Outre Gallery

 Earlier this month I visited the Outre Gallery in Fitzroy to see Alfred Liu's 'Dream Quest' solo exhibition - and was totally blown away by the work! I told my classes about the show, and I know a few of you went to see it and were similarly impressed. If you missed it, you can still see the preview HERE. Make sure to click on the link on that page to see/listen to the interview with Alfred. His work is whimsical and moving, beautifully executed in gouache and pencils. Fairly small scale, with intimate and exacting detail. Do have a look.

Outre will also be having their international VANGUARD exhibition starting September 22 to 15 October. This is another interesting show - a group show of international artists that is interesting and eclectic... to quote from the catalogue:

"Outré Gallery is proud to announce the VANGUARD Invitational, an exhibition featuring artists who are leading the way in their creative practices and forging ahead in new frontiers. Each artist brings something totally exceptional to the table – from their execution and technique, to their innovation, creative vision and idiosyncratic flair. Many of the artists invited to this show have never exhibited with us before, and we are eager to share their work on Australian soil. We also warmly welcome back artists who have shown with us previously and delight in seeing their newest original work. 

We are so proud of the diversity on display in this veritable feast of international talent. Our artists hail from across the world: from the US to the UK, Japan to France, the Netherlands to Poland – and even here, on our very own shores. The artworks span not only terrestrial scope, but breadth of style, methodology and concept. Our artists are classically trained or completely self-taught; displaying meticulous restraint or a flurry of expression. There are works of hyperrealism and fine rendering amongst the bold and abstracted. There are mind-bending surrealist pieces amidst chiselled, architectural wonders. Pop-art infused depictions sit beside the whimsical and folkloric.

It is a melting pot of visual splendour. These are the pioneers of their craft. Prepare for the VANGUARD- you will be spellbound."

I was sent a preview catalogue there are some great pieces, and some weird and wonderful things. Of course, my favorite is Mark Seabrook, but there are many others to admire.

Not sure if my link to the preview catalogue will work, but here goes: CATALOGUE

Enjoy your school holidays everyone! I am taking a well-deserved break for a week or so - just chilling out, gardening, doodling, visiting galleries, playing video games, etc.

Just don't forget to come see 'Bestiary Mechanica' on October 4!

Serpentis Maris

 Well, I thought I was finished... but it seems I had one more work in me for my Bestiary Mechanica.

 Hope you enjoy this preview of my 'Serpentis Maris' (sea-serpent).

You can see the entire show preview HERE

But don't forget to come see the works in real life if you can, would love to see you at the opening!

Upcoming exhibitions

 I am very excited to announce my upcoming solo exhibition at Tacit Art - do come along and see this show - I am very pleased with the works. It has been a labor of love, stress and swollen fingers over the past 30 weeks or so to create this body of 10 drawings.

Influenced by traditional art of the Middle Ages Bestiary books, this modern take draws on a rich medieval tradtion and blends it with elements of the modern world of A.I and cybernetics. The beasts are creations of mechanical, organic and biomechanical body parts offering a contemporary take on the established form. Each beast was selected based on my own personal affection for the animal (or animosity), and from dragons to cats, each has elements from my own time and place created in pencil drawings in a medieval format.

Bestiary Mechanica
Solo

4 October - 21 October 2023
Tacit Art
Level 1, 189 Johnstone Street, Collingwood, Victoria
+61 (0)423 323 188

Image: 'Lupus' - The Hare by Linda Weil

Opening night Wednesday, October 4, 6.30-8pm

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And have a look online for this exhibition by the Australian Society of Marine Artists. Some wonderful artists are part of this society, creating beautiful marine inspired works. Featuring only small boats, from tugs to dinghy's, the exhibition promises to be interesting!

Image: 'Harry' by Linda Weil
Information

Tacit Art Stockroom

 Yesterday I posted about the current exhibition at Tacit Art - TJ Bateson's 'The Two of Us'. But I forgot to mention that Tacit also has a street front retail outlet, the Stockroom.

Stroll into the shop, take a work off the wall and walk out of the door! You can browse through this mini gallery style shop, seeking out treasures on the walls, the drawers and flip stacks. Artists include Robyn Burgess, Louise Blyton, Melinda Harper, Jennifer Marshall, Terri Brooks, me and many others.

The Stockroom is found on Johnston Street, just a step around the corner from the upstairs gallery on 191 Johnston Street (next to the Tatoo parlor). So, when you come in to see 'The Two of Us', (or any time you are near), don't forget to drop into the Stockroom downstairs!

Come into the Tacit Art stockroom and browse the wonderful selection of works!

'The Two of Us'

 Goodness! It is the first week of August nearly done already and I haven't posted a thing in the past month. Frankly, I have been pretty busy working on and completing drawings for my upcoming solo exhibition at Tacit Art this October. More information on this to come in the following weeks.

Speaking of Tacit, they are in a transition phase at the moment while they prepare their new gallery space down the road a bit. This will happen early in the new year, meanwhile the exclusive upstairs gallery at Level 1/189 Johnstone Street, Collingwood continues with regular exhibitions.

Currently at this upstairs space, Tacit Art is running a rather special show by Tim Bateson entitled 'The Two of Us'. This deeply personal body of work was created by Tim following his lifesaving bone marrow transplant this time last year. Miraculously he is now cancer-free after a ten-year battle with Mantel Cell Lymphoma, made possible by a bone marrow donation from his daughter May Rose.

