'It's a Wrap'

We had a place at Sorrento and everyday we'd take the kids to the beach.

We bought a few large black plastic rubbish bins,

and we'd half-fill these with cold water in the morning.....

and leave them smack in the middle of the yard...in the full sun.

We'd leave the hose out in the sun too.... snaking over the hot grass.

Then off we'd go to the beach for the day.

When we returned, instead of a shower, we'd put the kids

in  the rubbish bins!

The water was hot by now....warmed by the sun.

They loved it....squealing with delight they'd sink down up to their necks.....

Sand off! Job done!

then we'd bundle them all into towels, and take them inside for tea.

'It's a Wrap'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within-Summer' Series
H92x122cm
H36x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
sold

'It's a Wrap'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

.

...two Christmas dinners.....

Two Christmas dinners.....

              the first.... 40 degrees..... 16 pairs of shoes abandoned.....

                             cooling off with feet dangling in the pool....

....and a new baby with angels curls and chubby fingers and dimpled toes...



The second....

                 .... two tables joined together.... Christmas Day lunch....

              ...fourteen chairs and happy chaos all around....

                 ....followed by cuddles, cricket and kites in the park.

.... a good-old-fashioned Aussie christmas!

                               Hope yours was fine too!



                                                Merry Christmas 2012!


                                                                             Jo   x











.

                         

'There's Always Room for More'

canvases wrapped and ready for delivery...yay!

This is the reason this blog has been sadly neglected ,

and I've been madly backdating and posting late.

And this is just one delivery....the others went yesterday!

I'm so pooped!

....been painting frantically for months for the summer exhibitions,

and there's still more to finish.

And Christmas just around the corner!

....no time to think....take a deep breath....

just get back to the brushes!

.....because there's always room for more!

'There's Always Room for More'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within  - Summer' Series
H122x140cm
H48x55ins
Acrylic on Canvas
sold

'There's Always Room for More'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

(.....there's always room for more'.... that's my anthem

for an extra place at the table,

an extra mattress or sleeping bag on the floor,

an extra body joining us on holiday......

                                                          Do you agree?

                                                                                     Jo   x


                                                                         









.

'Ready, Willing and Able'

paintings in progress
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

It was good weather today and a perfect day for varnishing.

Because I paint in acrylics which dry to a matt finish, 

I like to apply a final coat of varnish to protect the painting, 

and importantly to re-establish the depth of colour, 

and to return the painting to a gloss finish.....my personal preference.....

(only occasionally will I use a satin blend)

I give the painting at least two coats, usually three, 

with a day to dry between each coat....so it's a lengthy process.

For optimum results I need a a non-humid, non-windy, 

insect-and-bug-free day !...and this week we had some great days to varnish.

varnishing paintings in progress
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

Here you can see the area outside my studio....just perfect for this job.....

with the painting on the little table in progress, the others drying  on an angle

 to a non-tack finish, and there were another four inside 

drying before their third coat.....leaving not much room to move!

It was a good day....very gratifying to finally see the finishing touches 

to eight paintings.

'Ready, Willing and Able'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H102x102cm
H40x40ins
Acrylic on Canvas
xxxx

           ... next job....cataloging, brochures, consignment notes, wrapping 

                               and delivery to the galleries.....pronto!

                                                                                        Jo   x

.

'The Beach Boyz'

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

When I'm designing a painting, one of the minor details

that can add a lot to the personality of the child

is the placement of the nipper cap and the goggles.



one of the techniques I use to decide the placement of the eyewear

is to make  a 'cut-out'....I draw a pair of goggles on black paper,

cut them out, then try them in different positions on the painting.

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....over the eyes?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....on the forehead?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

....around the neck?

detail
Jo-Ann Hunt ©

....or on the cap?

....for this little nipper, 'on the cap' won the toss!

it's a simple technique, 

and it works for me! 

detail
'The Beach Boyz'
Jo-Ann Hunt ©
H122x122cm
H48x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
commission / sold

 .

'Race Over'

Cup Day.....first Tuesday in November.....

Bronze Sculpture by Julie Squires
commission by the City Of Kingston
2008
Parkdale Beach, Victoria

I love this sculpture, and its' placement on the coast.

It's there because the City of Kingston has a long association with the

horse racing industry.

Bronze sculpture by Julie Squires , Parkdale Beach , Victoria

bronze sculpture by Julie Squires, Parkdale Beach, Victoria

Its' sandy soil makes for perfect race tracks, 

and many trainers swear by the benefits of salt water 

for the health of the horses.

sign beside the sculpture, Parkdale Beach, Victoria

I'm lucky enough to celebrate Cup Day with about 20 family and friends, 

with funny hats, plenty of food, 

'Race Over'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
sold

the TV's broadcasting the races live,

 lots of yelling and leaping about,  a family 'tote', 

and prizes for the best (and worst) punters. 

'Race Over'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©

I hope you are lucky today too!

                                                                                     Jo  x 

.

the Pink Lady Art Exhibition 2012

If you are up for supporting a truly worthy cause,

 the 2012 Pink Lady Art Exhibition opens Friday October 26.

Opening Night tickets have sold out but you can see the Exhibition

Saturday October 27 and Sunday October 28 from 10am-5pm

at the Bayside Arts and Cultural Centre, Brighton , Victoria

( the Brighton Town Hall precinct)

this now bi-annual event has raised more than $142,000

over the past four exhibitions, so head along

and help the fundraising efforts supporting Breast Cancer Network Australia

and The National Breast Cancer Foundation.....

