Chasing Purple Dreams

Sunday...

2011-11-06T17:45:00.000+10:00

making miniature copper barbed wire…

playing with silk and rust…

cooking onion jam...

fancy drink in the bath…

What a fabulous Sunday – hope you have enjoyed sharing a few snippets! I’m off to check out the other Sunday Snippets and see if I can get back into the swing of blogging…

A day in the studio...

2011-07-21T07:55:00.000+10:00

Preparing to mount some linen...

All prepped and ready to hit the studio...

The colours of the day...

First stage... Pastel on raw linen...

And the magic begins as the colours mix...

Time to heat up the wax...

First layer of encaustic medium on and fused...

Setting up a little photo shoot for the next stage...

Photo shoot felt stilted and fake... Hopefully more time playing will help uncover some authenticity...

Blah! Heat gun just died - it does that sometimes... Must be a sign to start working with the flame...

Contemplating an image...

Line work...

Burnishing the transfer...

Revealing the transfer, now to fuse...

Not yet titled

Encaustic and transfer on mounted linen

600 x 600mm

2011

Come on over...

2011-07-19T09:45:00.000+10:00

Want to vicariously hang out in my studio for the day? Pop on over to my new art page and check out the pics I am loading at every stage of todays work…

New work…

2011-07-16T13:36:00.005+10:00

Fear and Sadness

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic, pastel and transfer of mounted linen

600 x 600mm

2011

I can feel a new series bubbling away within me here…

I feel that I will be able to developed a “language “with this style which will make my work more “readable”…

I’m excited, but also apprehensive about putting so much of what is in side “out there” to be looked upon…

I feel it’s time to be more open…

There are more changes on the way as I begin to shed the protective layers…

Tea Taking Paraphernalia

2011-07-07T08:33:00.000+10:00

Tea Taking Paraphernalia

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic, tea and spoon on mounted linen

600 x 600mm

2011

$250

The opening night of Infused is tonight at The Swich Contemporary Art Space. I have been in and had a look at the show and it looks fantastic. It was so much fun working on this piece and contemplating all things tea.

This is the artist statement that accompanies my piece...

“Tea Taking Paraphernalia”

While exploring tea for the Infused exhibition I began contemplating the parallels between tea and other drugs.

Both the taking of tea and drugs are often steeped in ritual, both provide comfort, become ingrained in habit and require specific paraphernalia.

Similarities can be seen between the chopped leaves at the centre of both the tea and marijuana rituals. Connections are also present between the spoons used in tea making and in the cooking up of injectable drugs.

“Tea Taking Paraphernalia” is a mixed media encaustic painting, created using real tea for the pigment. Tea leaves float within the texture and the used spoon adds a sculptural element, hinting at the parallels between tea and drug taking.

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If your local or in the area during July I hope you can get along and see the exhibition in person.

Workshop

2011-06-23T16:11:00.000+10:00

Looking to learn how to use some exciting new materials? Keen for something inspiring to do this weekend? Check this out…

SOLD

2011-06-20T11:48:00.002+10:00

Starlight

oil and silver leaf on linen

920 x 730mm

2002

I just got word that this painting sold in at the Black and White exhibition at Drawing Point Gallery. I’m sad to see it go as it’s a long-time favourite, but I hear the new owner loves it and that makes me smile.

I’ve also sold a couple this week in my 9th… 9… $90…9:00… over on facebook. Why not pop by to see which ones or perhaps nab yourself a bargain.

Creating with Tea...

2011-06-09T07:00:00.000+10:00

I’ve been sprinkling, rubbing, boiling, playing and loving painting with tea in my creative space this week. My studio smells so good! All for an up coming tea themed group exhibition, titled Infused, at my local art space The Swich.

It’s so much fun to be pushed out of my comfort zone and into exploring new subjects with my work. I can’t wait to see how this piece turns out, as I don’t have a firm plan, just an idea of the feel I want and a firm desire to have fun with it.

psst...‎9th… 9… $90…9:00… If you don’t know what this is all about yet click the link and find out – you don’t want to miss out on this!

A lovely infusion…

2011-06-08T09:27:00.000+10:00

Stopping for a cuppa is often a stalling/procrastinating tactic on a painting day, but not today. Today I shall be making lots of tea and it’s all in the name of research and “paint” prep….

Delivering Donations to the Displaced

2011-05-31T11:40:00.000+10:00

Hot off the work bench, I literally only finished this piece minutes ago. I’m really happy with it, but I am not sure about the name, I’m hoping something more eloquent will come to me…

It’s the latest in my community series and it is about my memory of the well worn path through our local evacuation centre during the floods. Many, many locals who were not affected donated anything they could to those in our community who had lost so much. It was such a help to me to be able to do something positive amongst so much devastation and I hope that in some small way it gave comfort and practical assistance to those in need.

Every time I visited the evacuation centre the piles of donated goods was larger and not just piles of used things, but specially purchased items, the specific requirements that were called for, one day it was toiletries and baby goods another day it was, sheets and towels or cleaning gear and gum boots. It was uplifting to see the community reaching out to help those in need

In my painting the evacuee’s are represented by the scattered dots, the people I saw when visiting the evacuation centre where in shock, wandering, seemingly aimless and scattered around the grounds. The ark of dots in the corner represents those on a mission to deliver goods and offer a hand in any way they could. It still brings tears to my eyes to think about just how many people where at that evacuation centre and it was just one of many.

Anyway I didn’t intend for this post to be sad, so to end on a more positive note here it is, my latest painting…

Delivering Donations to the Displaced

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic on mounted linen

600 x 600mm

2011

What do you think?

Creating again!

2011-05-26T08:31:00.000+10:00

My creative space is up and working again in our fabulous new home. So much has happened since my last post. We are all settled in at the new place, I have three paintings out in two different group exhibitions and one in a competition. We have been on a road trip for a family wedding and I’ve had a little interview uploaded on to You Tube (my 22 seconds of fame!). And then on my return to blog land I find we have a new home for our creative spaces as well, exciting times!

I’m so happy all of the busy, busy days are over and I can settle back into some sort of normal rhythm. The painting that is on my work bench has waited so long to come to life and I am really happy with how it is coming along. Hopefully I will be able to share the finished piece in the next couple of days.

I’m very happy to be back here in blog land too, I can’t wait to find some time for visiting and catching up on what you have been up to.

It’s on again….

2011-04-22T09:09:00.001+10:00

So excited to see this news arrive in my in box this morning, it’s time to sign up for the Sketch Book project again. I signed up rather late in the project last year, so I am keen to get in early this time… So I can procrastinate for months and months and cram it all in at the end – again! What is it creative types – why do so many of us work that way?

It’s such a thrill to have my little sketch book out there in the world, especially when an email arrives to tell me someone has looked at it. I can’t help wondering what they think of it, someone I have no other connection with, flipping through my sketch book on the other side of the world.

I’m thinking I might choose “Monochromatic” as my theme this year, I like working monochromatically; I think I can get comfortable with that. Are you going to join in this year?

A strange little job…

2011-04-13T13:53:00.000+10:00

Today one of the jobs on my "to do list" is removing the wax residue on these little copper balls.

They will be part of my third attempt at the still in progress “Entwined in the Community” painting. The wax that is on them is left over from when they were imbedded in the first attempt.

I’m off to boil the jug to get them all cleaned up. What strange little jobs are you up to today?

