Scribbles

Over the Christmas holidays my darling Partner immersed me in the culture and arts of the City of Perth. We went to the State library, where there was an incredible display - "Picture a Story" - of Illustrations and the processes and drafts used by different Illustrators; and the book store, which was very difficult to leave empty handed! We visited the Western Australian Museum and loved every second of it (especially the dinosaurs!) We saw the "String Theory" exhibit at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, which was incredible. And by far my favourite, we spent hours slowly absorbing the magnificence which is the Art Gallery of Western Australia. I never wanted to leave. I spent close to an hour in the gift shop, pouring over the books, trying to choose one. I was so inspired and moved by the art in the gallery.
SUCH an emotional experience. It made me sad that I couldn't paint to that level, it made me excited to try, joy at the volume of incredible art surrounding me. I felt the emotions painted in the paintings and it was amazing. I ended up buying this book and have been reading through it ever since! There are so many exciting techniques and tutorials which are inspiring and make me want to paint and make EVERYTHING!!

Without a space where I can get out all my (smelly, messy, WONDERFUL) oil paints, I've settled for a few of the less messy (less awesome) techniques of expressing all of my pent up inspiration.

Besides the usual scribbles and scrawls...

I've taken to the oil pastels I have in my collection, and turned random bits of cardboard into art. It is wonderful to me that rubbish becomes art, it gains value with just a bit of colour.

I still have a lot I want to do, and so much more I need to try, and the need grows every time I pick up my book, or admire the art of others!
I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas, New Year, and the first couple of months of 2014 have been happy ones!