W: murraysartandframing.com.au E: art@myart.com P: 07 46 322 727 Autumn 2018 Shop News The wait is over! The Newsletter has finally arrived. I m sure that you have all been holding your breath in anticipation. So here goes. We had a bit of excitement in the Gallery on Saturday, when we were the place chosen for a photo shoot. Three guys were modelling for a new range of suits ( Suits you ) and this particular advertising campaign needed the Arty touch hence using the Gallery with large painting as the set. As the one on duty that day, I enjoyed watching the process of props (cow skin rug), setting the scene and arranging the models. At times it was very funny, as the photographer decided to bring out the lighter side of wearing a suit with socks in baby pink or just some clowning around. The creative side was also shown in typical Artist fashion paint on the face and hands, paintbrush and oil palette in hand and easel with canvas to paint on. I hope you have all looked at the workshop program that we have put in place for this year. I have tried to make it interesting with many different subjects, mediums and Tutors, both local and those who are internationally and/or nationally known. Some workshops have filled up quickly, but there is still opportunity for you to participate in others. The Alcohol Inks was so enjoyed by those who came that Jean Dwyer is teaching another one in July. So be sure to book early this time to avoid missing out. If workshops are not your style, remember that we have many quality how-to books that you can acquire to take home and study at your leisure. The range of these covers all of the popular mediums and some more specialist ones eg. Calligraphy, Encaustic, Mixed media, Botanical and many more. I don t think a book collection can ever be too big! (At least going on my own one at home). Plastic bags on the out! As of July 1, all lightweight plastic carry bags will not be able to be given out for purchased goods. This is a state-wide directive from the Government and as such, Murray s Art & Framing are included. So be prepared with your natural re-useable carry bags calico and hessian are the most environmentally friendly, more so than the heavy weight plastic types. We have calico bags available for sale for $3.95. These are perfect for A3 pads. We have been sometimes using paper bags for the smaller items. Ask us if you would like them now.
Staff News New Murray s Team members. For our regulars, you would have noticed that, once again, there are a couple of new staff. Maryika, I'm sure, many of you already know and Ian has just completed senior at Concordia and so this is his first position in the world of working. So please make them both welcome when you come into the store for your art materials. There is one other Newbie in our team, but perhaps a little bit small to make her presence known to customers. Lauren, who stopped working at the end of last year, had her beautiful daughter, Emma not long before Christmas.... I hope everyone was able to attend the Grammar Art Show a couple of weekends ago. As always, there was plenty to see and buy. Sue, Roslyn, Sharon and Maryika all had work displayed there, as of course did many of our clientele. Sharon has also been active sending her artwork (after going through the selection process successfully) to Melbourne into 2 Exhibitions and another in Brisbane. 1. Feast-Pray-Love (Melbourne) Art Prize & Exhibition 2018 - A place at the table 2. Herring Island Gallery (Melbourne) CAS A4 ART AUSTRALIA EXHIBITION 2018 on until April 15 3. Vera Wade Gallery (Brisbane) Songs and Psalms Lent to Easter, A Visionaries Exhibition Roslyn: I have had a 1/2 sheet watercolour selected for a 5 day event in Fabriano, Italy. This international exhibition includes approximately 1,400 watercolours from 70 countries. 13 have been invited to exhibit from Australia and of those, 7 will be attending Aquarelle Fabriano - myself included. A quick 2 week trip overseas to join in on the demos, workshops, organized en plein air painting outings and various other activities. It will be an extraordinary experience, unlike any that I have had before. After the exhibition, I am staying on in Fabriano for another 3 nights and then finishing up in Rome for 5 nights. You will get the highlights of this event in the next newsletter.
