 Magical Realism 2: Lore and Lineage 30 x 40 cm Divination cards, Scrying bowl, Two pots of tea, Leaves of use. An owl, Full moon, Standing stones, And a goose. Sunset & dusk Starts & moon, A. momentary peace, Then we have work to do.
0 Comments
 30 x 40 cm
A glimpse into history, legend and lore. A shearer's shed, golden light and afternoon haze. Violet shadows, an autumn breeze and notes flying on the wind. Wombats, echidna, rabbits and goats tumbling down hillsides. A picnic, cup of tea and clover at your feet. Mothering the Land, keeping the lore. 30 x 37cm
A portrait of my mother’s hand entwined in my own. It takes a long time to create a realistic painting; time to think, time to ponder memories and be exceedingly grateful for the ability give and receive love. To be the recipient of unconditional love is a gift beyond rubies. Many haven’t ever received this gift. For those of us who have, as we experience it, we have the skill now to give it to others.My mother is my inspiration and muse. he taught me all there is to know about generosity, kindness, compassion and perseverance. These inherited gifts are beyond rubies.  40 x 50 cm Narrative and love of technique are the drivers of my artistic practice. The cycles depicted in my work are those of sacred feminine: the planetary lunar cycle, the metamorphic cycle of the moth and its astounding migratory patterns, and the cycles (often expected and assumed) of woman. Here I root womanhood firmly to the cycles of the Earth before that of society’s expectations.  12 x 16 inches Red Symphony: Lineage is about celebrating my lineage as a child of migrants. I am dressed in my mother’s 1960’s silk red dress, lying on an Armenian handmade carpet, the symbols of which have potent cultural meanings. Scrabble, tea and puppets have woven throughout my life. The pilgrim shell represents the constant search for my roots, places, stories and music of which I am drawn to, and places I long for- inexplicably- some of which I have never seen. Teacher Shortage 50 x 80cm / 20 x 31 inches: SOLD Immigrants 22 x 30.5cm / 9 x 12 inches: $1500 Sacred Botanical 60 x 90 cm / 24 x 36 inches: $2500 Red Symphony 12 x 16 inches: $1200 Feathering My Nest 50 x 82cm / 20 x 32 inches: $3000 Leonora Carrington 22 x 30 cm / 9 x 12 inches: $1000 Leonora Fini 29 x 41cm / 12 x 16 inches: $1400 Tableland Rock 55 x 80 cm / 22 x 31 inches: $2000 Moonlight Sonata 40 x 51cm / 16 x 20 inches: $1000 Lunar Moth Maiden 40 x 50 cm: $1400 Magical Realism 1: Upper Hunter Stewart's Brook 30 x 40cm: $1400 Magical Realism 2: Legend and Lore 30 x 40cm: $1400  22 x 30 cm / 9 x 12 inches:
Available for sale: $2500 This painting is a tribute to the surrealist artist, Leonora Carrington. I first met Leonora Carrington ( UK 1917-Mexico 2011) when investigating female surrealist painters of the 40s. (Carrington, along with Leonor Fini and Varo make up the triumfeminatus of brilliant female surrealists working during those years.) When Carrington’s lover, surrealist painter Max Ernst, was arrested (first by the French, then by the Nazis) in France in the early 1940s, Carrington made her way to Mexico. It was here, she became part of the Mexican surrealist movement- a movement that was riotously productive during the 1940s 50s and 60s. Lenora, like Varo, was fascinated by the esoteric. Just recently, a deck of tarot cards she designed and painted for her own personal use have come to light. In April 2024, one of Carrington’s paintings – Les Distractions de Dagobert (1945) – was sold at Sotheby’s in New York for $28.5m, making her the highest-selling female artist in British history. As well as being a painter and writer, Carrington was also a sculptor, a creator of tapestries and jewellery, a maker of lithographs, a playwright and a designer of stage sets and theatre costumes. As an artist, Leonora mixed in circles with notable artists of the day. She considered Frida Kahlo a close friend. I came to love Leonora when I was researching another surrealist painter heroine of mine - Remedios Varo. Both of these women were sensitive individuals who channelled this quality through their work. In doing so they built themselves a world of independence, lore, beauty and enchantment. I encourage you to find out more about Leonora and her circle- and further enrich your life, as she has enriched mine.  