Push Starting 2024.

A little bit of a downer for me as I did not sell any of my 5 paintings at the Victor Harbor Rotary Art Show in January this year. Perhaps my work is a bit ‘tired” and I need to change it up somewhat.

With that in mind I have started some small mixed media pieces in a different style. A series of these have been planned for a Solo Exhibition at my local coffee shop, to open at the beginning of May, for 2 months to finish end of June.

One of my unsold Victor Harbor artworks below.

Aphid Hunter, Acrylic on canvas board, 450 x 300 mm, UNSOLD

Marion Art Group has made a good start to the year, with some new committee members coming on board. I have high hopes for this being a transition year in more than one respect. We will be moving into the new Marino Community Hall when it is finished. At this time it is unclear when that will be, but by the end of the the calendar year we should be settled in. I am also hoping to step back from the Presidency, maybe by the end of the year. It will take some thought to identify some willing member and then support that person through the initial stages of their tenure.

Good News for Jim.

As we come to the end of 2024 and I enter 5 paintings into the Victor Harbor Art Show to be on display January 2024, I have now finished up for 2023 at the Marion Art Group AGM/Christmas wind-up last Monday 4th Dec. To my surprise, I was awarded Life Membership for my 10 years of service on the MAG Committee and in particular for the last 6 years as President of the group.

The painting below didn’t quite make the cut to be included in the five pieces chosen for the Victor Harbor Art Show. It was my contribution to an internal display at our ‘Celebrating 45 years mid year lunch .

‘Celebrating New Life’, acrylic on canvas.

…and the commission job, mentioned last post, has been completed. The finished piece is now hanging on the client’s wall.

‘Glenelg Beach, Alternative Reality’

August 2023

Time now to communicate the latest news from Jim. Things have been a little busy in the Greenies household with ‘Life’ and at times ‘Laziness’ getting in the way of creative pursuits.

Preparations for the Brighton Rotary Art Show were somewhat rushed to meet the deadline for delivery of artwork. Maybe something to do with being invited to submit 6 Paintings!

This was a great exhibition with 700 paintings , once again extremely well organised.

I did sell 2 paintings which I am very happy about.

Lift off Horseshoe Bay SA. Acrylic on stretched canvas. 400 x 300 mm. SOLD $240
Across the creek, acrylic on stretched canvas, 750 x 600 mm, SOLD, $640

…….. and now sold a third pieces after the exhibition.

Departing Greens Bay. Acrylic on stretched canvas. 7500 x 6000 mm. SOLD $640

My new buyer has now commissioned another painting. I had better get busy!

Preparing for Blackwood Rotary Art Show 2023

With MAG’s Exhibition at Gallery ‘M’ long finished we can reflect on the results. Only 5 sold out of 50 pieces, but many people came to see our exhibition and many very flattering comments were made.

I have been working on some paintings lately. More and more, it seems I need an incentive (or two!). Two good ones. Blackwood Rotary Art show, opening mid-July and this time I have been invited to enter 6 pieces.

So, I already had 3 available paintings of musicians. (two medium 600 x 400 mm and a small 300 square mixed media piece. These include the two unsold Paintings from the Gallery ‘M’ exhibition. Another 3 needed! I am just now finishing three ptgs of wildlife in their habitat. ( two large 750 x 600 mm on canvas and a small 300 x 400 mm on a wooden panel)

…………a sneak preview of the small panel below

‘Lift off Horseshoe Bay, SA’

The Marion Art Group has several of us in this exhibition, including some very recently joined members. We are now approaching the middle of the year and looking at developing our program of activities and exhibitions for August to December. Our wonderful committee has been a great support to me, taking on many responsibilities to make my job less demanding as the President of our group. Temporary accommodation at the Seacliff Uniting Church Hall is a very comfortable home for us for the next year or so.

February 2023

A new era at the Marion Art Group is about to start this year. Moving out of the ‘old’ Marino Community Hall during April and into the Uniting Church Hall, Seacliff, for about a year while the ‘new’ Marino Hall is rebuilt!!

Also during April this year, Marion Art Group’s exhibition ‘Celebrating 45 years’ will be take place at Gallery ‘M’, Marion Cultural Centre. Opening Friday 14th April and available for public viewing until Sunday 7th May.

My entry into this 30 artist, 45 artwork MAG exhibition is a pair of canvases to be named ‘Rhythm and Blues”. See some early steps of the final pieces below.

Brighton Central Shopping Centre Exhibition.

A highly successful exhibition for our Marion Art Group members. We ‘done’ very well.

My personal sales were surprisingly good. Sales below.

At Karijini Chasm WA
Windy day at Beachport. SA
Mitch at Rockhampton festival, QLD
3 fingered Freddy at Daley Waters NT
Hands off Buddy She’s mine!

As the Marion Art Group winds down for the year and I look to my next artistic challenge I am encouraged to prepare 2 large canvases of musicians for the next exhibition I am entering. ‘Marion At Group Celebrates 45 years’ at Gallery M, Marion Cultural Centre in April 2023.

Brighton Central Shopping Centre Exhibition

Marion Art Group’s first shopping Centre Exhibition for three long years!!! Monday 17th – Sunday 30th October at regular shopping hours. 9 -5 most days,’till 8.30 pm Thursdays and starting 11 am Sundays.

We will be set-up with 6 of our famous screens and our fancy, new exhibition table which has been waiting patiently to make her debut. she has a gender because she is so pretty!!

30 of our artists will be exhibiting nearly 200 paintings, with quality original art at affordable prices. We are opposite one of the best Foodlands in SA, which is next to a wonderful ‘Celebrations’ wine shop/bar & Cafe.

We would love to see you there. Do some shopping, have a coffee and come and say hello.

I have a half screen with 8 small paintings on display. come and see some thing different from me this time….yes, I have ventured into some ‘action portraiture’. Not sure what that is????Come and have a look!!!

‘Riverland Tree’: Mixed media on canvas stretcher, 250 x 200 mm.
Kor sale $80

The painting above is not in the exhibition, but may make it onto my half screen to replace a sold painting. I cut out the tree carefully from one of my watercolour paintings and adhered it to a canvas stretcher and finished the background in acrylic. This exaggerates the 3D effect with the tree in foreground and the background receding more.

Blackwood Rotary Art Show

I have sold two pieces (out of four), recently, at the Blackwood Rotary Art Show. See the two paintings below.

‘Walpole National Park’ Acrylic on canvas, 300 x 400 mm, SOLD
‘Bush Stone Curlew’ Acrylic on canvas, 400 x 700 mm, SOLD

The Exhibition was again well organised and the venue at Blackwood Secondary School is well suited to a 500 artwork exhibition. Around 20% of the artwork sold and so it was again a successful venture for the Blackwood Rotarians. I am again reminded that the Rotary Art shows in SA ( and around Australia) are such a great opportunity for the many aspiring artists in our community.

My next project is providing some small pieces to contribute to Marion Art Group’s first shopping Centre Exhibition in 3 years, which will take place at Brighton Central in October. I had better get busy.