Product Info It s all about the brushes this newsletter. We all use them in just about every painting medium and even sometimes when drawing. But do you know just how diverse the humble brush can be? So I thought I would enlighten and educate you about them and hopefully you will find out something you didn t realize. Like... Paintbrushes date back to the prehistoric times when cave drawings suggest some kind of brush was used. Paintbrushes were discovered in Egypt, and were made from split palm leaves. It is a fact that brushes were used by the ancient Greek and Romans. Okay. So here s some info. It seems like just about every animal around has had their hair used in a paint brush. For example: Sable, Squirrel, Hog, Badger, Mongoose, Pony, Camel, Horse and Goat to name a few of the more usual. Sables: The hair is obtained from the tail of the Kolinsky, a species of weasel rather than an actual sable. The "finest" brushes are made from the male hair only, but most brushes have a mix of about 60/40 male-to-female hair. The weasel is not an animal that is raised well in captivity, and is generally isolated to the geographical region of Siberia. Due to this difficulty in harvesting the hair, these bristles are rare and expensive. (Neef 2236) W&N Series 7 was created because it was Queen Victoria s favourite size and ordered in 1866, that it should be "the very finest watercolour brush". They are known for their use in watercolour, but are suitable for all mediums. The alternative to Kolinsky is Red Sable brushes. These are still a decent quality, but at a more affordable price. (Check out Art Spectrum series 60) Squirrel: A soft and usually dark coloured hair that does not have the spring of a sable, but is a delight to use in watercolour painting. You can easily find these, because the hair is bound with wire. (Neef 117; A/S French wash, are a couple that we stock) Hog hair: Mostly used for oil painting, where leaving brush marks is desirable and where the stronger bristles can tolerate the thicker paint. (A/S series 1000) Mongoose: these are very satisfying to paint oils and acrylics with. A little coarser than sable, but less expensive and they offer great control and spring. (Neef 460)
And then of course, are the Synthetics. The most recognizable of these are the white Taklon (eg Neef 970 rounds), which come in all shapes, styles and sizes. These are all-purpose, very accessible brushes for use with every medium and often other uses also. Other synthetics have darker bristles or are thicker and sturdier than the natural hair brushes. Synthetic/natural hair blends are available in various types of brush. So what kind do you prefer? Brush Shapes and their uses. Rounds: Round ferrule with round pointed hair. Used with every medium both for regular laying down of large areas of colour or the finer detail work depending on the size. Flats: A flat ferrule with a square end. Popular with oil and acrylic painters, but also used frequently with watercolour and others. Brights: A square end brush like the oil flat, but with shorter hair length. Used to make distinct definite marks. Filbert: Flat ferrule with rounded hair end. A versatile brush that gives softer finish than the flat or bright. Often used to paint portraits. Fans: These are great for adding highlights in grass and foliage and are very useful for blending. Riggers/Liners: These round brushes have extra long hair coming to a fine point for detail work, fine lines or calligraphy marks. Wash/Mops: These always use soft hair, but can vary in the shape. Hakes are goat hair and flat; Camel mops have a rounded top and Squirrel mops are round and come to a fine point. Another is Neef 4600 which is a flat or cat s tongue squirrel mix, and so also comes to a point for detail work. Angles & Daggers: Are both a flat brush cut on a slant. The difference is that the dagger has a much greater angle and has the potential for making interesting marks that are quite random great for foliage & grasses or whatever application you can think of. Specialist: There are many and varied assortment of brushes that are available.
So I thought I would ask the artists on staff for their favourite brushes and the reason why. Sue: I like to paint with taklon, I usually use small round brushes #1 #6 or up to 1/2 flats. I love a small filbert for blending. I have used white taklon for years, but recently switched to golden taklon. I like the Art Basics sets with all my favourite sizes in one pack. Golden taklon is a little softer and doesn t drag the paint as much as the white one. This means you can lay down more paint for a thicker cover. I love the hardiness of taklon. I often forget to clean up and leave them in the water for days and they forgive me! Roslyn: I have changed my preference of watercolour brushes several years ago. For many years, I painted mostly with synthetics because they would do what I wanted them to. But now I prefer Squirrel mops (esp Neef 117) and also a taklon Dagger because they give me a more random mark that then produces artwork with more mystery and interest. I still use a #8 synthetic (A/S 550) often though for the last detailed, calligraphic marks. Sharon: Even though I often work in oils and acrylics in my studio, my favourite brush is the Winsor and Newton Series 7. When I paint with watercolour and gouache, the handling of the Kolinsky sable hair is extremely tactile. It handles beautifully, forming a precise point, with a lovely balance of the handle and has a versatility of mark that I enjoy. Maryika: My favourite brushes are the long handled, 2 inch and 3 inch goat hair hakes. These brushes have the ability to absorb a large amount of water that is needed for consistent washes on larger areas. The most important use is for flicking/splattering paint with a flick of the wrist/elbow. Once you get to know how/when to flick with confidence, making backgrounds and or final touches become more creative and spontaneous. There is something about the long handle that acts as an extension to the arm. It s like conducting an orchestra underarm, forearm and all over the place. If you would like to tell us about your favourite brushes and the reason why as well, add a post to our Facebook page and those who make comments will go into a draw to receive an Arches #10 Round. We have 6 to give away, drawn on June 1. Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. Henry Ward Beecher Murray s Underpainting Painting in progress