I love being part of this Exhibition and it's always a fun weekend....

you can find out more about this great group of people  here....


                              Jo   x





.

the Pink Lady Art Exhibition



'Ready, Willing, and Able'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer ' Series
H102x102cm
H40x40ins
Acrylic on Canvas
xxxx



Three little nippers, all fired up,

keen to get started, ready for a challenge....

ready, willing and able.....  or are they!

Jo   x



.

the early morning blearies......

How about these.....recognize anyone?




'The Dawn Patrol'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©



I'm awake.....the body is upright.....but the brain is still on the pillow.....



'The Dawn Patrol'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©



or.....I'm awake but I so wish I wasn't!



'The Dawn Patrol'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©



....duhh!

 

'The Dawn Patrol'
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt©



...I think I've forgotten something.....

early morning starts are not everyone's cup-of-tea....or bowl of cornflakes.

do you relate to this?

'The Dawn Patrol'
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H51x101cm
H20x40ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
sold

any familiar faces amongst this lot?   :)

     

Jo   x

                      




.










                    

and one Sunday they came.....



30 September 2012
for Jill Meagher
Sydney Road, Brunswick, Victoria




from the mother of a daughter, and a son, who are frequently on our streets,

in the dark, walking to get home, 

thankyou.





Melbourne I love you.





.

tough mudder....phillip island....part 2



a hand up
photo: Noah Schultz-Byard, ABC Broken Hill




where were we?

 ah yes... being hosed down before running through 400 dangling wires pulsing with electric current for a dose of electroshock therapy on wet,
mud-caked skin....did I mention the mud...



stay low




lots of mud...




helping hands
photo: Courier Mail





and more mud...

mud bath
photo: Noah Schultz-ByardABC Broken Hill

I feel immensely contented to know that in my hometown of Melbourne there are 22,000 souls who will drag themselves out of bed to participate in a first-time event just for the heck of it.

muddy view from the top
photo:Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill

no prizes, no awards, no times to beat....just to do it. Because.

too much fun
photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill

apparently this was the largest turnout for a Tough Mudder anywhere in the world.
it completely took the organisers by surprise....
leading to the only negative for the day....huge queues and 'traffic-jams' of people at some obstacles...
just too many people to scale that wall, to get over that half-pipe....a problem which the organisers said they'd remedy 'next time.'

and that  time is next weekend in Sydney .

and Team 'Just Wing It'.....well they are planning their assault on Tough Mudder 2013.... and I'll know to  stay relaxed about the forms and paperwork to be signed!
might even sign one myself....as a spectator of course!

so if you've got half an hour , grab yourself a coffee, make yourself comfortable, turn up the sound ( or down !! ) and put yourself deep into the muddy action without the bruises, wind-chill , and mud ....

this youtube video shot 'live' via 'head-cam' ( camera on cap)  worn by the boys....

and part two is here...

 (videos conceived, produced and edited by Stu )



shoes....unwanted....unloved...but laces were handed in for 'recycling'
photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill




                                                                Jo x







.




 

tough mudder......phillip island ....part 1

On the 22nd, 23rd September , some 25,000 Sydneysiders will participate in the first 'Tough Mudder' challenge held in  NSW....so for all the worried mudders of 'Tough Mudders' up  there.....don't worry....here's my perspective.

some months ago my son signed up for the first-ever 'Tough Mudder' to be held in Australia.
....have you heard of it? I hadn't...

click here for a taster.....     it's trumpeted as the premier 'challenge event' on the planet...a 20km "challenge" course with commando-class obstacles.
but it wasn't until he said 'hey mum, I have to sign a "Death Waiver' that I began to really worry!
( I'm an artist....not an adrenaline junkie!)
the event looked tough, exhausting, terrifyingly challenging....but surely not.....?
I couldn't even voice my questions....say anything aloud.....
it wasn't until my daughter, going as 'support crew'/ designated driver/ chauffeur/ spectator ....said "Hey ,I've got to sign one too ' that I began to relax!

hey....if the spectators are at risk of death too, how bad can it be? !!

the Tough Mudder pledge

mud...mud...did someone mention mud?

anyway, of course it was all fine!

the clean team  'Just Wing It'
photo: ac 

22,000 crazy, enthusiastic superfit, switched-on people of all ages and shapes and sizes paid $90-$150  to put themselves through 20km of hell.

the start line Phillip Island, Sat 31 March 2012
hundreds sent off in 'waves' every 15 minutes
photo: ac

why?

the Tough Mudder aim:

to test all-round strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie....to unlock a true sense of accomplishment.....and just because you can!

does this look like fun to you?








finding your way through a smoke-filled fire pit

a ten-metre leap into a dam followed by a 50 metre swim




photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill



slithering through claustrophobic, small , mud-filled pipes on your belly,









rolling under razor wire



photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill




hauling yourself over umpteen  high, skin-scraping walls...



photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill






and being hauled up more walls....




photo:Quin Rooney



slippery half-pipes strewn with  other 'competitors'  selflessly allowing themselves to be used as 'footholds'  to be scrambled over....




photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill



and  being hosed down before running through 400 dangling  wires pulsing with electric current for a dose of electroshock therapy on your wet clammy mud-caked skin!




photo: Noah Schultz-Byard ABC Broken Hill




do I have your attention?

more tomorrow!







                                                       Jo  x





.