Dancing is passion, movement and looks like so much fun!

I am very privileged to have now been introduced to a number of wonderful dancers who practice their craft at MarShare Dance studios in Langwarrin. The Dance Studio facebook page can be found at this link;

https://www.facebook.com/MarShereLangwarrin

These wonderful new friends have invited me into their own facebook albums and given me permission to source a group of photos that i can use for inspiration for my upcoming artwork. For this i am truly thankful.

Here's just a handful of the many many beautiful, stunning, passionate dance photographs from only a few of my new dance friends:  a handful of photos that have sparked my interest and ignited the flame inside me.... can't wait to hit the canvas with my paints!

Over the next few months, i will be commencing a range of artwork pieces, all dance inspired, for the exhibition scheduled for December in Mentone.

Excited! We're having an exhibition in December.

Well it's official.The exhibition is on!

Our art class has decided to hold an exhibition from 14th December to 16th December 2012 in Mentone Victoria, so now the fun really starts. There about 15 of us, who under the tuition of our teacher Clive Sinclair, will be showing our artworks.
There will be a collection of different artwork types on show. Watercolors, oils, pencil drawings, and my favourite- acrylic.

Talk has already started about the amount of space each of us will have to show our wares, framing and how to showcase unframed artwork that won't fit in our official wall space, opening night festivities, and most importantly, what our group will call itself (the sinclair suspects and the wednesday night wankers have been names already suggested).

For those of you who have been following my blog for some time, know that i have used other artists artworks to cut my teeth on, while painting in class. Learning tones, brush-strokes & techniques by copying the old masters work, and taking inspiration from many current artists have resulted in class being an absolute pleasure. Current artists like Karrie Evenson and Fabian Perez have inspired me immensely. For example- the painting shown here, is my version of Fabian Perez's flamenco dancer.

But now, with a proper exhibition in the pipeline, the time has come to step up and paint Caroline Martin originals. HOW EXCITING!!!

So i gave some thought as to what i would like to fill my space with???
i want to paint passion, movement. love and fun - so dance won. Dance is passionate, dance is intimate, dance is downright sexy and dance is simply beautiful.

So with the help of a good friend Jodie-Anne Blair and her wonderful dance friends, i will be collecting a number of photographs of couples and individuals dancing, to use to inspire a whole range of artwork pieces. Those who provide photos for me to use for inspiration, will be most welcome to join us on opening night to view my masterpieces and socialise with our painting class.

i would like to thank those dancers, who have already been welcoming to me, who have accepted my facebook friend requests, replied to inbox messages, have confirmed that they would be comfortable with me using their images from photos that other people have taken, have consented to me checking out their photos for more dance inspiration and for the encouragement.
i hope you will like the artworks that your passion, movement and fun inspire in me.

So i look forward to posting the odd hint of a painting over the next few months, to entice people to come visit us at the exhibition.

Caught out with nothing prepared AGAIN!

Second week back,and i got all excited, as we were scheduled to have a nude model.

i just LOVE painting skin tones, so i got dressed summer style, as the heaters would be on full bore to keep our little model warm and toasty, only to arrive in class to find that the model was unwell (sick and throwing up at home).

So there i was, raring to go, paints, pencils, canvas sheets, with absolutely nothing to paint and nothing pre-prepared.
What was a girl to do???

luckily i still had the photos on my mobile phone from the Christina Perri concert i went to several months back, so i picked one, and threw caution to the wind.


Without pre-preparation, there was no drafting up my standard 16 square graph, it was all done by sight, straight onto the canvas board and then throw the paint at it.   So unlike me, and my organisational style.  

This is the results of a good 2 hour class........below you can see the original photo from the concert, and above, my painting of christina in full flight.

CHRISTINA PERRI ROCKS

 For those who know me well, know that i love to play my ipod with my favourite music blaring, as i paint either on my kitchen table or out in my studio.

Christina Perri and her Jar of Hearts Album or Lovestrong Albums have entertained me many an hour as i played with my paints and brushes.

