I have written this as a very general guideline for people just getting started and trying to figure out what to buy. If you are interested in some more details around watercolour materials, I have put some more detailed information on materials here.

If you need to purchase art materials for a class or workshop, I recommend either visiting an art materials shop, or buying materials online. Stationary / General shops are unlikely to stock good quality art materials, and it's sad to see students arriving with a range of products that are likely to lead to disappointing results.

This is what I recommend, for getting started:

Paints:

You will need a selection of paints, preferably including a warm and cool version of each of the 3 primary colours, such as:

2 blues (ie ultramarine or cobalt, and cerulean or manganese blue)2 yellows such as lemon yellow / hansa yellow light, cadmium or winsor yellow, (or one yellow, plus raw sienna for an earthy yellow)2 reds such as permanent alizarin crimson, cadmium red, or scarlet lake. If you buy alizarin crimson ensure it is called Permanent Alizarin Crimson, as the original pigment is fugitive, meaning it will fade after time.

If you have 1 each of the primary colours (yellow, blue, red) a wide variety of colours can be mixed. If you have a warm and cool version of each primary colour, there are many more possibilities.

I painted this demonstration piece using only 3 colours, the red, yellow and blue on the colour swatch, and all other colours were mixed from just those 3 primary colours.

Other useful additions are a couple of pink hues, especially if you are interested in floral work. (There is a huge amount of information available on pigments - and here is a fascinating glimpse into the range of Pinks available - 'Masterclass - the History of Pinks')

For landscape works I find both raw and burnt sienna very useful.

I strongly recommend buying artist quality paints, and tube rather than pan paints (unless you like working on a small scale or want to paint en plein air). I have used Winsor and Newton for many years, as well as Daniel Smith and Maimeri Blue, but all artist quality paints will give excellent results, such as Schminke, Daler Rowney and Senellier.

I recommend not purchasing cheap sets of pans or tubes with a big colour selection. You are much better off with a smaller range of good quality tube paint.

We will not be aiming for everyone to mix the same colours, so if you have a different selection of paints you wish to bring along, then please do.

Paper:

Paper quality is important and makes a huge difference to the finished piece.

I recommend Arches, Saunders Waterford, or Fabriano. The cheaper brand that performs reasonably well is Bockingford. Other cheaper brands can give a very disappointing result.

I recommend 300gsm (which is the weight / thickness) ‘rough’ or ‘not’ (which refers to the surface of the paper). Some students like to work on Hot Pressed, or smooth paper, which gives a different end result. This is most suitable for fine / botanical works. It can be used for landscape work as well, but gives a different finish, brighter, and relatively unforgiving in terms of edges and texture.

If you have some old paper you think you can use, please test it before class. I’ve had a few participants turn up with old paper that is no longer useable and it ruins their results.The gelatine size (surface) breaks down, and the paper behaves like blotting paper, not at all what you want when painting watercolour. It will look strange and blotchy, and the pigment will absorb quickly into the paper, not allowing you to create a flowing wash.

You will also need a board to tape the paper onto to keep it flat. The board needs to be a bit bigger than than the paper. Art shops sell both wooden boards, and 'gator' board, which is light weight and doesn't buckle when wet. A piece of corflute (the material real estate signs are made of) also works very well for small to medium sized works.

I often work on half an imperial sheet (15 x 22 inches), but something around an A3 size is fine for most of my workshops.

Brushes:

(1) A medium sized ‘round’ brush is often the most useful brush to begin with. It needs to be a watercolour brush, as other brushes such as those used for oil painting have different properties and are of no use. The numbering of the size of brushes is inconsistent across brands, but a good sized round is often a number 12 in many brands. If you are getting started and want to buy one brush, this would be the one. It could be natural hair or a good synthetic alternative, or a mixture of both.

(2) A larger ‘Mop’ brush would be my second brush recommendation. They hold plenty of water and pigment, and enable big, luminous, fluid washes. They are beautiful to use. Most are natural hair (i.e. squirrel) but there are some decent, cheaper synthetic brushes available.

(3) A Hake (wide brush) is also useful. They are usually made of goat hair, are much cheaper than other brushes, and are great for wetting the paper and covering large areas.

I recommend you avoid purchasing a cheap set of brushes. You are much better off with one decent brush than several packets of small, poor quality brushes.

Other Equipment:

A pallet (a white dinner plate would be adequate)A water container (ie a jar / plastic container)Masking tape to tape paper to your board (ie the sort you can buy from a hardware shop)Sea sponge / tissues / old tea towel for lifting out and mopping upLead pencil and eraser for sketchingWater spray bottle if you have one

(Image includes watercolour paper taped to board, 6 tubes of watercolour paint,

selection of brushes, a pastic pallet that folds so paint can be stored and not washed away,

a small plastic spray bottle (available at chemists), a sea sponge, a pencil and eraser)

What to avoid...

I sometimes have students arrive with a selection of new materials they have just purchased, which are poor quality and almost impossible to work with. The main culprits are:

Brush sets, containing nylon / bristle brushes that are of almost no use at all for watercolour painting. The main property of a watercolour brush is that it can hold a large amount of watery pigment. Nylon / bristle brushes designed for oils or acrylic are for moving relatively thick paint around, and are of no use for the main techniques in watercolour painting. Poor quality paper.

The main central Auckland art supply shops are:

- Studio Art Supplies - Ponsonby

- The French Art Shop - Morningside.

- Gordon Harris, New Market

If you like to shop online, this is a good site for a UK company - Ken Bromley

There is more detailed information on materials here and a document you might like to print and take shopping with you .

Painting En Plein Air – Sandspit Reserve

This week I met some of my students for a plein air painting session, in Sandspit Reserve, Waiuku.

A fair bit of planning had gone into the day, particularly choosing the location. We would liked to have planned the weather to, and as it was, our first session was cancelled due to wind and rain. However, the following week we had almost 2 hours of dazzling light, amazing clouds, nice temperatures, and beautiful reflections on the wet sand. As mid day approached the wind picked up and the rain moved in, but I think by then we had all produced a fair bit of work, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Things to consider when planning an out door painting session with a group:

Plenty of safe parking. There are some amazing views on the sides of busy roads, but its generally not practical to park, or safe to stand there!Shelter. Not just shelter from any rain that moves in, but shade. On a bright sunny day the white of the paper is dazzling, and impossible to work on.Amenities – such as water, loo’s and coffee! Cell phone reception can be handy too, for co-ordinating a big group of painters.

It is very easy to waste a lot of time driving around looking for the perfect view. From my experience, its better to identify a practical location, head there, and work with whatever view you are faced with. When you arrive, and look around with ‘painters’ eyes, it can be surprising what you see that you can turn into a painting. Once one painting is finished, it’s often just a matter or changing direction, working with the light, and getting started on another.

