Update from the big REEFER

Hey Gals and Guys,

Just wanted to write a quick little blog to say HI and that I know I have been missing in action for quite some time, but most of you know that I am busy packing and sorting the last 7 years of my life into boxes, ready for my return to OZ.

Packing up the studio has been a nightmare because being the hoarder that I am, I have so much junk! I have been pretty ruthless I have to say, and I have had another large 'Burning' which lasted 4 hours. I did not film it this time LOL I learned my lesson after the last one...but you will be happy to know i only destroyed around 200 works this time LOL!! But once again it was a cleansing experience and I feel so much lighter. HE HE HE

I have just over 3 weeks to go and I still have so much to do!! I have managed to sell a lot of large works over the past 2 months, so I am very thankful for those sales! I will be taking home 6 large works on canvas but that is it. The rest will go into a spare shed here on the farm and most of my art supplies, masks and other paintings will stay until I am settled and can afford to have them relocated!

I just returned from an 11 day trip to London and Edinburgh! I had a total blast, in fact one of the best holidays I have ever had! I got to catch up with Mary helena, Mitsi and Nic, which was fab! I really enjoyed my time in Edinburgh and it is definitely a city I could spend more time in....not to mention the HOT scottish men and their accent!! LOL

I have also been busy taking a whole bunch of action photographs for future magazine articles.I have been planning on doing an email blast to all of the big and small art magazines hoping to score some exposure. AND i really need to do that before I leave Norway. It sounds more prestegious if an artist is living in a foreign country don't you think? LOL So fingers crossed that the pretty pictures and my story will get some attention! ;)Will keep you all posted.But apart from that I have not made any new art in the last 2 months and my head is just not into it atm. I know once i get home to Melbourne, get myself settled and find a studio to work out of, my creative desire will return. Speaking of finding a studio space (if anyone in Melb knows of a space 'cheap' let me know). I plan on developing my 'Power of White' series when i return, as it is my strongest work to date and I think it has the power to deliver a killer exhibition if i can pull it together how i see it! I will be looking for the best gallery to exhibit it;) I also have been asked to the guest judge at a posh Catholic School's Art show. I will be judging grade 8's through 12! So that will be a lot of fun and hopefully i can influence a new generation of artists and future patrons!

So in regards to online courses and teaching! Well clearly until I get myself settled there will be no online classes..boo I know! BUT once i get a permanent address and an internet connection i will get myself set up to teach again! Sorry to the many of you who have been patiently waiting to take one of my courses, unfortunately my current life circumstances have thrown a spanner in the works! But there are so many great courses out there...somewhere LOL

I have several workshop opportunities presented to me and once I get back to Oz I will be following up on those leads. But it looks like i could have 4 workshops around the country lined up...well if i play my cards right, fingers crossed because when i return home I won't have a steady income to rely on any longer, so it means i will have to get organised if i want to survive as an artist! Which is challenging, scary but dam exciting too! I am not too worried to be honest because I always seem to fall on my feet and lots of opportunities have been presenting themselves recently so I kinda think the universe is looking after me...as it always has done! Well I have faith in that anyway!!

So i have some kinda exciting news which i have been holding back, and i guess I won't tell you who it is that has contacted me at this stage...i will in time as the project comes to fruition...BUT basically i have been approached by a publisher to write a book! SO YAY for that because as you many of you know, i have been working on a techniques book for sometime now, and i had thought that i would have to apply to a few publishers and HOPE for the best...but low and behold, a major book publisher came to me!! SO YAY...but long way off, lots to do and as things come together I will give you more info!!

So I was contacted by Blunt Graffix a few days ago and asked if I would in interested in participating in a group show. The theme of the show is all about

DEAD ROCKSTARS!

I was like are you KIDDING?? HELL YES! So the exhibition is going to be in Oregon USA in February! If you want to read about it and find out more info then click HERE

So which famous dead rockstar do you think I am going to do? YEP Freddy Mercury!!! I have been working on a couple of stencil designs and I am pretty happy with the results. I will now begin to cut them out and start created a layered artwork for the show. There is no framing needed and the artwork will be hung on clips which i think is pretty cool and awesome!The gallery takes 50% commission which is huge but what can you do, at the end of the day it is the opportunity to exhibit internationally and sometimes it is worth the costs!

So here are the stencils I have created for the artwork. I will now play around with composition, colour etc and I might add some text. But I know I will be overlaying the images more to create something pretty dimanic and COOL! Well I can hope so and I will be posting a picture once the work is complete! I don't have a lot of time, in fact the show opens at the beginning of February and I have to get it to the States by the end of January art the latest...so i plan on getting it cut out this week and hopefully have it completed by next week!

But yeah that is it in a nutshell really! I am not sure what the next few months has in store for me but I will do my best to keep my head above it all and swim for my life! Looking forward to the new year and the challenges ahead!

Thanks for all your support and ofcourse for being apart of LMM!