In early June 2012 i was excited to hear that christina was hoping on to a plane and heading down to Australia. And even more excitingly, she planned to play at the Palais here in my home town of Melbourne.

Within 15 mins of her tour dates being announced, my sisters, my two nieces and i had third row dead centre tickets!

So when i returned to art class after a 6 month break, i finally had photos of my very own to play with.

This was what i achieved in my first two hour class.
IT IS NOT FINISHED! I STILL NEED TO DO MORE WORK ON THE SKIN-TONES AND FACE, BUT I THOUGHT I WOULD SHOW YOU WHAT I ACHIEVED IN CLASS ON THE NIGHT.

I finished the background, worked on her dress and hair, the guitar and got the first base coat of the skin. i plan to do more work on it, once i get back to class again. Using my normal mustard/greenish background (found in so many of my other artworks), i started to paint.

The only difference, this time, was instead of the classic glass of red wine in the hand, was her trusty guitar.

BACK IN PAINT CLASS AND I AM SO HAPPY

Well after a six month break, i finally got back to my local art group painting class.

After catching up with all my friends......


After listening to our Clive's latest trip, where he had the immense privilege to be allowed to paint on the private property of renowned Australian artist, Arthur Boyd........

After popping champagne bottles and eating cake for the birthday boy ..........

After finding out about the Melbourne 20's next exhibition in Malvern East at the end of this month and arranging for us to all attend opening night....

and,
After hearing about the next painting retreat scheduled at Point Lonsdale Victoria.......


We finally picked up our brushes!


Armed with a quick sketch i arranged prior to my arrival i quickly got to work.

My inspiration for first class back was from an artwork piece called "At the Balcony", by Pino Daeni,

I spent most of the two hour class, chatting and throwing paint around, with glass of champers in hand
(The only way to paint, i might say!). lol

Nothing beats painting in class, drawing inspiration from one another, sharing ideas and tips and coming out at the end of it with another artwork piece you really like........

I got most of the artwork piece done during the class.
A quick 10 minute touch up when i got home, finished the piece.


"At the balcony" by Pino Daeni had previously inspired another artwork piece back in March 2012.

I previously was inspired to paint this in black and white, with tinges of silver and pearl white- which gave the whole painting a traditional, romantic, wedding-type feel.

My niece LOVED this painting, and it now hangs in her bedroom.

SO WHAT AM I PAINTING NOW?

After selling a painting right off my lounge room wall (see previous post about my surprise sale)
i set about replacing the empty space on the wall with this painting.



Yet another painting featuring my favourite scheme- exposed skin, red hot textured clothing just perfect to touch, and a misty yellow/green/mustard background showcasing light and shadows.


The only thing missing from this painting, was the standard glass of red wine, that appears on many of the other artwork pieces that hang in my lounge room. lol










Then with a change in scenery, i started experimenting with different color schemes, different themes.....
I started working on a painting (inspired by pino daeni's artwork called  "Morning Breeze Lady").

This time, i decided to abandon my normal red romantic theme and quieten down the tones with nurturing green and yellow tones.

This artwork piece was perfect to match my brand new bedspread (which was light green with a few touches of pink....).

Then i started painting a few "sea change" images, of women, windblown, standing on the edge of the water.

Then i finally got sick of seeing beautiful women, in paint, on my canvas.

Was it the lack of male company, or the fact that i too, had discovered the new Grey's phase that was hitting the world? All of a sudden, i decided that i wanted to paint something else.

All of a sudden my brushes took a new path.....

A few of the ladies at the last retreat had suggested i try a bit of eye candy just for them. 
So, by popular request- and with Christian Grey as inspiration, i put my pencil to the canvas and tried something completely different!

Here's a sneak peak at my newest artwork....

Don't forget to sign up your email address in the box at the top of this blog, so you will receive an email reminder to come back and visit to see what is inspiring me again.