Framing Tips So last time we looked at mats. Well, to go with the mat you need a frame. But again, which one? How do I choose what suits my artwork or photo? Frame styles/types: Square basic these would have to be the most popular in today s framing world. They give a clean look to most works and are especially useful for Artists, as they suit multiple decors. Rustic and wood toned frames can be used on images that feature textured or landscape scenes. It can also be a personal preference that works within the Country style of décor. Fancies are those that have embellishments such as plaster ornamentation and intricate patterns. The most common colours for these are gold, silver, white and black. Often used with older or more traditional subjects, such as still-life and portraits. There are deep rebate frames for items that have height or depth, such as textiles, medals, jerseys and objects of all kinds. Some of the more unusual things that have been framed here: Venetian masks, a drill, an antique rug, a railway spike and 1st edition books. As an artist though, you may use one of these to edge a stretched canvas either deep or narrow, which can give a very professional, finished look to your artwork. Another way to present a stretched canvas is with what is known as a Juliette frame, which surrounds the canvas instead of resting on the edge of it. This can create a beautifully polished presentation of a painting and is favoured by many artists. Colour of frames and when to select them: Whites or natural wood are favourites amongst artists at the present time and give a simple, uncomplicated look to many varieties of paintings. The opposite to that is blacks, where they create a solid border statement around a work. Again an easy and basic solution to keep framing of artwork affordable and reusable. Neutrals and greys are especially great on pencil or charcoal works and black & white photos. There are quite an array of warm and cool tones now. I find that I choose these fairly frequently on clients pieces because they are far more subtle than a straight black or a stark white.
Metallic frames come in bright gold and silver, champagne gold (a mix of gold and silver) and more recently, bronze and pewter, though there are only a few. It s the champagne golds that are the most popular as they go with more decors than the others. These give the appearance of an opulent style without being fussy. This leaves colours. As an artist, these mostly work with more brightly hued paintings and can bring a sense of fun and light-heartedness to the image. They can also be very successful in children s rooms. Custom framing is an investment that is worth the cost when you consider that it is the best way to preserve your precious artwork or memento. It is also worth noting that framing lasts for years and even decades, not just a month or two. Going to a long lived business (Murray s has been framing since 1946) is a good strategy and the current staff (combined), have over 26 years experience in framing consultation. This is an invaluable resource that you, our clients are able to tap into with obligation free quotes. As with anything these days, the choices are endless and you will want to choose something that enhances the piece. So if you would the like help with your unique artworks or other items that need to be framed, come in store and ask us for advice. Framing can make an ordinary painting look amazing and a good one even better. On the flip side, we have seen examples of framing that have taken a wonderful artwork and made it look quite ordinary. So let us help you to make the right choice.
Feature Artists Natasha Hodgson I began my love of art as a child winning my high school art trophy in year 11 and 12. With a wide variety of creative skills I have a degree in music and exhibited my ceramic sculptures for many years. After formal training in a variety of painting mediums I now fully specialize in watercolour painting. I enjoy watercolours for their luminous glow and unpredictability. I also like the ability of this medium to express photographic style techniques such as depth of focus and layering of translucent light. After sculpting animals for twelve years I can t resist bringing them into my paintings. I often paint them in groups interacting with each other and their environment. This leads to interesting designs and stories within the painting. I have also developed a keen interest in painting still life, taking up the challenge of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Maggie Brockie Maggie lives on Queensland s Granite Belt and has been working with clay for over 20 years. While mostly self taught, Maggie acknowledges the excellent international and national tutors with which she has had the privilege and opportunity to study. Maggie lives in close contact with nature, observing the bush and being inspired by the antics of its inhabitants. Focusing on both common and endangered species, she brings a voice to the animals and birds whose future is threatened by habitat loss, predators and climate change. The essence and spirit of the district s timeless granite boulders have over time seeped into her being and this is reflected in the stylized animal forms. The boundaries between her art and life are indeed very blurred. Her realistic sculptures often incorporate bush timber. Maggie conducts workshops in her bush studio and away in northern NSW and southern Qld. Her teaching style is relaxed and intuitive. Maggie has work in private collections throughout Australia and in many overseas countries.
The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word "crisis." One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. If your child really loves art, get them some good brushes. Get good material and make them feel that what they do is important. Denise Fleming Each moment of your life is a brush stroke in the painting of your growing career. There are the bold, sweeping strokes of one increasing, dynamic purpose. There are the lights and shadows that make your life deep and strong. There are the little touches that add the stamp of character and worth. The art of achievement is the art of making life your life a masterpiece. Wilferd Peterson I don't have to lie on the couch and see a therapist because my therapist is in my paint brushes. Abbey Lincoln