Happy Weekend

Just thougth I would share this beautiful quote that I found on the most amazing event planners website. Their company is called PS I Love You and their work is simply devine. 

HAPPY WEEKEND :)

i have been an absent friend ....

hi all. it definitely would be stating the obvious to say that i have been extremely busy over the past month or so. i have been to sydney for christmas, entertained many family and friends over the summer holidays in nornalup, had the kids in 2 weeks of swimming lessons, finished off a couple of commission pieces, filled another "top-up" order for Howard Park Wines, moved house (a second home in Albany) and started studying full time .... phew, and that is the things that i can remember!!! life has been challenging and uplifting all rolled into one. i have had moments of overwhelm amongst laughter, tears and exhaustion. i am learning to adjust to living away from our main "family" home amongst the tall trees and into a city again. we are using the city unit as a base for the kids upper schooling and my study. whilst is is super exciting to have the shops, cafes and culture back on the doorstep, i must say, i miss "home" terribly. lucky i am busy busy busy...

during the next 6 months my focus will be studying Visual Art at the great southern institute of technology in albany. i am enrolled in art history/mixed media, drawing, printmaking, painting and digital media classes. SO full on, but SO much fun. i am hoping to pick up lots of new tricks, tips and techniques to incorporate into my own art work whilst "testing the water" to see if i like studying again before possibly doing a degree in fine art. i have loved every minute of my course so far and have decided to share some images with you below of some expressionist artists that have "caught my eye" this week.

kline

hoffman

and (just for you) i have included an image of a collage that one of my classmates and i completed yesterday as part of our drawing assessment. we had to do a large drawing each exploring tone and line making. we then had to cut our drawing up into different sized pieces to categorize them according to their tone (light, medium or dark). we then set about creating a collage incorporating work form the two of us which was 1m x 1m. i think you will agree, the results were pretty damn special. it was an awesome morning session, spending three hours creating and collaborating. i wonder what we will "create" next week ???

monique + leanne

in my next blog post i will be sharing with you all some VERY exciting news.....stay tuned and have a fabulous weekend :)

a little bit of goodness for CHRISTMAS ...

well, tomorrow my family and i leave for Sydney to spend christmas with my sister, her hubby and her brand new baby girl (along with my folks) ... 

WOW, it is going to be awesome:)

but, before i leave you all i thought i would share with you what i have been working on over the past few weeks.

FIRSTLY

christmas collage

i have been at work on some new collage pieces. all of these have been on 30cm x 30cm canvases or boards and i must say...i have LOVED the chance to "get messy" with the paper and glue again. this particular image above is a close up of a section of a completed piece entitled "christmas collage"....getting me into the whole christmas spirit xx

SECONDLY

owl art charm for walpole markets

these new art charms come in 1" and 1 1/2" square. they are reproductions of my original painting entitled "owl magic" which i sold at my recent Art Trail Exhibition in walpole. a very lovely local lady now has the beautiful original (70cm x 100cm) hanging in her bedroom to keep watch over her at night. the original painting was admired so much i have decided to bring her to life in my latest range of art charms. they will be available for sale at the Walpole Market on Saturday 31st December 2011, in Pioneer Park. i hope to see some of you there :)

THIRDLY

beginnings - original acrylic on canvas

today, i have completed a new comissioned work and OH BOY, has it been a challenge. the lady ordered a piece that echoed the colour palette of a previous painting of mine entitled "journey" and i did find it a whole new experience working within guidelines of size, colour and pattern. whilst i did enjoy the process i must say that letting it all "flow' and seeing what evolves is far more rewarding! but im am certainly not complaining as it is such an honour to have someone ask you to create an original piece especially for their home. i will deliver it tomorrow before heading off on holidays and i must say, i cannot wait to see it hanging in it's new home in Denmark !!

well, that is all until 2012 folks....yes, that's right. next time i will be blogging it will be a NEW YEAR. i certainly hope you all have a fantastic christmas and a fun-filled and joyous new year...until then...enjoy the "season to be jolly" xoxo

my latest addiction ...

hi all. how are you all feeling about the fact that christmas is JUST 

around the corner? i am super-excited, because we are heading to sydney 

to spend it with my gorgeous new little niece 

(who is one of the reasons i have been absent from 

the blogosphere for so long).  

