Week Three in the Gardens

I started the week off (Sunday afternoon) with a very long walk around the City Botanic Gardens and collected a bag of bits and pieces from the ground. (I have a special permit as Artist-in-residence to do this).

The first drawing of the week was done from examining these specials finds.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Drawing

These objects deteriorate very quickly and the colours fade. The red and yellow leaves were so vibrant when I picked them up, but after only one day they had changed colour.

Robyn Bauer Botanical Drawing

I know this one looks like a substantial departure from my usual work but it is something I have been wanting to do for a while. Firstly the collage using music manuscript and secondly the stencil cut-out idea. I had some fun with this. There is some quite detailed painting done over the top.

The music is relevant to me in several ways. I always have Classical music playing in the studio and also I find huge inspiration from how a classical piece is put together. Different lines or threads of various instruments to make a complete composition.  It is the sum of many parts.

Robyn Bauer Rainforest Painting

Now it is officially Autumn, the weather is cooling slightly in the mornings. A few mornings I arrived bright and early to get back to working on location which is my preferred modus operandi. I want all my work to have the feeling of having been done en plein air. There is a large of range of media employed and I enjoy the textural variations that result.

Robyn Bauer Waterlily Painting

I had really been yearning to get down to the Waterlily pond while the flowers are so magnificent but it's been too hot to sit there so far. One morning found some shade on the viewing platform. I took along some paper prepared with a swish of acrylic as a background to save time. I have drawn over it in quite a coptic manner, following the outlines of the lily pads. Water-soluble crayons used also.

Basically I have spent the week still exploring varying media and keeping everything fresh. I have some ideas for larger paintings crystallizing in my mind. Still not quite ready to start them yet. Having a rewarding time observing.

Urban Sketching Brisbane River and other Urban Landscapes

I have really been getting into the swing of sketching en plein air. I am finding it really suits my temperament to get out amongst it. I also enjoy experimenting with different media. At the moment I am particularly enjoying Black Ink applied with various tools, most recently with some bamboo twigs I found on one of my walks. I have also variously used a dip pen, brushes, and an ordinary felt tip pen.

Here are the results.

Robyn Bauer Urban Sketch of Paddington Brisbane

This is view down the street from where I live. Given Terrace Paddington looking towards Brisbane city.

Robyn Bauer Urban Sketch of Paddington Brisbane

It was rainy on this particular day so this is the exact view from my back deck over the rooftops. The church is Sacred Heart Rosalie and that is Toowong Tower in the centre.

This was the following day , rainy again. Although this shows part of the studio window and deck railings outside.
As you can see I am using different strengths of ink, some quite watery. The paper is only 135 gsm but after it dries if I put a heavy book on it it flattens out enough. I really like a flat paper look, not keen on the bobbles of watercolour paper. It looks too mechanical and contrived for me.

I did this one of the Museum on the group Urban Sketchers day. Again it was raining so we mostly worked inside. Lots of parents with kids around as it was a Saturday. I enjoyed the interaction with people watching me work. I could tell with a lot of the kids that they had never seen an artist actually working like that.

Robyn Bauer Urban sketch of Ipswich

This is a drawing I did while working on a commission painting of Ipswich.

This sketch was to accompany another commission. I was up on the overpass near Suncorp Stadium looking over Hale Street.

Another Urban Sketchers Group day. We were in Captain Burke Park under the Story Bridge. All Hallows School is on the left. That is Robert, one of the group working on the seat at right.

Another local scene. I was sitting in Princess Street Paddington just near Given Terrace, outside Ray White real estate office, looking up to St Bridget's church.

Looking down Ellena Street from Latrobe Terrace Paddington.

Looking across the Brisbane River towards Fig Tree Pocket from just near the Centenary Bridge.

This last one was just done this morning. I drove over to West End and sat looking across the river toward Coronation Drive. The trees are all mangroves with the little aerial roots coming out of the mud.