Cooking in the studio

2011-04-07T07:51:00.000+10:00

Cooking today, but in my creative space, not in the kitchen…

Ingredients

1 kg pure bees wax
200 gr refined bees wax pellets
220 gr damar resin crystals

Method

Mix together all ingredients and melt over low heat stirring constantly until combined (about 30 minutes).

Ladle mixture into patty cake tins and wait till cool and resolidified.

Pop out of tins and store until next painting day!

My favourite kind of cooking – mixing up encaustic medium. It feels so good to have a big fresh batch all ready to go. The possibilities of it are endless; I wonder what paintings this batch will become…

For those of you following my disaster in the studio yesterday, take 2 didn’t go well. But I will resurrect this piece, take 3 will be the winner – I just know it.

Disaster in the studio…

2011-04-06T07:49:00.000+10:00

While threading the twine through the copper balls late yesterday afternoon I bumped one – hard, I cracked the wax supporting it near the base which meant it was no longer embedded firmly.

I was furious with myself and walked away to calm down, when suddenly the solution for how to mend it came to me. Wanting to get it sorted out straight away, I took a deep breath and headed back into the studio, I should have just stayed away…

Heating the substrate from below was a good idea, but it required more delicacy and patience than I had to give at the end of the day. Now I have a smooth puddle in my lovely textureL.

I don’t think it is reparable; I am going to try, this morning while I am feeling fresh, but I think I am going to have to end up melting the whole painting off and starting again. It is one of the beauties of encaustics that I can do that, but it’s so sad as I really loved the texture in this piece and I was ready for it to be finished so I could move onto the next piece that is on my mind.

I suppose these days happen to make us appreciate the days when everything goes right…

So close… but still so far away…

2011-04-01T08:04:00.000+10:00

Not too long now in the grand scheme of things...

but the next few weeks are going to be torture...

I just want to move in right now!

"Entwining"

2011-03-31T08:43:00.005+10:00

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Today I hope to get the entwining part of my latest work “Entwined in the Community” done. It will involve lots of carefully, but forcefully find paths through the copper balls for the needle and twine.

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Time consuming and a little frustrating, but oh so satisfying as it the piece is so close to finished…

I wonder if anything simular is happening in other creative spaces across the globe…

It’s a bit like watching grass grow…

2011-03-29T11:08:00.005+10:00

I’m spending a lot of time today waiting for copper to cool and wax to set.

Detail of “Entwined in the Community” in progress

Encaustic and copper on mounted linen

Every time I paint a layer I have to fuse it (heat the surface with my heat gun) and in the process the copper wire balls heat up. Then I have to wait for it to all cool down and set again so I can paint the next layer (the copper keeps it heat for quite a while – so it is making the process quite drawn out).

If I moved onto the next layer before it was really cool and set I might dislodge the balls with my paint brush. In reality there is so little to do until this piece is finished, but it is going to take some time and patients to get there. I’m not very good at all this waiting business!

Anticipation…

2011-03-25T09:25:00.000+10:00

We are getting really close to living here now… I can’t wait to hang out on the deck every day; it’s so peaceful among the tree tops, listening to the water trickling down our little creek.

We don’t have an exact date yet, but soon, about 3 weeks. They are going to be the longest 3 weeks ever!

Work in Progress...

2011-03-24T07:59:00.000+10:00

I’m loving the background I am working on in My Creative Space this week. I have my fingers crossed that the whole painting goes as smoothly as this stage has, as I have already entered it in a competition!

The vision in my head is great (it will be a bit like this one), just got to hope I can bring it to life… I have a bit of time to rework it if it is a flop, so not too much pressure...

Wish me luck.

Box Making…

2011-03-08T12:08:00.000+10:00

No painting today, I’m making a box...

I’m speaking about my arts practice tonight at the Creative Generator [Social] Networking Event. I know public speaking – ARRGGHH, I said yes really quickly before the chicken in me could think about how nerve racking it was going to be!

But back to the box making. … I am taking along this piece, Community Ties and so it makes it there and back safely, I am making it a little box.

If you have something precious that needs boxing, check out this lecture for some great tips. He makes some really valuable points within the lecture, my favourite being” If you show people that you honour and respect your work, they will too”.

Wish me luck for tonight, my stomach is doing summersaults!

“Community Connections”

2011-03-03T06:48:00.000+10:00

“Community Connections”

Kylie Marie Stevens

encastic on linen

300 x 300mm

2011

Each little circle - a person…

Each little line - a connection…

Each connection - a building block with which strong communities grow…

This piece symbolises the connections and community that I have found online. Such beautiful and fruitful connections with so much room to grow.

Create some more online connections of your own over here.

Community Ties

2011-02-17T07:22:00.000+10:00

My blogging space may have been quite slack lately, but my creative space is still full steam ahead. I am madly in love with my latest painting. It doesn’t always feel like this when I finish a piece, but this is the feeling I am always chasing. Knowing that it can feel this good is what pushes me along through all of the hard work.

"Community Ties"

Kylie Marie Stevens

encaustic, copper and twine on canvas

450 x 550mm

2011

I am embarking on a new series exploring the concept of “Community", for me the copper balls represent the people within the community that are tied together with the twine that symbolises different strands or groups within our larger communities.

Community Ties - detail

I’m hoping to do a piece soon on my involvement with the bloggy community, but I haven’t yet come up with a way to represent it. What does community mean to you? Do you feel a stronger connection with your physical/locality community or your online community?

I hope you are having a good Creative Space day… Pop on over here to join in the fun.

A Fresh Start

2011-02-04T09:05:00.001+10:00

"A Fresh Start"

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic on timber

240 x 290mm

2011
$90

I had a really creative day on Tuesday. I started and finished a new encaustic and reworked two which I had previously thought of as duds...

This is one of the reworked duds, I didn’t have a title for it until this morning, but as soon as I thought of it I knew it was perfect...

I have called it “A Fresh Start”, it seems appropriate on so many levels to me at the moment…

I hope that this beautiful sunshiny day is a fresh start for the weather in poor old battered Queensland…
I hope the fact that I have now blogged two days in a row is a fresh start for my slack start to blogging in 2011…
We put our house on the market this week, as we are soon to make a fresh start in our beautiful purple tree house…

Are you embarking on any fresh starts yourself? I’d love to hear about them…

New Work

2011-02-03T15:10:00.001+10:00

“Create”

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic on canvas

400 x 500mm

2011

$120

No words today, just wanted to share and play along…

Sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye….

2011-01-31T07:01:00.000+10:00

"Byron Bay"

Kylie Marie Stevens

915 x 610mm

oil on canvas

1999

Today I deliver this painting; I thought I was quite happy to let it go... l until I wrapped it up last night.

It’s been part of my life and home for such a long time now and was painted after a much needed beach escape. I’m sad to see it go, but I know it will be loved in its new home. Do you ever feel sad as your creations leave your life?

Inspired

2011-01-25T08:57:00.000+10:00

I’ve been inspired by my community as the flood waters receded and thousands of helping hands have been offered to those in need. It’s amazing the creative ways that people have found to help and contribute.

The Swich Contemporary Art Space have called for donations of artwork for a flood relief auction and I have painted and submitted this piece for consideration.

"Community"

Kylie Marie Stevens

encaustic on linen

450 x 450mm

2011

The background symbolises the receding flood waters and the circle of dots the people coming together to help and contribute as we begin to rebuild. I hope this feeling of community spirit and strength continues long beyond the clean up and recovery stages.

Check out our tree house….