she will be 6 weeks old on christmas day and my daughter 

(13) is so excited to have a "little chicken" to cuddle and love ♥

i have decided today to share with you a sample of my latest collage work 

that i am creating on boards that are 30cm x 30cm. 

it started off with me trying to get use out of leftover wet paint 

that was hanging around after painting my large paintings on canvas. 

my doting husband has cut all of the boards up for me 

and i have been loving getting the paper, the glue 

and the lino stamps out. 

here is one of the collages that i have loved 

since the minute i made it. it is currently for sale locally 

at the Nornalup Teahouse. 

i have also just used this image on the front of a gorgeous new 

square greeting card made exclusively for the 

Cellar Door of Howard Park Wines in Denmark. 

i hope you like it as much as i do..let me know what you think !

opening night success ♥

     

WOW.....what a night.

11 paintings sold, a dozen bottles of champagne downed, lots of beautiful lino-printed fabric ordered, yummy food, great friends, fantastic support from the local community and two very happy artists :)

Our Opening Night was definitely a success !!!

Finally I have caught up after a week of busy/crazy madness after our AMAZING Opening Night last Friday. Thank you so very much to all who came along to "raise a glass" and to show your support for myself and Justine.

Thank you also must go out to all of my wonderful friends and family who have supported and encouraged me so much over the past few months and helped to show me that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE...

make sure you believe in your dreams; because they really can come true!

check this out ...

do you love it????

this is a digital collage I created tonight using some of the images I have photographed ready for my up-coming exhibition next week. in order to cover all tastes and budgets i have taken small "snap shots" of my acrylic painting work as it has been evolving to create 5 x 7 inch original art prints. these will sell for the BARGAIN price of $10 each at the exhibition, allowing anyone to take home a "snippet" of original art. they are packaged up and backed with foam core board so that they can be given as gifts or simply popped straight into a frame. i think they are going to be a hit...here are some single samples below.

harmony piece

love lace piece

peaceful pods piece

not long now . . .

well...time flies when you are having fun doesn't it !!

did I say FUN ??? 

actually that is exactly what the last few weeks/months have been creating 27 pieces ready to exhibit in the 2011

"Bendigo Bank Southern Art and Craft Trail"

this week and next are all about the boring bits. paperwork, pricing, setting up, sending stories to local papers, catering etc. etc. etc.

justine and i are getting super excited...actually she is enjoying a pre-exhibition break and i am bunkering down with the fire on at home and hanging out with my gorgeous daughter (my number one fan). i did promise a "sneak peek" at pieces we have in readiness for the exhibition so i have included an image of both Justine and my work for you to see....

will leave the rest under wraps until the big "reveal"

... only 12 sleeps xoxoxox

hand printed lino cut on upcycled fabric

justine gamblin

"harmony" 

acrylic on canvas

leanne fry

we hope to see as many supporters and friends as possible at the exhibition in Walpole and i would like to take this opportunity personally to say a huge thank you to my amazing husband and children who have been so supportive and nurturing during the last few months as i painted away and dreamt of this exhibition finally coming to life ♥

invite to my first exhibition !!!

you can click on the invite above to get all the DETAILS...
i am super excited !!!

more details to follow soon and some sneak peeks of our work.

around here lately ....

morning all.

did i mention that i am taking part in my very FIRST exhibition. 

oh yes, i did that it my last post. 

of course i did. 

can you tell i am a wee bit excited ?? 

the 2011 Bendigo Bank Southern Art and Craft Trail is going to be huge. if you have not checked out the website yet, pop on over and have a look, making sure you click on the "our artists" tab.

well, it is because of this that i have been a little absent from the world of blogging for the last month or so. i have churned out 16 finished pieces so far and have a few more bubbling away. i kinda feel that if i just "go nuts" and create then it will give me the opportunity as the exhibition gets closer (which it actually now is creeping up on me ..... eeeeek ) to have the luxury of choosing what is going to work best in the gallery space and what compliments Justine's AMAZING lino-cut textile work. 

here is a current work in progress that i have put on my mantle in the living room to look at for the next week while i work out where i am going to head with it next....
i wonder what will appear amidst the layers of this one???

here is another one i have recently completed....
i am loving the colours on this one.

i have also been really busy setting up my very own "le-papier" shop on the fabulous Etsy site, so stay tuned for the announcement that the beautiful art charms and greeting cards are available to purchase through my very own online shop......be patient though, as i have to get the rest of my paintings finished first.

anyway...that's me. busy. painting. making exhibition invites. being mum. loading up my etsy shop. cooking. creating. exploring. never a dull moment around here lately ...

painting frenzy...

hello out there to all my friends and followers. just thought i would take some quick shots of the "works in progress" i have going on in preparation for my up-coming exhibition...yes, it's official. i am selling and exhibiting my works in a REAL exhibition this October in the nearby town of Walpole in collaboration with a friend and fellow artist, Justine Gamblin. we are taking part in the Southern Art and Craft Trail this year and are so thrilled to be part of it all. the exibition will be running from 1-16 October...more details to follow!

anyway, today i am working in the studio on some paint and collage works. i decided to take a snap of all the works together...very mixed up and random at the moment and as you can see, some pieces are completed works and others are ready for their next layers to go on....so, let the FUN begin. i am off to create some more "layered magic". chat soon peeps....xoxoxo

a little bit of paper goodness...

good morning and happy Monday to you all.

well, i am sure i don't need to tell you how wonderful etsy is and how once you log onto the site you can spend hours, literally hours my friends, wandering around the site and looking at all of the amazing handmade goodies for sale. not only is this site the best place to buy unique handmade gifts but also it is such an amazing source of inspiration. 

most of the shops on the site are "drool-worthy" 

( i don't believe that is actually a word, but is sounds cool) 

such a shop is Palomaria. 

i discovered this inspirational site and am super impressed that her jewellery items are made from PAPER...right up my alley.

here is an image of one of her beautiful necklaces with a link to her shop...i do hope you enjoy them as much as i did. my order from her shop should be travelling across the pacific ocean as we speak.

Palomaria

series of six ...

morning everyone...

as i am snuggled up at home with the fire blazing today i decided to share with you a little series of paintings/doodlings that i completed last night. 

i know that they will not necessarily be everyone's "cup of tea" but i just love doodling...

as friends of mine well know !!!

it was so much fun to make these little canvases and 

i really like them hanging together in a set.

it was also great to get out my dictionary papers and 

words which i love to work with. 

i randomly placed the papers on each canvas and 

it wasn't until the paints over the top had dried that i went searching 

for anything i liked. imagine my delight as i found words like 

secret, kiss, serenity, sister, play, self and etc. 

such COOL words...appearing from under the paint and glue. 

truly inspirational. 

i would love to hear your feedback on these pieces, 

especially seeing as how they are a little different from my 

usual work to date...they remind me of journal pages, 

what do you think ??

cuteness...

isn't this just THE CUTEST little soft toy you have EVER seen ??

"kooka" by grrl + dog

i found this amazing shop on etsy called grrl + dog 

(if you click on this link it will take you there) 

which you should all check out. 

her work is simply devine...i want them all !!! 

in the meantime i am still busy painting, card making and attending workshops so i will have a great new blog post up for you shortly...just thought i would give you something gorgeous to look at while you wait. 

have a fantabulous (that is clearly not a REAL word) day 

xoxo

"harmony" complete ...

hi everyone...

today i am sharing with you all my latest COMPLETE painting...i finished late Friday night and just love how it has ended up. it started out life as a peacock on a branch but after many hours (and about 4 layers) eventually morphed into the work you see below. after i had painted the peacock and added the purple layer i put the painting up on my wall out in the family room to check it out for a while, get some perspective, see what was needed next. when after a week or so it wasn't "talking" to me i decided to be BOLD and cover it up! boy, am i sure glad i did, because for the first time it allowed so much to come shining through with every extra layer and every new song that came blaring out of my i-pod magic appeared........and i am so "stoked" 

(is that actually a word???? it was in the eighties!!!) with the end result. 

Enjoy♥

peacock....that i eventually covered up !

the layers working their magic ...

"harmony"  complete

i think i am painting in my sleep !!!!

hi all

i have just got to share you a few quick snaps today of two canvases i am working on at the moment inspired by nature...more to come, once i have put the next layer on top ;) 

have a super duper fabulous weekend xo

hello ... long overdue blog post ♥

hello to all of my blog friends out there.

it has been far too long since i blogged here and for that i sincerely apologise.

so much has happened over the past couple of months my head is spinning.....and therefore you are in for a seriously LONG blog post. lots of "show and tell" to get through !!!

ready...

