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July 2019: Issue 77

Presidents Report

Today at our monthly meeting we were paid a visit by the “Coochiemudlo Artisan Collective”.

Vivian and Leeanne came along to share with us what they have built and are still building

across the waves on Coochie.

It sounds as though a small but bustling art community is in vogue on the island and the Collective is do-

ing its best to foster and promote art participation in this lovely, small (and at times isolated) community in

the Bay Island area of Redlands and greater Brisbane.

It was a pleasure to accept their request to become BVAC’s 24th member group. I look forward to seeing

them grow and what we can learn from each other.

Here is a promo paragraph that sums up the group;

“The Coochiemudlo Artisan Collective is a local community group representing artists, promoting locally

made and local arts from Coochiemudlo Island. Our mission is to bring together artisans who live on

Coochiemudlo Island in a supportive, inspiring and dynamic environment where diversity is celebrated and

opportunities are created for sharing, skill development and promotion of talent.”

Last month I touched on the support to one of our founding members, Scattered Arts. BVAC will sponsor a

$1000 “Best in Show” award to one lucky artist.

I would like to clarify that this sponsorship in no way indicates we are simply giving money to one group

and not to another who may wish to run a show and have the prizemoney catered for by BVAC. What

makes the Scattered Arts show different is that is open all artists to enter. If you are a budding painter who

has never heard of BVAC or a lifelong member of the Watercolour Society, you are both equally welcome

to submit an entry and be in the running for the major prize. This is, of course, different to a show that the

Watercolour Society, for example, may hold for their members only.

What is in discussion now is incorporating a secondary prize for next year’s competition that only BVAC

members would be eligible to win. We have wanted to instigate a BVAC Art Prize for some time now but

have not been able to settle on the best option. This model can work because it does not run in opposition

to the established Scattered Arts show, but alongside it.

I did mention last week the planning for an exciting retail opportunity for our members to display, sell and

promote their work. More planning is required but it could be a great annual event that you can really get

involved with. Stay tuned for more details on this.

Until next time, stay creative.

Peter

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What’s Inside…

Page 2: What’s Inside; Invitation Inaugural Art West Portrait Prize.

Page 3: BVAC Pop-Up Shops—Future Possibilities

Page 4: Elements of Water Exhibition and Convention; APAT

Page 5: Shifting Seasons. Sue Ford, Lyn Baxter, Tricia Smout, Karoline Cumming: Portraiture

Page 6: Print Club @ Pine Rivers Gallery, Strathpine with Sandra Pearce

Page 7: Scattered Arts Fine Art and Craft Prize for 2019

Page 8: Calligraphy, Books and Paper Classes with Tricia Smout

Page 9: Art Folios and Handmade Books with Jan Houghton, Botanical Artists.

Page 10: Drypoint Etching with Kylie Stapleton, Botanical Artists

Page 11: Still Going Strong Review HDGA Exhibition

Page 12: Clayton Utz Prize details: Artist Call out—New Exhibition space Fortitude Valley.

Page 13: Walhalla Goldfields Railway Yarn-Bombing

Page 14: All about Pastels with Millie Simic. Redland Yurara Art Society

Page 15: The Washing Machine All Artists Need

Page 16: “Heavy Metal Knitting—both heavy metal music and knitting”

Page 17: Photographing Your Work; BVAC Contacts.

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BVAC Pop-Up Shops—Future Possibilities?

After six years, BVAC is looking at ways we

can rejuvenate our Mother’s Day Pop-Up

Shop. On the right you can see our original

invitation to artists from our member groups

to participate in our original Pop-up. Results

at the May Pop-Up this year were somewhat

disappointing and so we have been looking

at ways of revamping the event.

The response to our Pop-up shops from our member artists has always been excellent. Our first

coordinators Cherryl McIntyre and Lena Tisdall sought expressions of interest from our member

groups, and you have provided a bounty of creative work. Mt Coot-tha Auditorium has been a

good venue, coming as it does with all the tables we need—but a change is as good as a holi-

day. There are a lot of details to be worked out yet, but BVAC is prepared to hire a new venue in

Station Road, Yeerongpilly and develop the Pop-Up in a different format.