2011-01-24T08:06:00.000+10:00

Our new house is really starting to come to life. Work stopped over Christmas and then the floods stalled things for a while, but now it is full steam ahead again.

The purple isn’t as dark as we expected, but it has grown on us, it is going to look great when the timber stair case and railings are installed.

Check out the chimney, the fire place is in and we are thrilled!

We are getting REALLY excited about living there now, it is so peaceful out on the back deck looking over the little creek and listening to the trees rustle. Not too long now…

My sketchbook is in the mail….

2011-01-19T08:25:00.000+10:00

My little book is now on a big trip to America to join 28 000 other sketch books on a national tour and then to take up residency at the Brooklyn Art Library.

The good folk at The Sketchbook Project granted all participants an extension and boy did I need it!

My theme for the project was “Sleepless” and after a couple of false starts (and completely destroying, rebinding and recovering my sketchbook!) I decided to build my sketchbook around a music festival we attended in December. The festivals name was “No Sleep Til” and we anticipated a sleepless weekend!

I must give a big shout out and thankyou to photographer Elleni Toumpas who was gracious enough to let me use some of the shots from her blog as reference, as I didn’t get as much sketching done at the festival as I anticipated…

So here it is without further ado, your very own sneak peek at my sketch book…

What an adventure this little sketch book is off on… I wonder who will flip through it and what they will think...

Support

2011-01-15T09:11:00.000+10:00

"Support"

Kylie Marie Stevens

oil on linen

900 x 990mm

2010

I survived the floods unscathed, so many in my community are not so lucky. It’s overwhelming and so very sad to witness the devastation so close to home. The last few days have been a flurry of getting batches of donations to the evacuation centre and keeping an eye one of our family’s homes for flood waters and looters.

Curly Guy was out offering his muscle to the clean up yesterday, but I was home with Little Guy, I feel so useless and want so desperately to help anyway I can.

I have donated the painting above “Support” to The Queensland Flood Appeal Raffle. I thought it was appropriate as it has been amazing watching the way the community has pulled together to “support” one and other through this disaster.

There are so many fantastic prizes on offer in this raffle, please pop over to the page and find out how to purchase a ticket and help us get as much money as possible to the people who are suffering.

Back in the Studio...

2011-01-07T12:58:00.001+10:00

I spent some time in the studio this morning, it’s the first creative time I have had for myself this year, actually since the silly season started and it felt sooooo good. I had been getting quite stressed, cranky and really out of sorts. I’m glad I finally remembered how to fix that mood, shame it took me so long to remember!

Hope you are having a good start to the New Year. Thanks for sticking around while I had my little bloggy break. I determined and excited to carve out the time to hang out in blog land more again…. I can’t wait to pop over to your place and see what you have been up to.

ArtofDay feature

2010-12-28T13:16:00.000+10:00

I am fully entrenched in holiday mode (I had plum pudding for breakfast!!! – loving Christmas leftovers) but I just had to drop by, to share that my work was featured on ArtofDay today. Thanks for the mention, I love having to opportunity to share my work with new people!

"Namaste"

Kylie Marie Stevens

90 x 90 cm

oil on canvas

2010

SOLD

This is the piece that is featured; unfortunately the image on the site is a bit blown out (my fault, not theirs) it looks a lot more like this in real life.

Drop by and check out the other 17 artist featured; there is some really interesting work in this bunch.

I hope you are enjoying the festive season, I’ll be back to more regular posting next week.

Our builder has let me in on a little secret…..

2010-12-15T15:18:00.000+10:00

They are ahead of schedule, fabulous news! BUT it leaves me with a dilemma….

Our beautiful dream house has lots of huge doors and windows, so we can take in the view of the tree tops we are nestled amongst..... That means not many walls for me to adorn with paintings.

So I have to find new homes for heaps of my paintings. To that end I am doing a little editing of prices (read – slashing prices ridiculously!) in my “Paintings Available for Sale” album over on facebook and adding lots of new paintings to the album as well.

Do pop over for a little look, please feel free to send your friends over too, I’d really appreciate your help with spreading the word about this one! I’m starting to panic about just how many truck loads, my studio supplies and paintings are going to take up in the move…

Happy Dancing…

2010-12-14T13:36:00.000+10:00

“Circle of Friends”

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic on canvas and timber

300 x 290mm

2010

$90

I just love a great painting day…. The ones when the painting actually exceeds my expectations. I had one of them today and I am so in love with this one!

Mesmerising…

2010-12-09T07:58:00.000+10:00

There is calm returning to my studio. I am finding my feet and my confidence painting with encaustics. The wax is so surprising and enchanting to work with that it has been worth all of the heartache, disappointments and doubts of learning to work with them. I really love this one; it just feels so comfortable and calm to me and shows a glimmer of where I may head with this ethereal medium.

“Mesmerising”

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic and imt silver leaf on canvas and wood

300 x 290mm

2010

$90

I like the other piece I painted this week too... I popped it up over here and there is a bit of a debate about the title going on. I’m still not sure what I will call it, but I am so thrilled it has engaged people.

Bones

2010-12-06T15:16:00.000+10:00

I took a call the other night about a commission… a gift for an orthopaedic surgeon… something about bones...

I just happened to have this piece in my studio; I painted it a few years ago on a “bad back day”. After a few emails back and forward it turns out it will be perfect. How nice to have just the right thing on hand!

Home Grown

2010-11-30T14:23:00.000+10:00

Today I delivered one of my favourite paintings “Abound”, to The Ipswich Community Gallery. It will be part of the Home Grown exhibition.

It’s the first group show I have ever been a part of, so needless to say I am very excited and just a little bit chuffed!

I’m really looking forward the opening event on Sunday; it will be very exciting to see my artwork displayed along side the creations of so many of my talented peers.

Blogging Blah’s…..

2010-11-25T08:36:00.001+10:00

I anticipated a bit of a slump, post my exhibition, but I thought I had planned cleverly enough to sneak past it…

I made plans to escape on a little camping break soon after the opening and I put off starting my eagerly awaited launch into encaustics until after our return from camping.

And as much as I loved the camping and the encaustics are all that I hoped they would be I am still in a bit of a blogging and inspiration blah. The rest of life is swimming along just fine and I am still creating… mostly experimenting and learning with the encaustics. I’m just not feeling those bolts of inspiration.

I’m normally so keen to blog, with my head full of more posts than I have time to share. But lately I’m just not feeling it, I’m so out of touch in my blog reading and I have been seriously considering just closing down the blog and walking away.

In my heart I know this would be a mistake. I value the friendships I have made through blogging to much and I know that being part of blogging community brings me inspiration and motivation.

I just need to give myself a kick in the pants and get back into the swing of things. I know many of you must have been through this sort of thing before. How did you pull yourself out of it?

So my creative space is full of doubt… Perhaps a little blog surfing around creative space land will provide me with the kick start I need??? See you at Kirsty’s.

Pondering…

2010-11-19T13:20:00.000+10:00

Last night I attended the inaugural Philosophy Café in Ipswich. It was a really enjoyable evening, vibrant conversation, good coffee and an engaging speaker (thankyou Gil!).

One little aside has had my head swimming ever since… Whilst discussing what is or isn’t art, an audience member voiced her opinion that communication (or a desire to communicate something) was a key ingredient she used to measure if something was art. I have always held a belief that passion was a necessary ingredient in art and now that I ponder it, communication hits a chord and rings true for me as well.

“Is Communication the Key?”

