Pen on A3 size paper. 2004 Featured in the Featured Gallery! View my website to see more… / sarahbentvelzen.com
One in a series of four images. / Now available here at Red Bubble as a print. / Original: Oil on Canvas. / Size of original painting: 4 ft X 3 ft / - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - / / “A big part of the Red Dust Girl series was about trying to convey a sense of living in a regional area or a situation far from the influence of a metropolitan city. I wanted it to reflect a celebration of outback Australia, of the people living there each day of their lives and of the purity or innocence that can be found in such a seemingly baron and harsh landscape. / / Painting can sometimes be a very individual pursuit or in my case an infatuation, so I also wanted that series to express the joy (of all things) of being alone or separated, and of the contentment in that individualism. How “change” presented here as a metaphor (the seasons) can be a good thing and doesn’t necessarily need to change us as individuals. / / I knew that having a young girl or woman in the picture would be the perfect vehicle to present this idea. I’m not sure how the “floating” concept came about but I had previously painted a picture of a girl floating over the landscape and really liked the whole idea of the shadow beneath the feet etc. It certainly fitted the context of “separation” and when I mapped it out initially it just looked right. I decided that nothing in each of the four paintings would touch the ground, that the earth beneath her feet would remain unchanged through the seasons. “ - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – / THE “RED DUST GIRL” SERIES Review by Karl James At first glance, Leith O’Malley’s “Red Dust Girl” series invokes his love of contemporary illustration with its simplicity of design and striking power to just jump at the viewer. These large oil on canvas works are figuratively simple in composition but make no mistake, the paint work is delicious with luscious textures, tactile surfaces and collaged with natures discards. One wants to reach out and feel the very canvas. Full of outback hues, rich magentas, cobalt skies and desert ochre applied in buttery layers, these paintings have an underlying Australianess about them as the title of the series suggests. They also follow the seasons. Summer with its blazing, sizzling outback.. a sort of piercing Vincent heat, invigorating and maddening. Then there are the feather-like leaves of Autumn, falling about her and nesting at her feet. Thick and pillow soft, a season of calm reflection. Winter rain. Cleansing, ultramarine and diamonds, a cool tonic for the red raw earth. Finally Spring. All petals and newness, the simple joys of life, rebirth. A warm caress and motherly wonder. But who is the girl, this doll like puppet? Zen like in her calm yet so poetic and mysterious? Leith often incorporates metaphor in his work. Is she real or fictional? Or could it be “Eratos”, the artists muse guiding the creative spirit. Nothing is certain, but maybe we really see the artist here with his thoughts floating as visions do, bound not by the earth. Maybe he is like many of us, wary of change yet accepting of it. Of this new work Leith says “part of it is a reaction to living far from the city in a regional area. There is an underlying celebration of solitude and adaptation to my surroundings. That no matter what seasons bring we remain unchanged, and that isolation should be embraced. I believe in my own case it really is a stimulus for creativity”. If one looks beyond this little red dust girl of ponytail innocence and into those piercing cornflower eyes there is a knowing, an accepting. She hovers above the ground not at one with nature but unfazed by the seasons change, and like the hand that holds the brush, she adapts. More information here -
Red Bubble’s First Book /// In the Moment /// Overall Winner / I found myself in Geneva for a week for work last year. The only other time I had been to Switzerland was Zurich for 2 nights in the middle of winter, so I was kind of surprised by the beautiful (and hot!) summer weather I experienced on this visit. / The Lake at Geneva is where everyone goes to cool off and I was mesmerised watching all these crazy dudes doing amazing things off a high-dive on the edge of the lake. I took a few shots and managed to capture this moment among them. / I entered this work into the 2007 Linden Gallery Post Card Show in St.Kilda, and was absolutely stoked to have been awarded one of the six entries to be reproduced as postcards and sold through the gallery.
This guy was pretty cool, sitting there minding his own business, and I just had to get the shot. But as I lifted the camera and looked through the lens he just broke into this mean stare into the lens like he was gonna hurt me. I saw it and quickly pressed the shutter. Later I complimented him on his tattoos and showed him the shot and it was then that his frown turned into a broad grin…phew!
Wilsons Promontory – ‘The Prom’, 2008 Have managed this summer to get out there and surf a bit. Lately just me, my board and my camera down the coast, tenting it and basically taking time out for myself. After a few hours in the water you get this kind of fuzzy peaceful feeling inside, equal parts exhaustion and elation. I love that headspace of daydreaming, and find it a really inspirational state for visual ideas to come to the surface.
/ Ruby / by Karin Taylor ink pastel acrylic charcoal / on pastel paper oh to be ruby…. Ruby Red / by the sea / resting resting / peacefully shells n sand / weed n fish / smells just like / a seafood dish delicate / delightful / delicious / nutrititious / don’t forget / your dose of sun / get your Vitamin D / and have some FUN!! / Customers are welcome to email enquiries to karintaylor@exemail.com.au / /
We all spend a part of each day, just waiting for something…a phone call…a bus to come…the traffic to move…the kettle to boil…a holiday…a pay rise…love…happiness…success…a file to upload. / Perhaps you’ve been waiting your whole life for something to happen? / Or maybe it’s just about to…any minute now.
