Amanda Williams - Portfolio

I had grand ideas of getting to this week’s Art Safari - it being the first time in ages ‘cos I’ve been chained to the easel for months - but it’s not looking good. Guess who forgot it’s Targa West time again. I knew it was coming up but didn’t check the date on one of the many signs around the streets here because I didn’t think it would affect me since I was chained to the easel. Then I had this perverse urge to go somewhere. Life’s like that. Must be a subconscious thing. Or maybe I really do need to get out for some convivial company or go mad.

Best laid plans… our street is on the rally circuit which is fabulous for a couple of young ‘uns out there with cameras and tripods getting really, really good at panning moving cars (and, yes, they really are moving - the sheep are none too impressed). It’s raining too - now that’s keen. Inventive too with their brollies gaffa-taped to a gate posts - country boys - they get it from their dad - ain’t much that can’t be fixed with gaffa tape and/or fencing wire - I kid you not. Downside: they won’t be opening the roads until after one and the Safari starts at two and over an hours drive away. Hmmm… Or, think positive I could go join the kids with a camera…

Anyway, I’ve told the Safari I’m going to get there. Just got an email back suggesting that if I drive fast enough I may be mistaken for one of the rally cars. Can you imagine trying to be inconspicuous in a bright red Beetle with the numberplate “Ladybug”. I don’t think I’d get away with.

Have fun,
Amanda

PS That yellow notice can be clicked to take a read. Now, I’m doing my best to be positive about it all but the wording of that and the signs around here really make my blood boil . It’s an inflammatory situation - try being a shift worker needing to get home to get some sleep this morning. I think they desperately need a PR person to do some serious rewording to at least make it less offensive. Grrr… The words “officious toads” comes to mind - and that from a supporter. Gotta wonder what the less than happy folks are saying…

This week’s Artist Safari is looking out for a city. Or rather it going to the city to look out. Or the city is looking out for the safari. No, no, no the good Safarians are off to the lookout in King’s Park to look at the city.

Jeff suggests a change of pace - bring your paints as well as your chair, hat, sun cream, drinking water, easel and the usual materials.

Meeting time and point: 2:30pm Sunday 16th August, in the carpark at the end of Fraser Avenue.
If you get lost or are running late try phoning: 0402563841
More information: Artist Safari website.

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Have fun,
Amanda

Time to get out of the studio again for a bit of fresh air and convivial company without so much of the winter wet-stuff pelting on the pastels… (how’s that for poetic?)

We’re off to the Fish Market Reserve in Guildford at 2:00pm Sunday 2nd August. (Yes, that’s this Sunday.) See Artist Safari website for more details.

The last Art Safari was properly promoted and perpetrated as frottage involving the portrait of a sheep called Hamish. These works of art were achieved with assorted media including, but not limited too, charcoal, rocks, and newsprint as per Wikipedia’s definition:

In frottage the artist takes a pencil or other drawing tool and makes a “rubbing” over a textured surface. The drawing can be left as is or used as the basis for further refinement. While superficially similar to brass rubbing and other forms of rubbing intended to reproduce an existing subject

Unfortunately, to quote our esteemed leader:

It has been gleefully pointed out to me that frottage has a rather different meaning – at least outside the realms of art. I’ll let the gentle reader find it out for themselves. For the speculation about whether I am a New Zealander and consequently have odd affections for sheep – it is not true; although I would have to say that Hamish is a particularly lovable specimen of the breed. Given that the technique of frottage was popularised by the French Surrealists I suspect that it’s addtional meaning may have provided those artists some extra frisson. Jeff

I shall save the equally uninformed the trouble of looking it up, again resorting the ever informative Wikipedia:

In psychiatry, the clinical term frotteurism (no longer called frottage, although commonly called toucherism) refers to a specific paraphilia which involves the non-consensual rubbing against another person to achieve sexual arousal. The contact is usually with the hands or the genitals and may involve touching any part of the body including the genital area. …In common speech frotteurism is called groping…

What more can a girl do other than say “I’m of good English origin” and splutter “oh my…” accompanied by a red face. (Not to mention thoughts of trying it out with a beloved human being!)

Embarrassed,
Amanda

Hamish the sheep thoroughly enjoyed the attention of those Safarians brave enough to take on Jeff’s challenge to frottage a woolly portrait. At least we think Hamish enjoyed it. Or rather he enjoyed the extra rations of sheep cubes tossed in his general direction in hopes of getting him to stand still. An old poddy (a bottle-reared sheep) Hamish is thoroughly tame and didn’t mind the easels at all.

The results were as varied as the materials found to create texture - leaves, twigs, wood, rocks and simply the ground. We were all working on fairly light paper (newsprint, butchers paper and light cartridge) using as many types of media as could be found with a good rummage in the kit: charcoal, graphite and in the image below powdered pigment which was applied with brushes.

Hamish, charcoal and loose pigment on newsprint

Lots of fun,
Amanda

Come back… we’re making frottages that immortalise your portrait not wrapping you in newsprint and charcoal. There might even be a really big bucket of sheep cubes to help you stand still.

