Saturday, July 29, 2006

My Website has a new look

For some time now I have been considering giving my website a new look but put if off because of the work that was involved.

With a big exhibition that I am involved with approaching quickly I thought it was time to put into action my ideas.

I feel that the new look is much more professional from a gallery point of view than the previous colours. The easy access to links is still listed on the left hand side. The banner has a new look. The time consuming part was making new thumbnails without drop shadows. Also font colours and text were edited. I also removed some unnecessary “junk” on the homepage so that it loads quicker for those on slow dial-up.

Have a look by clicking on Arts & Stuff with Susan Borgas. If the page looks no different to your last visit or mixed up, refresh your page and all will be revealed.

Technorati tags: web, website, artist, painting

Friday, July 28, 2006

Aussie Humour

A friend sent me these and just had to share.Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

LOG ON: Adding wood to make the barbie hotter.
LOG OFF: Not adding any more wood to the barbie.
MONITOR: Keeping an eye on the barbie.
DOWNLOAD: Getting the firewood off the ute.
HARD DRIVE: Making the trip back home without any cold tinnies.
KEYBOARD: Where you hang the ute keys.
WINDOW: What you shut when the weather's cold.
SCREEN: What you shut in the mozzie season.
BYTE: What mozzies do.
MEGABYTE: What Townsville mozzies do.
CHIP: A bar snack.
MICROCHIP: What's left in the bag after you've eaten the chips.
MODEM: What you did to the lawns.
LAPTOP: Where the cat sleeps.
SOFTWARE: Plastic knives & forks you get at Red Rooster.
HARDWARE: Stainless steel knives & forks from K-Mart.
MOUSE: The small rodent that eats the grain in the shed.
MAINFRAME: What holds the shed up.
WEB: What spiders make.
WEBSITE: Usually in the shed or under the verandah.
SEARCH ENGINE: What you do when the ute won't go.
CURSOR: What you say when the ute won't go.
YAHOO: What you say when the ute does go.
UPGRADE: A steep hill.
SERVER: The person at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.
MAIL SERVER: The bloke at the pub who brings out the counter lunch.
USER: The neighbour who keeps borrowing things.
NETWORK: What you do when you need to repair the fishing net.
INTERNET: Where you want the fish to go.
NETSCAPE: What the fish do when they discover the hole in the net.
ONLINE: Where you hang the washing.
OFFLINE: Where the washing ends up when the pegs aren't strong enough.

Technorati tags: joke, humour, Aussie

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Flinders Sunset

Gee I miss posting to my blog regularly. I have been so busy with bookwork for the family farm that by the time evening comes my brain just isn’t in the mood for story telling.

Today was different though with appointments and shopping at Port Pirie, one hours drive away. The sun was nearly setting when we pulled up at our back door to unload the groceries. I was watching the sky for colour and knew that it was going to be a spectacular sunset. Like a mad woman I ran inside my home, grabbed the camera, back outside and ran over to the paddock west of our house. Thankfully I did not full flat on my face.

I loved how the suns rays were reaching for the sky between the clouds with this one.

Click image for a large view.

Sunset, Southern Flinders

Technorati tags: sunset, blog

Monday, July 24, 2006

Eucalyptus River Red Gum

If these old Eucalyptus River Red Gums could talk what stories they would be able to tell us. I took this photo about two years ago near Melrose of South Australia.

River Red Gum

Technorati tags: tree, artist, photo, image,
photography

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" ten

Right from the start I do apologies for anyone that is on dial-up as there is four photos for you to have a look at plus I was supposed to post images yesterday. That didn’t happen as I have been spending some quality time with my daughter and her husband who visited for the weekend.