Kylie Marie Stevens

Encaustic and collage on timber

235 x 290mm

2010

I’ve put together this little encaustic collage whilst I have been pondering this morning. I’ve never worked with typography in my artwork before. I’d love to know what you think… Both about this little piece and what you think art is…

Wishing you a soft beautiful Monday morning…

2010-11-15T08:02:00.000+10:00

I wish you could smell this one, it’s divine.

smitten with wax…

2010-11-11T07:35:00.000+10:00

I have never been so challenged by a creative medium, but the beauty and the possibility of encaustics have me oh so smitten. The smell is divine, the texture is dreamy and I am determined to master this.

I have played with including pastel between layers of wax…

Surfacing

Encaustic, pastel, paper and timber panel

235 x 290mm

I have melted, blown and glazed…

Hazy Days

Encaustic, pastel, paper and timber panel

235 x 290mm

I have embedded twine and stamped texture…

Gentle Lands

Encaustic, twine and timber panel

235 x 290mm

And last night I carved the surface with my lino carving tools…

work in progress

Encaustic, cheesecloth and timber panel

235 x 290mm

The texture for carving is just sublime; I have never carved anything with such ease. I just want to spend every waking moment in the studio!

I’ll catch up with all you creative types over at Kirsty’s this afternoon. I am heading off for a site meeting with the builder now, to decide where all of the power points and plumbing will go.

We have a roof!

2010-11-09T15:42:00.003+10:00

Well most of a roof! Next week we should get windows – check out the size of those windows holes– we love them! It really is going to feel like we are living in a tree house.

I have been hiding away in the studio….

2010-11-09T15:18:00.000+10:00

Playing and learning. Not only are the encaustics challenging, but photographing them is a nightmare. Apparently the camera (and the scanner) can see right through the subtle white glazes….

This is as close a representation as I can get for now…..

Hazy Day

Kylie Marie Stevens

235 x 290mm

Encaustic on paper and timber panel

2010

So much to learn…. You can check out the other piece I worked on today over here.

Hot wax + naked flame = fun and experimentation in the studio……

2010-11-04T08:22:00.000+10:00

Did I get your attention??? Sorry nothing kinky going on here! I’m immersing myself in experimenting with encaustics. I have fallen in love with this ancient and ethereal medium and I am determined to master it.

Hopefully by next week I will have something beautiful to share with you, but for now it’s all mess and mistakes! It’s all so exciting though; don’t you just love the buzz of learning something new? My head is spinning with possibilities, I just need my skill set to catch up!

I wonder what the other creative types are up to today.

I’m back…..

2010-11-03T11:19:00.001+10:00

I was away a little longer than I expected, but I feel the break has really done me good! We spent some time camped by a river and some time hanging out at home. I feel refreshed and keen to get stuck back into everything.

The first order of business is to draw the winner of my “lucky door prize”. I used random.org to draw the number and Kelly Thiel is the winner with the 7^th comment. I felt a bit funny about it at first as Kelly is one of my very favourite bloggers (she is a fabulous sculptor – you really must check out her work) and she has been such a big support to me lately. But then I realised I have so many favourite bloggers, that it was very likely that what ever number random.org came up with they would be one of my favourites!!!!! So Kelly the surprise lucky door prize will be jetting its way across the globe to you very soon.

I have been experimenting and playing with encaustics. I have been keen to give them a go for a couple of months, but I made myself wait until all of the exhibition work was done. I think I am in love with painting with hot wax and naked flame! More about that in another post…..

ps I was going to add a nice picky of our river side retreat, but I am getting a weird sign in to “Google Cloud Picker” message followed by and error message when I try to load a photo. So for now – no piccies. I have Googled the problem and found that I am not the only one suffering. Hopefully it is all put right soon….. I’ll be in trouble if it isn’t what is an arty blog with no piccies????? If you have had the same problem and found a solution, please share.

Unplugging for a bit…..

2010-10-25T18:34:00.000+10:00

I’m going to take a little tiny technology break… Spend some time with the family. Everything is wonderful at the moment and I just need to soak it all in.

I'm sorry I haven’t got around to thanking all of the lovely folk who attended my exhibition opening yet, both on line and “in the flesh”…I want you all to know I appreciate you so much, xxx.

I will draw to lucky draw prize when I return to the land of blog. I won’t be gone for long – promise.

Shadow Shot + House Update + Exhibition Excitement

2010-10-24T00:42:00.000+10:00

While this shadow shot may not be a spectacular photo, it marks a very exciting moment. My Curly Guy and I are standing together for the very first time, on the floor of our new home!

We have waited so long to see what it would look like up high in the trees where our home will be nestled. It is spectacular! We can’t wait to live here.

I am so keen to get around and check out some shadow shots… It has been so long since I played along… I have been immersed in preparations for my exhibition. It opened on Friday night and I had such a fabulous opening night.

I also had an online opening night so if you want to pop by and check out the show, just click here. There is still time for you to enter the “lucky door prize” on my Online Opening Night post, if you hurry, it will be drawn on Monday.

What a fabulous night!

2010-10-23T20:41:00.000+10:00

I was spoilt with flowers from my Curly Guy and two of my wonderful girlfriends.

I was joined by a crowd of family and friends.

And I sold paintings!

Thanks to all of you who dropped by the online opening and left such sweet comments. Sorry I haven’t been able to reply to you yet, I shall make it my mission over the following days.

I will announce the winner of the “lucky door prize” on Monday….. And hopefully I shall have some photos of the night to share then too.

I’m on such a high!!!

OPENING NIGHT

2010-10-22T18:30:00.001+10:00

Welcome to the online opening night of

Emerging, an exhibition of free flowing abstracts

by Kylie Marie Stevens.

This exhibition physically opens at Drawing Point Gallery, Ipswich,

Australia,

at 6:30 on the 22nd on October 2010, the same time as it goes live on line. I have chosen to do this for two reasons…. Firstly to honour and include all of the wonderful folks I have “met” online who have supported and encouraged me on this journey.

And secondly to use this opportunity to share my works with as many people as possible. You could help me on my quest to share this collection, by clicking one of the little "share" buttons at the bottom of this post, I would really appreciate it.

Here it is is, the Emerging collection, raise you glass and wish me well as you enjoy the show…. (just press the arrow play button)

The artist Bio that accompanies the Emerging exhibition….

Kylie Marie Stevens has been painting for 20 years and is largely self-taught. While working at selling art materials and fine art prints in her twenties she experimented widely with both medium and style.

Many of her paintings were produced as exercises as she sought to master various materials and techniques, developing her knowledge and skills.

In her early thirties Kylie progressed to painting commissioned pieces for corporate and commercial premises as well as teaching adult art workshops - deconstructing the art process for novice painters.

When she paints from the heart Kylie’s works are often a homage to nature and the diminishing “untouched landscape” for which we are all responsible.

The paintings in Emerging are abstracts and as such are open to many interpretations. For Kylie personally however they are expressive of different times, places, people and moods.

In the Adrift series Kylie was seeking to access her purest form of inspiration: a virtually subconscious vision, effortless and filled with joy. Reconnecting with this experience after becoming a mother has reawoken her ambition to share her art in public.

A huge thankyou to Anna for all of your patients and help writing this.

Feeling peckish? These are some of the tasty treats we are enjoying at Drawing Point Gallery tonight...

