Anna Kay Art

New Abstract

2010-12-25T18:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a new painting for my client. A fantastic abstract for his modern, white dining room. I mixed sand into the paint to give a really rough texture. The whole thing will have a glossy varnish all over when it is done.

Merry Christmas 2

2010-12-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 1

2010-12-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

I like wrapping presents because it' s a chance to add a bit of personality to gifts. I love all the red. These presents in the first two pics were given to my Italian teachers.

These include some cute holly!

Here is the display I did for the shop. The green and red bags are very effective.

Another present for a friend.

Spring Inspiration

2010-09-01T03:01:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air...full of new possibilities and exciting things ahead....
I took this lovely photo today near my home. What beautiful ideas nature gives us!

And here is my own interpretation of a cherry blossom in bloom...

Artist at Work: Part 2

2010-08-31T04:10:00.001-07:00

Artist at work: Part 1

2010-08-31T04:07:00.000-07:00

Food, Glorious Food!

2010-06-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

I am branching out into visual merchandising...here are my latest efforts at Queen Victoria Market for their Cooking School window on Victoria Street. I just love it!
I felt very hungry afterwards.
I love all the spices and the colours.

Lots of people stopped to look at the display. It is certainly very colourful and busy. It's a lovely way to promote the Cooking School.

There are small bowls of peppercorns and beans and other yummy spices....the artichokes are real.

A very eye-catching window.

More Art

2010-06-13T04:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some new works that have gone in to 1001 Things for Baby in Carlton. Hopefully they will sell soon and go to a lovely home!

These two are closeups of a larger painting which is very cute with all the toadstools and animals. It takes me back to my own childhood...

I am almost expecting a little tiny fairy or elf to open that purple door and come out to say hello...

More new art

2010-06-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a lovely painting I did for my client's daughter, Alessia. The butterfly in the top left corner is made from coloured card and is attached so it looks like the butterfly just landed or is flying off. It gives a beautiful 3D effect to the overall painting. There are some beautiful vintage fabric, buttons and stitching to complete the look. It's a stunner!

This is at my place. The butterfly painting was completed last year and is one of my favourites in my personal collection. Usually I am not too possessive of my creations and I am happy to see them go to a new home but this one I can't part with. Below are some pictures that my son and I did on paper. You can buy this "frame" pad from the NGV shop in Melbourne and create your own drawing masterpiece within. It's a very clever idea.

New work

2010-05-09T02:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of a new range of paintings I have been working on for an exhibition later in the year. These really are very beautiful and have an ethereal quality to them. I am very excited about these new works.

Italian design

2010-04-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I am inspired by Italian design in its many shapes and forms. From car design to fashion design, and my favourite, furniture design. There is so much about!

I like this quote from Italian architect Luigi Cacci who said: "Quite simply we are the best. We have more imagination, more culture and are better mediators between the past and the future."

I like to think I am bring a little "Italy" into my own work, blending techniques from the past with vision and ideas of the future. I really like this concept a lot.

At the moment I am loving the photography from the Peroni calendar (www.calendarioperoni.com)

And everyone knows Scuderia Ferrari of course!

Have a look around you and see what Italian design is around you. Look at the chair you are sitting on, the book you are reading, the light you are using...it's everywhere!

Stencilling

2010-04-27T04:09:00.000-07:00

I have just finished some stencilling for a new client. These will be filled with fresh fruit and look really rustic. The wood was not smooth in parts so it did prove a little tricky at times! I wouldn't mind some of these boxes to store magazines in.

Swimming Pool at Home

2010-04-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted a swimming pool at home...
Here is my mural in progress. I finally finished it in time for my son's birthday last weekend. The mural really adds some colour to my otherwise bland backyard.

1. This is the mural at the start. Just laying the foundation colours.

2. Here you can see more detail with the trees and walls surrounding the pool.

3. Finally, the end. You can see the water detail in the lower left corner and the three fountains of water spilling into the pool. This does provide a true and positive effect!

Art and more Art

2010-03-24T04:25:00.000-07:00

Here is a lovely collaged card I have done about being an artist. That's meant to be me in the middle and there are hands to represent the tools of my trade. Also sticks of crayon and pastel in the background. I really love this as it is very restful looking and happy...

This is a commissioned painting I recently finished. "Peter Pan" for Josh's 5th birthday. The clouds are thick with paint and the sails are made from fabric and the mast has match sticks to give a fantastic 3D effect.. And the words in the scroll say: "May imagination keep you forever young." I was very pleased with the end result and so was my client.

Here is a new range of sugar plum/flower fairies. Here you see buttons and fabric incorporated in each painting. This is a cute set of four and look great together!