This particular location had views in all directions. It became breezy, and the light changed rapidly. I chose to section a half sheet off into small partitions, as I wanted to work quickly and capture a range of scenes.

Depending on your style, it may be a good idea to work fairly small, and aim for a couple of quick pieces. This can free you up to work quickly to try and capture the scene rather than worry about producing one careful masterpiece. I usually find my plein air work has an energy to it that I would never manage in the studio.

If you are new to plein air painting, it takes a bit of planning to work out what equipment to bring. It’s important to be comfortable, and organized.

Equipment and Set up:

An easel or a light folding table: something to support your work. If choosing an easel, ensure it is for use with watercolours, and the angle can be adjusted so that the paper is at an appropriate incline. Easels for oil/acrylic work may be configured to be upright and of little or no use. It may be that you begin by choosing locations with plenty of tables, and work there, while you decide what works best for you.

The set up will vary depending on whether you like to work standing, or sitting. If sitting, you may need a folding chair or artists stool, and you may be happy to work with your paper on your knee or on the ground.

Paints – take a small selection of the colours you mainly use. Often pan paints are great for outdoor use, otherwise a selection of tubes, with a pallet with a lid. There is a huge variety of travelling paint pan sets available.A support for your paper, a pad, or a pad of paper in a ‘block’ where the edges are gummed to keep the paper flat. Once the painting is complete that piece of paper is removed from the block, by inserting a blunt knife or ruler into a gap in the gum left for that purpose.Water and a container. There are collapsible containers available.Other items that you often use, such as a sponge, spray bottle, pencils, tissues, and any comfort items such as a cap or visor.

Here are a few shots from the day, with all sorts of different set ups.....

Sandy offers Paula some advice.....in order to postpone getting on with her own work.... ( ;

Once you’ve been out and about a couple of times you will have a good idea of what your plein air kit needs to contain and the best way to carry it all, especially if you want to get off the beaten track.

I find it takes a bit of planning and determination to get out and paint, but there is something about it that just doesn’t compare to painting in the studio. Well worth the effort and a lot of fun!

Here are a few more shots from other plein air painting outings...

A coconut plantation in New Caledonia....probably some of the most comfortable conditions I have ever painted in, lovely.

A trip to Flock Hill Station, in the South Island, arranged by Watercolour New Zealand. Unseasonably cold (freezing!!), lots of sandflies that couldn't care less about our investment in insect repellant, but gorgeous atmospheric scenes that watercolour is so fabulous at capturing.

Fellow artist Amanda and I ducked into this shed in Cass to get out of the rain, and painted there for an hour or 2. A couple out walking their dogs pointed out their house, with the smoking chimney, and invited us to pop in, warm up by the fire, and make a cup of tea, while they headed up the mountain for an hour or so!

Back to the North Island, and a couple of pieces done when out of Auckland delivering work to an exhibition.

Painting as part of the annual "Artists in Eden" event, a collection of artists who paint in the Essex Reserve, some at every event for the last 30 years.

I think the Manukau Harbour has featured in more of my paintings than any other part of Auckland, I love it.

Finally, a huge thank you to everyone I have been out painting with. Every occasion has been hugely enjoyable, always with far too much laughing to keep our location secret, and more memorable than any day spent alone in the studio.

I’ve just returned from a week painting in a small village in New Caledonia. It came about as a result of a very unexpected invitation!

I teach watercolour classes, both week days and weekend workshops, around Auckland. I also give private classes when requested, and have had students from all around New Zealand, and further afield. Almost 2 years ago I received an email requesting a private class, which I agreed to, and we set a date. I didn’t realize that the person making the request would be visiting from New Caledonia. It was a very enjoyable session, and when she left, she said something along the lines of ‘See you again’, but I thought that was pretty unlikely!

A couple of months ago she emailed, out of the blue, and asked, if she arranged the ticket, would I visit and stay with her so we could paint together! After a bit of rearranging my work commitments, it was possible, so we booked the week in.

She lives in Poindimie, a small village 4 hours from the airport. We painted at a different location every day, including on the sand at the edge of the beach, from a private residence high on a hill, the side of a river, and in an historic coconut plantation. We also got permission to visit tribal land and pick tropical flowers for some floral still life paintings.

The subject matter was all fairly new for me. It was a really interesting exercise to arrive somewhere new every day, look around and work out what view and interpretation might result in a satisfying result as a watercolour painting. Sometimes my decision was the more obvious view, at other times something less predictable, such as the strong sunlight on the trunks of coconut trees and the shadows cast beneath.

At the end of the week we had built up quite a body of work! It was a real treat to paint on location every day. We managed to find really comfortable locations, with perfect temperatures, a gentle sea breeze, and plenty of shade. Here is NZ it seems more often than not we get wind, rain, biting insects, or some other distraction, so a week of comfortable painting days was quite something!

Thank you to my kind and generous hosts, and to my students who allowed me to rearrange classes to fit this trip in, and who wished me luck for my adventure ( ;

Once a term I run a floral session with my weekly classes. Everyone brings in flowers, home grown and bought, and we fill the space with colour, shapes, scents and texture.

It always seems a shame that we only use the room for a few hours when it looks so amazing and is so inspiring. So, I now run Saturday workshops painting flowers, where we get to spend the whole day in a floral oasis!

Here are a few images from one Saturday workshop. Outside was wild, wet and grey, a dramatic contrast to what happened in the art room!

A stunning variety of flowers and foliage was brought in, and we started the day with introductions, then a talk on the various ways flowers in watercolour can be approached. Not too much of a talk though - we were there to paint!

I had several examples of work with me, depicting the different results of backgrounds versus no backgrounds, edge variety, compositional possibilities, the importance of tonal range, and colour selection.

I encouraged a loose approach, starting with masking the paper into small sections, and completing some playful, experimental pieces.

It can be quite nerve wracking to get started, so its a good idea to start off with some small studies, just trying out different techniques, colours, brush strokes, and surfaces. Diving straight into a more substantial painting can stop this initial experimental stage from happening at all, which is a real shame, as often this is when the magic happens!

By the end of the day the room was filled with a fabulous array of paintings. Some people had been well out of their comfort zones, trying out very different techniques and approaches. I got the sense that everyone was brimming with ideas and inspiration, and the end of the day came too soon for us all.

Thank you to everyone who came along.

For more information, here is a little article I wrote earlier, on painting contemporary floral watercolours. When you are choosing flowers to bring along, have a think about the colours you have and love, and I suggest bringing more than one type along, in case you end up wanting to try a wide range of colours, techniques and approaches. Don't forget a vase or jar to put them in!

Here are a few photos from other classes....

Flowers with painted flowers, several small studies, some loose, some careful and detailed...

More flowers with the resulting paintings....

During a weekend workshop in Taupo...

Sunflowers are always a lot of fun...

Happy painting!

People often come to my watercolour classes because they want their work to be looser, fresher, or more ‘painterly’. I don’t think I have ever had a student whose aim was to produce more careful, or tighter paintings!

Painting flowers can provide a wide range of opportunities to really play with, and enjoy, various watercolour techniques. It is also a chance to use a very different pallet than might usually be used for landscape subjects.

I have identified a few key aspects that it are helpful to focus on, to increase the likelihood of a successful painting:

Composition – this needs to be designed, and is not ready made, in the way a copied landscape might beLight – Plan it or Lose it!Edge Variety – a real opportunity to move away from a careful, botanical approachCharacter – observe and understand your subject.

I haven’t included colour in this list. This may seem an odd omission, but I think out of all the things that need to be considered, colour is much less likely to be ignored or forgotten about than other important considerations.

Composition

Whether you have a photo of flowers, a bouquet, or a single stem, you will need to design your composition. This is the stage where you decide whether to have a conventional size and placement on the page, such as a vase of flowers in the centre, or whether you want to achieve something else with your painting.

Consider options such as large blooms that fill the space, leaving little or no room for stems or the vase, flowers set unusually high or low on the page, or off to one side, leaving either white space, or dramatic rich colour backgrounds or effects, shadows or reflections on the table surface.

I am often asked if there ‘should’ be a background. There isn’t a right or wrong answer to this, only ways of achieving the painting you have in mind. Think about what you want a background to achieve, such as dark in order to reserve and contrast white or light petals, hazy or splattered to contribute to the effect or atmosphere you have in mind, loose and bold to add an element of energy or abstraction to the painting.

Image – Roses in Jar – the background was used to create a halo of light around the blooms, and to add impact to a small painting

2. Light

It can be very tempting to dive in, and fill the painting with the beautiful bright colours you’ve selected. If light hasn’t been carefully considered and planned in, the result can be unexpectedly disappointing. You can easily end up with a tonally monotonous painting, with all colours being strong and bright, lacking in tonal contrast and bright, clean light.

Really pay attention to the flowers you are painting. Are the petals and leaves at all transparent in the light? Does the light hitting shiny surfaces make them appear bright and white? Is there a sort of halo of light surrounding back-lit stems?

Plan and reserve the light, and be brave and include the corresponding rich, luscious darks, to ensure the painting has energy and excitement.

Image – Japanese anemones provide white in an area of dark, and the rich darks contrast with, and highlight, the light.

3. Edge Variety

Different brush stroke edges can transform your work. An entire painting completed on dry paper, with definite marks, will have a very different feel to one where there is an element of chance due to wet-in-wet technique.

Areas of lost and found, where parts of the painting are allowed to fade into hazy, soft, wet areas of the painting, can introduce an element of mystery and atmosphere. The paint may get a chance to move and mix in unexpected and sometimes surprising ways, and a few risks taken here can often result in the part of the painting that happens by magic.

If you resist the urge to meddle and ‘fix’ what goes on, you will probably end up with what turns out to be your favourite part of the painting.

Image – areas of wet-in-wet and lost and found edges – ensure a ‘painterly’ feel to the painting, moving it away from being merely a copy.

4. Character

What are the characteristics of the flowers you are painting? Are the stems straight and tall, or is there a particular way they curve and fall? Are the petals shiny, reflecting the light in definite patches, or are they almost rich and velvety, appearing as solid, dense colour? How do you want to portray these characteristics, without resorting to simply an accurate depiction of them?

Time spent really observing your subject can make the difference between a relatively blunt representation, where little more than colour and shape is considered, to a work that somehow really captures the essence of the subject.

This careful observation doesn’t mean you will produce an accurate, detailed drawing, ready to paint, but instead will ensure that any sketch you do make will be much more likely to inform the subsequent brushstrokes so that they are confident and full of life.

Image – “Mollies Tulips” – focusing on the drooping nature of the blooms, rather than accurate detail, encouraging looseness and life through use of soft edges and connection with the background.

For more flowers in watercolour, have a look at my Floral gallery here.

I cover flowers in watercolour in my weekly classes, as well as selected Saturday Workshops.

Some of my recent abstract floral work has generated quite a bit of interest. Its a fairly new series for me, and one I am having a lot of fun with. Some pieces have sold from my facebook page and website before they are even back from the framers, and others have sparked interest from artists and students around New Zealand. In response to some of the requests I have been receiving, I am running a dedicated floral workshop on Saturday 1st July, in Auckland, as well as a weekend workshop in Taupo, 5-6th August. Both workshops currently have some spaces available, so please let me know if you are interested.

If you are interested in having a go, but can't attend a workshop, I have also written an article covering loose floral watercolours, which will be published in the next issue of the New Zealand Artist magazine, due out on the 1st May.

‘Edges’ in watercolour refers to a particular quality of marks made using watercolour. A brushstroke of pigment applied to dry paper may have a very definite, ragged or crisp edge. The mark made by applying that same brushstroke to damp, or wet paper, will create an entirely different result, being soft, hazy, or fuzzy.

When people think about and plan a watercolour painting, the colours, composition, and tonal range may be the obvious place to start. Edges might not be given much, if any consideration. However, planning edge variety in a watercolour can result in the elements of the piece that really give the work atmosphere, and that aspect of watercolour that can be so magical.

A loaded brush let loose into wet paper moves and travels in the water, creating beautiful, and at times surprising effects. All pigments behave in their own unique way, and if the brush is loaded with a mixture of pigments, they travel at different rates to each other, so that the final result shimmers with an effect that would never occur with controlled application of paint onto dry paper.

A soft, hazy mark made onto damp paper will recede and help to create distance in the work. Hard edges, particularly ragged dry brush strokes are dominant and eye catching, and appear nearer.

This work, Misty Morning, was painted on a freezing cold, damp day. The paper took hours to dry, and as a result the painting was completed almost entirely wet-in-wet. The soft, hazy edges contribute to the atmosphere at least as much as the choice of colours.

In places, extra water was drizzled from the brush into areas of wet pigment, to allow the clean water to make a path through the water, giving additional areas of soft, wet edges.

As a contrast, this piece, ‘Aro St, Wellington’, was painted almost entirely on dry paper.

This was a mid winters Wellington day, and although cool, it was bright and sunny. The hard, crisp edges throughout the painting give the impression of a very clear day, the sort of sunny, cold day without any heat haze or warm day pollution.

The following 2 paintings are a deliberate mix of hard and soft edges.

