We're moving! This blog is now attached to myWebsite

Hi. I missed you!
If you'd like to read more of my blog, you'll need to go here

Renoir video

Sorry I been away a lot....beginning of the year- back to teaching, doing workshops, trying to get paintings up to standard, hoping for sales and gallery representation...
Anyway, I have just posted a wonderful vintage video of Renoir painting in his studio, aided by some fairly "toady" looking assistants (one even takes his cigarette and puts it in the ashtray for him - now that's above and beyond the call of duty!). Anyway - look to the left of this post and enjoy!)

Happy New Year 2012!

Thought I'd post a few pics of the fireworks on the Sydney Harbour bridge at last night's new years eve celebrations. A rainbow was one of the symbols decorating the bridge during the display - lets hope it's a portent of the pot of gold you all truly deserve this year. happy New year and thanks for reading!

Gerhard Richter Videos

Just added some videos (see list at left) on Gerhard Richter - painting and drawing. Enjoy!

Landscape Drawing and painting Weekend - Blackheath

I just wanted to let you know about a wonderful workshop I'll be conducting in the beautiful Blue Mountains. It'll be a weekend of painting, drawing, site seeing and art talk in and around my new home of Blackheath and the World Heritage Blue Mountains Area. Numbers are strictly limited to ten participants - non-participant partners are welcome.Gift Certificates available - Apply now! See http://www.gabriellejones.com.au/pages/workshops.html for more details

New work from the Studio Number Four

Image: Gabrielle Jones, Waft (Blackheath), 122 x 152cm oil on Canvas

 

This is the first really faithful painting I have made from my drawings. I enjoyed playing with all the edges. I found that there was a first pass through in which position and technical stuff had to be sorted - and it was- but the painting was "dead" in my eyes. So eventually I had to leave all that behind and really just get in and paint, lose the thing, and then bring it back. Much like any other painting, and my abstract work in particular!

Funnily enough, I started this with spray enamel and a roughness, but ended up with a smoother, ethereal and sensitive look, as dictated by the subject matter.

What do you think?

New Studio Work Part 3

Image: Gabrielle Jones, Evening (Lumen Series), Charcoal, pastel and shellac on paper, 70 x 100cm

 

Number three in the larger "lumen" series in which I explore landscape and the effect of light  at different times of the day. I think that working in this series has made me understand what I am trying to produce in my paintings - a sensitivity (not always achieved!); a nod to the beauty of nature; a sense of "air" or ethereality; a discovery of surface pattern and the effects of light on this.

 

Do you work in series? What do you gain from it?

Vale Steve Jobs - a parallel to art

I don't want to get on the band wagon regarding the death of this visionary man whose inventions literally changed my life (along with squillions of others. -I have been a Mac user since the early to mid 80's when they first came to Australia, as a member of the design industry). But I came across this quote in an article by Bianca Bosker in the Huffington Post, interviewing Jay Elliot who was a friend and worked with the young Steve Jobs.

"Steve challenged every part of me. I loved being challenged and I loved being exposed to that level of quality and accomplishment. It was a gift to be working with someone who had those smarts and vision. I was excited to go to work every day. Steve forces you to figure out who you are and who you are going to be."

I always wanted to work with a boss like him. I guess, in the end, that's why I chose "Art" (substitute for "Steve")

New Studio work Number Two

Image: Gabrielle Jones, Aperture (Lumen Series), Charcoal on paper, 70 x 100cm

The second new work in a series I have been working on since November last year. Getting the Tone down pat! Feedback welcome.

New work from the studio -Part 1

 

Image: Gabrielle Jones, Dapple (Lumen Series), Charcoal and Shellac on paper 70 x 100cm

I've decided to add new work as it is made and - hopefully - finished. I know a good editing process is all important for an artist, but I have been living with these for a few weeks now and they have survived the bin, the overdraw, and the touch up! I think they're cooked!

Gallery discovery of the week

Ok - I have officially been living under a rock. It's no excuse that I lived in another major city in a rather large island for all of my life - I should have discovered this rather excellent Melbourne gallery before now.  So I'm sharing it here with my fellow rock dwellers and my overseas friends.
An exceptional (and well curated) collection of artists from Australia that should have wider renown.
http://www.utopianslumps.com/

Image: William McKinnon (details unknown - see website)

Try Try Again! How do judges decide?

Didn't make it into the Paddington Art Prize. :((

But as these things often happen, I received a newsletter (Blackheath Art Society Aug-Oct 2011) in the mail in which Anthony Bond, Director of Curatorial Services at the Art Gallery of NEw South Wales, was interviewed by Christine Townend regarding his choices in Art Prizes (among other things). He states that for him, "it is important to consider the context". In other words, if judging in an area where the "prevailing themes are landscape or configuration, you need to take that into account (and) encourage the best possible practice in that area, rather than automatically giving the prize to the most adventurous.....What interests me is the degree of honesty and observation that an artist brings to the work."

He later goes on to say that " in every case, I'm looking for an honesty, a directness and keenness of observation. Often the works that seek to be more contemporary end up being over technical or just plain flashy: they simply don't ring true".

Well, I don't consider mine flashy or technical, but then again, Tony Bond wasn't the judge. Perhaps he ought to have been!

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Tree Movement (Blackheath)" 122 x 122cm Oil on Canvas. Perhaps  should have entered this one?

So...what do you think makes a worthy prize winner? What considerations would you take into account if you were the judge? How do you pick up and go on after "Art  Prize Failure"?

