Happy, happy Joy, Joy

Apart from when you've had a few glasses of wine.........when do you experience that feeling of joy, without a thought in your head ??? I want to bring in my works that feeling. So that the viewer for even 30 seconds, can relate or remember pure simple joy. So I pondered and tried to remember that last time when I didn't have a worry in the world, and came up with a memory of swinging so high and the wind in my hair and I was in control of how high I went, and even though I knew I had to come down, I could go up high again.........without a worry in the world.

New Works......dah dah............

Its been a while since uploading my last work, but apart from floral design, I have been painting also. And whilst I'm passionate about certain things, ie: Australia, friends, art and pastel to name but a few, I've decided to hedge my bets and try acrylics. So this is my first acylic in the yummy mummy series. Frustratingly slow, not nearly as forgiving as pastel, but I'm happy enough with it. And the idea behind it? When do you know that love is unconditional? At what moment ?? Well for me, I think this is the moment, " The beginning of unconditional love".

Thanks for visiting.

If you've popped in to checkout if I've updated, I do have works to post, but just have'nt had the time to upload them as yet. Have shared my art time with floral design lately, which I do prefer to keep to working hours, but when things inspire you be they floral or otherwise, you just have to run with it.
Dont hesitate to leave a comment if you have an idea for me to draw up.
I love looking at things through other peoples eyes .
Visit again soon, and I'll promise and update !!

Up date on bellydancing babe.

Bellydancing babe, won first prize at the pastel society monthly members encouragement award. And no, I didnt get anything for first, just a certificate, and the warm fuzzy feeling that other artists voted for my painting. !!

Bellydancing Babe

"The Gypsy Dancer appears to be free from the societal constraints. The Gypsy as the Wild Woman archetype has magical powers, powers which make her dangerous. She is out-of-control, or at least beyond the control of the patriarchy. She evokes fear, especially in the subconscious where the Wild Woman lurks within us all. We are afraid to let her out because we may loose control." ---Laurel Victoria Gray

Bring on Summer.

Love the warmth of the sun. Yummy mummies of course can get away with using a sun reflector.

Me Time.

I don't enjoy winter.....one bit. I've had to concentrate hard to picture what would make me happy.......what makes others feel good? And then I knew.......it's Me Time. Reading a book or gardening or walking or ....... sipping a wine, whatever you choose, Me time is important........Put your head back and breathe !!

caught in loves net.

mmmmm, I've had to work hard to get over the 'sads" ! This seems to be the worst winter yet. So I decided to get my arse into gear and paint to get me out of it. But what.........so I looked up proverbs, and one inspired me about being caught in loves net, I got so inspired, I quickly got out the sketch book and ......well, came up with this one, but when I tried to google my proverb to put with it.......gone !!. Somethings are just meant to be, and I was meant to read it at the time, or I wouldn't have come up with caught in loves net. Enjoy.

painting for Love.

Got an invitation to one of my best friends 50th, OMG- I have friends that old??? LOL. I live by the saying- Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is Optional-
Anyway the little mind did back flips, what will I get her for a present? Nothing came to mind, tried to think of what she loves and doesn't and came up with the fact that, apart from her daughter, she dotes on her dogs- panders to them in fact. So, I set myself the challenge of painting " the boys". Her daughter, kindly emailed me some photos, hardly studio friendly, but hey, this was a challenge and I could always go and buy her a large bottle of brandy , if it didn't work out- which is much more sharing friendly !!!! But slightly out of the budget of a poor starving artist !! If you're interested in viewing the painting-: click on my complete profile on the right hand side of this blog, and go to the road to success is always under construction ( hey, if you have time to look at this blog, you have time to frig around finding my other one.) You see primarily this blog, was to be solely for my yummy mummies.......
Oh.....and post note, got another invite to another friends 50th on the same night....strewth !! its not gonna happen.....she gets a bought present.......fifty for goodness sake........when I turn 50, I think I'll just hide in the wardrobe with a bottle of prozac !!!!!

Bollywood Twins

Hey!! remember dress ups? Holly and Emily are obviously having fun. Who wouldn't want to paint them in their Bollywood outfits.

Goin shopp'n

The yummy mummy of course goes shopping efortlessly. She usually has one child that takes after her beautifully. And as you must know me by now, I cant believe that life hasn't dealt her a few curly ones along the way. I've given her the overtired toddler, in the trolley............But shes not fazed.......nothing upsets the yummy mummy on shopping day!!

Yummy Mummy- multi tasking

Well, this is my favorite of all- so far. I was driving along and all of a sudden, I my eyes drifted to this sight, and I laughed to myself, and thought I wish I had a camera. The image stayed with me, so I came home and did a little sketch and it worked. So out came the big sketch book and I elaborated. By now, my mind is flitting from one image to another and I was just itching to start. So I locked myself off from the world for the weekend and "played" But, I surprised myself. I planned it. I wanted movement. I wanted your eye to rove all over it. I wanted your eye to follow from the dogs tail thru the babies dress up to the mummies hair. But most of all, I planned for you to feel as carefree when you look at her, as she actualy looks. How Did I do ???

