June /July in review 2024
June/July 2024
Season: Winter
Winter has hit and it’s freezing. There’s been way less rain than the previous year. The dams are pretty low. We are hoping the rains will come in all their glory and fill them up.
You feel vulnerable on land when there is little water, bushfires are a reality. Our dams are linked to the irrigation system so we need them full.
The nicest thing about winter is snuggling up by the fire. There’s less immediacy with jobs to do. We have began pruning and will soon prepare the veggie garden’s soil for Spring planting.
I’ve noticed that pops of yellow have begun dotting the landscape. The wattle is starting to bloom. I fondly remember noticing the beauty of the wattle on our many drives into Daylesford when we were looking for a property. It’s lovely noticing what each season brings - winter wattle is a favourite.
Below are some photos of the morning light reflections. Getting up early and braving the cold on our morning walks is well worth it for the sunrise.
My work:
In early July I was fortunate to participate in a 7 day art workshop in the East MacDonnell Ranges with Idris Murphy.
I adore Idris’s work so to be in his company and bear witness to his teachings was a real privilege. Everyday we set up and painted, ‘Plein Air.’ I really want to do more of this on our property so practicing this all week was invaluable. Observing how other artists set up and worked outdoors in the landscape was really inspiring.
I’m excited to do more.
Idris’s advice was for us to make a family tree of great artists who have since passed that can inform your work. He advised us to study them and take note of how they solved problems. Look into what they were trying to express, what were their intentions.
I’ve created a list of both Australian and International artists to start investigating.
Fred Williams
Sidney Nolan
Ginger Riley
Billy Benn Perrurle
Henri Matisse
Paul Klee
Howard Hodgkin
Ivon Hitchens
Frank Auerbach
Helen Frankenthaler
Judy Cassab
Etel Adnan
Shared resources:
Books on my list to read or listen to: