The Salon 2025

Group exhibition at Scott Livesey Galleries – 15th of Nov until the 20th of Dec 2025.

This exhibition features works by Todd Hunter, Jennifer Riddle, James Lai, Ron Francis, Stefan Dunlop, Joshua Yeldham, Jack Rowland, Julia Ritson, Alesandro Ljubicic, Chris Landlois, Luke Sciberras, Kathryn Ryan, Aaron Kinnane, Bern Emmerichs, Lily Mae Martin, Sonia Payes, Vipoo Srivilasa, Peter Cooley.

Scott Livesey Galleries

Art weekend

I joined in with a small group of artists for life painting this weekend. I haven’t done this sort of thing in a long, long time and it was absolutely incredible. I didn’t go in thinking of creating a masterpiece but went in with the aim to learn more and simply paint. There are a few things I worked out, and they may be basic but bit by bit we learn and (hopefully) improve. One – I need some different paint brushes and Two – get a slower drying medium as I think I’d like to paint more impasto style.

Painting from life gives me the opportunity to think of form in colour. I look forward to doing more.

Studio Visit

At the end Of July, Godwin Bradbeer had a beautiful exhibition at James Makin Galleries in Melbourne – The Ordinary Sublime. It was the last exhibition for the James Makin gallery, and what a beautiful one it was.

LINK

My beautiful friend Nic Plowman organized a visit to Godwin’s studio in August. Godwin’s work in original and it was an absolute privilege to see his working space. Large in scale, with a deep understanding of anatomy, muscle mass, light and shade.

It was interesting to hear about the evolution of his practice – from pen to photography now to a mixture of chinagraph, silver oxide and pastel on paper. We got to see the drawing tools themselves and hold some, it was inspiring and an experience I’ll never forget. Not to mention the beautiful studio kitty..

Sanctum

Sanctum, by Lily Mae Martin, 56cm x 76cm, ink on cotton paper, 2025

A (very beautiful) woman said to me that I can finish this drawing in time for an exhibition in September, I had been doubting myself. The drawing is currently being framed by my fabulous framer and friend. Really pleased to be making larger works again.

The enemy is in your bed

 

The enemy is in your bed – pencil sketch, A6, 2023.

I thought a light leaded pencil best for something which this title – subtle and heavy.

The title came to me a while ago, before I could work out how to make a drawing for it.

The medium and execution speak to vulnerability, the focus being the throat – one of the most vulnerable places of our body. (Prosody). This is a reflection on those being the closest to us can often be the worst for us; unsafe. I noticed this when I was young but didn’t yet have the words for. This is a both personal and universal experience.

Art for me is powerful – it moves with me through life, communicates, resonates, and gives me a voice when it has been taken away.

 

Sketchbooks sketchy sketch

Well hello. Again, it has been a long time. I’ve been trying to sort out life and getting into the rhythm of my ever changing routines. I left one job and have started a new one, it’s really fantastic to be working and studying – I am doing different things and learning so much. Sometimes I feel very overwhelmed but don’t we all.

Art has been going well, a little different but I’ve had some very nice things occur for me this year. That is for another post as I wanted to make this one about – SKECTHING and saying hello.

It is very nice to be skecthing again. I thought I’d take on a big painting project this year but I couldn’t afford my studio space and my new home has no space for paint. See I like the toxic stuff so I am not doing it in the house. Why not use the non toxic stuff you say, because I think it’s shite and if there is one area of my life that I have control over – it is this. I lost the sketching knack for a bit there, had to endure months and months of producing rubbish. Now I feel good and am training my eye again. I hope the next body of drawings I do a way better than what has gone before. Which is important to me in my practice, which I know I have banged on about before.

SO lockdown five for us, I am still working as I am an essential worker these days. What a time hey. I am really trying to get as much experience as I can and do my best.

What I can manage now are the skecthes and they are helping rebuild my confidence. Yes I have lost a lot of that, wah wah but here’s to continuously  trying to claw myself out of the dark with pen and paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

See you super soon and I hope you are eating plenty of veggies.