Dear to my heart.

Sometimes, when youre passionate about something, it eats at you. I feel I need to express what I'm feeling at times. And well, its a fact that I wasn't born with the gift of song, But, I was slipped a bit of a talent to tell a story with pictures and so, that is how my next picture evolved. I wanted to put into a picture, something that was uplifting, a tad humourous. light hearted, and not boring. One of my most special people in the world was diagnosed with Bi-Polar. You know, that Mental illness that people whisper about behind closed hands.?? Did you know that for years its been called the black dog or black dogs disease........Cos that is what it is......dis- ease. I wanted to paint her a picture, that she could look at, that would remind her. Hey........you could try to take control of the black dog today. So I thought, what about, if I drew her at dog obedience school with her black dog.And she was smiling and in a good place, cos she had taught her dog a lesson. And maybe, by looking at this painting, people will spare a thought for those inflicted with mental illness and make a note to be more tolerant.

On the beach.

Dont you love summer? the sun on your face? A good book, the sound of the waves lapping. I must admit, I'm loving this pic. Every time I look at it, I breathe in deeply and put my head back, and I can almost feel the warmth of the sum.

yummy mummies-power walking.

Let me introduce a yummy mummy past time- powerwalking. I imagine the short one is Effie, she is a little dyed blonde girl of greek origin. And are'nt they all the epitomy of the yummy mummy? Good looks, great figure, although, artistic licence and a sense of humour has allowed me to slap an extra curve on her backside, alah jo lo style of course. ...........

work in progress yoga mummy

Well, I thought and I thunk ! I brainstormed with people, I had the suggestion of a hat stand, with a scarf draped over it. I did suggest to someone maybe a old wicker chair with bras etc hanging of it, I mean she may look serene, but dammit, she has to have a bit of disfunction in her life. But nothing worked. Then I thought of Kristine saying she loved my dogs, and I made a concious decision to put a dog in every work. I used to have a St Bernard, who sat with her front legs crossed, and all of a sudden, my thoughts went haywire, and the next minute, I had the faithful hound, perched atop a cushion, legs crossed, with a waft of oil crossing past its nose. Her tail sweeps across to link with the yoga mummys meditation position. Terrianne suggested peach colours coming through the window, I think it needs to be softened off, I may need to ask her advise... I was going to put the om symbol on the wall above the dog, but, I didnt' want to overdo it.......time to walk away and return afresh.

An excercise in realism

I took a photo of Jo and Jessica, because, Jess, looked so cute, and I thought, she would make the perfect tot in my yummy mummy series. But, I just had an impulse to paint it how it is, before, I escape with her in my imagination. Do I like what I've painted? Well, I like how I have been able to capture her looking like she can't sit still, and I like how I've captured Jo. Her personality is so spontaneous and warm, I think it shows, and she clearly adores motherhood. I had fun.

work in progress- Yoga Mummy

Well, at times I frustrate myself. Its like my Mind gets over excited when I get an idea. Take this piece for instance, what, I say to myself. If I have a yummy mummy, sitting on top of a fit ball. Every yummy mummy, owns a fit ball. What if she is sitting on top of a ball, in the lotus position at one with herself. Sun is shining in the window- warming her back. Oil burner, is wafting, soothing oils. So I sketch it up, and begin to paint straight away, I cant wait to plan anymore, its urging me on. And here I am..........pondering, and annoyed with myself, that I didn't plan the sketch, and use restraint, for just a few more hours. Because, its boring. There is no point to the picture. I dont know how to save it. The only thing, I can think of is an armchair to the front right of her, in which her other half so to speak, is slumped in the V.B position, with remote in hand. ..*#+@ sigh !*#%*.

Finished piece, " The school run"

Sometimes when you work on something for so long, it s hard to see the glaring mistakes, and times like that its best to leave well enough alone. I've taken some comments on board about this piece, and I'm happy with the outcome. I've given the dog a face, and put the lead on the other side of his face. I've dropped the foot on the yummy mummy, as it was in line with the teddy and distracting, I've lightened the road going off into the distance, and also the trees. I've put a touch of the sky colour in the trees . The footpath and trees closest to the kids has been darkened. I will crop this picture just above the traffic light, and in line with the waiting cars.
But all in all, I'm happy with it. It conveys the carefree feeling, that I was originally attracted to.

w.i.p. The school run.

Every morning, I inevitably got the red light at the pedestrian crossing. And every morning, the lollipop lady would waddle out in front of me hold out her stop sign, and with a short whistle across would come the procession. 5 Kids in a row like ducks all holding hands stretched to breaking point, and attached is the yummy mummy- lithe body, more often than not decked out in the fitness outfit, jewell sparkling in the belly button, head back, sun on the face, not a care in the world. I'm jealous of course, I was never a yummy mummy, we had the skin tight leggings with socks rolled over the top and the oversized top, that hid everything, even a figure if you had one. And we ran, always late.........yes, I'm jealous of my yummy mummy, but she makes me smile, and when the green light goes, I drive off, drawing it in my head, and I can never remember the last part of the trip to work, but I know I cant wait to get home to put this picture in my head onto paper.