ACROSS THE ROCKIES

Posted on October 3, 2014 by splashingpaint

The drive across the Rocky Mountains, from Banff to Vancouver, has to be one of the most spectacular drives on earth. With Lyla’s knowledge of all of the out of the way attractions and the leather lined comfort of a big BMW, it was fantastic experience.

Vancouver is a beautiful city. It’s waterside parks looked pretty dramatic with the Fall colors and backdrop of surrounding mountains.

Shannon Falls shrouded in fog.

Vancouver fish markets and harbour

Granville Island cement hoppers

Camouflaged Hire car took us inconspicuously through the Northwoods of Wisconsin to Dillmans at Lac Du Flambeau.

Dillmans Bay Resort

Dillmans Workshop

CARNARVON GORGE / BLACKALL

Posted on August 7, 2014 by splashingpaint

A workshop in Blackall provided a great excuse to head off a couple of weeks early and spend some time in the Carnarvon Gorge / Salvator Rosa area of central Queensland before settling in for the workshop.

Carnarvon Gorge is a spectacular collection of sheer sandstone cliffs, narrow side gorges and pockets of rainforest.

Light spills briefly into one of the damp, narrow side gorges.

Palms and ferns grow in the protected pockets of the main gorge.

Strangler figs engulf anything in their path.

The surrounding country side is in the grip of drought, but permanent springs keep the creeks and waterholes in the gorge full of water.

Strange textured fungus.

After a few days exploring Carnarvon Gorge we looped around to the North and came back into the western end of the Carnarvon Ranges at Salvator Rosa. The access roads quickly become impassable as soon as rain falls. With no prediction of rain we were confused heading into this looming black sky. It turned out to be a mixture of suspended dust and smoke from nearby fires. It made for an amazing orange light as the sun set.

Exploring some of the tracks around Salvator Rosa was hard peddling in the sand and bulldust, but a lot of fun.

The fine bulldust mixed with coarse sand make this kangaroo’s footprint so detailed you can even see the texture of the pads on his foot.

We left Salvator Rosa and headed via Tambo to Blackall where we stayed in the Living Arts Centre for the workshop.

The Living Arts Centre was formerly a hostel for school students from the outlying stations. Students now attend boarding schools in the city, so the premises has been converted to accommodation and studios.

The studios are spacious and filled with light. Our painting was punctuated by excursions to numerous places of interest around Blackall. We visited “Alice Downs” where Jacky Howe broke the record for blade shearing – 321 sheep in 7 hours and 20 minutes back in 1892. The record still stands today. We enjoyed great meals supplied by the “Marmaladies” from Blackall and also dined at a number of restaurants around the town, including a memorable feast, slow cooked in a wood stove at the wool scour.

Another local hero was Roy Dunne, who jumped his goat, Nugget, over a 3’6″ bar in 1905 – another world record feat.

Mustering cattle for the Thursday cattle sale in Blackall.

Long neglected fuel pump.

Stu Benson first drove cattle at the age of 12 and has been a proud Blackall resident all his life. His stories of the town and knowledge of the area are captivating.

Hypnotic local goats.

Blackall wool scour – amazing steam driven chaos brought back to life.
Many thanks to Sally Campbell and her enthusiastic helpers for a fantastic workshop in Blackall.

BACK FROM TASMANIA

Posted on March 31, 2014 by splashingpaint

Our last week in Tasmania was spent along the north coast. We camped on the beach a few kilometres east of Stanley. What an amazing sight early in the morning as the sun came up.

We met Gus in Bothwell. He is from Bend in Oregon where we have conducted a couple of workshops with Art in The Mountains.

Gus came to Australia, got himself a 1956 Landrover and is in the process of taking it to all the extremities of the country. Cape Byron, Mt Kosciusko and the Southern tip of Tasmania have been ticked off the list so far. When he leaves Tassie, he’s off to Cape York via Shark Bay, WA. Good luck Gus!

This outdoor kitchen seems to have escaped all the workplace health and safety restrictions. They did save a lot of space by installing it the electricity metre box.

Oatlands cricket nets

Sunrise Reeds

Tasmanian Lawnmower

Camped by the river in Ross

No matter how hard we looked, we couldn’t find a Thylacine, but we did stumble across these little critters in our search.

Shooting things is popular in some areas of Tasmania – maybe thats why we had such trouble finding a thylacine.

Back across Bass Straight, we spent a few days in Melbourne before heading home via the Hay Plains, One Tree Hotel and Bourke.

The weather turned foul north of One Tree. Pulling off the road quickly bogged us down to the axle. A shovel, frantic digging and a lot of encouragement and advice from the passenger window, soon saw us on our way

The further east we travelled the more saturated the country became. From Brewarrina home all unsealed roads were closed so it was a quick trip back along the bitumen.

BACK FROM THE COLD

Posted on December 13, 2013 by splashingpaint

Our workshop in Maldon was a lot of fun. An enthusiastic group, fresh baked cakes and biscuits, brewed coffee, Pub down the road, what more could we ask for – and Julienne arranged for us to stay in the beautiful old miners cottage we enjoyed last time.

Maldon

Morning cobweb

Miners Cottage

Lulu

Resident Chook#1

Resident Chook #2

Garden Roses

After leaving Maldon we headed up into the mountains. After almost an hours wait, a shaft of sunlight finally hit this hill in front of an amazing Indigo sky.

Same sky, different hill

Once above Falls Creek the temperature dropped, fog rolled in and we were surrounded by snow – Unusual for November in Australia.