• one....Balingup Small Farm Field Day market stall
• two....prioritising one's health 
• three....Denmark Art Markets on the Easter Weekend
• four....Walpole Market with the Peaceful Bay Beanie Co.
• five...Easter with friends and family at home
• six....enjoying being a Mum to my teenage boys while they are home from school/uni.
• seven....soldering art charms for orders
• eight....Basketball Road Trip to Perth
• nine....making more greeting cards for "le papier"
• ten....countdown to our Bali break
• eleven....painting "Flora Style" in studio
• twelve....family time, via skype:) and a splash of paint
• thirteen....my baby girl has Bieber Fever!!
• fourteen....road trip on Mothers Day (taking myself to the children !!!)
• fifteen....packing my holiday bags and squeeze in a bit of painting
• sixteen....my lucky number...off to Bali now......
• seventeen....home sweet home full of inspiration (and dexter dvd's)
• eighteen....painting overload and joint exhibition??...whoop whoop!!

had enough yet ????? 

don't worry...i will try not to RAMBLE...

ONE

i headed off to the Balingup Small Farm Field Day feeling very unwell, but decided to push myself to honour the commitments i have made to myself as part of my new creative business journey. a dear friend from Walpole accompanied me and without her i probably would have "pulled the pin". what seemed like a big weekend became far easier to deal with once i was surrounded by good friends and lots of support. fun was had setting up the gazebo for my stall on Friday night using the headlights of my car to see !! there were some fantastic exhibitors from the great garden sculptures, the french bakery, local artisians to the children's toys and gifts on Saturday and I met up with the lovely ladies from Henry and Hope with whom i shared some great conversation. it was sooo great to connect with MORE like -minded creative people.....topped off by an amazing steak and chips at the local pub on Saturday night for dinner and my friend sharing the long drive home...the weekend was all good. a great kick start to the market stall success i am hoping for.

TWO

so, i have mentioned that since blogging last i have been unwell. everything has caught up with me. my iron levels have bottomed out, i have had Ross River Virus and i have been struggling with "letting go" of my beautiful teenage sons as they venture from home and into the big wide world. it has been very hard to remain positive when at times i have not even had the energy to get out of bed in the morning. but with the help of my husband, my doctor and a very supportive group of family and friends i have tried to remain positive. i kept reminding myself that so many people in the world have much bigger issues to deal with on a daily basis. i told myself to be kind to myself and gently accept that i would have to pace myself through the tasks in front of me and that rather than not honour the commitments i had made to my business, myself and my children, i needed to move forward....but SLOWLY.

THREE

it was with great trepidation that i took part in the Denmark Art Markets. once again i was accompanied by a very close friend who helped me set up and hung out with me for moral support. this market draws a huge crowd and i was nervous about "exposing myself" to a wider audience. i am SO GLAD that i did. all the questions i had lurking in my mind like "will anyone buy my goods?" " will people like the products i am selling?" etc. etc. were silenced when i was surrounded with support for my wares and lots of positive feedback 

(oh, and lots of sales too!!) JOY......was found.

FOUR

the very next day i had a stall at the Walpole Easter Market with my gorgeous friend Jo from the Peaceful bay Beanie Co. spending this day chatting and hanging out with her made me realise just how much i have missed her since she moved from Nornalup to now reside close to the "big city" lights of Perth. 

i miss you Jo xo

FIVE

 at the end of those two busy days on the Easter weekend i was so very grateful to come home to family and friends who were staying with us for the holiday. 10 adults and 6 kids hung out over the weekend and our home was filled with laughter, good food, music, great coffee, possums, wine and sharing of stories :) thank you universe for the best family and friends a girl could ask for.

our home where we hung out together at Easter time :)

SIX

having my two boys home over the holiday break was a "warm and fuzzy" time for me. my boys give the best hugs, make a mean basil and tomato bruschetta and never cease to amaze me. their constant laughter, love for each other and devotion to their "little sister" is such a joy.

 truly special times xo

SEVEN

soldering art charms is so much fun, especially with my NEW soldering iron. my lovely husband has made me a stand for my tweezers so that now when i solder on the jump rings to complete the necklaces i can work alone.....i am really not sure if this was to help me or ensure he gets out of having to juggle tiny jump rings in his big man hands whilst i repeatedly say " it's not in the middle...you moved it again...can you help me with the jump rings today ????" 

what do you think.....helping me out or helping himself ??? 

i say the latter...what a patient man he has been !!!!