THE SURPRISE SALE

THERE IT WAS, SITTING QUIETLY IN THE CORNER DURING MY HUBBY'S 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, AND IT WAS SOLD SHORTLY THEREAFTER.

We recently celebrated my husband's 50th birthday at our home, and invited around 100 of his nearest and dearest friends to see in this milestone.

We had a houseful of people, some who had never visited the house before. The food was fantastic, the slushie machine a major hit and the booze flowed freely all night.

For me, the most surprising part of the whole night, was my latest artwork piece, that had graced the walls for less than a week, caught the eye of a friend's wife.

After initially saying no, it wasn't for sale, i had a rethink after they contacted me after the party to see if i could paint a second painting exactly the same. 

i was so surprised, as i thought it was the drink talking for them, but low and behold, they WERE serious. They loved it and really wanted to purchase the original or get me to paint another for their home.

Rather than paint an identical painting, the price was set for the original on the wall (at a discount, obviously, for a friend) and they returned on Australia Day to share a BBQ and they took the painting home with them, as they left.

Amazing, last thing i was expecting when hosting the party, was to sell my very first big artwork piece , and the best thing now is, i have a huge empty space on my wall, a brand new canvas on my easel and the world of possibilities has re-visited again.

HENRY ASENCIO HAS INSPIRED MY FIRST PROJECT FOR 2012

Another of my favourite artists is Henry Asencio. His completed artwork piece sometimes called 'untitled, woman in black dress' and other times called 'elegance'- is one of my favourite paintings, regardless of what it is called.

Whilst henry's painting features a vivid red background and a black dress, my version will be a little different, so it suits my loungeroom instead.

I LOVE the stance that his model had, so painting it with a view of hanging it in our loungeroom, i will be changing the color scheme.

With walls in a mustard color called "sandy beach"  in our room, and wanting it to keep this artwork piece similar to the other women in my loungeroom with red/burgandy textured dresses and motteled mustard color backgrounds, my artwork piece will look very different to henry's by the time i have finished.

here is the work on my 2012 project, so far....



a three toned mustard color is added to the background.

I have let the artwork piece sit for a little while in my studio and i think i still need to lighten the top and darken the lower portions, to give a real opposite feeling to the dark tones and highlights.

A few days later.......
On another day of my holidays, i set up my ipod on the speaker, with music blaring, i set to work on the dress and then the skin tones.

Here i am with my painting,
still being worked on.

the finished painting, waiting for it to dry
so i can hang it in the loungeroom

Don't forget to sign on at the top of the blog with your email address, so you can receive a personal email notification when i post more photos as the artwork piece takes shape.

Combining my two favourite pictures to create something new

male in blue, with pencil drawing of woman in blue

After finishing my male in blue artwork piece, i decided that i absolutely loved the blue paint splattered color theme in the background!

Wanting to then try out the next Asencio artwork piece, i decided to try out the same background for a matching female to don the walls in my newly finished family room at home.






So i made a start, graphing and pencilling in the woman on my canvas sheet.

original pencil drawing of woman in blue

Then i started to pull out the blue paints, and then the reds and yellows and a splatter of saphire too.

male in blue, framed, with partially completed woman in blue

Don't forget to come back to visit this blog to see how i throw some skin on and attack that figure hugging dress. If you add your email address to the top of this blog, you will receive a personal email with a link back here.
cheers
caroline

SHOREHAM WAS A BLAST. OCTOBER 2011

semi nude reclining, in red, framed.

SHOREHAM OCTOBER 2011

Armed with a few henry asencio artwork pieces to inspire me, we headed down to shoreham.....

Well all 14 of us headed off to shoreham, most with scrapbooking supplies to keep them busy, whereas i packed up my brushes, paints and easels and with a handful of henry asencio paintings to inspire me, i headed off on camp.

check out this post to see my drafts, my finished artwork and the paintings completed by the few adventurous that picked up a brush for the first time.