We intended to ride our bikes to the summit of Mt. Kosciuszko, but when we arrived at Charlottes Pass it was bitterly cold with rain and sleet – visibility was next to nil, so our plan was put on hold.

The fog and wet weather sure made the snow gums look spectacular.

Leaving Charlottes Pass, we camped a night at Thredbo then on to the Murray River

Grass trees

Saw blade Sunrise

Further North, the clouds cleared and the temperature started to climb

CORDOBA & GRANADA

Posted on November 27, 2013 by splashingpaint

Oops, Sorry, late post – forgot to hit the publish button

Heading south, the Spanish countryside becomes more densely packed with olive trees and much of the architecture has a strong islamic influence.

In Cordoba, horses are taught to dance…

…or transport visitors around the town

The Mezquita and the Cathedral of Cordoba is an amazing structure. After being blown away by the scale and beauty of the Mosque, you discover a huge Christian Cathedral right in the middle

The decoration is mesmerising. The more you study it the more intricate it becomes.

Cordoba Cathedral

More Photos from Granada and the Alhambra.

MALDON AND THE MOUNTAINS

Posted on December 9, 2012 by splashingpaint

With 5 days up our sleeve before the Maldon Workshop started we decided to slowly plod our way down to Victoria via backroads and out of the way places rather than race down the highway.

We camped behind the pub in the little town of Goolma, where the publican spun us a great tale about his favourite dog staring down a possum – neither would give in and they both died without ever moving.

This is the possum

…and this is the dog

Foggy morning behind the pub

We wound our way down onto the Murray River before heading across to Maldon. Great to see the river with so much water and the country in such good condition.

Julienne, the workshop coordinator in Maldon, arranged for us to stay in this fantastic little farm house – complete with chooks and a veggie garden.

Maldon is a beautiful little town protected by a heritage listing to preserve the unchanged character of the place.

The 5 day workshop was a lot of fun. We met some fantastic people and really enjoyed the quiet little country town.

Melbourne was in the middle of the Spanish Festival in Brunswick and the Polish Festival in the City, so there was a lot happening.

After a few days in Melbourne we took off towards the Snowy Mountains via the Sale Wetlands…

…a spectacular series of swamps, creeks and billabongs just out of town – made even more dramatic by the approaching storm clouds.

From Sale we drove up towards the Snowy River and took the long windy track down to McKillop Bridge.

The mountains were magnificent and the road signs basic.

MacKillop Bridge across the Snowy River. First built in 1935 and washed away a few days before it was due to open.

Mmmm – Jindabyne Steak, 4 minutes each side, Yum.

Above Charlotte Pass there were still patches of snow on the ground.

Snow Gums

Thredbo River

Platypus in one of the small creeks.

Stormy night up near Kiandra

Creek on the Long Plain Road

Home via Washpool NP.

AUGUST STUDIO WORKSHOP

Posted on September 6, 2012 by splashingpaint

We have just finished two full on weeks of workshops in the studio. Some familiar faces and some new faces. This is the first time we have had a completely new group for the second week, so I thought it would be interesting to repeat some of the demonstrations with some variation.

These two landscapes based on recent photos from Western Queensland were started with transparent washes (Quinacridone Gold, Cobalt Blue and Permanent Rose) Then the trees and other details were added with more opaque mixtures of Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, Alizarin Crimson and Quinacridone Gold. Graded washes were used on either side to create a band of light through the focal point, then various layers of gesso and White gouache glazes were worked through the sky and distance.

I have painted this Old house on Sydney Harbour from various angles and thought it would be a good workshop subject, having problems of symmetry and conflicting focal points to be sorted out.

I was surprised when we started drawing, to find that one of the students had lived in the flat behind the house back in the 70’s – when Brett Whitely lived and painted a little further around the bay.

These paintings were done with the same simple palette of Quinacridone Gold, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue and Permanent Rose. I also used Charcoal pencil, White Gouache, Gesso and Burnt Sienna Ink. The vibrant blue window in the top painting was painted with Ultramarine Gouache.

Not far from Venice is the small fishing port of Chioggia. These weather beaten trawlers make an interesting subject with their confusion of masts and rigging and the complicated backdrop of ancient buildings. The idea here was to suggest all the complicated detail without trying to carefully render it. We started with under washes of Permanent Rose and Aureolin and gradually built up detail over the tinted paper.

A different subject using the same transparent under wash technique. This time graded washes of Cobalt Blue and Permanent Rose formed the under wash.

Painting these Lorrikets was a lot of fun – balancing sharp detail with loose suggestion. The wings and much of the body were roughly washed in with an old 1/2″ bristle brush. Detail was built up around the head and body with a 1/4″ flat brush and a #1 rigger. Finally the wings were attacked with gesso and a white charcoal pencil to get a feeling of movement.

Everyone enjoyed painting these rocks and sapplings. The purpose was to shuffle around the source material to create an interesting composition, then to build up textures and depth with watercolor, gouache, ink, charcoal pencil and Gesso. We used a number of techniques – splashing, splattering and spraying to build up the textures and gesso glazes to soften and push back the distance.

Another exercise in rearranging the subject. This time a soft abstract foreground to lead the eye into the focal point of trees and buildings.

So thanks to everyone that attended the workshops and thanks to Dianne for the mighty cakes – back to dry biscuits now!

Splashing Paint

Paintings, photograph's and thoughts of a wandering artist

Category Archives: landscape

ACROSS THE ROCKIES

CARNARVON GORGE / BLACKALL

BACK FROM TASMANIA

BACK FROM THE COLD

CORDOBA & GRANADA

MALDON AND THE MOUNTAINS

AUGUST STUDIO WORKSHOP

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: