New Work: The Sea

New Work: The Sea

I am excited to introduce my current artworks: paintings about The Sea. 

These works have resulted from inspiring walks which I have had not too far from our home in Victoria, Australia; these particular walks were all around Phillip Island.  When I’m on these walks I always feel uplifted, energised, and invigorated; so in my work I have principally aimed to recreate these feelings for the viewer. I have painted specific scenes from my walks, but my main aim is to bring these same feelings of freshness and invigoration to you.

I’ve loved using watercolour, and sometimes ink: the innate qualities of these mediums are well suited to painting water, and weather, and scenery.

I hope you enjoy them.  They are, of course, all for sale. 

Click on each image for further information about it, and for purchasing.

Katy Hood Art: Watercolour

The Eucalypts are Flying Out the Door!

The Eucalypts are Flying Out the Door!

It’s great to be Selling! And the Eucalyptus subject is proving popular, three sold in two months; one a commission*, below:

Eucalyptus Sprig Acrylic Ink on Board

To my lovely supporters (Patrons!) I say Thank You!!

I’d love to, and will, paint more: I’m noticing the sunlight shining through the leaves at this time of year, especially the young leaves, which mixes the unique grey-green with red-browns.  It’s easy to see why this is such a well-loved plant.

*I am always happy to discuss commissions*

To do so simply reply to this email, or contact me via my website, here.

Upcoming Exhibition and Native Blooms for your delectation and delight

Upcoming Exhibition and Native Blooms for your delectation and delight

Two of my new paintings “Amazonian Woman” and “Eucalyptus in the Morning Sun” can be seen in the exhibition “Contrast” at The Vines Cafe, Diamond Creek VIC Australia, from 1st October – 30th November 2018 – do go and see, and grab a coffee and cake!

Three of my new paintings feature Eucalyptus as you can see, and many of my works feature Australian native plants, which are often my favourite.  Apart from their subtle, and to me, more unusual forms, I also respect how they thrive in all weathers where their European neighbours wilt and die without copious quantities of water, poor things.  Have a look here!

New Work: consistent style and my love of plants..

New Work: consistent style and my love of plants..

I’m very excited about my new work – this line probably starts a lot of artist’s blog posts – but I am actually properly excited: I’m excited because I can’t wait to get back into the studio to paint some more!  It’s good news all round: I’ve found a medium that suits my style, I’ve found a style that suits my character, and I can run and run with this subject: plants.  I’ve always been interested in plants and nature, and I’m very pleased that I had the opportunity to make it my career for a decade (working with Garden Organic and the National Trust in the UK as well as private clients) – this taught me to recognise and categorise, and appreciate, plants, and of course how to best care for them..

The technique: I’ve been experimenting for a year really, since I finished my studio, and the “CREATE” course at NCAT, and the four years of painting with oils immediately before that, not to mention the rest of my lifetime.. – anyway, this isn’t supposed to be an online “dear diary”, but I am just so happy to find that I can return to my watercolour technique, but using more robust materials – that I don’t have to be so precious with!  Acrylic Inks are lightfast, permanent, and waterproof.  The way I can use them suits the way I draw, focusing on smooth linear direct drawing, and the clear colours suit how I like to colour things, kind of super-real, directly observed from life but making the 3d into more of a graphic 2d.

And I’m also excited that this technique will lend itself to anything that I can draw (see for example my instagram feed).

My current paintings are of course all available to buy, currently at great low prices, once they are gone I will be selling prints of them, and, more paintings – as soon as I can get back into that studio!

My Creative Haven

My Creative Haven

Photo of My Studio in My Garden

My Studio in My Garden

My first studio! I’m so grateful to have a dedicated studio now! So far in my life I’ve fitted my art in, wherever, in my home, any corner.  Now we’ve insulated, lined, painted, cleaned, and I have a room of my own!  It’s at the end of our garden amongst mature eucalypts, with our chickens close by for light entertainment – they also make good life drawing models, as long as I draw super-fast.

My studio, and my home, is on the edge of the beautiful Yarra Valley, which is on the edge of Melbourne, so we’re surrounded by greenery – which I find I need – but also plenty of Arts and Culture.  And at last I can create, uninterrupted, for hours at a time.  This has been my aim for so long!

I also built the shed on the right from scratch – I’m pretty proud of that too.

Aboriginal Art.. ongoing deep appreciation..

Aboriginal Art.. ongoing deep appreciation..

I will always be in awe of good Aboriginal Art, and what a wealth of it there is! A good example is the amazing art of the Tjungu Palya Artists.

Here are some examples of visual references that I have collected from work for my own education, in this case to learn about how they build up the impression of depth in the painted surface, normally with a dark, sometimes earth-coloured, background.  These images were taken at the National Galleries of Victoria, and of Australia (in Canberra). The artists are too numerous to list as they often paint in groups, but I’m including these images here with sincere appreciation for their unique work, their unique use of colour and brushwork, and of course the unique depth of meaning, drawn from their personal and cultural histories, in the works.

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