Rotary Club of Clare, Inc. Art Prize

These are my two entries for the Rotary Club of Clare Art Prize.

The entry title for the butterfly pastel is "Wanderer Butterfly".
The work in progress can be found at the following quick link. here

The entry title for the landscape watercolour is "Wilpena Creek, Central Flinders"
The work can be viewed at this quick link here then scroll down until the painting comes into view.

Exhibition Dates:-
5th May, 7pm Gala Opening
6 - 10 May 10.00-5.00pm
11 May 10.00 - 2.00pm

Click thumbnail for a larger view.

Thank You :)

I big thank you to those that take interest in my Blog.

I notice a marked increase with RSS feeds for my Blog as well as visitors directly to here along with visits to my news feeds at my website that can be found in “Sue’s Musings”. Your interest in what I am doing keeps me motivated to continue on updating regularly.

I do value comments left by visitors.

My poll is slowly increasing with votes. The temptation is to remove the poll with the votes strongly suggesting images open in a new window If you don’t agree please vote. I am planning either to keep my website opening images in a new window or the same page, depending on this poll.

Just as a matter of interest I don’t have the page loading control over this Blog for images. Shame about that! I would be keen to know if anyone can tell me that there is a way? I would rather not alter who my Blog is with as I don’t want to relocate to another when so many are visiting this one?

You know, some of the good part of blog theory was that blogs would be like diaries that the world could read. They would be spontaneous, whatever pops into your mind, as a diary would be.
- Gregg Easterbrook

Port Broughton Beach - Watercolour

Ok I think this is now finished unless a tweak here or there is decided on.

Size: 280 x 400 mm
Paper: Arches, medium 300gsm, 100% cotton

Willy Wagtails

The watercolour painting that I am working on isn’t ready to be posted here yet so yes you guessed it, another of my photos for show and tell.

This one of the Willy Wagtail chicks being fed was taken on the 25/10/05 looking through my kitchen window.

If you look to the right you will see the nest that they were reared in. They are such active little birds that it was hard to get a good photo of them.

Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings.
Victor Hugo

Fire without rain!

Last night I snapped this photo about a hundred meters from my back door looking across a paddock. Not sure if it is because I have interest in taking these photos that I notice more now, or that there is actually extra colourful sunsets in my area the last few months.

Either way the clouds are teasing us as to will or will it not rain. I do hope there is some rainfall on the horizon soon that we may sow are wheat and barely.

“Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”
- Langston Hughes

Fishing boats at Port Broughton

This photo was taken in the late afternoon from the Port Broughton jetty on the same day as the two previous sunset photos that I posted on my Blog. It has it own appeal and thought you all might enjoy it.

Port Broughton Sunset

I don't have a painting to post today nor will I for the next couple of days as I am in the thick of bookkeeping on the farm.

I would like to share with you another sunset photo that I took at Port Broughton during the Easter period.

There will be a photo tomorrow and so on.

"Old Bakery" at Stone Hut

If you happen to be passing through the tiny town of Stone Hut in South Australia I can recommend the Old Bakery’s huge chunky meat pies.

My husband and I dropped in there for the first time on our way home from our Easter break at Port Broughton. We had heard so much about the food at the Old Bakery that we thought it was time to sample their creation. We were not disappointed.

The word certainly has traveled as you will see by the number of vehicles parked. There were more visitors than people living in Stone Hut. The bakery shop is the two peaked roofed building to the left in the photo which has a nostalgic atmosphere inside and out.

Click image for larger view.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) Completed

Well the big question has finely arrived, is it finished???

Smaller branches and twigs have been placed in the trees as well as the odd sky hole. I spent quite a bit of time completing the water. The bottom left corner was quickly completed as I didn’t want detail in this area though the pastel marks give a good impression of lots of litter on the ground.

For now it is more look than put. There maybe a tweak here and there but nothing major with no further posting on the blog with this work. When I get a chance I will organize a pdf file of this painting as a Work in Progress, which then can be downloaded at my website.



Thought you might like to see a close up of the stones under the water.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) eight

Today I have worked on the rocks and creek bed. I have only ever painted transparent water with oils in the past and found it very interesting to use pastels to try and achieve the same thing. I hope to complete the water tomorrow as well as the bottom bank.

I did pick out some rocks that are more in focus and some not. As you will see with the close up shot they are in fact just layers laid over the top of each other allowing some of the under colour to show through. I always do keep in mind though the direction of light as well as reflective light.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) seven

Today I attacked the top right hand side of the painting. I strengthened up the bottom of these trees as I felt there wasn’t enough width in the trunks to hold the tops upright. Mmmmmmm, starting to tire of tree trunks and foliage and glad to have the main parts of it done. Still have the twigs to put in place; that is a job for another day.

I glazed some colour over the banks of the creek making sure I don’t completely cover the staining colour underneath. This area still isn't finished.

I called it a day when I dropped one of my favourite Unison colour. I could hardly believe my eyes when it happened but here is the proof of the pudding with an image further down below.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) six

Between two lots of visitors and phone ringing here I did manage to get some work done. The top left quarter is now well on the way. It hasn’t been easy to separate much of the foliage from the distance to the forward position but reasonably happy with the progress of this area. I still have sky holes to put back plus the twigs, which will be done at a later time.