The distant hills in Waikato Hills were painted with juicy pigment onto wet paper, so that the tops of them spread up into the sky, giving the piece a misty, damp feel in the distance, in contrast to the crisp edges of the cows and shed.

In ‘3 Colour Landscape with Quinacridone Gold (painted using only quinacridone gold, permanent alizarin crimson, and indanthrone blue) the sky was painted by drizzling rich, luscious pigment onto a wet surface, and tipping the painting to direct the pigment. The tops of the distant trees were painted into the wet area to blend up into the sky, in contrast to the definite marks around the shed.

Watercolour is all about water. How much water you mix with the pigment, how much water your brush is holding, and how much water is on the paper all has to be considered. A common mistake is to continue to add the same dilution of pigment into a wet area to increase the load of colour. All this achieves is to add the same amount of water, into a wet area, creating a swimming pool rather than increasing the colour, when what is needed is the addition of almost neat, undiluted pigment.

People often come to my workshops because they want their work to ‘loosen up’.

Playing with edges is a great thing to focus on. Sometimes, making an effort to adjust your own attitude is very helpful, so that you are in the frame of mind to allow the pigments to travel in the water, without getting nervous and jumping in with a tissue to mop up and control what goes on.

Generally, the wet-in-wet aspect of a painting is done early on. This is quite liberating, as there is very little, if any, painting work already completed, so no need to worry about ruining the painting! It can really set the scene for the remainder of the work, and I think is often so beautiful that it’s a good reminder not to get carried away with details, and overwork the rest of the piece.

Often, less is more. An initial wash of luscious colour into a wet surface is a beautiful thing! Be generous with freshly squeezed colour, and let the watercolour work its magic.

On Saturday 19 March, Artists in Eden Day celebrated its 29th birthday! It is Auckland’s longest running art event of its kind and a celebration of some of the art talent which is such an integral part of the Mt Eden community.

I stumbled across this event many years ago while out for a coffee in Mt Eden village, and it has been my favourite art event ever since. Its a fabulous opportunity to see a wide variety of art, by both well known established artists, and recent graduate / emerging artists, being created throughout the day. There is always plenty to fall in love with, and all pieces are auctioned at the end of the day.

This year some forty artists gathered in the Essex Reserve to paint.

Invited participants included Geoff and Rebecca Tune, Paul Johnston, Mike Morgan, Russell Jackson, John Horner, Paul and Evan Woodruffe, Clyde Scott, Peter Gibson Smith, Lyn Bergquist, George Baloghy, as well as more recently invited artists Belinda Griffiths, Maria Balan, Krystie Wade, and me!

I arrived with a large, very light gatorboard support board, on a very blustery day. Not a good combination! I found a great spot out of the wind, tucked away over the path from the main artists tables. Rebecca Tune joined me and we spent a very enjoyable day painting, and meeting up with friends, family and members of the public who came to have a look at the paintings taking shape and have a chat.

Like last year, I arrived with a rough sketch, and completed the entire painting on the day.

As works are completed they are put up for viewing.

At 2.30 the auction started, and all works went under the hammer, with 2/3rds of the proceeds going to the Artists in Eden charity.

It was another fabulous Artists in Eden, and such a complement to be invited back to participate. I did miss being free to watch all the other pieces take shape, but its great to join in and create work on the day.

Thank you to everyone for stopping by for a chat!

Saturday 12 March, 2016, 6pm to midnight

Auckland Arts Festivals one-night arts extravaganza White Night is back!

All across town, inside and outside at over 100 venues and locations, artists, performers, musicians and makers of all description invite you to inspect, experience, watch, see, make and touch all sorts of wonderful creations. On White Night, galleries, squares, laneways and promenades, Auckland wide are free to explore at night.

Background

White Night is a city-wide night of the arts which originated in Europe and has spread to cities around the globe, , including Cairo, Berlin, Barcelona, Melbourne, to name but a few. The name ‘White Night’ derives from the Parisian event nuit blanche (literally, night white; figuratively, a sleepless night, referring to the fact some venues in the international versions of this event stay open all night!)

White Night was held in New Zealand for the first time in 2011 as part of the Auckland Arts Festival, then again in 2013 and 2015. They received overwhelming feedback from participants and audience, who said the event was “Ah-maaaazing!” and “made you fall in love with your city again”.

My work will be included in Greenwoods Corner, my childhood neighbourhood! I've been working on a few pieces, including this one.

My latest range of Greeting Cards have arrived!

These gorgeous cards are satin coated on the outside for better colour reproduction, and the inside is left uncoated for you to write a message.

They come with colour lined envelopes (lime this time!) and are tied in gift sets.

Use them, save them, frame them, give them as gifts. Keep a set at home and never be short of a Thank-you card again ( :

They make a beautiful gift and are good for posting overseas.

There are 3 sets available, with 5 cards in each set.

The sets are:

- Abstract

- Urban

- Rural

and Aucklanders will probably recognise a few scenes!

Here is the Abstract set, showing the painting that one of the cards is based on:

The Rural set, which includes St Brides Church in Mauku, Awhitu Peninsula (a painting that was awarded First Place at the Fellowship of Artists exhibition last year), The Manukau Harbour, and Kohekohe Church.

And the Urban Set, including Mt Eden Village, Vulcan Lane, and Parnell Rise.

Each set of 5 cards is tied as a gift set with tag. All for $25 including postage in NZ. Email me if you would like a set!

It would be a strange artist that didn't enjoy and collect art!

I treasure every piece I have collected. The value I place on the pieces I have is different to anything else I own or have purchased. They are in a class of their own and I love every artwork.

I initially planned to collect purely watercolours, as its the medium I am dedicated to, and have always loved, both to look at and to work with. This has expanded to collecting works on paper....but I have an oil based artist I am keeping a close eye on, among several watercolorists of course.

One of the first works I purchased was by Alvaro Castagnet, an incredible watercolourist, and a very entertaining tutor. I attended a workshop with him in Auckland several years ago, and watched him paint the piece en plein air. Towards the middle of the painting it looked to me as if it was all going wrong, and I felt worried for the artist. However, with a few strokes he pulled it all together, and produced something utterly fabulous. I think he sold all the pieces he produced during the weekend, and numerous he brought along with him.

I always like it when students buy work at the end of one of my classes, there is something really special about owning a piece of art you have seen being created.

I attended another of his workshops recently, this time in Melbourne, and spent a thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational 3 days painting with Alvaro.

I first saw the work of Lorene Taurerewa (a kiwi artist living in NYC) in the Pah Homestead / Wallace Collection, and it left a huge impression on me. Monumental charcoal works like nothing I had ever seen before. After a bit of research I discovered she also did watercolours, and that led to my first online art purchase. When it arrived it was very exciting to see the piece I had bought, and it is so much better than its photo. I was thrilled to bits ( ;

Last year I bought a gorgeous piece by a local printmaker Esther Hansen, and just this weekend we both attended an art class together at Whitecliffe College and Arts and Design.