The new venue comes with parking, a coffee shop and restaurant but that is not all. The format

of the Pop-up Shop would also change. BVAC is considering hiring the venue for the entire

month of May rather than just a weekend, so instead of just selling for a weekend, you would

have the opportunity of selling for four days with the option of extending your time. Other sweet-

eners for this deal include the possibility of night trading with live music on Friday night, and a

licenced restaurant next door.

There will be challenges, but BVAC is not about standing still and accepting a declining market

as our fate. Part of our strategic plan is to keep growing the market associated with BVAC and

continuing to make it bigger and better. Continuing as it does over a month, this market will be

different from any other offered in Brisbane.

We realise that most groups could not even contemplate providing someone to man their stand

for a month, but, you can opt for a week (four days really), and you will have the opportunity of

designating a time within the month. BVAC is looking to provide all the accoutrements that have

become part of the event at Mt Coot-tha, with tables, shelves, booths and display panels for hire,

central sales point, 20% commission, and a central wrapping point.

As an example: Hire space for a week—you set up your display on one day (e.g. Wednesday);

you sell from Thursday to Sunday. You might like to continue your hire the following week. It re-

mains on display on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday but is not manned. You pick up where

you left off on the following Thursday. If you don’t wish to continue, you dismantle your display on

Sunday afternoon and you are out of there. Or we have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday for

new set ups.

This is an exciting new concept for the Pop-Up Shop but remember that the Christmas Pop-Up

remains viable and will continue at Mt Coot-tha this year and next. BVAC needs your support to

allow it to continue to provide sales opportunities for our member artists. You can send com-

ments, suggestions to the Editor at jrhylleh@hotmail.com

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Porcelain Painting - The Colour Flow by Keiko Shimizu. This instructional book shows her classic Meissen training with her own original style of modern lustre techniques. Ms. Shimizu loves to sketch flowers and animals in a realistic style and design them in such a manner that they will harmonize perfectly togeth-er with other techniques and her luster work. This wonderful, full color Book is a step by step learning experi-ence. She teaches supplies, oils, resist, chipping off, flux, scratch out technique, as well as, painting Pearls, Florals, Portraits, Pen Work, Gold Work and so much more. A beautiful addition to all Painters' libraries. 8 x 8", Hardcover, 96 pages, in English. No returns on this fine book. http://www.thegoodstuff.com/bkks1-porcelain-painting--the-colour-flow-by-keiko-shimiz1.html

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Portraiture

Congratulations to Art West for inaugurating their own Portrait Prize. The success of Ahn Do’s

series on the ABC Ahn’s Brush with Fame has bought the art of portrait painting to the atten-

tion of the public. How does he do it?

In each episode Anh combines his artistic skills with his passion for conversation, getting to know

his guest’s personal journey while capturing them on canvas. How does he do it? Anh’s sitters

talk about their life, divulging meaningful anecdotes, and detailing their battles with life’s chal-

lenges, ultimately informing how Anh depicts them.

As Anh and his subject spend time together, our audiences share in the guest’s personal

thoughts and are rewarded with the big reveal of their portrait. How does he do it?

Using a technique known as alla prima, which means wet on wet, Ahn creates a portrait using a

loose and gestural way of painting which produces striking effects in a lot less painting time. I

love the show but, I keep wondering if he resorts to the use of photographs. What do you think?

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Still Going Strong

Towards the end of June, the Half Dozen Group of Artists staged their

78th Annual Exhibition at the Randall Art Studio in the Mt Coot-tha Botani-

cal Gardens. The group was formed by Lilian Pedersen and five like-

minded individuals in 1941 as an alternative exhibiting group in Brisbane.

In September the following year the group held its first annual exhibition,

and soon attracted some well- known names in Australia’s art history as

members, including: James Wieneke, Hal Missingham, Tom Garrett, Mar-

garet Preston, Cyril Gibbs, Margaret Cilento, Kenneth Macqueen, A.M.E.

Bale, Melville Haysom, Lloyd Rees, John Rigby, Frank Rowland, George

Williamson and William Robinson to name just a few.