The reason that I am posting macro shots of this painting I want to show you that many of the marks applied are not as carefully applied as one might imagine in this painting. I will use everything and anything to get different effects. The sword play is using a long rigger that has plenty of paint on it; dotting dashing and swilling around on the canvas. Using a painting knife with a thin layer of paint on it I scrape across the surface of the canvas; once more leaving dots and dashes behind. Use the point of a knife to pick up two or three colours of paint then apply for larger stones. Use a short haired brush the same way as a knife to make stones. It then avoids the creek having the stones looking all the same as if rabbits have left there calling cards behind. Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Once I am sure the paint is dry enough I am going to glaze a purple shadow up the bank of the creek on the bottom right. This will be a transparent glaze as I have used in different parts of the foreground already. I doubt that I will be posting it back here though will add it to my website.

So there you have it, until the last two recent paintings it has been some time since I have worked with oils. I am already thinking about my next painting, which will be a pastel landscape.









Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, landscape

Friday, July 21, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" nine

I can’t get a decent photo of the whole painting due to the bad light. All the same I have two close-ups to show you. Sorry they are so grainy but the best I can do today.

I will post an image of the whole painting tomorrow as well as a close-up shot of the transparent water on the left hand side.

I am now at the more look than put stage of the painting. I have to admit I am starting to look forward to working once more with my pastels.

Rawnsley Bluff
Creek Water

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" eight

Thought I better post an update before anymore additional work is done on this piece. The water is now taking shape with very little left to do on it other than perhaps some tweaking of the reflections of the trees. I am very happy with the area of transparent water.

I still have the right hand side of the creek bank to work on yet plus the limbs in the trees. Also the middle ground trees on the left still need some branches and twigs.

With some of the brush strokes I must look like a swordsperson waving the brush around with the arm stretched right out. That is what I have been doing on the banks of the creek when applying tones and textures. Rather fun!!!

Central Flinders

Technorait tags: oil, landscape, art, artist,landscape artist

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Painters of the Flinders Ranges

I wonder how many people enjoy going to meetings as much as I take pleasure in visiting with the “Painters of the Flinders Ranges” when organizing up and coming exhibitions. I attended one of those meetings today with a social time afterwards.

There is a huge amount of work when it comes to the administration side of our group, more so for our major exhibition that is held at the Wilpena Woolshed once a year. This exhibition runs from 16 Sep – 15 Oct 2006.

At this Wilpena Woolshed Exhibition we have a ball, as artist in residence interacting with our peers as well as meeting many wonderful people that come to view our work. Large numbers of artworks are sold during this exhibition to many holiday makers and visitors who desire to take home a piece of the Flinders Ranges to hang on their walls. Because the artists are painting as well as looking after sales, it gives the customer/visitors an opportunity to ask questions about our artworks first hand. After all it is the artist that has the knowledge of what we are all about.

Even though today was very cold, none of the members or their partners realized it was chilly, as our host John Millard and his wife Edna kept us nice and warm at their beach home at Waroona Island. It was a dreary day but took these two photos of the view I was looking at during the meeting. It was just soooo relaxing!!!

Waroona Island

Below: off in the distance is the Sourthern Flinders Ranges.

Flinders Ranges

Technorati tags: art, artist, exhibition, Flinders Ranges

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" seven

I tend to jump all over the place when I get bored with an area when painting with oils. I start to fiddle and better off letting an area dry and add more paint when feeling fresh in my own mind to tackle it again at a later time.

Since my last posting I have tweaked the foliage in the middle ground trees. The limbs and twigs are yet to be finished in this same area.

I have prepared more work on the stony area but the biggest change you will see is the right hand side with the trees now starting to shape up. More work still to be done but patience is now required while I watch paint dry.

Central Flinders

Technorati tags: art, artist, landscape, oil

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" six

Very happy with what I managed to get done today. After completing my morning household jobs I was in the studio by nine this morning. I painted until lunchtime by which time I was frozen from standing in front of my easel. It is so cold at the present time and supposed to be colder tomorrow.

Once lunch was eaten it was back to work; not painting but mounting pastels into frames this time. After some time passed I noticed the skies were clouding over so much heavier that I thought I better take a photo of the painting I was working on or once more I would have a dark image to present to you all again.