At the Franklin Arts Festival I bought an intriguing watercolour by Lizzie Crosbie, a local artist and current Whitecliffe student. It's exciting to see watercolours being used in new and exciting ways.

A few months later I attended Haiku poet Norah Johnsons first art exhibition opening, and selected this piece called 'family'. The gallery was filled with these works, but I kept going back to this one over and over again. At a show a couple of years ago one work really made an impact on me. I went home to think about it, and when I returned the next day it had sold. That was a lesson learnt, as that one painting is still firmly etched in my mind, and I still want it!

I'm looking forwards to adding something to my collection this year as I love every piece collected so far. Post a pic of your latest art acquisition if you feel like sharing, it would be lovely to see what has caught your eye and come to live with you!

Each term we have a session using flowers and foliage as inspiration, aiming to encourage a loose, rather than a botanical approach. We fill the Weta Room with flowes, and transform it into a thing of beauty ( ;

This term we have been experimenting with ways to build texture in our work, and we built on that theme during this workshop. Its always really exciting to see what everyone comes up with in these sorts of workshops.

I collect flowers and foliage from the garden, and pop into a couple of florists on the way to class. One of the participants is a flower grower, and this week brought in stunning Bells of Ireland stems, as well as exquisite Helleborus from her garden. Last term she filled the room with sunflowers, just beautiful.

Other stuents bought in a wonderful collection of flowers, including Cyclamens, Camellias, and Monstera leaves.

There are all sorts of tricks for getting unusual texture into watercolour works, including using salt, gladwrap, and bubble wrap.

Interesting marks can be made using cardboard, twigs and skewers instead of brushes.

Combining these techniques with pigments chosen for their granulating properties gives even more unusual effects.

Some use the flowers available on the day to produce detailed, representational pieces, others aim for a looser and more abstracted piece.

Its always a very enjoyable session, and I look forwards to the room being filled with the flowers that everyone contributes, and the wonderful works that are produced.

Have a look here for Saturday Workshops and weekly classes, and come along and enjoy creating in watercolour.

The coming weekends are going to be busy busy with art, with lots of shows, workshops, and demonstrations coming up.

I spent this morning with the Friends of the Botanic Gardens Art Group, as their guest artist.

The 'Friends' have the use of an excellent venue, where they meet to paint together once a month.

My visit had been planned for several months, and the idea was for the keen gardeners among the group to bring flowers from their gardens. Many of the group are keen botanical artists, so I dedicated the session to loose, expressive paintings based on the flowers bought in on the day, to provide (a hopefully enjoyable!) contrast to the usual botanical techniques.

These large, loose, floral works are a new series for me, which I've been working on for almost a year now. Using flowers as the inspiration, it provides an opportunity to work with a very different pallet to my usual landscape and city scenes, including a wide range of pinks / reds / magentas / lilacs. I've also been experimenting with some relatively unusual products, to give duochrome / luminescent / shimmering effects, all of which I demonstrated on the day. It's a chance to really splash some paint on, watch it combine on the paper, and to enjoy the drips and blooms and surprises that watercolour gives you if you let it.

We had a full house today, a room full of lowers, and a lot of energy and experimentation happening. A very enjoyable day - thank you to everyone that bought flowers, joined in, and took the time to give me such lovely feedback, all very much appreciated.

My next demonstration will be at Art in Action, which is being run alongside Arterslie, then workshops on June 20th and July 25th. Exhibitions in June include Kohia Terrace (one of my favourite shows of the year!) and Artex, Napier. Have a look at my exhibition schedule to see what else is coming up.

I have a new Workshop planned, and bookings are now open!

Come and immerse yourself for a day in all things Watercolour. Following on from my Monday classes at the Fellowship of Artists, this one day workshop has been planned for those of you that would like a weekend class.

We will aim to complete a full painting, learning lots of techniques along the way that make watercolour so fabulous to use.

At the end of the day we can experiment with some small scale abstract works, and learn a few more tricks of the trade.

I will cover materials, giving a brief overview of paper, paints and brushes as appropriate for the class.

The Fellowship of Artists venue is in the heart of Mt Eden, has good light and a nice atmosphere. Please contact me directly to make a booking.

We are all set to run of watercolour workshops from the Franklin Arts Centre. Also, a One Day workshop has been booked in for a Saturday, please see below.

Weekly classes are Tuesday, 10-1pm, starting on the 21st April. The 10 week term is $195.

The classes will be a mixture of teacher led paintings, where I will take the class step by step through a painting, and student led, where you select your own reference material to paint from. We will also plan some still life / floral days.

During the term I will cover various aspects of the techniques and materials (including some new products) specific to watercolour, as well as general art theory including composition and colour theory.

I run a very flexible class where I encourage students to create their own version of whatever subject we are working on, and if students wish to work on their own material some weeks, I am happy to assist.

A One Day Workshop has been booked for Saturday 2nd May, 10-4pm, at the Franklin Arts Centre. Please contact me directly to book and secure your place!

is a suggested materials list.

And finally, some photos from recent classes, it was lovely to have the studio area filled with flowers!

Here is the poster for the One Day Workshop -

Here's a little wander through this years Artists in Eden...

I love this event, have visited several times over the last 20 years or so, and always buy a few tickets for the Stanley Palmer raffle....no luck so far! I never imagined I would join in as a participating artist.

From the organisers: 'This coming Artists in Eden Day marks 28 years of this annual Eden Arts event, in which prominent Auckland artists are invited to work from the Essex Reserve in Mt Eden and produce a work to capture the character of Maungawhau/ Mt Eden'

It was a fun event to be part of, and really interesting to chat to everyone that stopped to talk about the works being produced. Its a rare opportunity to see loads of different artworks being created in a wide range of different media, and of course to meet some of Aucklands most well known and respected artists. Even though I enjoyed painting on the day, I was a bit sad to miss out on my usual meander amongst all the art and artists, but I had a full sheet to complete so had to get painting!

The day started off cool and drizzly, so it was a bit of a waiting game, laying down quick washes in between showers. Iots of 'Its alright for the watercolourists' comments!

As the day progressed it fined up, and warmed up, and turned into good drying weather, thank goodness!

Nice to take breaks and chat to people, and a good reminder to stop painting and step back to see how the work is coming along.

A special visitor surprised me, and loudly exclaimed 'Gosh mum, I love your painting!". No money changed hands ( ;

Towards the end of the day the work was hung for display, in preparation for the auction.

Lots of stunning work, including this gorgeous peice by Rebecca Tune, and a great local scene by George Baloghy.

