Perugina Art

what a wonderful thing support is!!

When you have the support of family and friends you feel as though you can do almost anything!

What a wonderful way to celebrate this by passing it on to those you want to say I support you... I appreciate you... I encourage you...

Thank you Sweetmango for passing this 'Baton' of support, appreciation and encouragement in the form of this PREMIO... which in Italian incidentally means PRIZE.

The Prize ...feeling privileged to know you and that I have all of the above from you plus your friendship and vice versa.

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Starting her Blog called Sweetmango last month in June, she advocates her desire to express herself creatively with her large canvases, rich in colour, depicting her love of the earth and its mountainous regions, as well as her passion for photography, poetry and making a difference in the world with her mantra, "I will not be the silent majority."

Already into the month of July and her second Blog (told you it was addictive)

Barking Dog alerting us to issues that we as individuals can do something about, she certainly has made an impact entering the Blogger World!

I will look forward to passing this on in the next few days, making those feel as wonderful as you have made me feel today.

work in progress

beneath blue mountain gums

for the love of the mountains

no 3

102 x 66cm

watercolour on arches
300 gsm cp fine
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Painting the background on these is addictive.

Wanting to stretch this to the biggest piece of arches watercolour paper i can get my hands on at the moment and with 99 gum leaves to paint, this is going to take me a while.

beneath blue mountain gums
for the love of the mountains

no 2

77 x 67cm

watercolour on arches

300 gsm cp fine

beneath blue mountain gums

for the love of the mountains

no 1

77 x 67 cm

watercolour on arches
300 gsm cp fine

SOLD

magnolia in vintage vase II

still life

no 4

34 x 23 cm

watercolour on arches

300gsm cp fine

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Much happier with this re - do!

beneath blue mountain gums

a contemporary piece

SOLD

42" x 32" framed

watercolour on arches

300gsm cp fine

Was finally popped into its frame last night.

work in progress

beneath blue mountain gums

for the love of the mountains

no 1

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Art Spectrum Colours

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French Ultramarine Blue

Antwerp Blue

Yellow Ochre

Permanent Rose

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Playing with Masking Fluid & Watercolour Washes
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Masking fluid has never really excited me. This yellow stinky liquid rubber drying

before i can get it anywhere near the paper, only resulting in having to throw away the brush, really infuriates me!

Listening to others say time and time again, how they love masking fluid, even buying the most expensive one on the market only to leave it in the bottom of my art bag as i don't really care for the stuff taking into account my experiences thus far which left me saying in reply "What a croc!"

That is until I watched its application by the talented hand of Nicholas Simmons.

Very casually going through his arsenal of brushes and other weapons of choice before commencing one of his masterpieces in his DVD Innovative Watermedia, he generously goes through his process beginning with preparing paper, right through to the signing and stamping of his completed work.

Thank you NNG for providing many artists with an insight into your methods some of which i am having a play with in this latest WIP.

Sticking with a familiar subject at least provides me with some comfort whilst out of my depth with the process. Baby steps here... but quite excited to see what i can achieve and where i can go.

As you can see the masking fluid behaved. Soap really is a wonderful thing!

My only dilema is i use liquid soap here and wanting to adhere strictly to tip given on Nick's DVD had to crack my only bar of soap, the Chanel - No 5 of course I swear! With the added benefit of masking "the stink" as well! :D

the next instalment

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Chocky started out keen to help and to watch this morning... it was all too much after about 10 minutes!

What kind of an "artistic director" is he?

I do adore his company while I paint even though he sleeps half the time.

This was a great exercise extending my skills in watercolour.

I'm quite happy with the results and having worked through this am keen on trying another, to approach the background with a little more gusto.

Thanks to those of you who have dropped by, leaving your encouraging comments, i really appreciate them.

work in progress

magnolia in vintage vase II

still life

32 x 23 cm

watercolour on arches
300gsm cp fine

magnolia in vintage vase II
Still Life

Will try and get some more work done on this today.

The progress on this one is slow, the centres are proving to be more involved, however I do enjoy this as it has a calming effect, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

There is something mysterious about engaging in painting, like entering another Universe that is not part of this world.

My good friend and talented artist Sandra Wilson calls it 'The Zone'

Rolf Harris

Star Portraits

Eat Your Heart Out!

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i'll have my tuna now!

Cattitude Series

No 2

Oil on Canvas

Nora Sallows

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Anyone who has been following the series Rolf Harris Star Portraits will know the format.

In each program, a known celebrity is chosen to have their portrait painted by three professional artists. Each painting that celebrity in their own unique style. We watch the painting process and at the end the portraits are revealed to the celebrity, where they will have to choose their favourite portrait to keep.

In this instance...Buffy AKA The Killa Chinchilla and my 'STAR' was chosen by American artist Nora Sallows to include in a series of oil paintings called 'Cattitudes' Cats with Attitude.

