"Treasure" - acrylic portrait on canvas

So after a rather lovely weekend camping I thought I'd best get back into the swing of things and show you all what I've been up to.......and here it is. The painting is based on the sketch I posted earlier of my daughter. It captures her serious, thoughtful side well and although I'd still like to tweak it here and there I am rather happy with the outcome.

Mitre Peak - work in progress

So this what I've been up to - a rather time consuming piece I must say! The image is a simple one but the paint effect in the sky and lake consist of many layers built up using a very fine brush. It's acylic on boxed canvas and still needing refinement. I plan to sharpen the lines and glaze over parts of the mountain and it's reflection.

I also went to Athol this week and hung a couple of my smaller pieces - Fields of Gold and Nathalias World.

Rich landscapes of Southland NZ

"Fields of Gold" acrylic on canvas. Based on the landscapes around northern southland, nz. I think I may be over winter (which is odd because it's actually my favourite season) but it seems that I'm coveting blue skies and golden fields - it's been a recurring theme lately in my work. I attempted a seascape the other night but just had to walk away, it really really wasnt working! So I did this instead - as usual I shall stare at it for awhile and if nothing needs changing I shall sign and varnish it.

My new series of NZ Landscapes

I enjoyed painting Central Gold so much that I've moved into a whole series based around the NZ landscapes. This piece "Shifting Sands" is still unfinished but I think showing some promise. I need to integrate the lake into the picture, as it stands it looks out of place. I'm enjoying the freedom of this style, I need to refine the technique more but I'm definitely enjoying the process. The landscapes of New Zealand affect people in so many ways, I enjoy listening to locals talk about the scenery that surrounds them and taking away with me the way they feel and trying to put it out on canvas. When I hear people discussing Central Otago for instance their words are injected with pride and a sense of history. The often rugged coastlines evoke feelings of freedom. For me I love to capture these feelings on canvas as often they are a mirror image of emotions I have in other facets of my life.
It's a more than pleasant way to bide my time until I can continue with my World series.

Acrylic painting titled "Accessorise"

Hey so heres a piece I entered in a nz art guild theme challenge - Accessorise, acrylic on canvas

The theme was "fashion" so I tried to think about the origins of some of todays jewellry.

This piece was voted "most creative use of theme" It was my first attempt at a challenge and well I think I may just have to enter another one (or two......)they really flex the creative juices!