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.

WORKSHOP DEMOS

Posted on March 19, 2014 by splashingpaint

Here are some of the demo paintings from the Tasmanian workshop.

Cray Boats moored in the bay at Bicheno – Gesso, Gouach and Phthalo Blue

Further around the bay at Bicheno are rock formations covered in brilliant orange lichen

Old boat sheds at Coles Bay made a great subject – interrupted briefly by the retrieval of a dozen yellow kayaks paddled into the bay.

Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain is a spectacular sight. We were lucky to be able to paint it – the mountains are usually blanketed in thick fog.

Hobart Waterfront – watercolor, ink, gesso and gouache

Macquarrie Harbour from the hotel balcony, Strahan.

TASMANIA

Posted on March 16, 2014 by splashingpaint

Two weeks in Tasmania and not a sign of rain! The workshop was great and all the foul weather plans were unnecessary – talk about lucky. After we all said goodbye in Launceston, Dianne and I found our truck in the car park of Launceston Airport and headed south to explore some more of Tasmania.

Port Arthur from the cold waters of the bay.

Oatlands Mill

Island of the Dead – Port Arthur

Hells Gate Lighthouse on a rare sunny day.

Six obedient seagulls – Bruny Island

Long forgotten graves

Fog towards Cradle Mountain

Winter wood – New Norfolk

Convict graves – Ross

Low Head lighthouse

Ripples on the Gordon River

Shop Dummy – Ross

Painting at Dove Lake – Cradle Mountain

Architectural Minimalness -Oatlands

Bichneo fishing boats

Architectural Practicalness – Zeehan

Banks of the Tamar

Cheap Beer

Port Arthur get away car

Archictectural Impressiveness – Ross

Architectural Awesomeness – Rosebury

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.

SPANISH GRAFFITI

Posted on October 11, 2013 by splashingpaint

Like everything else in Spain, the graffiti is wild, exciting and in your face, so in the tradition of Picasso, Goya and El Grecco here are some fine examples of urban cave painting from the back streets of Barcelona, Granada and Toledo.

TOLEDO

Posted on October 10, 2013 by splashingpaint

From Barcelona to Toledo on a train traveling at 300kph makes taking photographs difficult. The countryside is sparse and dry, dotted with olive groves and small dwellings. To travel slowly through this region of Spain would be fantastic.

The old town of Toledo is perched on a hill surrounded, almost entirely, by a river and protected by high stone walls

Bus loads of visitors invade the town during the day. Once the sun goes down visitors are replaced by locals heading off to bars and restaurants.

We were lucky enough to catch a concert in the square outside the cathedral. 9:30 the square was empty – by 10pm you couldn’t move. The music was great and the acoustics, created by the perimeter of complex facades, amazing.