Buffy with those looks of his was immediately chosen as he is definitely a Cat With Plenty of Attitude! He even comes with his own warning label in the Vet data bases here in Sydney, i kid you not!

i was thrilled to finally get the painting home after it going lost in the US Mail...giving Nora and myself much to panic about. Arriving safely... you will agree that she has absolutely 'nailed' his likeness.

We had our own reveal here with 'The Star' present, and although he did not have to chose which portrait he liked best, i was thrilled with it and will cherish it forever. It really captures the essence of Bu.

Buffy has always been a feisty ball of fur, and has had a fighting spirit since day one, when as a kitten and only after a few days of having him home, i almost lost him as he was suffering from a nasty viral infection.

He is 16 this year and despite all the veterinary intervention year in and year out, you can still see that fighting spirit in those eyes.

Thank you Nora for choosing my
Buffy

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Lauren AAF
Wow, that's really cool! I really like that (and I don't normally like animal paintings so that is saying something)

sweetmango AAF
Great painting of Buffy, you must be so pleased with it...and I am so glad that it turned up in the end!! It really is very well done and definitely captures his 'attitude' so well! Love the photo too by the way, Buffy sitting in front of his portrait, ... well captured :)

PERUGINA
Lauren... Hi, praise indeed for a non animal painting lover... hehehehe.
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Sweetmango...You cannot imagine the relief in the end for Nora and myself when it finally arrived... and believe me this was not an easy task getting Buffy to sit still and have his photo taken with his portrait... bribing was involved!
It was more of a case of... Give it to me NOW!
I'm absolutely thrilled with how Nora captured his likeness.

TET AAF
That's one intense looking stare Buffy has there - very unique.
Portrait really does capture his likeness well too.

V-Mak AAF
PG I have a crush on Buffy...so so gorgeous...still think he looks better in life than on painting !!!

PERUGINA
Hi TET... thanks. The cat stare equivalent of 'guns at 20 paces!'
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Hi V-Mak... No one has a crush on Buffy... it's a matter of look but don't touch me!
He hospitalised one of the vet nurses at the vet he goes too... almost mauling her arm off!
Thanks for saying he is gorgeous... iIlove him to bits and he really is a softy beneath all that fluff...

Helm AAF
Your cat rocks! Love that gaze, so intense, questioning. Attitude indeed. Great that you got your painting mate.

Holley AAF
That is very kewl! What a gorgeous kitty you have!!! I had a Chinchilla when I was a youngster, his name was Crazy and he really was a wild cat - rest his soul!

Judy AAF
What a gorgeous cat !
Have to laugh at his expression of total disapproval, which you captured so well.

PERUGINA
Thanks Helm... It was panic stations there for a while and had poor Nora fretting like mad and me in tears!
But it all worked out well in the end and we are all happy... except perhaps Buffy who was sick of having to sit his toosh on the cold glass coffee table while I bribed him in order to take the purfect photo!
Perhaps this explains his intense stare...lol
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Hi Holley...Chinchillas are known for their wild tempers...must be all that hair that makes them temperamental...with the emphasis on the mental! lol
Buffy is just very intelligent and doesn't like anyone to mess with him.
Thanks for stopping by.
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Hi Judy...I so agree with you... I love this photo..."Total disapproval"...you got that in one...it's just so him!
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Just letting everyone know that I cannot resist including these replies in my blog so Nora Sallows can have a read at the responses. I also record my blog and have turned it into a journal as well...which I upload into a word document.

A momento to leave behind.

Thanks to you all.

x

work in progress

magnolia in vintage vase II
still life

In watercolour class today i started my re-do.

I am admitting to my obsession with this vase and my determination to make this work!Approaching this starting with the centres this time rather than plonking them over the top of an already painted flower.

This was the downfall of the first version, failing to plan out the work and not thinking out the process.

magnolia in vintage vase

still life

re worked

After some re working of the centres I feel it is closer to what I had envisaged in my mind.

Not having a reference photo to go by, relying on memory, and these vases and urns i have around the house makes it all the more difficult and challenging at the same time.

I am happier at least that the centres have been toned down and now have some depth to them. They were just too loud and lacked sensitivity. Now, I feel it's going in the right direction and strikes a more melodious tone in keeping with the rest of the composition.

This alteration however resulted in having to paint some of the back petals stronger, using that delicious colour Permanent Rose to bring back some of the vitality of the first version, feeling it needed this, to lift it, and thus making for a nice contrast against all the blue.

I will paint this again from scratch, as i am not entirely happy with the centres looking like they have been re worked... Looking at it closely (IRL) it is a little lacklustre in that specific area, it does annoy me not having the freshness of a first watercolour application.