Their current exhibition has over 30 artists exhibiting around 107 works,

comprising many subjects and mediums. This does not include a number of unframed works that have

been displayed in the Lambert Wall, as a tribute to artist, Dixie Lambert. Some excellent figurative works

on display, from Glenise Clelland’s Sun Showers, showing us the figure of the woman surrounded with

splashes of yellow and blue, adding to its appeal. John, the Railway Fitter by Joan Macnaught is an in-

teresting portrait of a study of character in the man’s face, even the reflection on his glasses has been

captured, it also shows her ability of handling the difficult medium of pastel. A slightly more daring image

of either an exotic dancer or a stripper is exposed in Kim Woolley’s The Red Feather Boa, giving us a

back/side view of the woman as she struts her stuff, some of the feathers

becoming dislodged during her performance. The red of the boa mirrors

the shoes she is wearing as well as the neck choker, her dark hair also

mirroring her black fish net stockings.

Landscapes, streetscapes, seascapes dominate the exhibition, and there

are some interesting interpretations. A contemporary image of sand dunes

using light against dark can be seen in Solitude by Chris Matanovic. Una

Hollingworth’s Breezy Day showing the movement of the ocean swell, as

well as the wispy clouds in the distance, a couple of people under beach

umbrellas, as they enjoy sun and sand in a sheltered part of Coolum Bay.

John Bell’s Paddington is a brightly coloured streetscape that creates the illusion of the hilly terrain as

viewed from a high perspective, it reminded me of the work of Jan Jorgenson and John Rigby, who also

painted with success this type of subject. Dot Rowland’s Summer is a strong landscape of intense colour

and simple shapes done in a loose way, the brush not only used for the washes, but also drawn with for

the image has a lovely linier quality about it, I could see shades of the late George Williamson in it.

Kath Dempsey likes to paint bridges and her Storey Bridge is an interesting perspective of this well-

known subject. Good painterly work from Dell Harrington with The Blue Hole, a cool coloured landscape

of a quiet rocky waterway, while Wendy Allen shows us a moody image of reflections in a dark lily lagoon

in Yellow Water Lily Flowers. Our furry and feathered friends haven’t been forgotten either, Pat Hunter’s

Black Cat is a excellent tonal work with the cat seen in a shard of light, either from a doorway or window,

creating some interesting shadows in the foreground, with Sue Victorsen’s line drawing of a small terrier

dog is delightful in Lizzie. Magda Kuiken’s Tawney at Night and Derek Johnston’s Penguin Family are

also charming images of our Aussie birdlife. Other works of note comprised: Beverley Sandaver’s Winter

Leaves, Trevor Downs’ Boats, Bay, Sunset, Margaret Colliers Nature, Vivienne Reeve’s Serenity, and

Lorelle Boyce’s delicate watercolour of Hydrangeas.

In 2020 the group will celebrate 80 years in existence, and while the group doesn’t have the pedigree of

members that it had in earlier years, it has showed that time has not slowed them down, and they still

have the same vim and vigour to produce and promote the visual arts in Queensland, that those original

six demonstrated in 1940.

Greg de Silva: FRQAS © Greg de Silva: June, 2019

Solitude Chris Matanovic

John Bell

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P R I Z E M O N E Y O F $ 2 0 , 0 0 0 F O R A Q U E E N S L A N D A R T I S T AS C L AY T O N U T Z AR T AWA R D O P E N S S U B M I S S I O N S

Calling all artists in Queensland! Here’s another oppor-

tunity to be recognised for your artistic endeavours.

The Lethbridge Gallery, with galleries at 7/11 Wambool

Street in Bulimba and at 136 Latrobe Terrace in Paddington,

is once again rounding up submissions for the Clayton Utz

Art Award 2019.

Open to all mediums except video or moving images, the

entries will be accepted until 11:00 p.m. on Friday, the 2nd

of August 2019.

This annual art contest is for Queensland-based or Queensland-affiliated artists who may submit

as many artworks as they like. Submissions must be done online, where the artist has to send a

40-word description and a JPEG image of his or her work.

This year’s Clayton Utz Art Award 2019 will be judged by Professor Derrick Cherrie, the Director of the Griffith Queensland College of Art.

The finalists will have their works displayed at the Clayton Utz offices in Riparian Plaza on Eagle

Street from the 9th of September until the 2nd of October.

To submit online go to: http://eastbrisbanenews.com.au/6n4go8#https://

www.lethbridgegallery.com/microsite/terms?competition=clayton-utz-art-award-2019

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Artist Callout—New Exhibition Space

Tonic Espresso + Bar at 7 Hynes Street in Fortitude Valley

has let us know that as part of their venue they have a fully

kitted out boardroom that can, and has been, used to stage

art exhibitions. They have expressed interest in hosting local

art events.