EIGHT

i accompanied my youngest son as his team manager for a weekend Basketball trip/competition in Perth. it was SO MUCH FUN. i was Mum to a whole gaggle of teens and they were a constant source of entertainment. they played well. they slept well. they sang on the bus trip and they enjoyed having each other to hang out with. so blessed to spend the weekend with some amazing kids and adults..thanks guys.

NINE

greeting card overload. after almost selling out at the recent markets it was time to print, stick, ink, tape and package greeting cards to bring my stock levels back up. take a peek at the photo below that shows some of the studio chaos during this time....

TEN

organising kids itineraries, travel documents, food shopping, medical needs, travel insurance, changing money, sun screen, ear plugs, digging to the back of the cupboard for the swimming togs, getting someone to cover my netball coaching role and tidying up the house in readiness for a holiday "break away" with my husband and four great friends to Bali soon....counting down the sleeps.

ELEVEN

because my head has been so full of business and obligations lately i decided to take a slice of "creative time out". i have just made a few backgrounds ready to layer up all "flora" style once i am home from my holiday...i cranked up the stereo and got messy...yay.

TWELVE

our family has finally discovered skype. what a revolution. now when we chat to the boys (one at boarding school for year eleven and twelve and one away at university) we can see their smiling faces...makes it easier to handle; seeing them smiling :)

i also managed to splash just a little more paint on canvas as i walked past them in the studio each day.

you smile=i smile

THIRTEEN

it's official. my 12 year old daughter has BIEBER FEVER. she is off on a 5 hour road trip with two of her besties and one dedicated mum to his concert in Perth.

purple jeans. check. justin bieber t-shirt. check. pre-teen innocence. check.

please don't change too much :)

FOURTEEN

i awoke on Mothers Day to no children. for the first time in 18 years. one guy 5 hours away at university. one guy 1.5 hours away playing football. on girl recovering (5 hours away) from her first music concert - the Bieberfest!!!

decided to take myself to the closest child. in the car and off we go to the football. i need a hug from at least one of them...it was the best hug i have had in a long time and he played a fantastic game of football that day!! i also enjoyed long distance phone conversations and laughter with them all.

i am learning that being a great Mum can mean letting go. 

allowing your children as young adults to find their own voice. 

i have given them two gifts in this lifetime, the first is roots and the second is wings.

FIFTEEN

everything is packed for our holiday...

i will just add a little bit of paint to that canvas as i pass the studio.....there, that feels GOOD. 

SIXTEEN

my favourite number.

on a plane to Bali. 7 days of banana pancakes, beautiful locals, massages poolside, sharing with friends, temples, cocktails, nasi goreng, coastal road trips, sunsets, markets, beach walks, pool bars, bartering, scooters, day spa indulgence at 

prana spa 

i ♥ bali

SEVENTEEN

home sweet home and full of inspiration. so much culture, ritual, colour on the island of bali. below are some photos i share with you from our trip...

 EIGHTEEN

so, since i have been home from holidays i have encountered an inspiration overload.

the colours, textures and sights of bali have definitely fed my creative soul. below are some examples of the layers i have been building up on my canvases this week. i am going to stop for a while and look at them before i add the next layer...i wonder what mystery awaits. i am looking forward to getting out the paint for the next layer already !!! i must learn to be patient.....with time comes a little more perspective. i suppose that could be said about many things hey. life. painting. love. friendship. growth.

i hope you enjoy these images. stay tuned to see how they evolve ...

and finally...i am looking at taking part in my very first joint exhibition in October...details to follow soon xo

i know i felt more than a tad overwhelmed over the last couple of months, but i have also began to see things a little clearer over this past week of "slow down" time and reflected on the lessons i have learnt over this time.....

• trust your inner voice.
• know your limits.
• spend time with those you love.
• eat well.
• immerse youself in goodness.
• let yourself be scared.
• embrace positive thoughts.
• bake cakes.
• set those you love free.
• be yourself.
• dream big.
• trust.
• eat chocolate chip biscuts and banana pancakes.
• listen.
• be grateful.

love from leanne ♥