Well back to the easel with this one!

magnolia in vintage vase

still life

no 3

34 x 23cm

watercolour on arches

300gsm cp fine

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This was completed in watercolour group today

Not very happy with it in part particularly the centres and feel that it is spoilt - they are way to strong and take the focus away from the rest of the painting.

I do however like the composition and the colours as it is in keeping with the set of pictures painted previously so i have sketched this out again hoping to improve it second time around.

joy
watercolour ladies series
no 13

19 x 20 cm

watercolour on arches
300gsm cp fine

an art work by jillanne

One of my fellow WC members Jillanne was so inspired by my Parrot Tulips in Vintage Vase

she contacted me asking if she could borrow the composition to paint her own version in watercolours.

It’s always interesting to see how others approach the same work whether it be compositionally or in subject. This is a perfect example of how the same painting in part, can have a style which is unique in its own right.

Jillanne explained that she would be painting daisies instead of tulips and would make the vase resemble cloisonné. She has presented an art work that is fresh and very different to mine. Although related compositionally, she has made it all her own with a different perspective on the vase along with its colour and design.

I love the freshness she has achieved...and the daisies are a delight!

Backgrounds are something i struggle with and i feel her choice of background colour well suited, giving it a cheery mood.

I very much appreciated her contacting me with her desire to try this artwork and asked her if she would return the favour by allowing me to post it on my blog.

My art journey means so much more to me than putting paint to paper and this has proven to be a wonderful stop along the way!

Thank you Jillanne for this ultimate compliment and for allowing me to post your work here.

Keep in touch and all the best!

perugina

presented as they should be

The Imperials have finally made it into their frames and are currently on exhibit at

Drummoyne Art Society 44th Annual Art Awards 2008

Opening Night is
Monday 26th May

7pm

Free Admission

Drummoyne Civic Hall

Marlborough Street

Drummoyne

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Judge

Joe PENN

lemons in ornate vintage bowl

miniature still life

no 1

area

10 x 10 cm

image

6 x 6 cm

watercolour on arches

300gsm cp fine

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In 1985, the Australian Society of Miniature Art was formed in NSW by artist Janine Bravery.

The society's aims have been

to create miniature works of excellence.

to foster traditional and modern works in miniature.

to encourage public awareness and enjoyment of miniature works of art.

The criteria of a miniature art work is its size being no larger than 10 x 10 cm, in area being no larger than 100 sq cm. It can be any variation under this sq area for example 8 x 12 cm.

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In October, I will be submitting my application to join the Australian Society of Miniature Art (NSW) Inc to its Selection Committee in hope that my miniature works are accepted and therefore granting me membership.

I am working towards my submission of six samples of work that compliment each other and work well as a group, and in accordance with their rules also submit a biography.

My submission will include The Imperials of which there are 4 as well as the miniature above and its companion works.

Fingers crossed!

arum lilies in vintage vase

still life

no 2

34 x 23cm

watercolour on arches
300gsm cp fine
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parrot tulips in vintage vase

still life

no 1

34 x 23cm

watercolour on arches

300gsm cp fine

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This watercolour workwas inspired by my love of flowers and old world possessions

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le belle ballerine

birthday book

Durable Hardcover ImageWrap Design

18 x 18 cm

A small square book featuring images of the watercolour series Le Belle Ballerine

Remembering your family and friends' Birthdays lets them know they are very special to you.

This little book makes it easy

and you will never forget their special day each year.

See the range available in the series

HERE

quick sketches on this night
November 4th, 2005
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A very cruel twist of fate?

It was the early morning of the 4th
that you gave up the fight.

Coco always sat by me or on my lap, it was Coco who inspired me to take up my art again. Grabbing a piece of paper and pencil, these three quick sketches of her started me off on the night of the 4th... November 05.

I also remember telling myself that i would join an art society and enrol in a watercolour class in the new year.

So it was in the new year of 2007 that i did this.

I found these today, tucked away in a folder in my studio among all my stuff.

I will always remember Coco for this as well as so many other things.

tulips by the window

still life

42 x 29 cm

watercolour on arches

185gsm hp

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a day with david

Yesterday i spent the day with a most talented Australian artist, David Brayshaw.

Gladly sharing his private studio time with me and his paintings , providing me with an insight into his life experiences as an artist having spent many years living by the sea with a passion for capturing it.

Demonstrating not only his expertise and deft hand in oils, but also his ability to share openly in some techniques which he uses to create his magnificent seascapes!

A subject as beautiful as it is difficult.

On my journey home, after leaving his studio yesterday, i felt very much overwhelmed by his generosity. Giving of his time, knowledge, spirit and hospitality which he willingly shared with a stranger!

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David...

Thank you for your help, time and patience!

Feeling very much out of my depth with this medium and subject matter.

I will continue with the oil painting you started me off on.

My art journey and my reasons for painting are probably very different to others who pursue art. Leaving something of myself behind on this earth and today you have played a part in helping me do this.

Thank you.

perugina