Painting or drawing – be it on paper, canvas or walls just doesn’t interest me.
Colouring in didn’t appeal as a child and I’ve never considered it as an adult.
It’s just one of those crafts I’ve never been drawn to.
Art classes at school were a disaster
‘What do you think of when you hear the wind blowing Catherine?
’My mother yelling at me to make sure the clothes are pegged on the line securely’.
‘What about leaves blowing about – maybe you could work with that idea’
It’s a shame my splashes of red and orange all over the paper weren’t appreciated. The art mistress wanted actual leaves not my interpretation.
However, because of all the preparations (or as someone once described to me as the ‘rigmarole’) connected with knitting- selecting patterns, choosing colours, deciding which sizes I’ll make, knitting swatches (little samples to check gauge) making copious notes on bits of paper….I do acknowledge how much ‘thought and effort’ artists put into their works.
I’ll admit there are times when, a bit like book genres some styles of art don’t always appeal to me….. but I’ll have a look, trying to find something I like in it…and always end up wondering what was going on in the artist’s mind at the time.
Where does any artist’s inspiration come from – how do they go about transferring an idea into reality
Two years ago the NGV had an exhibition of Hans and Norah Heysen’s works.
(Father and daughter).
Two generations of Australian art
Along with many different examples of their paintings there were these pieces
which show/explain part of the process of producing a ‘work of art’.
I was intrigued and spent time a lot of time
moving backwards and forwards between each one
The actual painting.
Approaching storm with bushfire haze
Then alongside it is this – a study taken of the actual painting.
dated the year after
(sorry about the strange angle)
It was a similar process for his well known work ‘The three gums’
The beginning of an idea and the execution
And just because….here’s my favourite of the day
Droving into the light
With a ‘closeup’ of the drover
Unfortunately some things don’t photograph well
These ‘will enlarge’ so you are able to see more clearly
Hope you enjoy them
Interesting PDF produced for earlier tour discussing exhibits.
Bluey – Nora Heysen
Joining EC and others for this week’s Sunday Selections
Sharing your photos…old and new.
Why don’t you join us one Sunday!
Still Waters 
Thank you for joining us.
Painting/drawing/creating more generally are not my skills. I envy and admire those that have the ability and appreciate their dedication – even when the end result is not to my taste.
I suspect that I would also have been fascinated by seeing these steps in the process…
LikeLike
While I can’t draw my way out of a paper bag I do enjoy other peoples’ talents. I spent 25 years teaching English at an art college and loved all that art. I appreciated the way this exhibit showed how the work evolved from sketch to finished painting.
LikeLike
I can only draw a few basic shapes – most of my drawing ends up abstract – but on the whole people “see” what it is. I don’t care what other people think. But I do know what you mean about school-art-teacher! Somehow, I don’t think the system has changed from “realistic” to abstract. As for the question theme posed by said teacher – ummm.
About 6 years ago I went to a still life drawing of a Crown Lynn swan vase…I just couldn’t understand why others spent an hour and still hadn’t gotten the outline. The tutor came by and suddenly said to the rest of the class “come here, C has got it…” I had spent maybe 15 minutes. Apparently, most of the class had hardly started, having to almost go and measure the blasted vase! And then come back to their easels and proceed to rub out the lines they thought were wrong…
Heaven knows how they would’ve coped with a “nude”
On the other hand, Cathy please don’t put yourself down with your “art of knitting” – that’s a skill that possibly the art teacher had no idea how to take a pattern and alter it around to suit what your needs are… There is a Very Fine Line between Craft/Art IMHO
LikeLike
I’ve always liked Hans Heysen’s work. I’ve always loved drawing and painting. Unfortunately, I’ve done very little of each of late.
You are an artist in the art of knitting, Cathy.
I hope you’re enjoying your Easter weekend…take good care. 🙂
LikeLike
We had sessions in bth art and craft…I preferred craft as it turned out to be spinning, dying and weaving whereas art made me just nervous about getting it right…whatever it was.
Those explanations of a finished work were fascinating.
LikeLike
The study of the three gums is very interesting.
My sister is an artist and has piles of sketched in sketch books. I can’t draw a line. She says that’s all in my head.
LikeLike
Strangely the preparations held stronger attractions for me than the finished coloured article. However seeing only the colour in the last one, i loved it instantly.
I read somewhere in the last year or two that women’s art was called ‘craft’ because it was not considered as meaningful or high status as that generated by men – thus oil paintings were art, and embroidered costume merely craft. Here in Greece i have visited a monastry where back in their heyday they (men) made fantastically embroidered ecclesiastical gowns, heavily featuring gold thread. Art or craft? Xxx F
LikeLike
I’d love to be able to paint or draw but my art teacher told me flat out I would never be able to do it.
Then probably feeling bad added I had a good eye for colour lol
So yup I’ll stick to working with coloured yarns and scraps of fabric
I’ll leave the artistic pursuits to others with talent
LikeLike
Nice. We saw the exhibition at the time and we very much admired their work.
LikeLike