I have posted a close up of the tree trunks in the thick area of growth so that you can see what is going on. I used short flat sides of the AS Australian grey as well as my reworked stick of Australian grey that had some other scraps of colour mixed in making a slightly pinkish colour. I scraped lightly picking up some of the under colour at the same time. The trick was to push slightly harder on the pastel from the direction of light so that the trunks look rounded because the opposite side of the pastel didn’t bite so much leaving some of the under colour showing through. I then place a few more marks in appropriate places to add more form to the lower areas. My aim is to achieve a mysterious area of bush land that is common place in this region with thick growth.

I scraped some more colour along the bank though it does have a lot more work to be done.

Until next time, Cheers!!!

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) five

I am rushing this post as I am yet to catch up with some mundane jobs. I will let you guys work out what I have done in this update……… catch ya soon.

Home Sweet Home

My husband and I had a wonderful time with family and friends at Port Broughton over the Easter Weekend but now it is back to work until an opportunity arrives for us to pack our bags again and head off once more.

I was lucky enough to snap this sunset at Port Broughton.

Click on image for larger view.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to you all! I will be back posting again Monday or Tuesday.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) four

I put in the larger shapes of sky with further sky holes made at a later time when the tree canopies are finished.

Using darks, I stained the paper where the main bulk of the tree foliage will be.

After making a start on the tree foliage I felt that the mountain did need to be lightened, which I did with a pale mauve/purple colour.

Till next time, cheers!!!

" Butterfly WIP" pdf file

I decided to update my website today as well as a few other jobs that I have wanted to do.

I have put together a PDF file for the Butterfly WIP that I recently painted with pastel. This along with future “Work in Progress” will be found at the following link on my website.

Work in Progress

There will be no update today for Willochra Creek, Melrose. All going well, I will post a progress update tomorrow.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) three

Time to post another update.

The mountain is near complete other than minor adjustments that maybe needed as the painting progresses. I also applied pastel to the sky above the mountain so that I could see the tonal values between sky and distant trees. I am reasonably happy with the resulting contrasts.

I have scraped on a thin layer of pastel in the foreground to stain the paper. I have used the warm red/brown tones to compliment the green layers that will be placed over the top. Also rocks and litter will come into play yet in these areas.

Even though it is Sunday tomorrow in Aussie land, I hope to have another posting by the end of the day. Best laid plans often can be interrupted though so I will see what happens.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress) two

At the moment I am feeling my way with pastel application so that I get some of the paper covered. This is done lightly.

The mountain has purple and blue scraped on the paper then rubbed into the support. This will have numerous lighter tones laid over the top. I find this helps give me depth in the mountain rather than a flat expanse of area.

As you can see I did take the middle tree out that has the dark trunk. I felt that it was too centered and not good for the over all design.

Hopefully I will have anther posting tomorrow.

Willochra Creek, Melrose (Work in Progress)

Work is 47.5cm high x 68cm wide.
Elephant Art Spectrum Colourfix


This spot is roughly about 20 minutes drive from where I live in the Southern Flinders Ranges. It is one of my favourite areas to paint.

I have spent some time at the drawing stage as well as made a tonal map to give me an idea of the course I would like to go. The tonal map is only for guidance and if need be I will change the design for a better painting.

So hop on board another WIP is about to start.

Wilpena Pound Creek

I love painting the area around Wilpena Pound of the Central Flinders Ranges. I thought it was time to try my hand at a more serious painting with watercolours. I am reasonably happy with it though of cause there is always and will be room for learning. I hope this never stops or boredom will soon set in for me.

Size: 38 x 28 centimeters (unframed)
Paper: Arches 640 gsm rough.

Click image below for a larger view.

Summer Time Near Melrose

I have started a new painting today with watercolours. I am not going to post it here in my blog until it is completed.

For those that enjoy seeing images on my blog I am posting a pastel painting that I completed late 2004.

More paintings can be viewed at my website at Arts & Stuff with Susan Borgas

Calibrate Monitor

Have you ever wondered if your monitor is calibrated for optimal image display?

As I edit my own images I decided it was time to learn how to calibrate my own monitor. I found it wasn’t as hard as I thought.

The best website that I found with clear instructions is this one http://homepage.eircom.net/~bot/paint/monitor.htm

I do have Adobe Gamma installed on my computer with a shortcut on my screen to find it quickly to check my monitor regularly. Adobe Gamma if installed can be found in the "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration" folder of your computer.

When I am setting up the Gamma using the large coloured patch from the website (link above) I stand back from the monitor approximately ten feet as this is easier to see if each patch is blending.

When asked to save your new settings, give it a name that is unique (do not save over the original file name as you may want to retrieve this back) so that you can request for these new settings to be used in other editing programs. Adobe image programs will already know your new settings. For example PaintShop Pro, you will need to go to File then Colour Management. In the Monitor Profile drop down menu, choose you’re newly saved monitor settings, click OK and you are now using your new settings for PaintShop Pro. You won’t need to do this every time you tweak your monitor setting if you save to that unique file name each time.

Once done your monitor should now clearly show all shades of greys and colour in your images.