"I'd like to thank..."

Like an aspiring actress performs their Academy Awards acceptance speech in front of the TV, I too have a dream. Everyone has a dream; or if they don't it is because they do not have fully realized interests. Mine, as a lover of all things artistic, is to one day win the Archibald Prize, the prestigious Australian Portrait Prize that has been keeping the art of portraiture alive in Australia since 1921.  

Abbey Mcculloch (work featured above) is a young artist from the Gold Coast who gained exposure in the first three issues of dearest Frankie Magazine.  She is now in her second year of the finals for the Archibald Prize, a most deserving winner if you ask me.  Best of luck Abbey, if you win, it means there is hope for me too! My fingers and toes are crossed for you xx.

Art College Girl

For as long as I can remember, I have dreamed of going to art college. Attending life drawing classes, discovering the history of my lifelong passion in art and being surrounded by a motley crew of creative people and the fruits of their hard work, including hopefully mine.

So the moment has finally arrived for me to take the plunge and throw myself whole heartedly into art college experience and product design in particular. So far it has been everything I have dreamed of and more, and it has barely begun. I the excitement and satisfaction is mostly due to the realization that I am there now, I did it and nobody can take this opportunity away from me and I haven't been dooped, there is so much to be gained from attending. The remaining excitement is derived from my nerdish reading into my course outlines and finding out that yes I will be doing 6 weeks of life drawing, I will grow rounded knowledge of post-modern and modern art history and I will be completing design assessments that will prepare me for an actual career in design, not to mention hopefully making lifelong like-minded friends.

No joke, I've been getting involentary excitement quivers that I am living out the cliche' of attending art college as many greats have done before me including Andy Warhol, John & Cynthia Lennon, Mark Rothko & Edie Sedgewick, just to name a few. Ah it feels so bloody good to be doing what you love! Don't fight it xx

Curvy 6

This is a new artwork titled 'Coral' that I have submitted with two other works for the Yen Magazine publication of Curvy 6, which features the work of 100 fabulously talented young female illustrators and designers from all sectors of the globe. I just hope that I might be one of them, if not this year next xx.

Yes , yes, Bloody Hell... YES!

"For the million, billion things which lie in wait for us every hour of the day, to please our sight and fill our eyes with perfection. I shall envy no man, for the things which are precious and everlasting can be found in our own heart. Yes, with the help of God, and with no other mortal ever to know … I shall do great things."

- Florence Broadhurst, before she began

So it is official, I got into the Bachelor of Design at Griffith University, Queensland College of Art in Southbank, Brisbane. Although I was advised I would have no trouble, I was still nervously anticipating my results with QTAC. Seriously art world, here I come; there will be no stopping me now xx.

Semi-Permanent Submission

As you already know I have applied for a place in the Semi-Permanent book of 2009, and created two new artworks to submit for judging.  They represent the direction I am planning to go with my artworks, that is with a strong textile base of seductive portraiture.  Cross your fingers and toes for me xx.

- Grandma's Birthday Blanket

- Heartbeats

What is art REALLY?

If anything and everything is art in some way, does art really exist?  or is something only art when the maker creates it for the purpose of being fine art? or when the art world puts it on a pedestal or a blank piece of gallery wall and deems it art? Does art contain any intrinsic value or is the value in what we as consumers decide it is worth?

Open Night

^ Imagine on the walls of the Cairns Regional Gallery

Last night was the opening of the Cairns Regional Gallery Open Exhibition put on by the Cairns Art Society.  The night was alive with the excited hum of the crowd, the bubbling of free champagne and the opinion sharing about the diverse artworks.  With Ashton as my sidekick we took on the night fashionably five minutes late due to a ridiculous lack of parking. We arrived just in time for the exciting part of the night, the announcement of the winning artworks. I was up for Category 4- The Cairns Post award for an abstract artwork of any medium.  I did not win the $2000 prize, however I was highly commended by the Judge Mr Ron McBurnie, the highly regarded artist of FNQ, University lecturer for JCU, avid Vinyl collector and lover of Blonde bimbos.  After the awards were presented I had a chance to have a chat with Ron and he offered me some valuable advice for where he believes I should go with my art.  Ron suggested, pushing the textile stuff even further and more chaotic, sticking with themes and narratives that are important to me and working in larger canvas sizes. 

Overall I was very happy to be recognized amongst artists who are far older and more established and experienced than I am.  I have been feeling a bit embarrassed about my age in the last few months and avoid drawing attention to it, but after doing all this I can see that my age is an asset.  I am starting young and therefore have plenty of years to experiment, find my signature style and build a name for myself, which I feel very grateful for.  So anyway, here's to many more exhibitions in the not so distant future I hope xx.  

^ Ashton and I infront of my artwork

^ You had me at free champagne

^ Cindy Lane (local artist & friend), Ron McBurnie (Judge, Artist and JCU Lecturer) and myself (hopeful artist)

^ Artworks from the Abstract Category

^ Elevator love! Art Gallery Elevator scared face photo #2

Artists of the North

On Friday Night I attended the Artists of the North exhibition displayed at The Tanks, where two of my artworks are on display.  I have to say the standard of artwork from artists in North Queensland is very high.  I noticed the subject matter is very much inspired by the environment and wildlife around the Cairns area.  My own work, I feel is a bit removed from the 'Tropical North Queensland' style, however I do feel very inspired by the intensity of colour within the area.  I am really starting to find peace in the concept of becoming an artist as my career path. I was always worried that there wouldn't be a future in art for me but the more I immerse myself in the art world, the more I find that the art world in Australia is alive and thriving, and profitable even!

Carnival on Collins

Down to the Market

So today with my partner in crime (Miss Ashton Rigg) at the "top of the morning" otherwise known as 5:30am we packed the car full of colourful handmade goodness made by yours truely, including beanies, cards, wrist cuffs, cuppie-cakes and some of our preloved jewellery, clothing and CD's for the punters, who were lovely enough to show up.  Overall the day was pretty miserable due to unwelcomed rain and impressive competition, but honestly I loved it, and should be marketing much more.  I sold lots of cards, clothes, shoes, jewellery and two artworks, which makes me one very happy girly.  Gotta love those tanks xx. 

Oil Glazing

I am pleased to announce that I am learning a new techinique of painting, which I very much like: Oil glazing.  This is the photographic evidence of me at uni learning skills, courtesy of Cindy xx.