Terrace at Arte Umbria

I was particularly interested in his comments about how he carried so many potential episodes around in his head as he developed them, each having a life of their own, and how they were constantly with him.  There was no separation between work and other life, in fact all of life impacted on his stories as they unfolded.   How visual he is, how things come together from various pieces, and how not every story or character may come to light and yet they have had a life in his head.  And not only was he writing for Dr Who series episodes, and it seems a number of series at any one time, but also Torchwood and others.  Judging by the time of the emails (the book being a year’s dialogue of emails between Russell and journalist Benjamin Cook), Russell barely sleeps.   All of this has been fascinating as one creative individual to another and I could see a number of parallels.

As a portrait artist, I am currently carrying atleast 9 portraits around in my head, along with a concept for a series of up to 30.  Some will become paintings and others, depending on all sorts of things, including my life around me will be destined to be stored away in my brain.  And I can understand Russell’s comments about characters he develops and then when they don’t end up seeing the light of day…I get attached to my ideas for paintings and when for whatever reason they don’t come to fruition it does at times make me feel sad.   Although I notice when this happens, usually something better or certainly different evolves.  I recently had an idea for a project which I was very excited about, could see the whole painting however for a number of reasons I needed to let go of that concept (although I can still see it) and instead this has evolved into a completely different painting.  And, similarly I don’t sleep that much as well, with all those ideas, those faces and all that energy they create.

Anyway it has been curious to read this fascinating and funny book to get an insight into this creative mind.  Even more curious, my daughter’s friend has just returned from the UK with a signed note to my daughter from, none other than, Russell T Davies complete with a handdrawn Dalek.  And if by sheer chance Russell ever reads this… ”Yes, you did spell her name right”.

Jet

Little boy and his puppy

I had been searching through my mother’s photos on my last visit to Victoria hoping to find a couple of images, only to discover we had scanned them some time ago and they were on our computer.  Taken on her “box brownie” camera, they were of my brother when he was a little boy.

A few examples which have set me thinking…  Driving in traffic up from the Spit Bridge towards Mosman, I happened to briefly glimpse to the right of me, and in the time it took me to glance back to my daughter I commented that the person in the car that had just past us looked like a friend of ours.  All I had seen was the briefest glimpse of a silhouette, I didn’t recognise the car, and sure enough my daughter confirmed that they were subsequently waving to us.  Likewise waiting with a friend at Canberra airport recently to meet another friend for a reunion, as we sat in the lounge watching the passengers disembark we happened to notice “someone’s arm pulling on a jacket” and in that one gesture we knew it was our friend.  

Then today…visiting a couple of artist friends (Rhonda Meryl-White and Masako Gordon), amongst many topics covered over lunch we were then looking at some images on the computer when a close up of one eye only was shown on the screen, I immediately identified the model.   Our power of recognition from even the smallest amount of information amazes me.  It’s actually quite daunting if you think about it too much however I also find it quite fascinating and part of the thrill of portraiture in getting that likeness.

A big thanks to my wonderful web designer, Kathrin Longhurst, for working her magic.   Having received my request for a new look, Kathrin was quickly on the job, applying her knowledge of web design along with her artistic background and, with a few of my images, transformed what previously looked more like the realm of a landscape artist into that of a portraitist. 

Thanks Kathrin!  Great support and great response time. 

If you’re looking for a web-designer, then see more of Kathrin’s creations at this link .

Laura, pencil on paper, 21 cm x 22 cm

While away visiting family at Mullumbimby for Christmas, I decided to leave my easel, paints and boards at home and instead just took my notebook and pencils with me. 

With the weather so unpredictable, I really enjoyed my Christmas pastime and took the opportunity to sharpen my drawing skills.  Working from photos, it was lovely to meditate on the process and watch grandmother and granddaughter emerge from the page.

Joan, pencil on paper, 21 cm x 21 cm

Over the last few months I have been working on what has turned out to be a major project being a portrait painting for my Mother for her 80th birthday on the 19th of January.  It began as a portrait of both her and my Dad celebrating her 79th birthday, however encouraged by my mentor, Nafisa, this was extended to include portraits of the family in the background.  My personal challenge of painting two portraits in one painting was extended to eight!  (I am the one on the right in the portrait of the four children).

While the painting has been challenging on a number of levels as an artist and as a daughter (with Dad’s health declining dramatically in the year), overall it has been an absolute joy to paint especially knowing the joy that it will bring to my mother.  Countless hours have gone into it’s creation from a full scale tonal drawing to begin with, before even beginning painting, to whole days of painting.   Dad’s shirt took a day in itself, mastering or endeavouring to get the sculpting, the tones and the check print.  It would have been a lot easier if it was a plain shirt, and as an artist it would have been easy to just paint it plain however Dad has always worn check shirts and this is one our family all knows. 

The gift to Mum feels more like a gift to me because somewhere in the process of its creation it has affirmed my love for portraiture, for painting from a space of joy and love and my desire to be able to paint portraits for others who will also treasure them. 

For me “Celebration” is not just about celebrating Mum’s 80th birthday, but about celebrating the union between Mum and Dad for the 59 or so years they have been together, through sickness and health (the way Mum’s hand is resting on Dad’s arm), it’s about celebrating family and life and recording it for all time.   Surrounded by roses from her garden and with Mum’s signature sponge cake in front of them (and which I recalled while painting that I had helped decorate), this painting captures so much of our family history. 

It has been a celebration for me to be able to create this painting for Mum and I am grateful for the teachers who have helped me to develop as an artist over the years, and particularly in these last two with Nafisa focussing on my portraiture skills.

If you look closely, behind Dad’s head in the painting is the corner of a small portrait with just the forehead showing of  our daughter, Nyomi.  I wanted to have atleast one of the grandchildren included in the painting to indicate the generations, even though it was suggested at one stage that perhaps I could leave that small painting out of the picture.  It wasn’t until much further along in the painting that I realised how important it was Nyomi was included because one day she will actually inherit this painting and it will be her’s to pass on in our family. 

Some years ago now before I had actually taken lessons in portraiture, I did a portrait of Nyomi holding a chook on my parent’s farm and in the background of this painting is just the arm of her grandfather, my Dad, wearing one of the cardigans he has always worn.  Again someone suggested I leave Dad’s arm out of the picture and yet I am so glad I didn’t because it has captured three generations in the painting…Nyomi, her grandfather at her side and myself by way of having painted it.  Part of the power and the significance of the painting would have been lost without Dad’s presence and likewise had Nyomi not been included in Mum’s painting.  The painting of Nyomi is in my portrait gallery and is called “Love”.  In fact, there is a lot of love in both these paintings.

So I hope you too can join in and enjoy “Celebration” and may 2012 be a year to celebrate your life, family, friendships, your passions and all that is important to you.

With best wishes for 2012,

Marion