Avocado and Cherry Tomato Wonton cases

Cheese and Chive Blini with Pesto Cream and Prosciutto

Banoffee Tarts

Vol au vents laden with...
smoked salmon, dill and cream cheese;
feta and rocket pesto
and hummus with kalamata olive

Thanks to Amy and Helen for offering your culinary skills to the event, I really appreciate you catering for me (and I am sure my guests will too!)

I’m having a surprise “lucky door” prize, exclusive to the online opening night. To enter just leave a comment on this post and you are in the draw. Make sure you leave your email address if you are a “no reply at blogger” type!

If something in the exhibition has caught your eye and you want to make it your own, you can contact the gallery on ph: 07 3812 1188 or email: kateroberts@arttimesupplies.com

So many wonderful supportive people have cheered me on in this journey. I can’t express how much your support and kind words have meant to me. I don’t think I would have been able to take this step, without you backing me. Thankyou.

There are a lot of sad, lonely, empty hooks at my place today….

2010-10-21T07:06:00.000+10:00

I won’t be creating anything in my creative space today, but I am packing up a bundle of my creations and hanging them for my exhibition…Gee the house is going to seem empty without them.

Just one more sleep until my opening night’s…. That’s right I am having two opening nights at once. The regular “in the flesh” one at Drawing Point Gallery and my “online” opening night, they will both open simultaneously (fingers crossed auto posting works its magic for me!).

So if distance keeps you from coming along…. Join me celebrating this milestone right here in the blogsphere, your invitation with all of the details is right here. I hope you will raise your glass for me from your corner of the globe and leave a comment on the “Online Opening” post to go in the draw for the “lucky door prize”.

Wish me luck that the hanging goes well, so I can grab a moment to do a little My Creative Space surfing this afternoon….

We have poles AND bearers….

2010-10-20T10:01:00.000+10:00

The dream house is progressing along again this week now that we have had a break from the rain. We should get a floor this week and maybe even some of the wall framing. Exciting times! AND only 2 more sleeps till my opening night…

Your invite…

2010-10-18T14:02:00.000+10:00

You are invited to the online opening

Emerging

Friday the 22^nd of October at 6:30pm

(Eastern standard time – Queensland Australia. Time zone converter here)

No need to RSVP, just drop on over here to Chasing Purple Dreams. The online opening, including a slide show of the exhibition, will go live at the same time as I open the doors to the exhibition at Drawing Point Gallery.

There will be a surprise “Lucky Door Prize” just leave a comment on the night to go in the draw.

I am hoping to be able to include recipes from some of the yummies that will be on offer as well…. I am so lucky to have some fabulous cooks who are also fabulous friends catering for me on the night.

I will also have the gallery’s contact details available just in case you have to make one of my original paintings your own!

So I hope you will raise a glass and wish me luck in my first solo exhibition regardless of how many miles are between us.

Please feel free to share the invite to this online opening anyway you like… I am happy for you to post a link on your blog… or you could push one of those little “share” buttons down near the bottom of the post… I’d love to be able to share my exhibition and my work far and wide with as many people as possible.

Look what I found in the gully at “The Dirty” today...

2010-10-17T16:31:00.000+10:00

(a light on words post for Blogtober 17!)

For Friend’s Afar…..

2010-10-16T12:14:00.000+10:00

Blogging and connecting with folk on Facebook is fabulous, but there are a few little down sides…. Like the disappointment that all of my far flung friends can’t be a part of my exhibition opening…. But I think I have a solution. Unfortunately I haven’t won the lotto, so I can’t fly you all in to be at the opening! But I can give you an online glimpse…

Pistacia Vera

Kylie Marie Stevens

oil on canvas

1060 x 910 mm

2003

So I’m thinking…online opening…. With a slide show of the exhibition pieces scheduled to auto post at the same time as the exhibition opens…

A “lucky door prize” for a randomly drawn commenter…

Any other ideas on how you could feel included?

Would you like copies of the recipes for the yummies that my fabulous friends are making for the nibbles?

Should I include the galleries contact details – just in case someone wanted to purchase from the show?

Would you help me to promote it on your facebook pages or blogs?

Meet "Creative"…

2010-10-15T10:04:00.003+10:00

I wanted a way to celebrate and commemorate the milestone of my first solo exhibition….

“Creative”

Mitsy Sleurs

from the “99 Feelings” – project

7.5cm high

unfired ceramic

Purchasing this sculpture form ArtMind’s Etsy store was just perfect. “Creative” is from Mitsy’s 99 Feelings-project and I have loved her from the moment I saw her. Of course it helps that 9 is my favourite number (so it follows that 99 is a fabulous number too!). The shape of these little babushkas is just so perfect to me and I instantly connected with the way Misty has expressed feeling creative. To purchase another artists work as I embark on this exhibition seems like good karma and I shall continue this tradition to mark future milestones in my artistic career…

And don’t you just love Mitsy’s”Happy Girls”? She pops one in with everything she sells. I am thinking mine is going to hang from my rear vision mirror as and “out and about” reminder of my achievement while “Creative” will live on the shelf above my studio desk, where it is safe from little hands and where I can see it as I create.

Do you mark milestones with a little something? I haven’t done it before, but I really like the concept. A friend of mine recently chose a diamond ring (for her husband to buy her) to mark the milestone of completing her PHD. She completed it whilst also being a Mum to two kids under 3 – what a huge achievement. I am so proud of her!

One week today until my exhibition opens……

Itchy, but optimistic…

2010-10-14T07:25:00.000+10:00

I am itching to get playing with my paints again. I haven’t had any Little Guy free time for painting in weeks. I have one more painting day before the exhibition and before that long awaited day arrives I need to find time to stretch this beautiful linen on to the custom sized stretcher I had made. I have a good feeling about the painting for this canvas, perhaps it will even end up the star of the show (not to put any pressure on myself or anything!!!!).

There is still lots of work to do before my big day (just 8 days till opening night!), so I shall probably continue to be a bit of a slacker around my Blogtoberfest posting. But do drop back by tomorrow as I want to share a very special little something I purchased to celebrate and commemorate my solo exhibition milestone…

Its Thursday once again, so you know where we are all headed…Make yourself a cuppa, there is tons of creativity to immerse yourself in!

AWOL for Blogtoberfest – the excuse…..

2010-10-12T12:28:00.000+10:00

Ok I just dropped of the blogging band wagon for a moment there. I just have so many jobs on my pre exhibition to do list that I just let it slide, sorry! The on top of the already hefty to do list, unexpected jobs keep cropping up. Like spending most of Sunday afternoon cleaning the studio for the visitor I am expecting in less than an hour…..

I contacted some of the local press to see if they were interested in writing a little something about my exhibition and one of them is! She is on her way, here… in about 45 minutes….. My stomach is twisting and turning, I’m excited and scared all at once... What have I gotten myself in for????

Blogtober 8th

2010-10-08T11:35:00.001+10:00

Today is gloomy, drizzly, my back is out and I have a headache. L If it wasn’t for Blogtoberfest I wouldn’t have posted today… Sorry for the whinge!

Lucky I captured this little sunshiny shot earlier in the week, hopefully sharing it will brighten your day and mine too!

Where’s all the art????

2010-10-07T07:53:00.000+10:00

While you might imagine the lead up to an art exhibition would mean lots of paint and canvas, there is not actually that much creativity in my space at the moment…..

15 days till opening night and most of the work I am doing includes this diary. Writing to the press, getting invitations out into the community, collecting paintings and applying for a group exhibition later in the year have occupied me this week. Along with the excitement at The Dirty….the holes we celebrated earlier in the week are now full of cement and we should soon have poles rising into the air.

