art in the garden

'Art  in the garden' workshops start in May.

Classes are held in the pavilion nestled in the Australian Plant Section of the Botanic Garden. It is wonderful to work looking out into nature. For our first class it rained lightly after tea. 

Wendy creating magic with charcoal.

The workshop is not a class to make art; it is a class to make mistakes, to rework, not to make finished pieces
— Rick Rotante

1. traces

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
— John Muir - John of the Mountains

The new work has begun. 

a slow walk

a slow walk in the garden reveals hidden beauty. Standing still and listening to the breeze in the leaves, the rustle in the grass of a darting water dragon , the ducks on the lake. Looking up to discover two Tawny Frogmouths staring down at me. 

Place

A place belongs forever to whoever claims it hardest, remembers it most obsessively, wrenches it from itself, shapes it, renders it, loves it so radically that he remakes it in his own image “
— Joan Didion

standing at the edge.

traces of landscape 01.04.17 - 31.03.18

A new year begins with Autumn in the garden. The theme of this years work is' Traces of Landscape'.

These trees are magnificent, but even more magnificent is the sublime and moving space between them, as though with their growth it too increased.
— Rilke

by a pond

I am following nature without being able to grasp her..I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers
— Claude Monet

Pru gave me a big bucket of waterlilies. What a treat it has been to paint them. Thank you Pru.

banksia . banksia

One looks,looks long, and the world comes in
— Joseph Campbell

back to work! Into the last month of painting in the garden. Painting what I love most.

summer in the Japenese garden

Summer is here.  

Go to the object. Leave your subjective preoccupation with yourself. Do not impose yourself on the object. Become one with the object. Plunge deep enough into the object to see something like a hidden glimmering there.
— Matsuo Basho

A week in the Randall Studio

17 October to 23 October  I had a wonderful week in the Richard Randall Studio as part of the residency. I invited others to share the space with me to offer some wonderful classes for the public . Thank you Jane ( homeopath) , Jane (writer) , Matt (poet), Jude ( Qi Gong) and Manish (Mindfullness). The theme was healing and art in nature.

 

simply leaf

There is a whole world in a single leaf
— Andy Goldsworthy

End of September. The garden is a hive of activity . Flowers, bees ,spring rain, orchids flowering in trees...... perfect weather for garden walks.

eco art workshop

16.09.16 An inspiring workshop with Eco artist Tijn Meulendijks  'Originating actions' :  Eco-art workshop Thank you artisan for organising it.

The black kauri or blue kauri (Agathis atropurpurea) is a species of conifer in the Araucariaceae family. It is found only in Queensland, Australia and is threatened by habitat loss. (pictured on the right above)

early spring

When the days become longer and there is more sunshine,the grass becomes fresh and,consequently, we feel very happy.
— Dalai Lama

September. Spring has arrived.......

the last days of winter

the last days of winter .....working with paper........ inspired by nature

 

mangroves at low tide

As part of the botanic garden residency I am able to work in both the city botanic gardens and the Mt Coot-tha botanic gardens. A visit last week to the mangrove swamp situated at the edge of the city botanical  gardens cradling the Brisbane river was fascinating and inspirational. Painting and drawing mangroves at low tide has kept me busy. I look forward to a high tide visit soon.

 

 

dusty landscapes

winter drawing in the garden with pastels . 

paper petals

 a winter garden in paper....

grevillea heaven

The Grevilleas are flowering. Painting heaven.....