Market painting (2)

2010-03-19T04:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the stencilling and painting work I have done for Market Juice at Queen Vic Market. The colours look amazing against the black. For those interested: the whole shed was painted in a matt black (2 coats) then a stencil was made and I rollered first the pink and then the yellow. The pink has 5 coats and the yellow has 6 coats because coverage is poor against the black. It l ooks very effective!

Market painting (1)

2010-03-19T04:22:00.000-07:00

I took some photos of me the other week when I was painting at Queen Vic Market...the day was hot and sunny and the heat against the black was pretty intense!

Graffiti this!

2010-03-13T02:59:00.000-08:00

I used to think graffiti is ugly and intrusive until I started living here in Melbourne.

Everywhere you look there are interesting examples of this art. Yes, it is classified as art because it is a product of human creativity.

I enjoy the use of colour and graphics to jazz up a space that would otherwise remain dull and unassuming.

In this picture above (Johnson Street, Fitzroy): note the two different forms of graffiti: one in the foreground and the other on the top of the building in the top right hand corner.

Off Brunswick Street, Fitzroy: this wall looks like it would have been challenging to get to. It's very high!

On Rathdowne Street in Carlton....

In Brunswick: "birds of a feather flock together" it says..

Something Different

2010-03-02T03:27:00.000-08:00

Here is the reason for my busy-ness the last few days...a beautiful window display at Queen Victoria Market office window on Elizabeth Street. Stencilled wooden boxes containing yummy fresh juice, a cute sign made out of bottle caps and there you have a fantastic and alive display. Check out Market Juice at Stall 26 in A shed and buy juices, smoothies, yoghurt, jams and more tasty goodies.

Black Lines

2010-02-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

Black line drawings are simple yet effect and shows you don't need colour to appreciate a person or object.
Babies find black the easiest to see so having black and white pictures in a child's room makes it simple for them to focus and use their eyes. It's probably the same for adult's too! Here is a computer generated picture of me (above) done a couple of years ago now. Note the strength of some of the lines. Who knew drawing yourself could be so easy?

I am loving this beautiful great horned owl. (credit: Robert Savannah, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

One Happy Customer

2010-02-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

Here I am with M.S., a very happy client with commissioned artwork by me. The framing looks very effective on this. Most people don't frame a canvas but this just finishes the piece off nicely. The painting is 2m x 1m and really adds a special something to my client's dining room!

Holiday Inspiration

2010-01-14T00:08:00.000-08:00

Holidays can sometimes bring inspiration as there is more time to think and explore ideas...
My back door, has a wonderful design that I haven't quite noticed in the past few months. The pattern on the screen door is so interesting and the shadow it makes on the inside door is true graphic genius.
Christmas gave me the opportunity to use my creative skills along with my family to create a one-of-a-kind gingerbread house. I loved using the spraycan icing with the different sized nozzles to create the cross-hatched effect.

While visiting Perth we managed to pop in to the Art Gallery there. The kids section "Wonderland" had an area where the children could look in a mirror and draw a self-portrait. Even adults did it too and the results were quite surprising.

I love the old man and the boy with hats on...

What holiday inspiration have you discovered?

Art in Food

2009-12-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

Here is food that really is a work of art. My friend Maria made these cupcakes using much skill and finese. They did taste wonderful too! They look like beautiful blooming flowers in all their colourful spendour. Have you made your food a work of art lately?

Merry Xmas

2009-12-15T18:30:00.000-08:00

To my wonderful clients, colleagues, friends and family...

Wishing you all a terrific Christmas and happy holidays!

All the best in 2010.

Anna x

Body Art

2009-11-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have bodyart of sorts at the moment. An outbreak of hives has rendered me spotty and red..

Something that is much lovelier is this beautiful plaster cast I have done for a client. She had a cast done when she was pregnant with her daughter and I worked with her to create a design that was personal to her and her family. It looks so lovely and has a gloss finish over the paintwork. It is a stunning momento of a special time in her life..

Adding Art to Your Life

2009-09-24T00:17:00.000-07:00

Here is what a piece of art can add to your home. This is one of my paintings in my kitchen which makes it so homely and personal. I love the white in the painting, flowers and table. By the way, the table is handpainted by me so you won't find one of them in the shops! Contact me if you would like a special piece for your place.

Creatively Speaking

2009-09-19T00:03:00.001-07:00

Well, we had our local hard rubbish collection recently and I found some gems.
Firstly: two old light fittings. When I removed the bulbs and electrical cord, spray painted the whole thing white (goodbye 70's brown pewter-look), added tealights and old jewellery and strung my own lengths of pearl and beads and voila! two fantastic chandelier in my living room for next to nothing! They really do look beautiful too.

Secondly: I found these cream frames and the prints I found at a separate place and they were in some gawdy gold frames with brown, oval matts so all I did was I got some new white matts from the framer and then put them in the cream frames..! Oh so lovely.

So I suggest you keep your eyes open for some wonderful finds next time you are driving past someone's junk because you never know what you will find.