Once the framing job for two paintings was finished I then went back to painting for another hour then decided to call it quits as the studio was getting far to cold for me.

So there ya go that was my day, hope it was a good one for all of you as well.



Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, landscape

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

This and That!

I am not posting a photo as the natural light was gone before I thought of using the camera.

With wet paint the image more than likely won’t show up a lot of difference to yesterdays post to my blog even though I did spend quite a few hours on it again today.

Think being a realism artist has it faults when painting creek beds…..so many stones to paint!!!

I am going to mount some of my pastel paintings into frames tomorrow. I also hope to get some painting done.

For those that look forward to a photo posted on my blog there will be one tomorrow.

Technorati tags: blog, photo, blogging, art, realism artist

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" five

I worked seven hours today on this painting as I wanted to complete the second pass over the original layer.

It isn’t the best image because of the lack of natural light when this photo was taken. There is more variety of tonal values placed on the painting than what is actually showing up.

Well I am bushed and I need to start thinking about the evening meal. Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Rawnsley Bluff

Monday, July 10, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" four

Slow going but pretty happy with how this is coming along.

The mountain has now been refined to the point of finished. I have started adding another layer to the trees in the middle ground to give you an idea of what is to come next.

More work will be done on the middle ground tomorrow with another posting to follow.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting



Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, landscape

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" three

The sky and mountain are dry enough today to allow me to place the darks where I want them. The mountain still isn’t finished and will be worked on next.

Colour was scrubbed in and around the middle and foreground. Little paint has been used but does help me to map out some of the areas.

Darks need to go in where the water is laying, which is a job for another day. The water will have lots of layers applied with areas of the bottom of the creek showing through the transparent water.

Rawnsley Bluff, Central Flinders

Technorati tags: landscape, oil, art, artist

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Elder Range, Central Flinders "FINISHED"

The light isn’t the best today for taking a photo but did want to post today.

I feel that this is now finished though as usual the work will sit for some time before framing it just incase I see something that needs altering.

A close up shot will give you more idea of the texture in this painting. One thing I did do that may not be altogether noticeable I faded off the contrasting colours on the right side of the mountain so that it heads off into the distance more.


Elder Range, Central Flinders

close up of Elder Range

Technorati tags: oil, art, artist, landscape

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Blogging

The Elder Range painting is so close to the finished stage that I decided to refrain from posting it today as a follow up will not show a lot of the additional changes. If nothing interferes with my plans the painting will be finished tomorrow for you all to view on my blog.

Today it is seven months since I started blogging and has become a way of life for me to talk about my work. I actually do find posting to my blog motivating to keep working whether it be painting, drawing or what ever comes to mind. If I don’t there will be nothing to post here and we can't have that!!!! :D

Prior to my own blog I knew very little about the blogging side of life. I have now found some very interesting artist blogs. Two that I will mention here are both completely different from each other and always look forward to their postings. The first one is Laurelines and the second Making a Mark.

There are many blogs that I do enjoy and more will be shared with you in the near future.


Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, blog, blogging, painting

Monday, July 03, 2006

Elder Range, Central Flinders "WIP" five

I spent quite a few hours in my studio painting today, as I will be unable to work tomorrow due to a well overdue shopping day.

Middle and foreground were worked on today. I still have some work to do but need to wait until the paint dries off.

Elder Range

Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, landscape

Rawnsley Bluff "WIP" two

The sky will not be touched again.

I blocked in the light and dark areas of the mountain: Once dry I will apply another layer, which will help give some of the crevices depth.

Rawnsley Bluff

Technorati tags: art, artist, oil, landscape

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Whizzing past the computer with a post!

Just thought I would pop up a post to let you know I am still in the land of the living. :D

My son plus his fiancée came home for a visit. They turned up on the farm here around 9.30am Friday. One of my daughters arrived during the evening of Friday. The kids now should be nearly back to their own homes, which is a three hour drive away.

All in all it has been a wonderful weekend spending time with them.

I should have another update tomorrow with the “WIP’s”.

Cheers, Susan