A stunning compilation by Simon Williams, whose work I was first introduced to when delivering a commission of 4 paintings, when the customer showed me his latest acquisition, which was incredible.

The two Claudias together - with some vibrant work by Claudia Pond Eyley

A glimpse of John Horners wonderful loose impressionistic street scene, a beautiful piece by Evan Woodruffe, work by Sean McCarthy and a landscape delivered from Matt Palmer.

All pieces were auctioned at the end of the day, and off to their new homes.

Going, going, gone!

For more photos, see the fabulous Artsdiary photos of the event.

I'm thrilled to have been invited to participate in this years Artists in Eden event.

Artists in Eden in an annual art creation day, where all the work is completed on site during the day, and auctioned in the afternoon.

I've been a regular visitor at this show for several years now, and its one of my favourite art events. The photo in this post was of the first time we took our youngster out, to Artists in Eden a few years ago.

Its a rare opportunity to see how these incredible artists go about constructing their works. Its also really interesting to meet them, as for many I had been admiring their work for years with no idea of who they were.

Here's a few images - this was the auction in 2012, and I'm in the background watching proceedings, and this was last year, when rain took the event inside. I was chatting to Simon Williams, as I had recently delivered a commission of a series of 4 paintings, when the customer showed me his recent acquisition of an incredible commissioned Simon Williams piece. Its a small world!

Here's a bit more about the event:

From the organisers: 'This coming Artists in Eden Day marks 28 years of this annual Eden Arts event, in which prominent Auckland artists are invited to work from the Essex Reserve in Mt Eden and produce a work to capture the character of Maungawhau/ Mt Eden'

Last years 'Highlights of the event include Sam Thomas painting a portrait on the day of KC Loo’s grandson Brendan (who managed to sit very still till it was finished), a new print from Dick Frizzell, a knitted telephone wire piece by Jeff Thomson, a highly sought-after Mt Eden view by the ever popular Simon Williams and a large sculpted model hand by Peter Gibson Smith covered in contours of the mountain entitled “I know Mt Eden like the back of my hand”. The collaborative artists sketch book this year (beautifully made as usual by The Binding Studio) featuring a page each by 12 artists was truly a collectors’ item and provided some exciting moments at auction.

Other familiar faces included John Horner, Emily Siddell, Claudia Pond Eyley, Russell Jackson, George Baloghy, Justin Boroughs, Geoff Tune, Evan and Paul Woodruffe, Clyde Scott, David Blair, John Pusateri, Mike Morgan, Neal Palmer and Damien Kurth, plus newcomers including Veronika Djoulai who was an Eden Arts grant recipient in 2013.

See the Artists in Eden site for more deails.

Come and say hello! Saturday 21st March, in the Essex Rd Reserve, Mt Eden, 10am -2.30pm.

I've been wanting to experiment with watercolours for some time now, and the demonstration that artist Evan Woodruffe gave to the Fellowship of Artists last week was most inspiring!

There are all sorts of new products available, including an entirely new range of watercolour paints, new synthetic brushes that hold as much as natural bristle brushes, and new grounds and substrates to change, or even take the place of paper. Watch this space!!

To begin with I'm sticking to the 300gms rough paper I love, and trying out the new QOR paints, by Golden.

I visited Studio Art Supplies to chat with Evan, and he provided Nickel Azo Yellow, Pyrrole Red Medium and what I believe is the newest blue pigment, Indanthrone Blue. I'm going to stick with this limited pallet for a few more paintings while I get the hang of this new product.

Golden has used a new polymer binder called Aquazol, and not the traditional gum arabic. Reviews suggest that this new binder holds a greater concentration of pigment, allowing for more intense watercolour results. This is a major change in the traditionally conservative area of watercolours.

The colour is supposed to remain brighter after drying, which is a big change. Usually watercolour pigment is significantly lighter once dried, which can take a long time to become familiar with, and adjust for. You see this a lot with beginner watercolour results, where the final result can be lacking in tonal range and depth of colour.

They are also supposed to be much better at re-wetting so that left over paint can be made resoluble and used easily rather than discarded.

So, here are my results from my first play with them this morning. They certainly are bright and intense! The difference when dry is almost imperceptible, which is quite a new experience.

They felt the same to use as traditional watercolours, with the same flow / mixing on the page. Where the pigments have naturally moved into nearby areas of water or wet pigment, the results are much more obvious due to the strength of the colour. So they feel the same to apply (which is a good thing, watercolour is magic to paint with!) but with much more obvious results. To me they feel as if they have an almost ink-like intensity.

I have had a range of experiences when trying out new watercolours. I love Winsor and Newton, but like to try new products. Some I have used have felt more like plastic than paint, and although are good artist quality products, have given very disappointing results. Some are gimmicky, and others just feel plain wrong. QOR however are different enough to provide a noticeable change in results, which is inspiring. I will be continuing with them, and have a new range of subjects / styles in mind that I think these new pigments will be perfect for.

Thanks Evan for the inspiration, Golden is now included in my bag of tricks!

QOR Watercolours are available from both Studio Art Supplies and Gordon Harris.

I use artist quality paints and archival paper, to ensure that I get the best result possible, and that the painting is able to last for generations.

I always recommend my students use good quality / artist quality materials. Cheap / inferior products can be frustrating and disapointing to use, and are often a false economy as you need to use more product to attempt to achieve a good result. You are much better off with a good quality tube of a red, yellow and blue, than a big set of poor quality paints.

Paints:

My preferred brands are Winsor and Newton, Daniel Smith, Maimeri Blu and Daler Rowney. Eventually you end up with favourite colours from various brands. Other professional quality brands that are readily available are Schminke, Sennelier, and QOR.

These modern pigments have excellent lightfastness, so when archival paper is used and the painting is properly framed and cared for, they will last as long as, or according to some; longer than, oils or acrylics.

Watercolor paint consists of four principal ingredients:

pigments, natural or synthetic, mineral or organic;gum arabic as a binder to hold the pigment in suspension and fix the pigment to the painting surface;additives like glycerin, ox gall, honey, preservatives: to alter the viscosity, durability or color of the pigment and vehicle mixture; andsolvent, the substance used to thin or dilute the paint for application which evaporates when the paint hardens or dries. Water is the solvent used for watercolour painting.

The pigment in paint, which provides the actual colour, is derived from a fascinating array of sources, from madder plant roots to cochineal insects to minerals mined from particular spots in secret locations.

Whilst living in London I attended Winsor and Newton workshops, hosted by the Soanes Museum, where we learnt about where pigments are sourced from, how they are extracted and treated, down to how they are colour matched to all the previous batches of colour. We were given the raw ingredients to make our own, which was fascinating.

