"At The Bend"

This small waterhole was a surprise find when my sister Barbara and I were walking in the wild bushland. We had had rain, and it was great to see the bush greening up. I had three visits to the site (twice with the large canvas, and once just to photograph).

AUS $1600 
plus postage within Australia and international.

"Light on the Floor": see "technique" page for progress photos.

I painted this work over two sessions: both in the afternoon.
In fact, it was a bit hot today, and although I wear sunscreen, I feel a tad burnt! (I was wearing a hat though! :))
I love dramatic shadows of this view, and the messy forest floor is a fun, graphic subject.

I have taken progress photos which can be seen on another page in this blog.

Backyard Dam at Mulgoa

I have an amazing new 'back yard' with a chook shed and a dam, and an acre of natural bush. So my next few painting subjects will be close to home! Here is the dam. It has a slow leak, and therefore goes down then up, depending on the recent rainfall. Fortunately we don't need it for anything practical, so the level is not important. Yesterday I saw a tortoise in it! I thought it was a dinner plate under the water, until it swam away! We suspect there are yabbies in there as well, as the occasional crab-like claw has been found on the muddy edge.

I painted this 'en plain air' painting over a few days. I had many attempts... but each time I worked on it the light changed in temperature and position. So I see it as a conglomerate of four days over summer.

Running Cool and Deep

I loved the tall, soft grass and the intense detail in the foliage in this view at Macquarie Woods. But it was very hot, and I had set up my table in the open very early. Soon the sun was overhead and I was sweltering! And the acrylic paint was drying as it touched the canvas.

So the finishing was done on my verandah, this afternoon.

I can't use my studio yet, as it is not finished! I have pics of its progress on my other blog: onepaintingeveryotherday.blogspot.com.au.

"Running Cool and Deep" by Shirley Peters

Acrylic on Canvas

60cm x 90cm

Gold Light in the Afternoon

Macquarie Woods, NSW, is a 'demonstration' pine plantation in country NSW. A section of the property is reserved for camping. We spent our first night there in our brand-new motorhome. There were no facilities like electricity or wi-fi. It was just us, parked beside this small lake. 

The warm afternoon light on the distant hills, and the large expanse of reflective water was so inviting, I painted it till sunset.

We had a steep leaning curve that night: parking on a level spot was important if you wanted a good night's sleep. Also the electrical outlets didn't work if your van is not plugged in to 240 volts: so no coffee!

"Gold Light in the Afternoon"

by Shirley Peters

Acrylic on Watercolor Paper 300gsm 50cm x 38cm

Breakaway Caught

Le Tour de France

Watercolour painting 

Approx 24 x 32cm on paper
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The tour is over, but I'm still addicted to painting the riders and the action.

"On Their Own"

This is one of my annual series of Le Tour de France paintings. 

I try to paint at least one every day of the tour.

If you want to see me painting, search for my name, and you will find me in an episode of "Colour in Your Life".

Watercolor on paper 24 cm x 32 cm (9.4" x 12.6")

Available on

ebay

Giant-Shimano Team Joy

An Original Painting of Le Tour de France

by Shirley Peters

Perfect finish for Kittel is being celebrated by his lead out man at the back. Very exciting!!

Watercolor on paper 24 cm x 32 cm (9.4" x 12.6")

Posted Flat, supported with foam core board.

Painted on 8th July 2014

This is the second in my annual series of Le Tour de France paintings. 

I try to paint at least one every day of the tour.

If you want to see me painting, search for my name, and you will find me in an episode of "Colour in Your Life".

Sold

Stage 2- On The Turn

An Original Painting of Le Tour de France

by Shirley Peters

Stage two was spectacular: such huge crowds! And a frantic pace in the last half of the race.

This view of a breakaway cyclist typifies the individual nature of cycling: 

such personal effort as shown here, even though it is a team event.

Watercolor on paper 24 cm x 32 cm (9.4" x 12.6")

Posted Flat, supported with foam core board.

Painted on 8th July 2014

This is the second in my annual series of Le Tour de France paintings. 

I try to paint at least one every day of the tour.

If you want to see me painting, search for my name, and you will find me in an episode of "Colour in Your Life".

Sold 

PS: The painting will fit a standard Ikea frame. "Riba"

Big brush easy painting technique

Graeme Stevenson's TV show (Season 7 episode 11) featuring ME! Who'd a thought?

My painting demo on TV (in Australia)

Just a quick post to say that I will be on TV on Sunday night (Eastern Australian Time +10), painting  a view of the harbour from Lavender Bay. The show is called "Colour in Your Life" and it is on Free-to-Air  Channel 4ME at 6.30 pm But you can watch it (now or anytime) from the Colour In Your Life web site: http://www.colourinyourlife.com.au/tv-show/item/264-shirley-peters

The Traverse

I have been retouching this work that I started in 2010. It was spotted on my web site, and requested by email. It's Murphy's Law that if you remove only some paintings from their stretchers and roll the canvases for storage, one of these paintings will be chosen for viewing by a client!! So I stapled it back onto a stretcher, and delivered it to the new home to see if they liked it. They did, so I fetched it back, retouched the paintwork to my now higher standard, and it's ready to be professionally framed.  I really like the subject, as it is where I used to ski in Perisher, NSW. So glad that it is going to a new, stylish home.