I managed to finish off a handful of A3 size artwork pieces as well as finishing off the main artwork piece i wanted for my bedroom- the semi-nude reclining- my pencil draft can be seen here.

I started with my tried and tested flamenco style dancer....



Woman in Red dress, and Woman in red dress dancing.


then i commenced work on the main artwork piece once i was sufficiently limbered up....

And then on the last morning of the retreat, i worked on a fine looking young man with abs to kill. lol



Working on male in blue



I even found the time to let a few of the girls have a play with my paints, coaxing them nicely to be adventureous and they did extremely well ...

vicki with her flamenco dancer.

Sherryn with her aspendale sunset

Anne with her aspendale beach scene

Overall, the retreat was fantastic- plenty of wine, food galore, games played and so much crafting was done by all in attendance, and now the clock ticks down to the next retreat in March 2012.

I have just been inspired by Fabian Perez's artwork!

When i returned to my Art Class after my surgery, we were told that the group was no longer going to all paint the same thing, we were not longer going to follow our teacher by example. We were to bring in our OWN favourite photos or photocopies of our favourite artwork which we would attempt to copy with individual instruction from our teacher, Clive Sinclair of course.

Clive believes the best way to learn painting techniques was to develope them yourself.

So, i started to troll the internet for some inspiration, and what did i stumble across:

The most beautiful artwork by Fabian Perez!

Fabian's website address is : http://www.fabianperez.com/

Do yourself a favour and have a look at his absolutely beautiful work!

Shown here, is one of his lovely paintings. Absolutely stunning!!!

Fabian paints the most beautiful women in the world.

My all-time favourite from his collection, would have to be his flamenco dancers.

So with paints, brushes and a canvas sheet attached to a board and a photocopy of his beautiful red flamenco dancer in hand, i travelled to class........... and below are photos of MY finished artwork. I was really proud of this painting, as it was the very first one that really showed potential in class.

This is Fabian Perez's original artwork piece.



Flamenco Delight-



close up of flamenco delight

Relaxing on the bed

Please feel free to leave a comment.
Don't forget to save my blog in your favourites box, so you can come back to visit me to see my attempts from the classroom and from home too.

My Latest painting- My homeage to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

I was lucky enough to visit the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra on 20th February 2010, to view the wonderful works of the Masters of Paris.
After viewing the most beautiful artworks, I decided to paint a copy of one of my favourite paintings from the exhibition:

Redhead (Bathing) (Rousse La toilette) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, completed in 1889 oil on card.

The original painting is believed to be of his favourite model (Carmen Gaudin), is thought to be set in his studio and was probably painted from real life. The setting implies that the woman was a courtesan from the brothels that he frequented.

My copy of this painting will grace my bedroom wall.

So this is how i started....

My initial Sketch

My painting will be completed on a stretched canvas on wooden frame.  I started this painting by drawing the model and furniture, with a faint view of the floorboards and wall in the distance.

Then.....

I painted in the floorboards, the wall and layed down the intial furniture in brown tones.
I then covered the background with a white wash, so they are only a faint trace, which will then hopefully bring the model to the front, once i start to paint her in.

After that, i.......
I started painting the blanket, towelling, hair and stockings in the traditional colors of Toulouse's original painting, then had an idea....





Realising the artwork would take pride of place in my own beautiful pink bedroom, i changed the color scheme to pink towelling, so it would suit my room better.

Another change of color.....

Then i added pink walls, a blue rug and softened the floorboards and repainted the bathtub and added skintone.


Being that the artwork would be displayed in my own bedroom, i chose to keep more realistic skintones, rather than the really white tones of the original.

Then a changed to the rug color....

A quick outlined the furniture, painted her hair red and yellow oche with black highlights.... and then i was done.

I hope you enjoyed viewing my painting, as it developed. Please feel free to leave a comment. thanks.

To view actual photos from our visit to the Masters of Paris Exhibition and the Portrait Gallery, visit my other blog called "Artists on the loose"- you'll find the link on this page.