Swinging Koala

A Swinging Day at the Beach

Joey & Sea Turtle

Ahhhh!
Nothing like a finished piece of art for baby-to-be!

In my first piece to a customer since our daughters arrival, we have some of my favourite elements of children's design combined; brilliant colours, fun-loving characters & pops of pattern.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to work, via email with a lovely and patient customer in America. She has been generous (and organized enough with her nursery planning!) to allow me the much-needed span of time to complete a piece with baby in tow.

This 2x3 foot canvas is meant to bring a little Down Under to a baby boy living Stateside, who is set to make his grand arrival in the New Year. Since his nursery is going to boast a few pieces of work from an Aussie painter, mom wanted to stick with the Australian theme; landscape, beach & animals. Mama & Papa kangaroo are set for a day on the beach with their surfer koala baby and Joey. Sandals, surfboard and sea turtles suit the ambiance and bring in pops of tangerine, lime and turquoise.

Babies love patterns and it keeps them occupied just long enough to change a diaper. Above you will find polka-dots on Papa's surfboard, Hawaiian style Hibiscus on Koala's board shorts, coppertone rings adorning the inside's of the kangaroo's ears and bellies, not to mention spots on the sea turtles. Loads to look at 'eye-spy' style.

Wishing a beautiful and healthy final trimester to the mom and dad-to-be.
Pleasure working with budding families near and far!

Palmy Balmy Beach

As a kid, my passion for drawing stemmed from the likes of Jim Davis (Garfield), Bill Waterson (Calvin & Hobbes), Matt Groening (The Simpsons) & Walt Disney's every creation under the sun. The art of forgery taught me a handful of skills. By simply learning how to duplicate what already existed, I taught myself how to break down images to their simplest shapes and how the tiniest details give drawings life. The real artist emerges when they learn how to create, but copying does have its place in the art world.

Every now and again, I return to the wonderful world of forgery to help give me a basis for new skills. With so much passion and practice in illustration, it is important for me to challenge myself with life drawing which includes my two greatest weaknesses; hands and landscape. Original tools still come in handy; the breaking down of images into shapes and details but with realistic works these tools take on a whole new level. Shading becomes more intense, outlines soften from the solid black lines of the cartoon image I am accustomed to & what seems like one colour is actually an amazing combination of several that creates an illusion for the eye.

Here I have forged part of a painting by French artist Fabrice de Villeneuve who is known in the art world for his tapestry collections & French vintage paintings. This is one of his rare landscape-type works; Seaside Retreat & stands out from the rest of his pieces where similarities are obvious. The original painting actually has a much warmer, softer feel than it's reproduction pictured above. But the overall feel of the work remains; the open door, empty chaise, soft sand, still water & breezy palm all give the sense of that mid-afternoon peace in the summertime.