Thursday, 29 December 2011

the Lookout and the Daydreamer

Daydreamer
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt




Two little tackers......one with her bucket and faraway look......





Daydreamer
detail
Jo-ann Hunt




Daydreamer
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2010
sold




and one little nipper.....this time correct cap colours!

not that such a little guy would be a real Life-Saver....

but you've got to give me some artistic licence!



The Lookout
Jo-Ann Hunt©
'The Child Within-Summer' Series
h122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
sold





                                                              Jo   x



ps: Fairhaven SLSC have launched a program to rebuild their clubhouse.
.....their 'Save our Club' campaign needs $ $ $ to replace their clubhouse after recent storms badly eroded the dunes and the 1960's building.
.....help out if you can! ....that beach needs the SLSC!









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Tuesday, 27 December 2011

Xmas ham


christmas snow dome




ham
turkey breast and cranberry sauce
prawns and rice-noodle salad
whole baked snapper and sweet potatoes
green bean salad
baby-leaves garden salad
cream-baked potatoes
mango and pistacchio icecream
hot chocolate-croissant pudding
flamed Xmas plum pudding
brandy custard
miniature plum puddings
chocolate cupcakes
xmas mince tarts



Xmas food.....

.....way too much food!

and too much Xmas ham.......






even a dog can have too much ham.

but you can always find somewhere to keep it.




somewhere safe....deep and muddy.

buried Xmas ham..... the perfect snack for another day!






I hope your Christmas table was full and noisy,

and you kept your whiskers clean!

Merry Christmas 2011!



               
                                                                                           Jo  x












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Monday, 19 December 2011

Weekend Warriors

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Weekend Warriors
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt




It's just a tribe.

any tribe of kids.

it could be a family tribe......it could be the tribe of kids from the end of the street,

.......or the tribe from the caravan park.




Weekend Warriors
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt



.......perhaps it's the younger brothers and sisters of the Nippers at the local Surf Club.




Weekend Warriors
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt




.......or at the Yacht Club.

.......it's just a tribe.

                                          ......a Summer Tribe!






Weekend Warriors
Jo-Ann Hunt
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H122x122cm
H48x48ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
 xxxx






                              Jo  x
















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Sunday, 18 December 2011

Artist Statement... 'The Child Within' Series



 



'painting the essence of childhood'



I want to capture the essence of the ‘Wonder –Years’ …. those energetic, optimistic, invincible,  fearless years......

the gangly, awkward, all arms-and-elbows years.

I want these paintings to be of today’s children, but to stir memories of our own childhood… that lovely limbo-land between innocence and awakening to the realities of the world…a snapshot of childhood caught between innocence and independence.

This Series is painted with one foot in the present, and one in the past!


I believe art should enrich our lives, enhance our wellbeing, our homes, and our visual awareness.

In the past few years my work has moved away from traditional realism, to a more personal, stylized interpretative art.

People often tell me that my paintings “make them feel good”. I think that is because I can only paint that which makes me feel good, that which gives me pleasure......to be painting is to be in my 'happy place' 
And I think it is this shared response to a happy memory that connects.

I want people to enjoy living with my art.

I believe art should be felt, as well as viewed!








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Friday, 16 December 2011

a new 'Series' begins....

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work in progress
Jo-ann Hunt
The Child Within - Summer Series




These are the four 'Little Tackers' that started this 'Series' of paintings.

they almost painted themselves!

it was as if an unconscious force was guiding my hand as the paint leapt off the brush onto the canvas!

I think because I'd suspended the logical, over-thinking, analytical part of my brain, and was just painting 'for the heck of it', because I placed no expectation on myself that these paintings would 'work', or that they'd ever be seen by another soul outside my studio walls, I just relaxed and had fun with them.

they came out of my subconscious....no photos, no sketches, just four blank canvases and a wild woman slapping on paint!

I remember the day so clearly...

it was a wintery Sunday in late July, 2010,

all was quiet in the butcher shop below the studio, the weather was quite bleak but it was as if the sun was shining inside my little room,

and I could smell the scent of salt-water and the squark of seagulls was the only chatter in my head.

.....imagination is a wonderful thing.

.....and memories are priceless.

combined ..... this is the end result.



work in progress
Jo-Ann Hunt
the Starfish boy went through a few changes..... although in hindsight, I do like the hyacinth-blue flippers and star-fish and roughly painted sky.....too late!.....






I struggled with painting the starfish!

it either looked like a 'Northern Pacific Seastar' starfish....feral and a blight on our bay....not nice!






.... or a cow's udder! 

so I got rid of  it and this Little Tacker took on Seal Rescue!




Nature Boy
Jo-Ann Hunt
'The Child Within - Summer' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2010
sold



little-miss-in-pink took 12 months to complete!

....got new togs....

and joined the nippers....


Time to Go
Jo-Ann Hunt
'The Child Within -Summer' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
xxxx






works in progress
Jo-ann Hunt




Mr Grumpy, on the left, is still incomplete.

I don't want to complete him.

....he stands beside me in my studio to remind me to 'stay loose!'

....to remind me of the fast-flowing paint on that day...

he is my muse!



Between the Flags
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt
 the Little Nipper on the right, with his red and yellow cap.... not the four-panel cap of the SLSC...

 (see...no  sketches, no thinking, brain in neutral!)

he ended like this....




Between the Flags
Jo-Ann Hunt
'The Child Within -Summer' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2010
sold






....it was a very productive day.

....and I had fun!

                                           Jo  x











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Wednesday, 14 December 2011

off up another rabbit hole!




Sometimes I feel like a rabbit racing up one hole, only to realize that I really want to go in a different direction.....
so I start tunnelling towards a new idea , only to find that once I'm halfway there, it's not quite right and I change direction again.


eventually, most times, I end up somewhere....
though not where I expected!


there's nothing like a surprize destination in life....
it's times like these I say "thankyou God, that I'm not stuck in any other job somewhere else!


there's a lot to be said for waking up, and never knowing whether you'll be happy with your day , or champing at the bit, ready to race
up another hole tomorrow!




Monday's Captain
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt




sometimes a new direction shows a lot of potential....




Monday's Captain
Jo-Ann Hunt
'The Child Within' Series
H122x41cm
H48x16ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2010
Sorrento SLSC cap colours
sold





what do you think?









                                                 Jo  x                                          








(copied from notes in my workbook...31-07-10)



                                                                                                                                                                  .

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Miss January!


cover artwork by Jenny Riddle 'Hilltop'
Canterbury Art Exhibition
Calendar size H44x30cm
H17x12ins





Mates
Jo-Ann Hunt
calendar image size H20x20cm H8x8ins





I'm in print!

....as Miss January no less!

pity it's taken to this age to make it to page one!

....well page three actually.

....or maybe it's a good thing that it's taken this long to make it to page three!

anyway, the Canterbury Art Exhibition Calendar for 2012 is published, and I was delighted to find out I'd been selected to be in it.



Mates
Jo-Ann Hunt
'Small Works- Summer' Series
H30x30cm
H12x12ins
Acrylic on Canvas
2011
sold
 




you can read my comments on my painting 'Mates' here,

and my posts on the Canterbury Art Exhibition here and here.


Canterbury Art Exhibition Calendar 2012
back cover



today was a good day!

looking forward to January!


                                                           Jo x










                                                                                                                                                                   .

Friday, 2 December 2011

something new....


detail
Jo-Ann Hunt



A new series....


a new direction....


new ideas........lots and lots of new ideas!


here's a glimpse !







Between the Flags
detail
Jo-Ann Hunt