New work, Reawaken


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

“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.

Little drawings ~

I have been working a lot around and during life happenings, I have quite the collection of small drawings growing that I am very proud of.
Here are a few ~


A Portrait
19 x 14cm
Ink on paper
Lily Mae Martin
2017

I’m in love with this one – the cropping of the image, the fluffiness of the hair and the texture and tones of the skin.

19 x 14cm
Ink on paper
Lily Mae Martin
2017


Fold
19 x 14cm
Ink on paper
Lily Mae Martin
2017

I’ll put together a post of all of the drawings in a couple of months. It has been very interesting cropping the images to make new images from them and working on a smaller, more intimate scale. I am really glad that someone had mentioned the idea of working smaller as I am not sure I would have come to on my own. It’s been really challenging to change things up a bit and it really didn’t work at first! But I kept going and changing things and I am pretty happy with this little series.

Painting on the floor

My studio, my house, my life is a little all over/ on top of the place at the moment. I have to sort through things and straighten things out but have no time. When I do get time I make work – I wasn’t prioritizing it at certain points this year and I can’t have that.

I’m an artist, no one will make that time happen but me.

I’ve been meaning to paint this year and it had not happened. I stopped making excuses last week – stopped worrying about if it would be good or not and went up to my studio and bloody painted and it was liberating.
I did it on the floor as all desk space is currently occupied – some with works on paper in developement but mostly just covered in books and paper and gosh knows what else.
Not ideal, as my bum and back ache and there’s a lot of cat hair up there – but it’ll do. I’ll paint and then when I have the time, I’ll tidy.

Priority. Paint.

I started this one in Tasmania, just as a study of texture and colour. I am quite a fan of this; the vibrancy, the slight abstratcion of colour and of form.

Just little study of mushrooms I came across on a walk to a waterfall.

I did this one in Tasmania, just trying to explore form and colour but have them emerging from a very dark ground.

I did this in my studio here, just really trying to push myselfin terms of application and colour.

This wee one is 4×6 – not finished yet but close to it. It’s one I have done most recently, I think it is pretty special. More to come.

Pieces of me, you – all of us. Small drawings.

While pulling together a new body of work I am trying to find words for them also. Which I do accept I have not always been good at – I am terrible with titles but sometimes, I get it right. I try. What are the rules anyway? I don’t think anyone will tell me.

Here are some small drawings that have come into being in these last few weeks – more to come

01, ink on paper, 15x19cm

02, ink on paper, 18x25cm

03, ink on paper, 18x25cm

04, ink on paper, 18x25cm

05, ink on paper, 18x25cm

Happy drawing times –

As yet untitled – new drawing

I had a title, but I have completely forgotten it. If I explained the month that I have had, it would make sense why. But the details are boring. Point is, I did the drawing and here it is. It’s part of a new little series that I am working on. I am pretty excited about the blending of my two loves into the work – body and land.

For now she is Fern Girl.
By Lily Mae Martin
56 x 75cm
Ink on paper
2017

I am due to have an exhibition at the beginning of next year. So I will be off working hard to produce new works. Really excited about it.

Winter Salon Exhibition 2017

Seated Nude ink on paper 75 x 105cm 2016

G’Day – couldn’t write about this last week as the website was down. Thank you for the lovely fellas who fixed this! WordPress Wizards.

From 22/07/2017 to 12/08/2017 The Winter Salon is on view at Scott Livesey Galleries. It is a mixed hang of all the artists represented by the gallery. Including works by Luke Scibberas, Joshua Yeldham, Bern Emmerich, Yukultji Napangati, myself ( above artwork is in the exhibit ) and many more.

Here is an online preview of some of the works: Clicky click

I’m working towards an exhibition at the beginning of 2018 – so I will probably be quite here but probably not. I’ll be working super hard regardless – because I am really excited and feel my drawing has gotten better.

Thanks for reading!