GIVEAWAY!

2009-08-26T23:12:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my 100th tweet on TWITTER, I have this cute keyring and magnet set to giveaway.
I made them myself and used the images from vintage children's books. The keyring has a picture of a dog on the other side. Too cute!

Heres' what you need to do:
explore the Anna Kay Art blog and comment on the posting you like best. Comment on more than one posting and you qualify for extra entries. You get one entry for each comment. The more the merrier!
Once you're done please comment below on this post with a working email account for contact and valid entry. An e-mail linked to profile is also valid. At the end of next week, the best commentor will receive this cute keyring and magnet set., including free postage.

To improve your chances of winning:
Tweet about the giveaway: those who help to tweet about this giveaway will get ean xtra enty. 1 entry for each tweet!
Add @annakayart to your tweets so that I know you have retweeted. Add your twitter account along with your email in the comment below to help us link the two.

This giveaway will end at 6pm, Thursday September 3rd 2009, Australian Eastern time.
The lucky Winner will be selected randomly and notified by email.

Apples and Dolls

2009-08-22T01:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture in my kitchen starring "Dolly Picking Flowers". It looks great with the big plate of apples below as it matches the green grass in the painting. Behind the fruit is a small dollhouse I painted white and perched a small toy peacock.

I Heart Junk

2009-08-13T22:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a fabulous old bedside cabinet that I picked up at a local roadside waiting for the rubbish collection but I got there first. I enjoy restoring old furniture and I found chipping and sanding the old paint off very therapeutic. It fits right in at home with the shabby look. I picked up some old chandelier style light fittings that I am going to convert in to chandeliers with tea lights and pearl and crystal details. Junk really can be transformed with a little know-how and elbow grease!

SoulCollage

2009-08-02T21:09:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the SoulCollage cards that me and my fellow participants have. Obviously we didn't make them all on the weekend but it represents who we are. I will be holding some workshops on SoulCollage and more soon so stayed tuned!

Gifting

2009-08-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

I used to be a professional gift wrapper for a online gift store and I have always seen it as a wonderful way to express creativity being able to wrap a present for someone. It's a gift of mine to be able to coordinate wrapping and ribbon and create a thing of wonder and I like to add a bit of myself when I give gifts. Here is a present I gave to friends of mine recently who had their first baby, a daughter! The butterfly is fabric and the card is flocked so it's very tactile.

This is me working

2009-07-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

This is me working today...

Artist's Impression

2009-07-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here is the scene of the St Kilda Botanical Gardens, in the rose garden to be exact. This is what I painted in their inaugural Paint These Gardens Art Competition.

Here is the real scene:

And here is my artist's impression of that scene:

Of course, the real painting is much better than the photo but this gives you an idea of what I painted.

New work

2009-07-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a detail of a recent commission. I just had so much fun painting this. I love the sugarplum fairy in front of the flowers. The cat is modelled on my own. What a lovely scene this is!

BIRDS

2009-07-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

I have always had a fascination with birds. My Mum says when I was little I used to enjoy flicking through picture books and pointing out all the birds and rabbits. (still that hasn't changed!) Here is a patterned bird I have painted that has lots of design and decoration. The wing is fabric and the bird's body and background has been stencilled.

Technology and Cats

2009-06-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

I have been catching up to Generation Y lately by joining Twitter, Facebook and Skype. Blogging seems such old hat already! Also I got a new digital camera since the other one petered out after 5 years. It was getting old and heavy anyway!

And here is the latest to capture my heart, our new cat Joan. We have had her since mid March and she is a joy. 6 months old and full of energy but also a considerate animal and when she looks at you she seems to be an old soul. She has seen much I'm guessing!
I am starting to incorporate cats in my paintings...thanks Joan for the inspiration!

Some new art

2009-05-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

Here are some new paintings I have recently completed. Both commissioned art for two separate clients. The top painting is one of soft contemplation, serenity and fun.

This red tree offers simplicity and a sense of calm.

A ray of sunshine

2009-04-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have been occupied with painting commissionsthe last couple of weeks and here is a recent commission for a client's daughters room. She liked elements of another painting of mine so I added them in with her name. I like to think it is adding a ray of sunshine to the room!

Just tripping

2009-03-05T01:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a busy few weeks. I have been indulging in my creativity of sorts. I have been tripping a bit, first in country Victoria for a meditation retreat which was good for the soul, all that contemplation had my mind full of ideas, then a trip to Perth and NZ to see family. I had a great time at both. Didn't do much creative stuff but did indulge in a bit of photography. I would dearly love a SLR digital camera (perhaps Santa could start working on that now?)
Above is a lovely photo of a spot we stopped at on the side of the road in NZ in Canterbury, the countryside is fantastic.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2009-01-06T02:57:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and all the very best for 2009!
To my customers in 2008 and prior, I hope you are enjoying all your lovely paintings....

