It was a busy week for art for me, and not all of it was sketching.

art exhibtion entry

My entry was accepted into Blarney Books and Art Biblio prize, This week I got my drawing framed and will post it tomorrow.

Here is my watercolour pencil sketch” The Previously Undiscovered Ern Malley Letters “ for the Exhibition at  @blarneybooksandart
After entering, participants were allocated a book at random to read and visually respond to – they are all books by Australian authors that have been released in the last year and therefore their launches and sales were all affected by covid restrictions or lockdowns. Fantastic concept by Jo at Blarney! The book I was allocated was Sincerely, Ethel Malley – by Stephen Orr. This watercolour pencil drawing is of the Malley letters from Australia’s most infamous literary hoax. This book blends facts and fiction. I read it three times. The first time to read it, the second time to try and understand it and the third time to try to identify images I could draw or pages I could draw on. This year was different for me as I usually draw in the book I am given. It is just what I do! But I just could not find the right words on the pages for my idea,
The Ern Malley affair, is Australia’s most famous literary hoax. Ern Malley, was a fictitious poet whose poems and life were created in 1943 by two writers in order to hoax the Angry Penguins, a modernist art and literary movement centered around a journal of the same name. Angry Penguins declared Malley as a genius. The hoax was revealed soon after, Harris the publisher was put on trial, convicted and fined for publishing the poems on the grounds that they contained obscene content.

The Biblio Art Prize 2021 will open on Saturday 11 December and run until the end of February at Blarney Books & Art in Port Fairy. a few hours from Melbourne. All work will be for sale

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Christmas markets

I have been accepted to have a stall at a local Christmas Market in Melbourne. It is part of the slow return to normality for me. I have started promoting locally with posters and have found some wonderful locals who have a trestle table that I can borrow and they can deliver to use on that weekend. The last market I did was in between lockdown last year in November. I sell my Greeting Cards, which are also available to purchase on my ETSY store. In the last month, I ordered a new print run of my Christmas cards, and envelopes to put them in. I bought a new tap and go payment system so that people can pay by card or cash. (it is called Square) and hopefully, they make lots of impulse purchases on the day !

Here is the video link. Press the arrow and see a show of some of the things to buy at the markets

and in case you cant see the video here is the poster

everyday sketching

I took a walk in the local Gardens today.

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and it was the final zoom life drawing session as all go back to in-person. Themed Phantom of the Opera, The soundtrack and other opera music played as we sketched.

Life drawing

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and ready for a cup of Advent Christmas tea. All ready for Summer – chilled or with a spritz. Hibiscus, cloves, spice, raisins and cinnamon from Gewürzhaus Spice House in Melbourne.Now, if only Melbourne weather would decide it is Spring not winter

Christmas is coming