Mine host Lindsey describes the venue as funky, cozy,

friendly and warm and begging for local people and artists from all walks of life to come in for

great coffee, and quality gins and ales, plus exhibition space. Tonic Espresso + Bar is a place

where you can come with your friends, or come on your own, to study, to work, hold meetings,

relax, read a book, play a gig or play a game, but most importantly feel at home. The boardroom

has been used to hold art exhibitions for local artists. It could also be used for groups or individu-

als that might like to stage their own Pop-up shop. If you are looking for a place to host your art-

work or exhibition, or who wish to organise a venue for sip and paint events?

We would be delighted to host any local art events here at Tonic and would be so grateful If

you might consider us, or pass on our details to anyone looking for a venue.

Please feel free to come down and take a look at Tonic anytime. Our website, instagram and FB

links are at the bottom of this email.

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Walhalla Goldfields Railway Yarn-Bombing

I’m not much of a knitter but I love a good “Yarn-Bombing” story and this is one. It also provides

an excellent example of creating strong photographs with which to make an event more appeal-

ing to a potential audience. You can probably see where I am coming from – these are tech-

niques we can use to self-advertise for the Pop-up shops.

The Walhalla Goldfields Railway is a not for profit group in Victoria that needs to raise money to

convert more rolling stock to grow the historic train ride experience. The call was answered by

the Friends of WGR put out a call for 12-inch knitted squares that will be sewn together to yarn

bomb the DH Loco which stands in the Walhalla Yard, to keep it warm and looking beautiful over

winter.

The “Winter Woollies” "clickety clack on the knitting tracks" is the catchy title for this project and

the group has been inundated with knitted squares from around Australia. The organisers are not

limiting themselves to the knitted squares with all manner of knitted flowers, critters, felt creations

being included, so there will be something for every crafty person. The actual Yarn Bombing will

take place on June 29 and will remain in place until July 31.

The group has set up an event on Facebook and posts from contributors show what they have made. I hope all goes well for the knitters of the Friends of WGR and they have a fabulous after-noon tea at the big event.

This intriguing image was one I found as I was researching

this story. The subject is very engaging. A slight, cheeky

smile that goes all the way to her eyes invites us into her

world that seems to include a lot of knitting. How important is

knitting to her? Her hair is tied up with a hand knitted ribbon

or scrunchie. Possibly not what you would wear when going

out but the photograph is all about the fun you can have with

knitting. What is the story of her being so bundled up in the

colourful scarf? It seems to me that she has started to knit

and just does not know when to stop. And still she knits. This

picture is not about what you can make when you set out to

knit but about how enjoyable the whole process is.

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I know in BVAC we have a wonderful knitter working with Tambourine Moun-

tain Arts Collective who creates colourful ladies slippers. Prepare your buyers

beforehand by simply taking photographs of your own feet while you relax in

the lounge room—a mobile phone will do the trick.

Another idea is to photograph your work

while it being made. Knitting uses interesting

tools such as knitting needles and of course

the balls of yarn. Taken part way along the

row of knitting, this photo would create a lot of

interest especially if it was a work you were

selling. Without the greenery and pink of the

flowers, this photograph would be very dull.

I am hoping to develop a strong pre-selling campaign on Facebook for the Pop-up at the end of

the year so do send in images of your work being created.

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Legal Deposit of BVAConnex with the State Library of Queensland

Last month BVAConnex finally fulfilled its requirement to become part of the collection of the

State Library of Queensland and the National Library of Australia. BVAC, through BVAConnex

has now entered into the official history of both Queensland and Australia.

Anybody can now access BVAConnex via the Trove website. Here is how to get there. Simply go

to https://trove.nla.gov.au Just go to the Home page for Trove and you will find a SEARCH box

on your screen. Type BVAConnex in the box and click on search. A new page will come up and

BVAConnex comes up as an entry under Journals with a “View Online” button. Click on that and

a new page comes up with a “Browse this collection”. Click on that and all the issues so far de-

posited will come up. Click on the issue you wish to view and it will come up.

Just one problem so far—it has been listed as literary, dramatic and musical content so will have

to get that changed. Working on it.

Just look at the edition number for this BVAConnex. Number 77. It’s hard to believe.

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What a Yarn!!!

