Urban Sketching Workshops coming up.

Robyn Bauer Urban Sketch of Rosalie Brisbane

This is shaping up to be a really big year for me. I have two teaching engagements in July at opposite ends of the earth! (I also have a major solo exhibition planned for October at Royal Qld Art Society.)

The first teaching gig is in Toowoomba, a beautiful provincial city in Queensland Australia, known as the Garden City. It is high up in the ranges and will be lovely and cool in July, - a five day workshop 4-8 July 2016. The University of Southern Queensland runs the McGregor Schools in Summer and Winter. It is open to all and is an amazingly fun and stimulating week. Over the years I have done workshops myself there as a participant. I highly recommend it, even for beginners.


http://artsworx.usq.edu.au/coming-events/mcgregor-winter-2016-visual-arts/urban-sketching/



My second teaching engagement will be over in Manchester England at the end of July at the International Urban Sketching Symposium.

http://www.urbansketchers.org/2016/02/activity-8-nature-in-city-body-language.html


My topic will be "Nature in the City- The Body Language of Trees.

Robyn Bauer 

Here is a photo of me in action, looking happy and doing what I love!

The following urban sketches were all done relatively quickly.

Robyn Bauer  - Urban Sketch of Brisbane

This big old Queensland house is up on Fernberg Road Paddington.

Robyn Bauer - Urban Sketch of Brisbane

This tree is just past the Bardon watertower. 

The street is Tooth Avenue at the corner of Perrott Street Paddington.

Robyn Bauer - Urban Sketch of Brisbane City

For this sketch of Brisbane City with the Riverside Expressway, 

I was sitting looking out from the Queensland State Library.

Robyn Bauer - Urban Sketch of Brisbane

Looking up Drynan Street Paddington, Brisbane.

I have done literally dozens of sketches on location over recent months and here is just a sampling of a couple of different subjects. After working outdoors it is difficult to imagine any other way of working. The main reason for this is that the world is three dimensional and any other resource an artist may use such as a photograph or drawing is already two dimensional.

Drawing on location is addictive and it really trains your eye and brain to work quickly and authentically. I can't imagine doing anything else, except for the fact that I have to make a living and the larger studio paintings and commissions really fill that need.

Brisbane Racetrack Paintings - Equestrian Art

Followers of my work know how much I love animals and often include them in my work. The kangaroos, the birds, the dogs. I also try and draw and paint horses when I can. Many years ago I would get up early and go to the racetrack to draw the horses at training sessions.

These new paintings are part of my Brisbane series "Paradise Found - Close to Home" . I spent several Saturdays at Eagle Farm Racetrack on Tattersalls Race Days and others to soak up the atmosphere and get material to use.

To my knowledge no one is painting the racetrack in Brisbane. I have always had a love of George Stubbs's horses and of course Edgar Degas has made some great works of horses and jockeys.

In my work I have tried to include everything, the vista of the track itself with the little houses beyond, different moments of the race, and some of the individual characters one finds at the track, from the dressed up girls, to punters and drinkers. I had a great time doing these. No doubt I will be doing more of them.

This is first one in the series. I have taken liberties with scale and point of view, varying things a bit. I particularly enjoyed the group of girls seen from the back in the middle distance. This is a big painting about 153 x 91cm and when you see it in the flesh there are lots of small details that become apparent.

Another large one, maybe not quite finished. This one has more of a pattern feel about it. The composition is simple in an abstract way with the semicircle and triangle but I wanted a richness in the design of the horses and jockeys on the green grass. The people on the right are real individuals and add a bit of a narrative about the "Day at the Races" and all that can entail.

 This one is smaller, about 61 x 51cm. It shows a couple of different moments before the race and the landscape setting has an abundance that to me says Brisbane. The attire of jockeys and horses give me a  great excuse to play with colours and patterns.


These are the first images posted from my Petrie Terrace gallery RQAS solo show coming up in March 2015. There are plenty more to come.

Paintings of Paddington

I am sorry I have not posted much lately but I have been working extremely hard. I have been drawing and painting my local area. I have read that many artists produce their best work when they find their subject matter not far from home.

The timber "Queenslanders"  and the wealth of plant life around this area of Brisbane are quite inspiring. I keep returning to things botanical and animals also even when I am looking at the architecture and hilly streets around here.

Here is just a small sample of what I have been doing.

None of these works are actually totally finished which is another reason I haven't posted them. I will get back to them when the spirit moves me.

This is image is looking up Cochrane Street towards Mt Lindsay. The elkhorn has made its home in a frangipani tree. Compositionally I was playing around with triangles.

This one shows the detailing of a typical veranda. In the distance is the Paddington/Bardon water tower. The flowers in the foreground are Bauhinias I think.

I couldn't resist putting in the scrub turkey crossing the road. They are everywhere around here. On the left is an amazing Moreton Bay Fig Tree. I am becoming obsessed with them and have done lots of drawings of them.

This one is looking towards the west. The gap between the hills is actually the suburb called "The Gap". Now I know why! I was experimenting with the effect of the sunset lighting on the fruit and am quite pleased with the result. Something new for me to focus on. I want these works to have the feeling that life is going on, (my life probably) hence the cups of tea, teapots etc.

Another scrub turkey. This image has turned into a bit of a fantasy with the street scene and the animals added! It is actually Haig Road looking towards Heussler Terrace. Again the giant Moreton Bay Fig Trees. The purple shadows against the glare of the road were what initially motivated me with this one. I still visit Lone Pine Sanctuary fairly often and this kangaroo is one of my mates.

The galvanised iron roofs around here are also painted interesting colours. The crows are daily visitors too. One day we could see twelve from our back deck. They are amazing, very clever birds and so beautiful with their blue/black sheen. Three on a telephone line.

I will mention again that these are not totally finished. I will probably spend some time refining them.