Pigment properties are particularly important to watercolour artists, due to the different ways they react to the water and each other, and the very different effects the different pigment properties produce.

Properties such as the transparency, opacity, staining ability, granulation and flocculation are part of what makes watercolours so exciting to work with, and I will address these in a separate article.

Winsor and Newton provide an excellent resource centre on their website.

Paper:

The best art papers are designated archival, meaning they will last without significant deterioration for a century or more. Archival means that the papers are made entirely of high alpha cellulose or 100% cotton or linen fiber (that is, they are lignin free, as lignin causes darkening and embrittlement under light exposure), pH neutral (meaning there is no residual acidity left from the chemical processing of the pulp), buffered (a small quantity of an alkaline compound, usually calcium carbonate, is added to neutralize the effect of atmospheric acids), and free of any artificial paper brighteners or whiteners (e.g., ultraviolet dyes).

I use both Arches, and Saunders Waterford depending on the scene I am painting. There are a few other good quality brands available, and all have their different qualities. The way the papers are produced and sized changes the way the pigment works with them, and it is worth trying a selection so you can experience the differences and make your selection.

The main art supply stores in central Auckland are:

The French Art Shop, MorningsideStudio Art Supplies, PonsonbyGordon Harris, New Market

If you like shopping online, this is the site of a UK company with a great range of products.

I've been approached to put a watercolour workshop together in the Franklin Arts Centre, with the plan that it will lead to regular classes.

I'm planning to lead particpants through a painting during the first session, then introduce specific skills and concepts throughout the following classes.

Please get in touch with the Franklin Arts Centre to book your place, or feel free to contact me with any questions.

A is provided here, and a preview of the likely subject is linked here.

The Central Leader ran a little story on the current exhibition in Huia Lodge, Cornwall Park.

Bev Herridge and I have a selection of watercolours on display, with a focus on Cornwall Park and Auckland scenes.

Philippa and her team have been fabulous, assisting us with planning and hanging this show, and taking the time to pass on some of the lovely comments and feedback from people that have visited the show, and purchased paintings.

Here's the article if you would like to read more.....

I spent today leading a watercolour workshop at the Fellowship of Artists Gifford Gallery in Mt Eden. I've been a member for a few years now, and have been invited to give demonstrations and lead workshops on several occasions. Today we worked on a Manukau Harbour scene, one which happens to be one of my favourite images to paint at the moment!

I chose this scene as it provides a real opportunity to to use watercolour in a bold and expressive manner. Most of the painting is comprised of a large wash with details for the ripples on the water - and very little chance or need to 'fiddle' and get into too much detail. Many of the class participants said they enjoy the way watercolour 'does its own thing' and working on a scene like this provides lots scope for this to happen!

Often with beginner watercolour painters there is a tendency to use a small brush, not a lot of pigment, and dive into the details of a painting, before focussing on establishing the overall framework for a painting. The initial / underlying wash and plan needs to be thought through, and successfully completed, for there to be a good chance that the end result will be successful.

Feedback from todays participants made it clear they enjoyed the demonstration, instruction, and individual assistance throughout the day.

I do understand that people are usually quite hesitant to have their work displayed at the end of the day - but its always a real highlight to stand back and look at everyones results together. I think people are usually very pleasantly surprised when they finally see their work from a distance, after struggling over the painting for a few hours, and its always really interesting to see everyone's different interpretation of the subject matter displayed.

A very enjoyable way to spend the day!

I have a new range of art cards available!

Mixed sets of 6 cards, with funky orange lined envelopes are $25, postage included.

Great to use, send, frame, or present as gift sets.

Enjoy!

These greeting cards are all reproductions of my original watercolour paintings. Scenes include Auckland city, rural and abstract art. The latest prints include Mt Eden Village, Auckland City skyline, a Waiuku coastal painting completed en plein air, and Karaka Stream. I've also re-ordered many of the previous scenes which include Awhitu Peninsular (from a painting that was recently awarded First Pace in the Fellowship of Artists Annual Working Members Exhibition), Vulcan Lane, Parnell Rise, and St Brides Church, Mauku.

Its been a busy few months preparing work for a variety of shows this month! Solo shows, Cafe Exhibitions, 2 school fundraiser galas (Kings College and Orakei School), and the Auckland Watercolour Society (AWS) Annual Merit Awards, upstairs in the Takapuna Library. Last year the judge awarded one of my paintings second place, and this year first place, which was a lovely surprise. The committee put together a lovely evening and the members a great show.

A few local papers have run stories on my work in the last couple of weeks, with articles in the Franklin News, The Post, and the Central Leader, and The New Zealand Artist Magazine included a lovely feature article with lots of images, and were kind enough to send several copies, which have all found new homes.

Also, for the third year running, one of my works has been included in the 2015 Kiwi Diary, along with plenty of other artworks, poems, recipes and kiwiana facts and trivia. Thank you to Freda and the team for putting together such a fabulous, creative collection.

Have a look at my Exhibitions Page for show details, there's plenty going on!

I'm just back from the 2014 Auckland Watercolour Society Exhibition, and my painting 'Sailing on the Manukau' was awarded First Place, which was a lovely surprise!

The society has put together a fabulous show, with a great turn out of both paintings and artists and guests attending the awards night. Its always a real treat to see so many watercolours hung together.

On now until November 30th - upstairs at the Takapuna Library, all works for sale.

Our local gallery has started running various drawing workshops, and I managed to get to todays one. It was run by artist Denys Watkins, and we were privileged to have him share his knowledge and perspectives with us. Among the topics of discussion was the current demise of teaching drawing as a key skill, and the damage camera phones have done to drawing skills.

Drawing can be seen as a critical form of visual notation, whether for the purpose of producing an informational drawing, or as part of some sort of investigational process when developing ideas / new work. It also hones the relationship between hand and eye. One of the course participants told us about a study where surgeons hand coordination was much improved after practicing drawing! The value of drawing as part of an artists repertoire was in no doubt during this workshop, and both the discussion around it, and the results produced on the day were inspirational.

The second part of the day was spent drawing in the Steel Gallery, surrounded by the current exhibition, Constant Practice, a drawing exhibition. Some of the exhibiting artists were on the course, so it was really interesting to see them producing their work today.

Denys indicated he has often, and is currently, working in watercolour, which provides a lightness in contrast to the heaviness which at times seems prevalent in New Zealand art. This perspective really interested me, as in discussion with gallery staff in New Zealand and England this topic keeps appearing, with a suggestion that New Zealanders haven't yet fully embraced watercolour in the way that Europe has.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the artists at work in the Steel Gallery. Thank you Denys for a really enjoyable and inspirational day, and to the Steel Gallery for arranging this opportunity.

I've just finished reading 'Peter McLeavey, The Life and Times of a New Zealand Art Dealer' by Jill Trevelyan.

