Author Archives: lilymae

Observing nature with Lily Mae Martin

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I begin teaching next week, here are the details and at the bottom are some handy links 🙂

Observing nature with Lily Mae Martin

Wednesdays, 25 April to 13 June (eight weeks), 4pm to 5.15pm

Have a look at Lily Mae Martin’s work at www.lilymaemartin.com — want to know how she can draw like that? Well, she’s coming along to share a few of her secrets! This is an entry-level course, introducing you to ideas of observation and breaking objects in nature down into simple shapes. Learn the basic skills for translating your observations from your mind onto the page. Ideal for students looking to further their studies in VCE.

Recommended Ages: 10 to 18 years

To book go here: FOLLOW THIS LINK

Also I might add that you should really go see the BECKLER’S BOTANICAL BOUNTY: THE FLORA OF MENINDIE – 24 Feb to 27 May, LINK

And you also must see EUGENE VON GUÉRARD: ARTIST–TRAVELLER – 24 Mar to 27 May, LINK The paintings are interesting but what makes it for me are the sketch books and small drawings, they are really, really wonderful so go see them!

Goodbye!

Kittens, 40 degrees

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Stuff You Missed in History Class released an older episode about the history of the domestication of the cat. It is really interesting so I suggest you have a listen: LINKY

Podcasts are the thing I listen to while working and one day I will make a long list of all the podcasts I love to listen to, but not yet because the washing needs to be hung, the banana bread needs to be taken out of the oven ( and eaten ) and the words need to be read.

Back soon!
*meow*

Hands in the dirt

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My back is very sore but my heart is pretty happy. We’ve been working very hard on the garden and it looks so different from even just six months ago. Gene is so bloody good at wood working and has built some beautiful things. We have a whole lot of late blooming sunflowers which are very joyful.

I’ve also been potting and re potting the patio and indoor plants. It’s only been a couple of years now that I have really tried to garden and I think I have gotten a lot better at it.
There are many seedlings sprouting – they are just little colourful flowers as I know Kidlet will love them. I’ve also planted a bunch of Australian native plants but they will take a little longer to establish and grow.

And this guy ^ ^ – he’s good cpmpany while we are out there, digging away. He likes to know what is going on but also likes to lay down on my seedlings O_O

It’s a wonderful thing to garden with the Kid, she’s very caring about the natural world and how things grow and come to be. It’s truly special to be growing this garden together.

Still here, doing things!

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G’Day blog – I am so sorry that you are neglected at the moment. It doesn’t mean I am not working. I just tend to not feel such a strong urge to scan and post every sketch and little thing I do anymore. I’m in that place between – the end of one project and the beginning of another. There’s really not that much for you to see during this time. Plenty for me to see, though.
It’s been a rollercoast – as it always is during the Inbetweens – but I feel like I am making progress. I’ve been researching and reading and had a few sessions with models and am going to visit a historian next week and even if my ideas all fall flat ( they won’t ) it’s still very interesting and good for the mind.
It has been a while since I have approached an art project like this, which got me thinking about how much social media has impacted on my practice – both good and bad. It is a wonderful thing but sometimes I think sheesh, calm down world, things take time. That’s the reason for five weeks between correspondence.
You can’t read while writing.

Also this year is ten years since I graduated from VCA.
T E N Y E A R S !
*mind, blown*
I never did get to do that year at the London Drawing School – by the time we were living in the UK I was pregnant and then the reality of having a baby and the thought of traveling and being away from her – well, it didn’t happen. But that’s OK, I got a baby and I still draw. Also the baby is almost eight and she is my drawing buddy so it’s pretty bloody fantastic really.
Though sometimes I miss the UK so hard it hurts. I think there are always going to be places that I miss.

So here I am, scratching away at the drawing board and gardening before it’s too cold to go outside.

New work, Reawaken

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Reawaken
By Lily Mae Martin
56 x 76cm
Ink on paper
2018

I’m pretty pleased with this one, a merging of my two loves – the nude figure and the ( Tasmanian ) landscape.

I had these ideas a few months back, spoke to my model who ( bless her ) came over by my rather last minute request. I had frantically sketched out some poses and I am still learning how to direct people. I had been thinking about Poussin’s drawings and have always enjoyed how the figures seemed to drape.
My lecturer at VCA, Berhnard Sachs – had asked me what art I looked at during one of my tutes when I was an undergrad, I think I replied comic books. He then marched me down to the library and got me looking at the drawings of Poussin and others, he talked to me about chiaroscuro. I now look at everything; performance, the written word, the spoken word, photography, abstract, figurative, printmaking and yes, comics and zines. I think it’s importrant to observe as much as possible, outside of what you make, like to make, wish to make.

So here we are years later. I drape my model in a Poussin-type pose and have her balance on a plastic stool I had purchaed from a bargin shop some years back. I think it worked.

Works on Paper exhibition

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“WORKS ON PAPER”
at Scott Livesey Galleries
909A High Street
Armadale VIC
7th to the 24th of Feb

The opening will be on Saturday the 17th of Feb, 1 to 3PM.

Featuring Jason Benjamin, McLean Edwards, Yanni Floros, Todd Hunter, Ellie Kammer, Lily Mae Martin, Matt R Martin, John Pastoriza-Piñol, Luke Sciberras and Paul White amongst others.

Here is an online link to most of the works in the show: W.O.P.18

I have a number of works in this, ranging from larger framed works to medium framed to small framed and a number of unframed small works in a folio.
I hope you can make it, I am very proud of the work I have done and to be exhibiting in such a great gallery with many amazing artists.

Mungo, Sunset

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Mungo, NSW

I began these two drawings whilst at the Art Vault in Mildura and completed them when I got home.
They are both ink wash and pen, 23cm x 31cm. They are inspired from my visit during a sunset after a very hot day.

Mungo, sunset