Size: 150cm x 95cm (approx) Oil on Canvas. Sold.

30 minutes of fame!!

"Colour in my Life"

Here I am being filmed by a TV production company 

that makes the "Colour in Your Life"  TV Series. 

My episode will be aired June 15th 2014. 

Initially I was going to be painting in our boat: but it ended up being too small for the crew, so I arrived and left via the boat, and painted on the shore. It was fun chatting to the host, Graeme Stevenson, while I was painting. But, I have no idea how it will turn out!

After Warm

Watercolour 54 cm x 38 cm
We left the main highway between Bathurst and Orange, 

and travelled up a lane at Macquarie Wood. (NSW Australia) 

We discovered this wide vista beyond the rise. The sun was low, but strong.

Boats on Sydney Harbour

Had such fun painting this from our small boat.

Acrylic on paper: 30 cm x 40cm (approx) Seascape

Bondi Beach

I have a 'plein air' harbour painting on my wall at the moment, and it lifts me when I look at the bright colours and splashes of paint. I think that these are 'slap happy' paintings.

This Bondi Beach is one of my favourites: painted on a large sheet of watercolour paper, which I then mount onto canvas. I will be describing my 'mount' technique soon. I think it's a winner, so I'll share. :)

www.galleryv.com.au

Settler's Arms Inn, St Albans

Nestled in a valley between large mountains sits an old Inn, a popular destination for day trips from Sydney. I was there last Sunday, and I painted "en plein air" from the beer garden.

Watercolour 32 x 40cm (approx)

Boat Studio

It's taken almost a lifetime, but we have finally bought a small boat. Which I am using as a floating easel. Here I am painting the Gladesville Bridge. I have used big brushes for the main areas. This little brush is just the finishing accents in white.

(above) Finished painting: I try not to touch it again, so that it retains the freshness of the "Plein Air"...

And of course, it is always an inaccurate rendering of the real thing! In hindsight, and with the benefit of photography, I can see that I have exaggerated the bridge. Ha, obviously it seemed more important to me! But I don't mind being 'wrong', as that shows a personal interpretation of the scene. 

Same beach, same scene

This alcove was just made for me! It is a viewing platform on the road beside Bondi Beach. I spread out a plastic sheet and start painting the surf.  Perfect!

But at the moment my dilemma is how to frame or mount the large paintings. They are on watercolour paper (185gsm) which is tough, but needs a heavy perspex frame.

I am going to try mounting the paper onto canvas using lots of wet bondcrete.

Fingers crossed!

Bondi Beach under the Sun

Bob and I visited Bondi yesterday for some fresh-air painting, but I only managed a sketch. It was hot, busy, and I did not have any swimmers with me!

So I did a sketch, painted it up last night with watercolour, and will go back later today on my own. One thing: the colours really were this bright. I took lots of photos with the 'good' Canon, just in case the weather turned and I was unable to return. It takes about 30 minutes to get through the traffic from home to the beach. 

On a related topic, I have to go to the skin-cancer-clinic for a check-up today.  Aussies are supposed to have very high skin-cancer victims. Our fair skin under 6 months of burning sun rays.

Watercolour on paper
38cm x 37cm 

Ebb Tide

Watercolour 42 x 59cm

Mangroves have inner beauty. Old and spindly, they cope with everything

the river throws up.. so to speak.

Turning Tide

This is a possible new direction for me: It is watercolour, but is also an unusual composition.

It was the pale light shining through the pale trunks that attracted me. I photographed it just after a king tide, where the water had flooded over the path. Please leave a comment if you like... :)

42 cm x 60 cm

Watercolor on paper

The Hidden Beach

I was exploring my favourite park for some painting inspiration, and I discovered a sandy beach section, with moss covered rocks, and sea shells! This is the Parramatta river, about 13 km in from the sea. I was taking lots of shots, and a big cloud appeared from the west.
I used one of these pics for a demonstration painting at The Castle Hill Art Society last night, and this is my result.
Acrylic on paper about 60 cm x 100 cm.

River Life

This is a view from Putney Park. (warming up for a demo on Wed. night.)
River Life. 
Acrylic on paper 58 x 78cm

Huge Fig Tree

This tree was very big, and very old. 

It lives in a park near my house in Putney.

I have not noticed it before, but I will make up for

 that oversight with a lot of attention in the future!

40cm x 60cm

Acrylic on paper

Summer Hues at the Point

My house is near a river, which is actually the western edge of Sydney Harbour. We have many parks along its edge, and lately I have joined with a few other artists to paint in these parks in the hot sunshine! Today was perfect weather, with a cool breeze. This work is on canvas, but not stretched. My Facebook page shows an "in situ" photograph. It will be shown in my next exhibition on May 1.