I hope your creative spaces are exciting and abundant today, so that I can pop by and live vicariously through your creativity!

Blogtober 6th.... and already a pretty lame excuse for a post!

2010-10-06T16:01:00.001+10:00

No time for a proper post today…. Here’s a photo from my garden this morning… So that I don’t fail at Blogtoberfest already! How are you going with the posting everyday???

Dream Home Update….Holes!!!

2010-10-05T07:55:00.000+10:00

It’s so exciting to see things happening at “The Dirty” (Little Guy calls our block The Dirty – so cute!).

We have holes!

The surveyor’s markers that we were so excited to see in last week are now out with holes in their place.

This pile of steel will go into the holes today as they are filled with concrete.

We were a bit worried on the drive out to The Dirty last night as it was raining. We didn’t want to face delays or have to have water pumped out of the holes…. But the rain soon stopped and then we were rewarded and reassured by this little piece of magic.

It’s going to be such a special place to live, I just can’t wait.

Well here we are, Blogtober 5^th… I’m doing ok so far. How about you? I wonder what stage the house will be by the end of Blogtober??? Exciting times.

Still untitled….

2010-10-04T10:39:00.000+10:00

“Embraced”, “Nestled”???? I’m still not set on a title for this one, but I am sure that I love it! It’s the third in the “Namaste” series and it would make a really lovely pair with “Grace”.
I have another painting in this series brewing away in my head and my heart….. I’m just waiting for a few uninterrupted hours to bring it to life.

A star shaped, flower shadow, on our front path….

2010-10-03T07:43:00.000+10:00

One of my Little Guy’s favourite songs is “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”, so he was quite chuffed when we spotted this star shaped shadow on our path. Want to see what the other shadow chasers are up to this week? Then just pop on over to Hey Harriet for a shadowy journey around the world.

Dream Home update...

2010-10-02T15:27:00.000+10:00

One of the things we like about the land that our dream home is being built on is the trees. We plan to keep the bush at the back of the block quite natural and add native plantings amongst the tree to enhance the beauty of the bushland.

When we bought the block the house site was already cleared and our designer has worked the house beautifully into the space. Unfortunately one, small tree had to go, to provide access to the back of the block. This morning we cut it down and it became our first wood pile for the new fire place. It was quite satisfying to spend the time out there working in what will become our yard.

I’m looking forward to more time spent out there this weekend, but this time planting! We picked up a nice little collection of natives, free from our council. They are destined for planting along the dry creek bed that our deck will overlook. I can’t wait to live there!

Painting my way into Blogtober…

2010-10-01T11:24:00.000+10:00

Happy 1^st of Blogtober! I’ve enjoyed a quiet painting morning, to ease me into what is going to be a huge month for me.

This piece is the third in the “Namaste” series. Sometimes painting is a hard slog, but Tuesday’s painting “Grace” and this morning’s painting, have just flowed so effortlessly from me to the canvas. I don’t have a title for this one yet. I have been toying with “Embrace”, but that doesn’t seem quite right…. Any ideas?

Well that’s one post down for Blogtober – just 30 more to go! I wonder how well I will meet this challenge???

I’ve been a slack blogger lately…..

2010-09-30T07:39:00.000+10:00

I’ve immersed myself in exhibition preparations and building our dream house. These are very exciting times for me and as busy as I am, I do still want to share the experience with you all here in my little space.

So Blogtoberfest couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Just what I need, a pledge to blog everyday for October, thankyou so much for hosting Tinniegirl! Hopefully it will get me back into the swing of things.

Here’s what has been keeping me busy in the studio this week. A little stunner called “Grace”. This painting flowed so beautifully from idea to completion – a complete contrast to the struggle I had with Arrival last week.

Grace

Kylie Marie Stevens

oil on canvas

509 x 610mm

2010

Time to pop over and see if Kirsty is still low on fuel….Or if the creative’s from all over will be converging at her place again.

Sneak peek at “Arrival”…

2010-09-23T08:10:00.000+10:00

I had decided I shouldn’t share any new painting photos here or on my facebook page before my exhibition opening. But I couldn’t help sharing a bit of a look at this beauty! It was such a fight to get this piece to live up to the magnificent vision in my head. And to put extra pressure on myself I had already given it the “staring spot” in the Adrift series, so it had to be good….

I pushed through the “ugly stage”, I persisted with the never ending need to clean my brushes as I went, and I gave myself a big pep talk (and just quietly I switched from coffee to port!) and I got through it. I’m so glad I did, I love it now! Do you have greater affection for your “hard won” creations or the ones that come really easily?

This piece holds a lot of symbolism for me, but more about that another day… It’s time to go and check out everyone else’s creative spaces….

Ooohh just remembered Kirsty is having a holiday, so there may not be a “My Creative Space” today. What a strange Thursday today will be if that is the case! If you pop by here anyway and have a creative space sort of post happening, make sure you leave me a comment, so I can come check it out… So I don’t go into creative space withdrawals!

Our dream house amongst the gum trees is underway….

2010-09-22T13:37:00.000+10:00

Wordless Wednesday

Just when I thought it was all over….

2010-09-21T16:05:00.000+10:00

Inspiration struck!

It all seems so obvious now. The “Adrift” series could not be complete without this piece. The story wasn’t finished. When this piece is done, I’m confident the series will feel complete.

Wish me luck as I work on this painting, I hope I can do justice to the magnificent vision in my head….

Excitement and lists

2010-09-20T14:31:00.000+10:00

I am all about lists at the moment, with all that is going on I have to do lists coming out my ears! I do love a good list; it’s so satisfying to cross jobs off! There are some pretty exciting jobs on my “to do” list at the moment, so when Tinniegirl suggested I share I jumped at the chance.

Little Guy is going to spend a little time in the country with his grandparents this week, so I actually have a fair chance of getting to most of the jobs on this weeks list!

It doesn’t look good for the rain easing up anytime soon in these parts though – trust us to start building right when they predict the wettest summer in years!

Wishing you a weekend full of sunshine and flowers…

2010-09-18T07:33:00.000+10:00

Can you see it?

2010-09-16T06:53:00.000+10:00

I’d love to know what, if anything, you see in this little abstract pair. Shhh if you have been following the conversation over here. I want to see if anyone else comes up with the same thought!

I painted the first in the pair as a purely abstract form. But once the first person mentioned the image they saw, there seems to be no getting away from it! I must admit I was a little led by this thought as I painted the pair…..

I haven’t named them yet, so if a title jumps out at you, please share.

I’m looking forward to finding a quiet moment this afternoon to sit down with a cuppa and check out all of this week’s creativity.

I have created the next generation of shadow hunter…

2010-09-12T00:19:00.000+10:00

My Little Guy is still pretty intrigued by his newly discovered shadow, especially when it turns up in places like this! He has been pointing out his shadow when we are out and about and asking me where his shadow’s Mum is – so darn cute!

Pop by Hey Harriet,to see what the other shadow chasers have captured this week. Something tells me you will be hard pressed to find a shadow shot as adorable as my Little Guy’s shadow though!!

Psssttt… Did you catch my fabulous news? I am still grinning like an idiot! Thank you very much if you are one of the many who had you fingers crossed for me. With my hard work and your positive energy I have achieved my goal. What an exciting ride I am in for over the next few weeks!

This is the big news I have been waiting on…..

2010-09-10T20:23:00.000+10:00

I just received the news that my expression of interest has been accepted and my exhibition will open on the 22nd of October!!! I am over the moon happy, I’m sure I am going to get a sore jaw from the size of the smile I am wearing!

My painting magically put into a fancy gallery setting over at Dumpr

New Toy!!!

2010-09-09T11:23:00.000+10:00

There is a new toy in My Creative Space today. I can’t use it just yet, I need to do some rummaging at the op shop and order some special materials from the art supply shop, but I am so excited about the plans I have for this little beauty……

Avery

Kylie Marie Stevens

watercolour, pastel and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

I have been on a roll with my little watercolours this week, Emerson sold almost as soon as he was posted and Avery and Bernard have had a lot of positive feedback. I even listed them in my neglected little Etsy shop, hopefully they find new homes soon.

Bernard

Kylie Marie Stevens

watercolour, pastel and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

See you all at Kirsty’s!

Happy Days…

2010-09-07T08:48:00.001+10:00

So many lovely opportunities are coming my way lately… Just yesterday I received a letter asking me to submit work for a group exhibition and I was also asked to consider teaching a children’s art class in the new year. Fabulous stepping stones on the path to my dreams coming true!

And just because I don’t like to leave you without a picture…. Meet Emerson, he received his finishing touches late last night and he is now ready for his debut.

Emerson

Kylie Marie Stevens

Watercolour and ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210mm

2010

~~$25~~
Edited to add SOLD!! Within minutes of his debut, how exciting!

Still waiting on my exciting news…..My fingers are a little cramped from being crossed so long!

Stuck for words today…

2010-09-06T08:24:00.000+10:00

So here’s a picture! A little mixed media, completed this morning.

Untitled (for now…)

Kylie Marie Stevens

Watercolour, pencil, pen & ink on watercolour paper

148 x 210 mm

2010

$25

Shadowy Ducks

2010-09-05T06:54:00.000+10:00

Shadowy ducks – with two different looks courtesy of Picnik. Have you tried Picnik for photo editing? I love it and it’s a very rare photo that makes it to my blog without going via Picnik. Have a play some time, it’s fabulous and it’s free!

Another fabulous, free, fun, way to spend some time is shadow hunting. Check out what the fellow shadow chasers have caught this week over at Hey Harriet.

George and Jen join us for a picnic….

2010-09-03T15:10:00.000+10:00

My Little Guys imagination has just exploded in the last few weeks and we are in the midst of all sorts of new roll playing games.
When I stumbled upon this tutorial I knew I just had to make some of theses. Little Guy loves them and I am sure George and Jen will get up to all sorts of adventures…..

Shiny New Skills in My Creative Space...

2010-09-02T06:28:00.000+10:00

I had so much fun at my PMC workshop. These photos are of my fabulous teacher May Bartrum’s demonstration. My hands were a bit greasy while I was working so I didn’t get many shots of my piece.

Our pieces were kiln fired, but May also gave us a demo of torch firing. Most of us also chose to have our pieces put in the tumbler for a few hours after we finished them, for a super duper shine.

These are some of the progress shots of my piece that I did manage to get.

The piece next to mine in the "drying" shot is Selina’s. I am so glad she joined me for this class it was lots of fun to share the experience with a fellow blogger and nice for us to finally meet.

The little piece in the “silver” shot is a little dangle to hang from the back of the chain, I whipped it up in a couple of minutes with the left over bits.

And here it is my newest bling. My perfectionist side wishes I had more time for designing and refining this piece. But I am really happy with the skills I learnt and that’s what the workshop was all about.

I am positive I shall be revisiting this medium and making more shiny things, so there will be more PMC in My Creative Space in the future…

Creativity abounds at Kirsty’s on a Thursday, so pop over and check it out – while your there why not join us, its heaps of fun and a little bit addictive

Spring is in the Air…

2010-09-01T09:06:00.000+10:00

Welcome spring, my favourite time of year. I love the blooming, the rebirth, and the buzz in the air.

The fabulously supportive Kellie from 74 Lime Lane has interviewed little old me…. So if you want to see what I had to say pop over and if you are popping over this way from Kellie’s welcome! I hope you like what you see and click that little follow button so you can stick around.

I am waiting (not terribly patiently) on some BIG news this week. I’m like a teenage girl sitting by the phone. I actually jumped when rang the other day – but it was just a girl friend, not the long awaited news. Keep your fingers crossed for me please, it might be the little bit of luck I need to get me over the line…..

Art Mind

2010-08-30T07:17:00.002+10:00

I’m so thrilled to have had my first guest post published over at Art Mind. If you have popped over from Mitsy’s, welcome! I hope you decide to have a look around, perhaps even push that follow button so you don’t miss out on any of the exciting things that are brewing…

For those of you, who hang out here regularly – hi, hope you enjoyed your weekend! Do pop over to Art Mind for a look, not only will you find my guest post, but also a fabulous informative blog, with lots of great articles and inspiring tutorials.

Radiant Red Shadows

2010-08-29T06:09:00.000+10:00

A shaft of early morning sun captured my Little Guy’s shadow on the red couch. It offered the opportunity for me to take some great shadow shots and for a lesson about shadows with a fascinated little boy.

The light was beautiful, amazing, I haven’t played with these shots to make them glow like that, the only editing I have done is a little tiny bit of cropping and the rounded borders.

I have been so keen for Shadow Shot Sunday to come around this week; I have been itching to share these! I wonder what the other shadow chasers have found this week. If you’re curious, pop over to Hey Harriet, Tracy is a wonderful hostess; she would be thrilled to have you.

Back to Class

2010-08-28T11:58:00.000+10:00

I’m heading back to the class room this afternoon for another one of the Artisan Wonderland workshops.

Last time I did a felt slipper making class and this afternoon I am trying PMC.

Precious Metal Clay is like plasticine while you work it but after kiln firing it is just like normal silver. The workshop out line indicates we will be making a stone set ring. I can’t wait, I love learning new things and learning is especially good when you walk away with a new piece of jewellery too!

I meeting up with a special blogger in class too…

Love Thy Flower

2010-08-27T07:21:00.000+10:00

I’m back in the groove with my little watercolours. I don’t know for sure why I stopped doing them. Perhaps it was because I put a bit too much pressure on myself to try to come up with a consistent look for them. I think for now I am just going to go with the flow and work on whatever captures my imagination!

"Love Thy Flower"

Kylie Marie Stevens

15 x 21 cm

Watercolour and pencil on watercolour paper

$20

Like this quirky little thing… It gained its title over on my facebook fan page. Thanks Renee! It’s so nice to have other people help me come up with titles some times; it’s not my strong point!!

Arriving

2010-08-26T09:00:00.000+10:00

I think I may have arrived at the end of the “Adrift” series with yesterday’s new painting titled “Arriving”.

"Arriving"

Kylie Marie Stevens

40.7 x 50.9cm

oil on canvas

will be available for sale - details soon...

I’ve really enjoyed delving into this series, but almost as soon as this was completed I felt called to move on. I plan on embarking on another series with “Namaste” a painting from a couple of months ago as the starting point.

"Namaste"

Kylie Marie Stevens

90 x 90 cm

oil on canvas

2010

SOLD

What a great place to be in for My Creative Space day, feeling good about the end of one project and excited about embarking on another! I hope your creative space is exciting and positive too. See you at Kirsty’s!

Ducking and Diving…

2010-08-25T12:13:00.001+10:00

Wordless Wednesday.