Had a lot of fun with this one…. / 6 hours & 16 layers later, I finally have an image I’m happy with. Featured – First Things group – April 2009 Featured – Layered with Texture – April 2009 Top Ten placement – Tea Time Challenge – August 2009 /
Many of the Australian Aboriginal artists are women. I was fortunate to be given permission to take this photo, as with many indigenous cultures there are differing thoughts and beliefs relating to images of themselves and hence “candid” photography can be in some circumstances, very offensive. / Many people believe that the patterns and symbols used in this art are “random” and/or “abstract”, however it is usually well structured with many recognisable symbols used to represent men, women , babies, creatures both in their daily lives and mythical traditions, along with features of their country. / It’s a pity that some “non-indigenous” and either unwitting, or plain unscrupulous people replicate this art in a random manner without the true understanding of the art and its representation. And many make some very big profits from this deception. (Canon 300D – Sigma 18-200mm OS lens) Artist location: Darwin / Background: Kakadu
Acrylic, Texture & Mixed Media / Painted by Ciska / Nov 2008 ORIGINAL FOR SALE – (Framed individually – sold as Triptych) / Triptych 34cm x 64cm with frame each (102cm x 192cm) Also sold at TOP FRAMES Castletown Shopping Centre, Townsville / Queensland Australia
Painted 14.02.2009. Watercolour on double thick self-hanging canvas 10×12. Original available for purchase Please contact me for more information sarah@sarahbentvelzen.com or bubblemail me. / Go to my website to see my other original works for sale. Featured in Sydney’s Guide to Exhibitions 22.10.2009 Featured on the homepage July, 2009 /
Acrylic painting by Christopher Pope
/ half coloured image, thanks to gottheshot friend and fellow bubbler for the idea Sales of this design? – 1 framed print sold / / / Binda an aboriginal name meaning ‘deep water’ / I originally drew Binda in pencil and coloured her later in Photoshop / this is a recent drawing I completed a couple of weeks ago / /
A trip to the beach in January, & a tentative entry to the water….. [Canon 1000D] Featured – Dimensions group – May 2009 Featured – Canon DSLR group – May 2009 Featured – The Human Condition – May 2009 Featured – Images & Ideas – May 2009 /
Acrylic on cardboard.
I’ve had my nose buried in the art of Da Vinci over the past couple of days, re-familiarizing myself with his mastery. / As much as I love his paintings, it’s his sketchwork that intrigues me the most…... his sketch workups for his paintings have such humanity in them, his invention sketches showing us a tiny glimpse of his genius, & those anatomy sketches giving us some insight into his constant need for knowledge…. Sadly I haven’t drawn anything for almost 5 years, but today the great Master has inspired me to pick up a pen after all this time, & I have to say it feels great! This image began life 12 years ago as a single line drawing hastily sketched as a thought came into my head. I’ve often looked at it with stirrings of interest….. / So today, with visions of Da Vinci & ancient manuscripts in my head I am drawing again . [ sharpie pen on cartridge paper, scanned, worked in PS with my own textures] Featured – Dimensions – July 2009 TOP TEN PLACEMENT – Drawings/Sketches Challenge August 2009 /
Thirteen years ago I tragically lost my greatest friend….. and subsequently almost lost myself. / But somehow; after a very long time; I made a choice….. to live. / I’ve never regretted my decision. - best viewed large / SP – canon 1000D Featured – Unconventional Artistry – July 2009 Featured – Artrageous RB Artists – Self Portrait Gallery – July 2009 Featured – ImageWriting – July 2009
I recently treated myself to a set of Ashleys Photoshop Actions & I have to say that it’s the best money I’ve spent in a long time! / True, these Actions are all things I frequently try to do myself when doing a portrait, but using them has halved my workflow. / Perhaps I should learn to do my own actions…. / I’ve had a lot of fun playing with them this afternoon…... [Canon 1000D, tamron 18-200 mm lens] Featured – Dimensions group – July 2009 redbubble homepage – 22 July 2009 Featured – Australian Portraits – August 2009 /
SOLD – Featured – in the redbubble T-shirt gallery – August 2009 close detail : /
A print version of the image that I initially did for a T-shirt. [Thanks to Skeletal Mess for some fantastic textures.] Featured – Layered with Texture – August 2009
/ / Original pencil drawing on Aquarelle Arches paper 56×76cm / Drawing 15 hours/painting 12 hours = 27 hours total A digitally painted hand drawn artwork… the inspiration for this is “Meeting Places”... As a child one of the most frequent things we did together as a family was to attend church on Sundays, I went to a Catholic School and the church I remember best was St Agnes’ at Port Macquarie… the nuns would come over for morning tea sometimes, and the priests would come for dinner occasionally…they were the days of fun parish picnics and life that wasn’t so hurried..when we took time to socialise, meeting and enjoying one another’s company. Mum was/is a great cook and host…and although this picture isn’t authentic as a portrait of her and myself…it’s representative. It’s also representative of new life and hope for the future, as the mother figure is with child….. and the child herself nurtures the wildlife…perhaps she is taking them to church for a blessing… perhaps the joey has lost his mother and needs nursing til he can fend for himself. The kookaburra is all seeing and all knowing….. the wise overseer of the bush… in this case, he stands in as the owl figure.
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