Sydney, Australia

Acrylic on canvas

80 x 97cm

Summer Rain

I painted "Summer Rain" for a demonstration at my local art society.

It is acrylic on paper, and executed like a watercolour.

I wanted to represent a different weather event 

from the normal sunny, bright days.

90 x 55cm (approx)

Sydney Daylight

Charcoal sketch and painting from the Observatory Hill in Sydney. 

Unlike last time (in the bandstand) I was positioned out on the grass, and at times I had whole bus loads of tourists behind me! 

It was quite a challenge to maintain concentration. There were little children up close, so engrossed and watching every stroke. (I use big house brushes.)

But I chatted with lots of people and it was fun: like when you are walking a dog, everyone is much friendlier.

"Sydney Daylight"

55 x 90cm

Acrylic on paper

Charcoal study

44 x 50cm

Available at my next Gallery V show opening May 1

Three Harbour Paintings

Sydney Harbour is so vast, there are lots of nooks and crannies. You could be anywhere! 

In the wild, on an island... or in the middle of a city!

Haze on the Harbour

I'm changing my method of watercolour.

I've been watching a Jim Lovett video (A Queensland artist) who advocates the use of gesso as a glaze to soften colours. (I've used acrylic titanium white before, as well as gouache. But gesso seems to be more transparent.)

I've also been reading Lloyd Rees book where he talks about whitening his paintings as he became more mature, and trying to capture the light of the harbour.
Both these influences are making an impression on me.

24 x 32cm
Mixed media (watercolour and gesso) on paper.

White Echos

We wandered along this lane twice: once in 2012 and again in 2013: 

both times I was fascinated by the curves of the church's nave.

AUD$120 (email to purchase)

25 x 30cm

Oil on Canvas

Golden Dash

Le Tour de France sprinters doing their thing... heads down, racing for the finish.

Watercolor, 24 x 32cm

Click here to visit my Etsy Shop

Old Grandeur

An old house in the bush: built on the top of a hill and surrounded by

Australian gum trees.

I loved the red roof against the pale blue foliage.

An Original Watercolour

by Shirley Peters

Traditional technique of watercolour on heavy paper. 

Returning Home

.

A traditional Australian painting of an old iron-roofed house,

once a proud home, now neglected and empty.

My grandmother lived in such an isolated house, 

but in those times there were no trees, just paddocks

Traditional technique of watercolour on heavy paper. 

An original, signed, painting.

Image size: 32cm x 24cm (12.5" x 9.4")

Luna Park near the Bridge

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An original, signed, painting on paper by Shirley Peters.

Image size is 22 x 30cm (paper is larger)

Artist watercolour on Arches Paper

Le Tour de France.

 

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Old Sheds near Ball's Head Reserve, Sydney Harbour.

My new series of daily paintings will be based on views of Sydney Harbour.

Looking down from Ball's Head reserve, these old sheds reminded me of the 'hey' days of the northern side, when industry required water transport.

46cm x 35cm

Watercolour on Paper

Sold.

Fresh Air Painting again, this time in Sydney.

Such a lovely day! Warm but with a cool breeze. Bob agreed to come Plein Air painting this afternoon. We drove around and around looking for a special spot at North Sydney.

Up high, not too many passing people. Great view. Perfect!

My folder lies flat and holds the paper. Paints behaved themselves.

Only problem is that I had to bend over to paint as I forgot my "extended" brush.

Back at the car, Bob is waiting for paint to dry! "It's not going in MY Subaru while still wet."

After deciding that the painting could fit in the car without having to fold it, we headed for our latest, favourite restaurant for dinner. But we needed a loo, urgently.

We found these "self cleaning" ones are under the Harbour Bridge.

I had to take a photo: clean, free, and so convenient.

What every "plein air" artist needs!!!

Speaking of which.. the bridge looked very splendid in the setting sun.

Back at home, my painting rests on the living room floor while it dries.

Finished painting. 

I'm not 'allowed' to touch it again. My rules :)

Except for removing the stones!

Racing Le Tour

During the European summer, I was busy painting scenes from Le Tour de France.

I was sitting up late at night (I live in Sydney, Australia) taking photographs of the TV screen as the race unfolded, and quickly sketching and painting the views. At the end of each night I would post the painting on eBay, and sell it after 5 days of (sometimes) competitive bidding.

I've been doing it for three years now. I have new buyers, and a group of 'collectors' who keep returning, and bidding. Many sales are to Americans and Canadians. 

This year, I made contact with a gallery in Amsterdam, who wanted to show my work in their window spaces around the town. So I doubled my output, and had a selection of 21 works to send over in September. They were received very well. 

Which brings me to eBay. I am now selling the paintings from that Amsterdam display.

They are 24 x 32cm (9.5" x 12.5") 

There are five available at the moment, with more being added every few days.

Click here to Bid