Wow.

Its one of those books that leaves you so sad when you get to the last page because you don't want it to be over, that you start again at the first page to get a reminder of exactly how it all started.

It includes reproductions of the paintings it covers all the way through the book, and contains numerous letters between the dealer and the artists. The letters are personal, and give an incredible insight into the lives of both Peter and the artists, and for the times they are written in.

Peters Gallery, the first dealer gallery in Wellington, started with him displaying paintings in the front bedroom of his shared flat on the Terrace, open by appointment, with his bed covered by a divan his mother stitched so it didnt look like a bed!

In 1968 his first 2 exhibitions were Toss Woollaston, paintings, drawings and watercolours, followed by Colin McCahon, the Northland Panels. The book covers exhibitions up until exhibition number 534, in March 2013.

Peters belief in art, as articulated in his letters, is profound.

'McLeavey’s biography is the big story of contemporary New Zealand art itself, in a period of massive change and growth. It is a must-read for anyone interested in New Zealand’s art, culture, or recent history'

I'm off now to get hold of every other book Jill Trevelyan has written!

The local paper ran a little article on me, celebrating the success of a local artist.

I'm especially happy that the painting selected features a local view, and one I have always loved. I have a lot more Awhitu watercolour paintings in mind, its just a matter of time before they start appearing as a continuation of my Manukau Harbour series.

Coincidentally, the next show I am exhibiting at is the Pollok Gallery 'My World' exhibition, in Awhitu! Opening night is this Friday, 24th October.

I exhibited there last year for their 'Abstractions' competition, and was awarded a merit for one of my 'Memories of Wetlands' series works. At that time I knew very few artists out this way, and was talking to one of the few people there I had met previously, who made very kind comments on my work. I told my partner who said something along the lines of 'of course she has to say something nice about your work'. I had no idea she was the judge and awarded me the first merit award, a lovely surprise. It was a stunning show and I loved the theme.

I'm just back from the Fellowship of Artists Working Members Exhibition, where one of my paintings (Awhitu Peninsula) was awarded first place, across all mediums.

The judge was Greg Moyle, well known art collector and previous Chairperson of the then Auckland Council Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee. He gave a generous and detailed account of his decisions for all awards and merit awards.

Awhitu Peninsula is somewhere I've given a lot of thought to painting, as I've visited since childhood and have always been drawn to it. The Manukau Harbour beaches are stunning, the west coast beaches dramatic, and the topography of the peninsula is incredible. It is hilly, rugged and heavily populated with pohutukawa trees, absolutely stunning in summer. The Awhitu Regional Park was often my first stop when I visited from London, and even at high tide on a stunning day is regularly completely free of other visitors.

It was a lovely surprise to win the award, and exciting to see a watercolour recognised in this way in a mixed show.

I've been trying to get to the Auckland Grammar Art Exhibition for a few years now, so it was exciting to join in on the opening night as an exhibitor.

The venue is stunning. The entire hall was floodlit, rather than lighting rigged up to spot-light the paintings, which gave the evening quite a surreal feel.

There was a great range of art on show, with a mixture of artists represented in many of these Auckland shows, and a few I haven't encountered previously. There were some watercolour artists that were new to me, others very extablished, and some work in watercolour and acrylic ink that really caught my eye.

This year NKB Gallery are involved, with a selection of work that will be auctioned on Saturday evening, adding another feature night to the weekend. Entry is free Saturday and Sunday.

Here are a couple of pics from the preview evening:

This years Franklin Arts Festival is currently on, celebrating its 25th year anniversary.

The watercolour section was even bigger than last year, with almost 70 paintings displayed. Both this year and the last, the judges made special note of the watercolours in the show.

Fiona Jack commented that:

'I found the truly splendid watercolour section to be the toughest to judge as I had about 9 paintings in equal first place for a long time until I eventually managed to narrow it down to a final first'

Last year, judge Peter Webb commented on the watercolour section: 'I felt that the artists generally had a better command of their medium than artists using oils and acrylic'

There are almost 800 works displayed in this exhibition, and the committee has put together a fabulous show. I thought the 'Shoebox Sculpture' a particularly delightful category with some really quirky, imaginative pieces.

The Supreme Award, selected from the First Prize awards across the entire show (watercolours, oils, acrylics, prints, photography, wood turning, etc etc) was awarded to a watercolour this year! I won't announce the winner here until it has been published by the Franklin Arts Festival, but it was fabulous to see a watercolour recognised in this way.

The Carmel College ArtFusions exhibition opened on the same weekend. This show has a reputation for putting together an excellent collection of work by new and established artists from across New Zealand. The range of work available was stunning, and the support for the show evident by the crowds of people through on a very wild and wet Auckland weekend. There was a selection of Artists in Residence during the show providing an insight into their creative process. This was my first time exhibiting in this show, and I was impressed by both the variety and the standard of the work on show, and the helpfulness of everyone I encountered.

This August and September is a great time for art enthusiasts!

Several shows are being held, which will feature a huge range of art from across New Zealand.

August 22-25th was the weekend of the Inaugural Mount Albert Grammar School Fine Art Exhibition. Opening night tickets sold out, and the show exceeded their expectations in terms of visitor numbers and sales.

The committee put a fabulous range of work together, beautifully displayed in the grand hall. Here are a couple of photos - featuring stunning abstract works by Jane Tan on the stage, and some of my watercolour paintings.

There was also work by Lorene Taurewarewa, a New Zealand artist currently based in NYC. Her work was shown in the Pah Gallery last year, and the display of her monumental charcoal drawings was absolutely incredible. I have followed her work ever since seeing that exhibition, and added one of her exquisite watercolours to my collection! See http://taurerewa.com to check out her work.

This weekend (29-31st August) there is both the Franklin Arts Festival (which runs until the following weekend) and Carmel College Artfusions Fine Art Sale.

The Franklin Arts Festival will include over 700 works divided into 20 different categories, with each section being judged.

Categories include watercolour (with over 70 works expected to be hung), printmaking, mixed media, and a new award for the Best Contemporary Piece. For me its one of the few opportunities each year of seeing watercolours hung en-masse, which is always a mixture of inspiring and very humbling. I fell in love with an abstract watercolour a local artist was delivering and have a feeling I will have to move quickly on opening night if I intend to buy it.

The following weekend is the Auckland Grammar School Expo. This will be the first year I have exhibited in this show. I've heard a lot of good things about it, and one way or another haven't managed to visit one until this year. I'm looking forwards to seeing what I'm sure is going to be an amazing collection of contemporary New Zealand art. It looks as though there is an interesting collaboration with Mt Eden's NKB Gallery this year, with an auction being held on Saturday night, so I may time my visit to include that.