I’ve been destroying my sketch book…

2010-08-20T08:48:00.000+10:00

The pages were disappointingly thin. So I ripped the guts out, cut watercolour paper to size, rebound it with waxed thread and then gave it a new canvas cover. The only original element is the cardboard from the cover and you won’t even see that in the end! Thank you Kelly for the inspiration, links and support!

I think I shall be making more little sketch books in this way, I think they would be fabulous for little travel journals etc…

A funny little painting that started life as one thing and turned into another...The Animation!

2010-08-19T06:47:00.000+10:00

I have been contemplating ways to try to share a little more of my process with you. I’ve been toying with the thought of videoing myself, but that seemed like a bit of an overwhelming learning curve!!

Then I discovered this nifty program on My Poppet, via Cam’s post the other day.

So I present to you, my very first animation.

You can see I started out with one idea, didn’t like how it was turning out and just let it evolve.

An Evolution

Kylie Marie Stevens

oil on canvas

30 x 33.9 cm

2010

I’m still not sure if this painting really hits the mark….What do you think? Hit or miss?

Time to pop over to the hostess with the mostest for some creative window shopping on My Creative Space day.

My plans for tomorrow….

2010-08-16T15:13:00.000+10:00

Payne’s Grey, Indian Yellow and three lovely little canvases… I’m easing back into a more “normal” pace. I may still be a bit quiet around these parts for a few days, but I hope to catch up with you all properly soon.

Hello Yellow

2010-08-10T07:46:00.000+10:00

My yellow Creative Colour Challenge piece is finished…just a tad the wrong side of the deadline!

"Hello Yellow"

Kylie Marie Stevens

Oil on canvas

300 x 250mm

2010

$60

It is completely different than the image that was in my head when I embarked on this challenge.

I broke all of my rules and tried to paint when I wasn’t really interested in painting and with a really tight time frame, so surprise, surprise it didn’t work! Then I had a play and a scrape about and added some more elements and it got worse. So I did the first sensible thing I’d done all day and walked away!

When I approached it with a fresh eye and a new idea I was able to rescue it and turn it into something I’m happy with.

This week’s colour is Raspberry Red – hopefully my lesson is learned and I won’t leave it until the last minute!

Get well wishes….

2010-08-09T12:54:00.002+10:00

One of my favourite bloggers is in need of some get well super quickly wishes….

So blow on this Ms Curly Pops and hopefully you will be back in you own bed before you know it.

psst there is another lovely blogger in hospital this morning, but for a very different reason… Just waiting for permission to spill all the very exciting beans!!!

EDITED TO ADD – special announcement now made over here. Please pop by and add you congratulations.

Country graveyard shadows….

2010-08-08T10:09:00.000+10:00

I like to wander and explore in old country graveyards, on a recent visit I realised it was good shadow hunting territory…... William & Wilhemina Schulze rest together here, sharing shadows as the sun passes overhead.

To find out what the other shadow hunters have been up to this week head on over to Hey Harriet.

Anticipation and Admiration Fill My Creative Space this Week.

2010-08-05T08:12:00.000+10:00

I can’t stop admiring Monday’s painting “Approach” the latest in my “Adrift” series.

“Approach”

Kylie Marie Stevens

Oil on canvas

840 x 760mm

2010

I’ve never worked in a series like this before, I am really enjoying it. It is giving me the opportunity to sink right into the style and become comfortable. Do you work in series, or is it all one offs for you? Are you enjoying this “Adrift” series or are you thinking “enough already- move on”? Do you have a favourite?

I am anticipating painting a monochromatic piece in yellow for the first week of The Creative Colour Challenge . YELLOW, this is really pushing me out of my comfort zone – exactly why I signed up!!

So challenges and comfort surround me at the moment, but I am enjoying it all, I hope you are feeling the same way in your creative space. I’m off to Kirsty’s now for my favourite blog hopping day of the week – My Creative Space Day - hooray!

Want to invest in some original art – before I become famous!?!

2010-08-03T10:12:00.000+10:00

I’m very excited, I just took another baby step on my path. I loaded a Paintings Available for Sale album over on facebook.

If you’re curious to have a sticky beak just click here…

And while you’re over there why not click the “like” button at the top of the page, so you get my Chasing Purple Dreams updates on your facebook page?

Thanks for indulging my big shameless plug, while I'm at it can I just add……

Please feel free to share this with any one you know who may want an opportunity to get in on the ground floor by purchasing original art directly from an emerging artist!!

Guess what I’ve been up to????

2010-08-02T13:57:00.000+10:00

Ok, ok, it won’t take much of a stretch of your imagination with this picky! If you want to see some work in progress shots pop over here. I’ll share a finished photo when I can get it out into the natural light for a photo shoot.

It feels so good to be on the mend. I hope over the next few days I can catch up on what you guys have been up to and get some things crossed off my to do list – like write a canvas stretching tutorial!

Meet Vinnie

2010-07-29T15:05:00.001+10:00

My Creative Space has a new mascot, the adorable, crazy artist, owl, Vinnie. He winged his way here from the Crzylady Shop and has taken up residence in my studio. I have set him the task of attacking “Norbert” my inner critique whenever he raises his ugly head!

Check out the other goodies Tracylea included in my pretty package. You must visit her shop, there are so many adorable little (owl)ies awaiting good homes.

Two packages in two days, I have been spoilt by my friends from across the globe just when I needed it most. I have been in a bit of a slump unable to paint as I nurse my dodgy back and unwrapping these packages has brought a smile to my sooky dial.

I hope your creative space has been more productive. To check out all the goodness happening in creative spaces far and wide pop over to Kootoyoo.

Perfect timing….

2010-07-28T14:33:00.000+10:00

The postman delivered a perfectly timed, swap bundle of joy yesterday. I was in the midst of feeling sorry for myself, as I was wasting a painting day lying around nursing a bad back, when Anne’s parcel arrived.

It was full to the brim with goodies, not only the two cushion covers we had agreed to swap, for some little watercolours, but also….

A stunning brooch – purple of course!

An adorable little fabric box, oh how I love little boxes for stashing treasures in… again in purple!

And a scarf for Little Guy…he loves it!

Look at the delicate hand stitching in the cushions and did you notice the purple in the first photos?

I didn’t specify purple when we discussed how much I loved this design of cushion cover. But something (I don’t know what gave it away!) told Anne that purple would be a good choice…. Did you see how perfectly they match my patchwork quilt? It’s like she popped over from the UK to match it up!

Thankyou so much Anne for agreeing to this wonderful swap, it was such a delight to receive and I will treasure these gifts from across the globe.

A shadow to celebrate!

2010-07-24T23:54:00.001+10:00

I’ve been absent for Shadow Shot Sunday for a few weeks. Preparing my Expression of Interest has preoccupied me and no lovely shadows had caught my eye. Since handing in my submission on Friday I have been spying shadows everywhere again! I even have a few up my sleeve in case of another shadowy dry spell.

This lovely shadow appeared on Friday evening, after a few glasses of red, to celebrate the handing in of my Expression of Interest,. The empty bottle cast this beautiful shadow most of the way across the table.

To spy what else has been captured this week, by shadow chasers from across the globe, head on over the Hey Harriet.

A Colourful Challenge…

2010-07-23T07:30:00.000+10:00

Have you come across this colourful challenge yet? Louise is hosting The Creative Colour Challenge in August. Pop over and check out the details, it looks like it is going to be lots of fun and a little bit challenging. But that’s what a challenging yourself is all about hey?

I hope you decide to play along too.