Yup, Art safari is heading out this way to take on one of Jeff’s crazy challenges…

Should be fun,
Amanda

Sunday last saw the usual bunch setting out on Art Safari to draw under the Narrows Bridge at the South Perth end. Yes, I did say under the bridge - it’s easy to get to, it’s shady and there’s even a carpark right next to it. I’m not in the photo because I’m behind the camera. To the right, however, there is evidence of my attendance in the form of coffee…

Why draw under a bridge? Lots of reasons: it’s different, it’s cool on a hot day, fresh air, the boats ranged from rowing tubs to fancy motor boats with many of their inhabitant taking the time wave but none able to gawk at our work, and very few walking gawkers who could. There’s also practice at handling perspective - I can hear you groaning from here - and maintain that’s exactly why you should have been with us. My own efforts (in spite of a distant history in drafting) were so cruddy I’m not showing you. My excuse was the stress of previous days meant all I could do was sit and stare, occasionally waving the charcoal at the paper. On which, the other reason to draw under a bridge - stress relief - thanks to both the peaceful surroundings and the congenial company.

And too looking right or left interesting compositions…

And the very, very best bit. Here we are, working well up the Swan River and just metres away the rise and fall of dolphins - mama and baby. What more can one ask for? Made my day and dropped my blood pressure to almost normal. Proof indeed that life can be good. Really good. Attempt at a photo by Jeff Bryant. In his words “Buggers kept ducking under the water - wouldn’t smile for the camera.”

Next week Art Safari are making the trip out here to attempt frottage of sheep. That is frottaged pictures of sheep - I really don’t think Hamish will stand still enough to be frottaged. Unless of course we provide a big bucket of pony cubes. Pony cubes are more expensive than sheep cubes - and Hamish reckons they taste better. Also there will be no tours of the studio or house because both are in a horrible state of decay (see comments on stress…) so everyone will have to make do with an overgrown garden, a rusty old bobcat abandoned in disgust in long grass, chooks, ducks, sheep, the neighbours’ cattle and maybe horses if the one’s that live on the property at the bottom of our hill are out grazing.

G’day Hamish… (bribed him with pony cubes to get him to stand still for the camera!)

Have fun.
Amanda

This week’s art safari is at a point on the Swan that has cliffs overlooking a bend in the river, the marina in North Fremantle and, hopefully,a boat or two.

Jeff put the street view up on the Artist Safari website so I’ve pinched his effort (all in a good cause) to entice you to go take a look… come join us at 3.30pm Sunday 19th April in Rule St Nth Fremantle. Call 0410216074 if you’re lost.

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Suggested to bring along: Drinking water, light easel and materials as well as some protection against the sun (or a brolly depending on the day).

Amanda

Yesterday saw two Artist Safari events in the one day - the first being an experimental weekday visit to the museum. Then this, the second, a mid-evening virtual meeting. Lots of fun.

Organised (ok sprung on us) by Jeff Bryant , the idea was that we all turn up at the Artist Safari chatroom at 8pm, with drawing materials in hand, to await instructions. What then? He announces that we’re off to Italy to draw the Basilica… “Click here,” the screen said. I did:

Then, in between lots of chatting, we drew what we could see. It’s actually really good ‘cos Google map can zoom and pan pretty much instantly.

I went in a bit and panned until I was more or less looking at something that was one point perspective. I know, I know what happened to the clause in the manifesto about getting out of one’s comfort zone? Well I was. I had chattering family, a cat winding around my monitor, two dogs scratching at the door (undecided, at five minute intervals, as to whether they wanted in or out) and a grumbling tummy - no dinner yet. It’s amazing I drew anything at all. In fact it was amazing that I was there at all. (After the hour and a plus drive home from the city I’d gotten straight back into Winckelmann forgetting about the promise to be online at 8pm…)

The Basilica, it turned out, was more or less a warm up drawing followed by another link, this time we were standing on a bridge in Firenze.

Still in Italy it seemed really appropriate when a family member took pity on my trying to draw, chat, read notes and type an essay (simultaneously) all on an empty stomach, and dropped a plate in front of me with, you guessed it: pasta. So that was it. A scratchy warm up Basilica and an unfinished Firenze. Oh, an evening with Wincklemann. Ciao.

PS. Try Google maps. You’ll never be stuck for a bit of landscape to draw again.

Trying for a bit more peace, an intrepid few Artist Safari attendees decided to tackle the museum again. Maybe it would be quieter on a Tuesday afternoon? Maybe…

You know that feeling? The one where you just know that someone is standing right behind you looking over your shoulder? Drawing in public has it’s moments. The ones when the public forget their manners.

What about when you’re drawing with a small sketchpad practically tucked under your jumper, facing into a corner trying to look really, really inconspicuous (’cos you hate people looking over your shoulder) and just know they that someone is doing just that? How did I know someone was doing just that? Because I could see their reflection in the glass. Grrr…

Jeff reckons I get it more than the guys do ‘cos I look more approachable. They’ve suggested a nose ring, leather jacket, copious bits of chain and a scowl. It would help to be taller too. I’ll work on the scowl.

We gave up after an hour… and headed to the coffee shop for a conference. Conversation inevitably turned to materials and revelations of the interesting inventory of a nearby Asian newsagent…

I came home with a bunch of stuff: a “writing” brush, ink and huge sheets of drawing paper that, I find, takes the ink beautifully. The ink is really different - it’s slightly thicker and smoother flowing than India ink - rich, dense and indelibly black. The paper is amazing as well - soft and incredibly absorbent but not hint of bleeding at the edges of marks. Held to the light there a very fine gridded watermark. Kind of tissue paper, but not, if you you what I mean. Fascinating.

The best thing though (for the ever curious) is a what I think is a kid’s calligraphy practice book. There are pages of figures interleaved with sheets of paper not unlike the drawing paper. Just thinner and transparent enough to see and draw the figures underneath. What a great toy! I imagine by the end of the book I’ll get a (bit of a) an idea on handling the brush and ink even if I can’t read a word of it…