Join me, Craig and Yasmin at AGRA this June for an exhibition of works by the award winners of last year's 2022 Australian Art Excellence Awards. It will be a great exhibition showcasing three very different artistic styles and sensibilities.
I will be exhibiting a range of old and new works - from animals to still life to a few mechanicals. Would love to see you at the launch on Sunday, June 4 at 2pm.
It was a real pleasure to be invited back to the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens by the Friends - over the past two Wednesdays. The theme I chose to teach and demonstrate over the two weeks was exploring botanical illustration using ink.
The first week was spent learning different ways to create tones and shapes with black ink line only. Simple and complex hatching exercises were created in their sketch books first and simple leaf forms drawn. Then, on 300gsm hot press paper a complete and complex black ink drawing was created by each student using plant material they had brought with them or sourced from the garden.
Our technique was to begin the drawing as a silhouette outline only of the plant shape. Once this outline is created, the negative areas and 'windows' are drawn. This forces the artist to abandon any preconceived ideas of a 'leaf' and observe the silhouette and negative shapes in isolation. Finally, shading and tone is added to create and enhance the leaves, stems and buds. I did 'ban' all use of pencil and erasers, so some found it a bit confronting at first. But all 10 artists embraced the challenge and created some stunning works. As always, I demonstrate technique and try to complete a sample drawing so they can see how to progress.
'Bloodwood Acacia' demonstration work by Linda Weil©
Our second week (today) we leapt into color! I have a variety of color inks and these were made available for all to trial and use. These included: Inktense pencils, Art Spectrum Acrylic inks, Sennilier Shellac inks, Adele and Staedtler color fineliner pens and Prismacolor Premier markers. Some students owned their own Inktense pencils or sticks and different brands of inks which they had fun playing with.
Like the first week, the morning was spent experimenting with the different inks, creating color tests and exploring how each ink worked and washed and moved on paper. Test drawings were done in sketchbooks.
Moving on to 300gsm hot press paper, each student then created a color work of either a plant sample they had brought in, or a colorful autumn leaf supplied by two of the Friends. These drawings were started by laying down color with either the Inktense or acrylic inks. The Inktense was washed with water and allowing the colors to blend on the paper. Acrylic inks were blended in the wet state. Once dry, more Inktense or acrylic ink could be added and washed to strengthen colors. Finally, various inks, pens or markers are added to create detail. We had a lot of fun!
'Autumn Leaf' demonstration drawing by Linda Weil©
It was a most enjoyable two week workshop - everyone had fun and all created great works. I hope this introduction to ink inspires them to continue and develop their botanical illustrations using this versatile medium.
Join me tonight at the opening of the curated group exhibition, ARBOR Wednesday 19 April, 6.30 to 8pm. Showcasing ten artists responding to the theme of 'Arbor'. I will be displaying 3 works on this theme.
The other artists showing are: Liam Waldie, Angus Cummings, Merrian Dennis, Jodie Heffernan, Chris Lawry, Shirley Ploog, Kathry Ryan, Trevor Tagliabue, and Louise Donavan. You can view associate artists' works on the Tacit Art website: Link.
Cypress on the Tioga Pass ©Linda Weil 2023
The Grandmother Tree; Bryce Canyon ©Linda Weil 2023
Sprocket Tree ©Linda Weil 2023
Well, if you didn't get the hint from the last post, my work won the First Prize in the Victorian Artist Society Autumn Select Exhibition! What a thrill and surprise that was! The work is my small A4 drawing called 'The Toybox of Drama and Broken Dreams' inspired by the ArtAviso Door to Door Covid exhibition. Further information HERE.
It was a great opening, and I was on a high - even managed to get through the thank you speech without too many fumbles. It is so nice to be recognized, and wonderful for a small, graphite drawing to win such an award. The competition was tough, do go and see the exhibition if you have the opportunity.
Linda Weil (right), Winner of the 2023 VAS Autumn Select Exhibition Mackley Art Award with VAS Council Member Meg Davoren-Honey OAM, VAS FVAS, and Richard Impey FVAS, President of the Victorian Artists Society at the Awards presentation.
Come join me at the VAS Autumn Select Exhibition 2023 - I can guarantee you will enjoy!
The Opening Event and Awards presentation is Saturday, 15 April at 1 pm - all welcome. Viewing from Tuesday (yesterday), 11 April until Monday 8 May at the Frater, Hammond and McCubbin Galleries, Victorian Artists Society, 430 Albert Street, East Melbourne. Further details HERE.
The beautifully renovated VAS gallery, view from the elegant staircase towards the Hammond Gallery upstairs, the sparkling chandelier below then out to Albert Street entrance.
Upstairs Frater Gallery. My work is the small one, top row, just above the sculpture of two black heads.
Hope to see you there!Join me for the curated group exhibition, ARBOR on opening night, Wednesday 19 April, 6.30 to 8pm. Showcasing ten artists responding to the theme of 'Arbor'. Mine is rather different to the other works shown, is this a good thing? or bad? Come to the opening or during the show and find out.
The other artists showing are: Liam Waldie, Angus Cummings, Merrian Dennis, Jodie Heffernan, Chris Lawry, Shirley Ploog, Kathry Ryan, Trevor Tagliabue, and Louise Donavan. You can view associate artists' works on the Tacit Art website: Link.
And of course, Autumn and Easter are the time for Rotary and other shows here in Victoria!
I have cut down on the Rotary shows a bit this year, choosing to exhibit more in regional or invitational shows in preference. Here is a list of where I will be showing over the next few weeks.
Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Art Show 7-10 April
BYS is excited to be holding its annual Easter Art Show in the Southern Waters Room - opening night event on 7 April, 6.30 to 9.30pm. I will be in attendance this night if you want to meet up for a chat.
2900 Point Nepean Rd, Blairgowrie, Vic 3942; Info
Bright Autumn Art Exhibition 1 April - 6 May
This annual exhibition is held in the beautiful township of Bright at the Bright Art Gallery.
28 Mountbatten Ave, Bright Victoria. Open daily 10am - 4pm; Info
Bendigo Easter Art Show 6 - 10 April
Held in the historic Bendigo Town Hall, this art show is a regional favorite running at the same time as the Bendigo Easter Festival. Watch the wonderful Gala Parade concluding with the world's longest Imperial Dragon, Dai Gum Loong, weaving his way through the streets of Bendigo.
Bendigo Town Hall, Hargreaves St, Bendigo Victoria
Preview: Thurs 6 April 7 - 10pm Exhibition: Fri 7 - 10 April
Art show Info Festival Info
Inspired by Garner
Drawings inspired by the stories of Alan Garner. Continuing until the end of April.
Blarney Books and Art
37 James Street, Port Fairy, Victoria
Info
Hard to believe it is almost April, and Term 1 is winding down - only another week of classes. We have been doing some fun projects over the past 8 weeks, ranging from hand studies, to working on toned paper and imaginative insect drawings in color pencil. It has been quite varied and a lot of fun.
Term 2 will be returning to color pencil again. I have a few different projects in mind. Using subjects relating to creatures, still life (including botanicals) and imaginative creations students will learn and explore color pencil techniques through workshopped demonstrations and exercises. Some photographic references will be supplied or else still life materials required by the student, but other exercises will be purely imaginative. Although this class is based in realism, students are encouraged to develop and explore their own particular style and subjects through the medium of drawing.
The first project will be looking at combining water soluble color pencil washes with waxed pencil overdrawing in a nature study work. We will look at the ever-popular Blue Wren - I will supply images to work from.
If you are interested in coming to Term 1, please contact the Mentone Mordialloc Art Group MMAG - sessions run on Thursdays, 1.30 to 3.30, and 7.30 to 9.30pm. Or the Victorian Artist Society VAS, Monday evenings 4 to 6.30pm.
'Paper Wasps' by Linda Weil, 2023.
In class project, Term 1 - Imaginative Insects.
The Brief: Using reference material sourced by the student, create a drawing with related background using insects as the theme in an imaginative way.
My work, 'Paper Wasps' turns the insects into mechanical beasties, with a cut-paper background. The paper beneath the stencil cut out is Stonehenge, beige tone.
Lana Bristol paper 250gsm, Staedtler karat color pencils and Staedtler graphite pencils.
After a busy few days finalizing and prepping, I took the 4.5 hour drive up to Port Fairy, delivered the works, stayed the night and then drove home the next day. Jo from Blarney has hung all the works in a double hang format, and it looks good! The masks are in a glass case, but I don't have an image to show... you will have to go see them in person.
And what better time than the next few weeks - the Port Fairy Folk Festival happens this long weekend, then we have school hols and Easter and finally ANZAC weekend. So much to see and do along the Great Ocean Road, and in Port Fairy.
I am delighted to announce that my exhibition 'Inspired by Garner' will be opening early, on March 10 and extending until late April. It is exciting to have this long show that will run during the International Folk Festival and over Easter, School Holidays and the ANZAC weekend. I hope some of you can come visit the works during the exhibition.
I was introduced late in life to the wonderfully imaginative works of Alan Garner OBE, FRSL. Although as a child I read every fantasy, fable, myth and folklore book to be found in my local library, Garner's works never made it to the shelves in Campbell, California. In 2022, Keith Lawrence from Tacit Gallery in Collingwood recommended the latest Garner work to me, Treacle Walker.
This book began a deep dive into the writings of Alan Garner and since then I have been immersed in these creative, quixotic and magical worlds. His beautiful prose brought to me visions that were begging to be drawn, and Blarney Books and Art in Port Fairy encouraged me to create an exhibition based on some of my best loved of these stories.
Each drawing in this exhibition is my reaction to a scene or a line from one of his books. Using primarily graphite pencil with touches of wash or color pencil, I have tried to put on paper something of the characters and scenes my mind's eye envisioned while reading these tales. Just for fun, I have also created a few 3D masks of some of the remarkable critters I discovered in these writings.
Please come and enjoy the exhibition - I hope it brings back some memories of reading these stories when you were young, or else introduces you to Alan Garner and encourages you to seek out his works Trust me, you will enjoy!
Playing around with small sculptures is fun and rewarding! This last week I won Second Prize in the Sculpture section at the VAS Summer Exhibition with my little wire and pencil shaving work 'Dancer Écarté'. What a lovely surprise!
The exhibition continues over this week and finishes on the 27th of February. There are some really good pieces on show, so if you are in Melbourne over the next few days drop in and have a look at the show. It is well worth the visit.
'Dancer Écarté': Brass and Aluminum wire, pencil shavings on treated pine wood slab. 19cm high.
©Linda Weil 2023
'Dancer Écarté' side view
'Dancer Ecarte' rear view
NOTE: Don't miss the upcoming VAS George Hicks Foundation Contemporary show 3 - 20 March, 2023 where my latest work 'Mechi-Mice' will be on show.
