kewpie doll happily waving a very perfect little star for all to see.

SOLD
#19

Friday, March 21, 2008

Roadstyle


"Roadstyle" 2008 Oil on linen on board, 12.5x18cm (5"x7")
SOLD

This is a great landmark in a car yard on the way to my parents house that I've always enjoyed looking at as I go speeding past. I decided it was time to paint it and document it before its taken down, so that I don't say, I should of...
#18

Monday, February 11, 2008

Empire Doll


"HMAS Canberra Souvenir", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD

Commissioned in July 1928, HMAS Canberra was an Australian warship, it would have docked at various ports and souvenirs like this doll would have been handed out to mark the auspicious occasion. CANBERRA operated with the naval force supporting the American landings at Guadalcanal and Tulagi in World War II, unfortunately, the ship was struck by two torpedoes, the wounded and survivors were transferred to USS PATTERSON and USS BLUE and the ship sank on the 9th August 1942. I would say the doll dates back near the original launch of the ship in 1928.
#17

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Cuddles


"Cuddles", 2008
Oil primed canvas on board, 12.6 x 12.6cm (5 x 5 inches)
SOLD
#16

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Tea anyone?


"Indulgence", 2008,
Oil on stretched canvas, 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inches)

SOLD
#15

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Kewpie Doll


"Kewpie's pet", 2008, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)
SOLD
#14