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Exhibition at Gnostic Manor in Woy Woy

Phew ... 30 paintings hung in two hours. The Gnostic Manor Cafe has a proper hanging system but a very overworked one, with hooks that are sometimes dodgy or non-functional.

Hanging 30 paintings under these circumstances is difficult, let alone in two hours. But they are up and they look fine.

Yachts and swimmers.

Swimmers 1

I think the yachts will be more popular - but you never know. The cafe owner liked the swimmers (as do I).

They have a three dimensional look as I painted swim suits on life drawings and sewed them onto existing paintings.

I have written on the labels that 50% of the proceeds goes to charity (buyers can choose between Surf lifesavers, Bob Brown Foundation, Amnesty International and Medicin Sans Frontier) and today the cafe owner said that in that case they will not take their normal 30% commission. I thought that was pretty nice.

The exhibition is up until 31 January, so if you are reading this and within cooee of Woy Woy, drop in for a look!

(Swimmers on my website.)

A patient duck at the bus stop

Duck waits at Woy Woy bus stop

This duck was waiting patiently at the bus stop in Woy Woy yesterday.  She seemed to know that although the buses may not always be on time but they do come eventually.

Blackwall painting

Autumn light: the wharf at Blackwall

On Tuesday mornings the wharf at Blackwall is very quiet and the long carpark under the trees almost empty. It seems to attract people wanting exactly that quiet. When I arrived with my painting gear two cars were parked near the wharf, the drivers of both locked in an embrace on a backseat.

Although the view is pretty it lacks any focal point but I sketched the wharf  and road and pale autumn sky. Two more painters from the painting group turned up and the people in the amorous cars left.

View north to Woy Woy over Brisbane Waters

I walked down to the other end of the parking area for a different view. Just as I reached it another car sped in and out jumped two young men in very spivvy suits.They hung around a minute or two, then when they saw me setting up my easel they jumped right back into the car and sped off.

Painters are such a nuisance when they take over quiet spots.

Street Art in Woy Woy

In Woy Woy this morning one of the laneways was being given a fresh look.

Street artists working in Woy Woy

The bit they had just completed

Ducks in Woy Woy

Ducks are some of my favorite creatures. Their body construction makes it almost impossible for them to hurt anyone (try pecking with a duck-bill, or punching with a flipper) but  ...

their mothering skills leave a lot to be desired. Ducklings seem to survive more by luck than good management.

This mother duck took her eleven very little ducklings on sightseeing tour through the back streets of Woy Woy.