African Animals

Springwood art class created wonderful images of African animals today, through drawing and sticker-paper collage. I really love the colourful results!

Rainbow Scratch-board Drawings

Today at Blaxland Library we used pre-made scratch-boards from Cleverpatch to make colourful rainbow etchings. Using pre-made boards saved a lot of time, but another class idea would be to one week make the scratch-boards up (paint colourful backgrounds on cardboard, and when dry cover completely in black wax crayon) and the second week to scratch through the wax crayon. 

The kids in this class used various implements to scratch through the black layer, like paper clips and blunt wooden shapes. 

Perfect for silhouette art

GREAT WORK EVERYONE! 

Gnome Collage @ Katoomba Library

Fantastical images of mischievous gnomes, cute gnomes and magical gnomes were created by young artists today at Katoomba, as part of our July school holiday program at the library. We used scrap paper, wrapping paper and clippings from magazines to create the images.Have a look below at these awesome Winter Magic collages! 

'Live Life' Winning Portraits

Below are the fantastic portraits that won our 'Live Life' competition this year:

The winning entry, by Arabella Say, aged 17

Artwork Title: Angela (Nanny), 2012

Medium: lead pencil and charcoal drawing on A1 paper

Artist Statement: This artwork is based on my 85 year old Italian grandma (my Nanny), who is currently staying at a dementia facility. Less than 5 ft tall, she claims that the food at her nursing home is no match for her famous spaghetti. Her face is beautifully aged and she has a sweet button nose passed on to all her daughters who she speaks curiously of, in her forgetful state. It was a pleasure to draw such an experienced and elderly face and the dripping represents the inevitability and persistent evidence of aging and decrepitude.

2nd Prize went to Victoria Haynes, aged 15

Artwork title: Vietnam Veteran
Medium: Acrylic paint 

Artist Statment:The senior I chose is Colin Field, he is 67 years old and an active member in Warrimoo's society. I chose him because he is a well known character in the area I live and because he has an interesting life history. He served in Vietnam during the war for a year as a Royal Australian Mechanical engineer. He has also served in the local RFS fire service since 1985 and was captain for five years. He was captain through the Warrimoo 2001 bushfires and shook hands with HRH Prince Andrew. He is a well known face in and around Warrimoo and Blaxland and is an all around good guy.   

3rd Prize was awarded to Darcy Bonett, aged 15

Artwork Title: My Grandma's Eyes

Medium: Photograph

Artist Statement: My grandma has not had the easiest life. Just like so many others her age, she has lived through many losses and seen many awful things.

Sometimes you can see the pain in her eyes, but usually she hides it all away behind the love, and the hope and her dreams...

Lindsay Harper, aged 15, was awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ prize

Artwork title: Timm Murany 

Medium: Acrylic on canvas

Artist Statement: My portrait is of a local artist from the Blue Mountains – Timm Murany. Timm Murany started drawing and painting when he was 10 years old. He grew up in central Europe, Czechoslovakia, and emigrated to Australia in 1971. Shortly after, he purchased a block of land in the Blue Mountains because of it beauty and freedom. He was and is inspired by the ever changing colours of the bush caused by the fogs and distant mists. He paints vivid, colourful oil paintings and teaches art students in his Blue Mountains art studio the craft of the art. I have been a student of his for 4 – 5 years now, and he has been helping me develop my own work.

Meet the Winners of the 'Live Life' Portrait Competition

The standard of work received for the ‘Live Life’ Portrait Competition was very high, so the judge had a difficult time choosing the winners! 

However, the final winners have been announced. Congratulations, all!

1st: Arabella Say
The judge said: Dementia is a challenging condition and particularly devastating when it affects someone close to you. Arabella has created a thoughtful and brave portrait of her grandmother and the ravages of age.

Photo by John Merriman, 2012

2nd: Victoria Haynes
The judge said: Victoria has captured the character of her subject beautifully - Colin's personality leaps from the canvas.

Photo by John Merriman, 2012

3rd: Darcy Bonett
The judge said: The title of Darcy's work"My Grandma's Eyes" says it all. This photograph expresses the joy and pain experienced in a long life, but most of all it expresses the love of a grandmother for her grandchild.

Photo by John Merriman, 2012

Highly Commended: Lindsay Harper

Photo by John Merriman, 2012

At the Springwood Library award ceremony a couple of weeks ago, each winning artist was awarded their prize. Officially opened by Sarah Gurich (Exhibitions Manager at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre), Aniko Koro (Team Leader for Children’s and Young Adult’s Services, Blue Mountains Library) and me, the morning was attended by the artists, their friends and family, and Vicki Edmunds (Manager, Libraries & Community Services, Blue Mountains City Council). Thank you to John Merriman for these wonderful photos.

The winning artists, next to their artworks.

Naomi Oliver and Sarah Gurich.

Vicki Edmunds and Naomi Oliver.

Aniko Koro talks about the project.

Victoria poses with Colin, the subject of her portrait.