I find Tim's works beautiful and emotional expressions of movement and texture. His paintings have a depth and feeling to them that is revealed with study and contemplation. You can stand in front of one of Tim's works and lose yourself in the deceptively simple, yet deep complexity and meditative quality of the works.

I encourage you to seek out this exhibition and enjoy where they take you.

 Information: Tacit Art

 It was a rather fabulous opening last night at the VAS Winter Select exhibition ... and guess who took home second place! I was rather chuffed to receive this award, coming second to Joe Whyte's rather wonderful oil piece, 'Old and New Brunswick'. Follow the link below in the caption to see more of his works, they are delightfully somber and realistic views of urban landscapes. Very special.

Joe Whyte, winner of the VAS Winter Select exhibition 2023 in front of his work.
You can see more of Joe's works HERE

And here I am, grinning away with pleasure at my 2nd place win for 'Cypress on the Tioga Pass'

A happy group of prize winners - the Judge, Francis E. Parker is on the far left. Francis is Curator of Exhibitions at the Monash University Museum of Art. Thank you Francis!

The Winter Exhibition is now on at the Victorian Artist Society in Albert Street, East Melbourne until 24 July. Do drop in and have a look.

And while you are there, you can also check out the Award Winners Showcase downstairs in the Cato Gallery until the 24th. Yes, I am there too!

For more information head to the VAS website HERE.

Camberwell Art Show Now on!

Now on until this weekend (July 2), the Camberwell Art Show is one of Melbourne's oldest and best Rotary shows around... it certainly is the biggest! Spend an afternoon viewing the amazing variety of works on display; hundreds of quality paintings with some of Australia's best loved artists on show.

Parking is available in the University Car Park if you cannot find street parking.

Advanced Technologies Centre
Swinburne University
427 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
Victoria, 3122, Australia
Hours: Weekends 10am to 5pm
Weekdays 10am - 5pm and 6pm to 9pm

Can't make it in person? Check out the online gallery HERE

'Springtime' by Linda Weilⓒ is on display at Camberwell. One of 6 works I am showing.
This is your last chance to view this work, as it has a lovely red dot on it - sold!

Fish and Ships

 Online Exhibition

'Fish and Ships' is an online exhibition of marine themed works by members of the Australian Society of Marine Artists. One entry per member, artists were encouraged to interpret broadly, from ships to fishing boats, from reef fish to crabs and everything in between. The result is an exciting display of different interpretations of the marine environment. All works are for sale through the Society. 

Check out this amazing exhibition HERE.

I am an exhibiting member of ASMA, and you can view my still life work 'Midden' via the link above.

Interested in Marine art? Find out more about ASMA HERE

Storing your pencils

 My new fancy-pants 200 slot pencil case!

I have a lot of pencils. I mean, A LOT.

Most of my pencils were kept in pencil rolls, but although these are great, they don't hold enough pencils for me, or my full sets of pencils. My 60 Staedtler Karat pencils I had to keep in the tin, which was a nuisance. Beautiful tin, but two levels to swap around and the tin often would burst open in my pack spilling all the pencils out. Not to mention the tin being a bit heavy.

 Plus, when travelling to classes it meant swapping back and forth between the rolls and occasionally picking up the wrong roll (Prismacolour instead of Graphitint for example). Then there are what I call 'class sets', pencils in other rolls that are various brands that my students can borrow and use during class. Those are all good pencils, but perhaps not my favorite brand or shorter ones I have replaced, so I like to keep the class sets separate from 'my' pencils if possible. That can be a lot of pencil rolls to organise and to cart around.

It was becoming a bit of a headache, until I found this fabulous 200 slot pencil case online! A slot for every pencil I love, all organized neatly in chromatic order. My new case holds all my Karats, plus my complete collection of Prismacolors (52 waxed, 24 verithin, 24 watercolor), as well as the 24 set of Graphitint - with extra slots for a few graphite and an Aquash brush.... and slots left over!

Each 'leaf' holds 26 pencils, with the end leaf having 3 wider slots. The case has a wrist handle, which I doubt is comfortable or sturdy enough when the case is fully loaded, but I can add a shoulder strap, I guess. The finish is very good, I chose a black PU leather although I was tempted by the Flamingo pattern. The nylon zippers look fairly robust, but I suspect they may burst eventually - will worry about that when or if that happens. Fully loaded the case weighs just on 1.6kg (about 3.5 lbs). That might sound heavy, but it isn't too bad and a good tradeoff for the ease of transport and organization!

My beloved Karats. Aren't they beautiful!

The case in black PU

Side view showing the 4 zippered 'leaves'

Open view

So, I hate to push products, but if you are looking for a case like this one, I found it on Amazon for $38.79US - delivered in just 5 days! This brand is a BTSKY 200 Slots Colored Pencil case (201 pencil slots and 3 larger slots for erasers/sharpeners, etc), and it comes in a variety of colors and patterns. There are other brands out there, but I liked this one best.

Exhibition Openings...

Thank you to those who were able to come to the opening at Tacit or AGRA Medallion last week. It was lovely to see you all there and have a chat with you about my works. Both exhibitions run until June 17, so if you were not able to attend the opening, please drop in during the run of the shows.

Tacit opening was busy and crowded, but I managed to find a break in the crowd. Thank you Sheridan Jones for taking this photo of me and my work, 'Accidently Nancy Street.'

AGRA Twin Room Gallery

AGRA Twin Room Gallery

AGRA Twin Room Gallery

I take particularly bad selfies... but again, at AGRA