Paint anything

2008-11-26T01:31:00.000-08:00

Yes I love to paint and yes even simple tin cans get the once over from me. I wanted some nifty plant containers for my windowsill and these I thought would do!
Most of the plants are succulents so they are very hard to kill. It's a lovely look from the kitchen sink don't you think?

I'm madly working on Xmas orders before the crazy season and the holidays approach. Working on an online store too so things are mad.

Hmmm..

2008-11-09T03:09:00.000-08:00

Hmm.. some excuses why I haven't posted lately.
I've been swamped with orders and I have some new stockists! Yay...
I have these new pieces below at Cafe Denaro, 104 Fletcher St, Essendon. Food's great and the paintings look terrific. I am working on a VERY large triptych (3 piece) for the back room. Check it out soon.

"Lady Butterfly" 76 x 51cm

"Two Loves" 46 x 46cm

Also, I have work exhibiting at Diskin Life in Fitzroy at the moment too!

Tea and Success

2008-09-21T05:06:00.001-07:00

I sit here with a finished cup of tea (photo courtesy of Daniel) reflecting on my successful art sale last weekend. For those who missed it I hope to have another one again soon. In the meantime I have two commissions to do.
The weekend has been busy with painting of sorts, just not the painting I usually do. We managed to acquire a few roadside items of furniture other the last few weeks and I am restoring them back to their former glory. Pics to come as soon as I have finished.

Also, I just delivered some art for an exhibition at Diskin Life in Fitzroy. If you have a chance, get down there to have a look and if you feel passionate about keeping healthy and vital, then talk to Dina or Ari.

Baby Blaise

2008-09-01T02:11:00.000-07:00

I am a great aunty again for the 4th time, I think. I lose count. It makes me feel old although I'm not and I feel just great!

Baby Blaise was born in NZ last month and she is doing well. Pictured here is one of the singlet I adorned with machine sewing some lovely fabric and doilies I have in my stash. I really love fabrics and probably in another life I was a seamstress. I dearly wish I could sew but the only sewing I do is straight lines and some cross-stitching and buttons which I often incorporate into my paintings. That's about all I can stretch to.

Art, ART

2008-08-21T04:01:00.000-07:00

This is one of the paintings that I did with the children at my son's Pre-School last week. This will be auctioned off at the Fundraising Trivia Night on Saturday. It's an Aboriginal-inspired painting titled "Children Dreaming" and it has lovely brown, black and white tones. We used a round sponge brush to stamp the circles on. The kids has lots of fun and wanted to do more. Many of them wanted to know why my overalls had so much paint (!) and I had to explain that I'm an artist and these are my work clothes.

picture by anna MORE ART.......

picture courtesy of NGV

My friend Sally was over from NZ the other week and we spent one whole day at both NGV galleries in Melbourne. We had a ball!

This picture was lovely, I wish someone could paint my portrait exactly like that! This was a favourite too. Sally is an awesome artist too and she can appreciate the intricate work involved in these amazing works. The NGV International building seemed to go on forever and room after room of wonderful European art. We are very fortunate to have it.

I am finishing off a few paintings for my Art Sale. More details to follow......

In the meantime, escape the cold and paint. What could be better??

Fun(draising)

2008-08-13T02:33:00.001-07:00

I have donated two paintings recently for a couple of very worthwhile causes.
This painting of two korean children in traditional hanbok costumes are playing drums. This painting I did especially for Korean Adoptive Families – Han Ho, charity fundraising event to be held in Melbourne next month.

Also one of my lovely tree paintings for Northwest Maria Montessori Pre-School's annual trivia night fundraiser will be auctioned off on Aug 23rd.

I hope both paintings bring much joy to their new owners and also much needed funds for each organisation.

New

2008-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a painting that I finished recently. It's long and lovely. The background is cream flowers incorporating doilies and fabric. Some of the birds are cut out from vintage kid's books. This painting reminds me of autumn and winter when the leaves are off the trees and the animals are scurrying around to find food and warmth. The flowers add a cheerful touch.

Click on the photos for a closer look.

Inspiration

2008-07-30T03:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a fruit man that my son and I concocted. What I find inspiring about this is a) the wonderful simplicity from some fairly ordinary objects at home and b) what wonderful colours our food is!
The apple peel is naturally the hair and the apple rings are the ears. Yellow kiwifruit for the eyes, rock melon for the eye brows, orange for the nose and banana for the mouth. This was quickly demolished as soon as this photo was taken.
I've been busy creating artwork for a couple of fundraisers coming up. I will have more soon.

Hello

2008-07-24T19:40:00.001-07:00

Here is a drawing that my son did on the computer. He says it's his Mum and Dad and then other times it's his and his mates. You choose...
Welcome to my blog where you will see my inspiration as an artist and also see what I am up to. Enjoy!