Leonor Fini (1907-1966) became the Parisian surrealist sensation of her day. She painted her inner life, and many of her paintings feature herself as the protagonist. She exhibited in over 350 exhibitions; half of these were solo shows. She loved dressing in extravagant costumes, saying these costumes were an extension of herself, a truer part of herself. She loved making an entrance, whether it was to her own exhibitions, or to a party. This is in stark contrast to her childhood where she was often dressed as a boy in order to evade recognition by her father, who even once tried to kidnap her and bring her back to his home in Argentina. Her childhood is a whole fascinating chapter. Briefly: Leonor’s fierce independence, and acute sensitivity, can be traced back to her mother. Although Leonor was born in Argentina, both her parents were actually European, having migrated to Argentina. Soon after Leonor was born, Leonor’s mother left her father and travelled back with Leonor to Italy. No one knows why she left, but a woman leaving her husband with a newborn in the early 1900s, was something unheard of. This speaks her mother’s protectiveness, independence, and drive. Leonor‘s father actually did attempt to kidnap Leonor when she was still a very small child, and it was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. This darkness is referred to in some of her work and can be linked back to this traumatic childhood incident. As an artist, Leonor mixed in circles with notable artists of the day, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Leonora Carrington, Salvador Dali & Max Ernst. She is a fascinating character, and photos that you will find of her, show her rich inner life expressing itself through performance. I came to love Leonor when I was researching another surrealist hero of mine - Remedies Varo. Both of these women were sensitive individuals who channelled this quality through their work. In doing so they built themselves a world of independence, lore, beauty and enchantment. I encourage you to find out more about Leonor and her circle- and further enrich your life, as she has enriched mine.   50 x 82cm / 20 x 32 inches
Available for sale: $4000 This is the second painting in a series called Literacy of The Body. This painting is about celebrating older women; Experiences lived by the body, In the body; It’s about the resilient spirit of our bodies. And about celebrating our changing bodies, Laying down self destructive criticism and sweeping away the criticism we’ve taken on by society and others about our bodies. It’s about acceptance - Self acceptance. An acknowledging of strength, courage and resilience. Lilies and feathers, both seemingly fragile but incredibly resilient. These directly relate to the intention of this series of work: celebrating the body. Lilies have many symbolic meanings- but in this work I focus on the specific meaning of renewal. These lilies sprung up everywhere in our garden after the rain- utterly beautiful despite the drastically wet conditions. Feathers- light and fragile, but bring warmth and comfort unlike any other material. I have used many, many glaze layers to build up the oil paint to replicate skin. My layering technique uses a rapid fluttering of the brush to infuse the painting with as much of my energy as possible, while replicating the complex layering of skin. The process moves between chaos and abandon. The whole is a mediative dance.  40 x 51cm / 16 x 20 inches
Available for sale: $1800 This was the first painting in a series called Literacy of The Body. This painting is about celebrating older women; Experiences lived by the body, In the body; Its about the resilient spirit of our bodies. And about celebrating our changing bodies, Laying down self destructive criticism and sweeping away the criticism we’ve taken on by society and others about our bodies. It’s about acceptance - Self acceptance. An acknowledging of strength, courage and resilience. The eucalyptus silhouettes are a tribute to Sydney Long’s art nouveau works. The moon being a constant night time companion, is female in its symbolism and a mirror of personal contemplation. I have used many, many glaze layers to build up the oil paint to replicate skin. My layering technique uses a rapid fluttering of the brush to infuse the painting with as much of my energy as possible, while replicating the complex layering of skin. The process moves between chaos and abandon. The whole is a meditative dance. |