“Heavy Metal Knitting—both heavy metal music and knitting”

When I saw this story, I simply couldn’t get over the coinci-

dence that our treasurer Lena was in Finland and this was a

story about knitting. Here is something you may not know

about Finland. Finland is the promised land of heavy metal

music. There are 50 heavy metal bands per 100 000 Finn-

ish citizens, which is astonishingly a lot, and actually more

than anywhere else in the whole world.

The number of needlework enthusiasts is equally high, as according to even the most

modest estimates there are hundreds of thousands of people in Finland who are im-

mersed various kinds of needlework crafts, knitting included. What combines them both is

the great joy of creativity. When playing guitar as well as knitting stitches it is all about the

pleasure of creating something cool with your hands. And – it’s all about the attitude!

In heavy metal knitting, needlework and music become united like never before. On the same

stage, accompanied by a million-dollar guitar solo, with hair flowing in the air, there’s heavy metal

music and knitting, shaking hands. Knitting to the rhythm of heavy metal music can be compared

to playing air guitar – which is a Finnish way to goof around as well. In heavy metal knitting, the

knitter becomes a part of the band, showing their best needlework tricks as the heavy riffs echo

on the background. The knitter takes part in the jam while

their balls of yarn and knitting needles swish through the

air…

You will be pleased to know that heavy metal knitting is

simple, and it’s easy for everyone to join. Everybody can

participate in their own way: by themselves, with friends

or by sharing video clips of their heavy metal knitting per-

formance on social media. The most important thing is to

try something new and extraordinary – and do it with your

full energy! Come on BVAC. I know we have knitters but

do we have any heavy metal aficionados in our member-

ship?

Heavy Metal Knitting is made possible by Joensuu City Cultural Services, Joensuu Conservatory,

Taito Pohjois-Karjala ry and Marketing Agency Tovari. https://heavymetalknitting.fi/en/

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BVAC Committee Contacts

President

Peter Rayson

ninetynine.94@optusnet.com.au

WATERCOLOUR SOC. QLD

Secretary

Vacant

bvac2015@gmail.com

Treasurer

Lena Tisdall

lena@tisdall.com.au

RESTITCH UPCYCLING STUDIO

Building Co-ordinator

Sandra Evans

bvac2015@gmail.com

APAT

Newsletter

Judy Hamilton

jrhylleh@hotmail.com

Art West Community Gallery

Committee

Anna-Margot Collins queenslandenameersguild@gmail.com

Q. ENAMELLERS GUILD

Wendy Goode wgoode@optusnet.com.au

SCATTERED ARTS

Sandra Pearce papermakersqueensland@yahoo.com.au

P’MAKERS/ ARTISTS QLD

MIGALOO PRESS

Jenny Jorgensen colin.jorgensen@ bigpond.com

Q, BOOKBINDERS GUILD

Shirley McCormick

shirleymc1979@hotmail.com

LCAQ

Photographing Your Work

Photographing your work with an eye to selling it online or even

pre-selling the idea of your work in the leadup the BVAC Pop-Up

Shop is just another adventure in art. I believe it was Beethoven

who said that before you break the rules, you must first know the

rules. Rules is a harsh word so let’s settle for guidelines.

The most basic of these guidelines is the “Rule of Thirds”. This

guideline asks us to imagine

our composition divided into

nine equal sections. We should

place the object of our photo on

one of the intersections. Note in

the example that the tree-line

coincides with the line forming

the bottom third

Placing your main subject off-centre, as

with the rule of thirds, creates a more inter-

esting photo, but it can leave a void in the

scene which can make it feel empty. You

can achieve a balanced composition and

even out the main subject's "visual weight"

by including another object of lesser im-

portance to fill the space.

Another point to make is that we are

surrounded by symmetry and patterns,

both natural and man-made. (Don’t for-

get to enter Scattered Arts competition

this year). They can make for very eye

-catching compositions, particularly in

situations where they are not ex-

pected. Another great way to use them

is to break the symmetry or pattern in

some way, introducing tension and a

focal point to the scene.

Often a photo will lack impact be-

cause the main subject is so small it

becomes lost among the clutter of its

surroundings. By cropping tight

around the subject you can eliminate

the background "noise", ensuring the

subject gets the viewer's undivided

attention.

These are just some techniques you might like to consider when

you are photographing your work. Try to use natural light where

possible or side lighting rather than relying on the flash from your

camera or phone. Everything flattens out with camera flash.