All systems go (or getting ready to)

So it's official. We got the house and I'm moving to Trentham!

My studio is all boxed up, which I must say is a little bit sad, but I can't wait to unpack it at the other end... There's a huge box labeled 'PAINT' that I reckon will be unpacked before anything labeled 'KITCHEN'!

I just can't wait to really get in to it. I've been gathering all resources at my disposal and I'm planing to put myself in to home school and learn all the things I was never actually taught at art school.

 Painting is #1 on the list of things to explore and I found numerous boxes of charcoal when packing up my studio and remembered how much fun it was to make big messy drawings, so that's #2.

Going through my studio was extremely tedious, but very rewarding... For every box of bullshit I sorted through I found an inspiring sketch or some materials I haven't used in the longest time. My most exciting find was my small embossing tool and a WHOLE BOX of graphite blocks, which I was using in Honours to make these...

Installation View. Graphite on paper. 2008

Detail. Graphite on paper. 2008

Now I don't think I'm likely to go back to working so geometrically, but this process is a way of working that I think I will pull off of the back burner...

A New Life in a New Town...

I've felt a big change coming in my work and myself this year, and after months of anticipation it has finally arrived...
I'm starting a new life in a new town. A couple of darling friends and I are packing up and going country!
We found a charming little house in Trentham (fingers crossed we get it) and if all goes according to plan I'll be a country girl again in a month!

I've been craving a change of pace and a change of scenery all year, the city is bringing me down. With all its pavement and cooch grass and advertising fucking everywhere, the empty consumerism, the noise, the right angles... It's overstimulating and I can't breathe here anymore, the city forces pace that's not my own and I've made a choice to quietly slip away from it all.

I'll keep working in the city for a couple of months until I've squirreled away enough money to do what I've always dreamed of! No, it's not saving so I can fuck off overseas for 6 months to 'find myself'...
I'm saving to support myself for 6 months so that I can paint full time and find my work.

The dream rental has  beautiful little sun room-come studio for me to work in and I'm going to brave the cold (and wet and snow) and do some en plein air painting. I'm just going to paint and paint and paint. For years I've fantasized about having the means to abandon responsibility and my commitments and just really go for it in the studio but post-art-school poverty and the retail-rat-race has never allowed it, until now. I've reached a point where I can justify stepping from the path I was on and taking a bigger risk for my practice.

I haven't ever felt fulfilled as an artist, knowing that I could have always tried harder, done better, taken longer to resolve ideas and methods and allowed enough time for my work to develop. I think that's why my work has jumped around so much in the last couple of years. I've been so worried about keeping pace, keeping up and having a show, having a show, having a show that my work has suffered.

This year, I'm slowing everything down and letting myself and my work evolve and develop at a more natural pace. What better place to do that than Trentham?

So I don't really know where I'm going with my work or what I'm going to do, but everything has lined up perfectly for this change to come, so I'm sure it will find me...

Golden Demo

This came through my email and I wanted to share the opportunity for anyone interested...

St Luke has booked Golden Artist Educator, Merryn Trevethan for three in store demonstrations on Saturday 19th MAY.  

Each demonstration will run for approximately 45 minutes and there are three different Golden Acrylic Applications to choose from.  

Bookings are essential so please contact a St Lukette to reserve your place. All you are required to bring is a visual diary.

1:00 -1:45 Golden Gels and Grounds

Merryn will experiment with the diverse range of Golden gels and grounds to uncover 

how acrylic can be manipulated and utilised in a variety of methods.

The differences between all Golden Acrylic Paint ranges will be discussed and 

Merryn will uncover which formulation of Golden Acrylic Paint will be best for you.

2:10 - 2:45 Golden Open Acrylics

How slow drying is OPEN?  Attend this lecture to find out.  

Merryn will show how to get the best effects with Golden's slow drying range of Acrylics.  

Opens accompanying mediums will be utilised along with subtractive painting techniques.

3:00 - 3:45 Golden Digital Mixed Media - Golden Digital Printing Grounds

Don't let your printer gather dust in the corner...learn how Golden's specialised 

range of grounds can turn your printer into an art making machine.

-SATURDAY 19th MAY Starting at 1:00pm

-Email: info@stlukeart.com  to reserve your place

-Bring your visual Diary...

For more information about Merryn Trevethan or if you are interested in 

enrolling in a Golden Workshop please visit the link below:

MERRYN TREVETHAN