Hopeful New painting

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Rustle (Blackheath)" Oil on Canvas, 122 x 152cm

Here's the new painting I hope will beat the hex I seem to have upon me when it comes to Art prizes. I have entered it into the $20k Paddington Art Prize. Fingers triple crossed!

One Perfect day

 Rock Formations -the steep sides of the Grose Valley, Blue Mountains, Sydney

 The "Pulpit" as seen from above

Pulpit Rock extends into the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains National Park, above one of the three main valleys, the Grose Valley

 Descending the stairs that overhang the pulpit - a sense of scale

 The walk took the track along the horseshoe escarpment of the Grose Valley for about 90 minutes,, with continuous views and lookouts from this high standpoint 

Cloud Shadow over the Valley

 The Braeside walk is beside a meandering brook - lasting another 90 minutes after the Govett's Leap lookout.

Streetscape and sunshine, Blackheath

The view from our side yard, across to the house

Awaiting the bursting blooms of our dogwood tree, as seen from the bedroom window. So nice to wake up to!

Spring announced itself with a magic day,  in my new home in the World heritage listed Blue Mountains, 1.5 hours north west of Sydney. The weather was sunny and crisp, perfect for a long bush walk, so we took up the invitation and walked from Pulpit Rock to Govett's Leap, and on through the Braeside walk back to our home  - 3 hours of one of the most beautiful bush walks I've ever been on. Although commuting to teach is wearing me down, it's times like this that I am so glad I made the change to live amongst the birds and trees that adorn the artists enclave up here.

I was Interviewed by Method Press Magazine

Image: "Gabrielle Jones, Creative Space", Galia Alena, Method Press,  Issue 2

I just saw the digital version of Method Press Magazine Issue 2 ("Creative Space/Gabrielle Jones" page 25). There's a few double-page spreads of an interview with me and photos taken in my studio whilst painting. See it at:http://issuu.com/methodpress/docs/method_press_summer2011_issue2. One page doesn't load, but you get the idea. Pretty happy!

Creativity and Abstraction workshop, Sydney

Image: Gabrielle Jones, "Hillside, Whitegums" Oil on Canvas, 101 x 101cm 2011

I am conducting a Creativity and Abstraction Workshop on September 24th at Sydney's Balmain (easy, free parking) from 10am to 4pm. Using observation of real objects, I'll walk you through a number of exercises, thinking methods, tools and imagination games to develop your ability to make interesting abstract work, move your realistic paintings away from the predictable, or improve composition and subject ideas. Tuition is structured to ensure fast learning and early success and stimulate creativity and generate ideas for on-going work.  Suitable for those wishing to break out of their current painting rut, move from realism to abstraction, or who simply wish to explore abstraction and their creativity.

I held one a few weeks ago and the participants left with heaps of ideas for their work and the confidence to execute it when alone in their studios.

The cost will be $125 for the day. Morning and afternoon tea will be provided.
Further details (materials list, payment details etc) will sent upon inquiry. Contact me if interested:http://www.gabriellejones.com.au/pages/contact.html

Artist's Statement reviewed

Just uploaded one of the funniest spoofs on an artist's statement I have seen (see videos left). Enjoy!

Discovery of the week - Rafael Karcz

Albert Wang, art curator, IAO PROJECTS, Salt Lake City, USA states that rafael, a Polish artist, "focuses both the artist's and viewers' attention on various iterations of human faces, one of the traditional genres of art history. Frequently de-populated and executed with the artist's characteristic somber palette of rather monochromatic colors, Karcz's faces create an evocative atmosphere that is simultaneously disquieting, banal, and even, on occasions, gloomy or sinister. His fleeting glimpses of these motives are often ambiguous - both artist and viewer participate in the viewing of the scene and yet are somehow also clearly excluded from belonging in them..."

I think that, although showing the strong influence of the work of Marlene Dumas, these works cannot be ignored, especially for the apparent darkness in their soul. The contrast between the "touch" of water colour thin paint, applied to such violent, political scenes in dark colours is conceptually masterful, whilst the blur and misplacement of facial features - a recipe for disaster in lesser hands - is handled with great skill. But, you know what, I just love them. They move me, and that doesn't happen often. Enjoy!

Taking time to walk

I just moved to Blackheath, in the Blue Mountains 1.5 hours North West of Sydney. Took the time out from teaching, moving, commuting and painting to take a walk in the memorial park, where I discovered a wonderful avenue of Rhododendrons. It soothed my soul and gave me energy for the rest of the day (another commute and a new class to teach). Here's the photos from my iPhone. Not bad for a winter's day, hey?

Artist discovery of the...well, a long time. Adrian Ghenie

Just had this artist pointed out to me - and I must say, I think I've been living under a rock. Romanian artist, Adrian Ghenie must be one of the Ghenie-uses of our time! Man, can this guy paint!

His works all speak of his wonderful touch, although their subjects change, and they are all imbued with a dark strangeness and almost erotic sense of story and paint. What is going on? and while you're musing on this.. How does he do it? At times lush and flowing with paint and shoulder movement, at others spare and elemental - and often, all in the one painting. A wonderful treat for the eyes.

Modern edition.com says "Richly and often hermetically allusive, Ghenie's work attempts to investigate memory and the unconscious against a backdrop of 20th-century European history.Frequently attaining a cinematic, film noir-esque quality, Ghenie's highly structured, dramatically lit tableaux justifiably make him one of the major art stars of the moment".

Enjoy!