Window frames

Now the floors are done, I am moving on to the window frames which need attention.

The windows are divided into larger and smaller panes. Painting them is a smaller or larger pain (inverse proportion!)

In places the outside peach colour had been used internally and the first coat of paint barely disguises it. It looks as if they will need three coats (even larger pain).

Rock Faces: Cockatoo Island drawings

Floor polished with Livos Kunos Oil

I had thought that a floor treated with Kunos oil might look a bit 'old', but the floor is now oiled and it does not look old at all. It shines and glows and is as happy as wood can be when it is well cared for. It was definitely worth the effort of finding a floor polisher who would work with this product instead of slapping on toxic polyurethane.

Interestingly, the floor polisher told me that architects are increasingly recommending products such as this but their clients have not kept up. They want shine and they want it now and don't realise that some of the products used in Australia are banned elsewhere and off-gas for 5 years. I am very pleased the previous owners did not do a cheap and nasty job before selling the house.

Good fairies

Today the Painting and Technologies class started at the National Art School but after waiting so long to get into this class I discover after the first lesson that I have mixed feelings about it.

Partly it has to do with the environment.  The fellow behind me in the class today slapped turps over his paper as if his lungs (and ours) are impervious to harm but I know too many painters who have died of solvent poisoning to be relaxed painting in a room full of fumes.

Partly it has to do with my learning expectations. I discover that I know more about the subject than I realised so it less interesting than I expected.  I can see the course will help me fills the gaps in my oil/acrylic knowledge but my overwhelming feeling tonight is that I have been undervaluing my years of painting practise.

How lucky I am an (accidental) ceramics major. Ceramics is something I really knew nothing about so the learning experience has been exciting and rewarding.

I had my eye on the wrong ball, but luckily my good fairies have been looking after me regardless.

Drawing Week on Cockatoo Island

Rock faces everywhere.

Poor Christchurch, Poor Libya

While Christchurch churches topple and citizens pull each other out from under piles of rubble, Libyans risk life and limb to topple a President who hires mercenaries to shoot them.  It is hard to think of anything else with such news on the airwaves.

Out with the vinyl

Vinyl in ...

Vinyl out ...
(as well as the hardboard under the vinyl and the many many many staples that held it in place. Almost enough to take to the waste metal handlers.)

It turned out that the dining room had been varnished in a previous life.

The sun room had been varnished as well and it had also had carpet stuck to it at one stage, the remnants of which remained. What a mess.

Out goes the carpet

Carpet in ...

Carpet out ...

The next step is sanding and oiling.

Hawkesbury River Oyster Leases

I drew this on the train between Hornsby and Woy Woy today, on my way between my new house and art school.

The Hawksbury River is very picturesque with oyster leases along its banks. When we stopped at the Hawkesbury River station an elderly fellow on the train said he remembered the days when the windows of the train could be opened and vendors at Hawkesbury Station would sell oysters to the passengers for a shilling a dozen.

Temperatures and heat waves

Last week while Sydney sweltered  in the heat wave that delivered 40C temperatures for several days in a row, I sweltered under my own internal heat wave.  I never knew a sinus infection could ground one so thoroughly.

After picking up the keys for my new abode I unpacked the mattress from the car then took to my bed, or rather took to my mattress.  I lay for 6 days contemplating my new walls from mattress level, incapable of doing more than reaching for a glass of water. By the time the antibiotics were starting to work my intentions of painting the walls had evaporated entirely.They seem just fine as they are, at least from mattress level.

A house

I have a house! After lots of looking at 'rennovators dreams' I finally found a cottage with a 'loved' feel and only needing cosmetic improvements. Today is settlement day.

Maribor Festival Paintings

Finally!  It took a while but I now have the paintings and sketches I made at the Maribor Music Festival in September 2010 online at www.artsmitten.com

This is the Choir of London singing in the Maribor Cathedral accompanied by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Miriam Gordon-Stewart sings Tosca

Here is your reason to go to Bremerhaven. This trailer shows just what small opera houses can do.

Last October I drew Miriam in Bremerhaven during a performance of Peter Grimes. Miriam sang the role of  Ellen Orford.

Opera Quay in Sydney

I drew this as I sat waiting for a friend at the Opera Quays Dendy theatre last weekend. We were seeing the Metropolitan Opera's new production of the Verdi opera Don Carlo. It was four and a half hours of exquisite singing. Wonderful but exhausting.

On the Manly Ferry

Manly is much improved since I last visited many years ago, but the best part is still getting there by ferry. It is a magic trip.

View from Lou Jack's window

This is the view through the window of Lou Jack's Cafe on Newtown's King Street at 8:30am.

I love this time of the year in Sydney when the streets are almost empty. Soon everyone will come back from the coast and the street with throb with life again.

Otago Paintings

I have put a series of watercolours painted in NZ in November online at artsmitten.com. This one is of Dunedin's Mt Cargill.

A cloud often sits on top of Mt Cargill making it look like an iced bun. On top a TV antenna pokes out of the cloud.

New Year Fireworks in Sydney

I have often seen Sydney's New Year fireworks but for the first time this year I had a box seat at an apartment in Greenwich. I could see the bridge as well as all five of the Sydney Harbour firework sites. It was a great welcome back.

This was the view at 6pm.

and this was the view at midnight.

White teapot

The cafe at the Art Gallery of NSW serves tea in little white teapots.

Watercolour captures the charm of such objects better than most mediums I think.

Sydney style?

This newly rennovated Westfield shopping center sits amongst Sydney's charming old brick buildings. I suppose someone thought white glass with swirls was stylish? More probably, style was not a prerequisite but rather the abiity to get as many upmarket stores as possible into the dark rabbit warrens inside.