What whale?

Few people know that last year in Raglan I had the most mind blowing encounter with a young orca whale. I love Raglan to bits and photograph everything but this time I thought I'll leave the camera and soak up what this place is all about and really SEE it…

The boys, Muzz and jack were building in the dunes, I walked along the waterline edge into the inner harbour. Felt so at peace and one with everything. I was actively scanning the waves,   crossing my mind how I'm always too busy to notice,  at that exact second I see a fin.
Then again closer, next he comes up a third time right by me. Its a small teenage orca eyeballing me, so close, the water falls away deep in the channel, me with my toes on the edge, he a few feet away.

We just look at each other for the longest time then he moves off, I look around to see if atone else has seen and next thing he has turned around and come back so I walk, he swims along together… 

Then as the others start to run down the dunes he picks up speed and moves off still next to me but pulling away, I look beyond my friend the whale and see a large Orca and infant beside her across the harbour, his family…. my family join me and they can't believe what they saw. I felt like he sought me out, it was the most intense incredible experience.
It was such a spiritual moment it is hard to explain in words, I have been reluctant to paint about it but slowly these paintings are evolving. They need to convey that tranquility and peace.
 I felt chosen and so full of love.
If you observe carefully you will see my orca appear quietly in paintings,  he is always with me and I often hold my greenstone whale tail and remember that day.

Perhaps that's the Artist's job

I actively seek the joy in each day, do you? After being il for such
 a long time I had to learn to see again. My partner would say
I miss you saying "Look at that Tree"
But with all the drugs from chemo I stopped noticing. Wow life was so flat.
It has been the flowers and birds that have brought me back. Just to sit for a short time and quietly watch. Yesterday two rosellas flew into the tree in my garden in front of me, your heart lifts with joy.
Then last night a Tui was doing aerobatics from tree to tree, dropping suddenly, soaring, turning, just fabulous, so wonderful a sight.
Plants thriving in the greenhouse are uplifting too. So exciting to see the cucumber attaching itself to the tamarin and clambering skyward.
It made me think about the early days, at 20 I painted in oils and choice of subject was usually flowers and seedpods. Right in close, magnified view, vibrant and clashing colour combinations. Seeing nature as no one sees it. Perhaps that's the artists job to help others to notice the beauty round them. To see through our eyes. I  constantly seek a tree or a small scene I have never noticed and think Van Gogh would have painted that.

What do you know….

Lots going on at the moment, busy, busy but a good kinda busy. I have my own Art Calenders out and they have come up beautiful. Very impressed with the printing, you can see the textured surface on the Paintings clear as day. Its got nearly all new work from this year. Really people can get a lot of Art here for $25, frame their favourites, bang them on the wall.

I love Art Calendars and always buy the latest one, keeping them for years for the pictures, could be the colour combination and feeling I am currently exploring. A dream of mine was to one day be in one of those calendars and lo and behold you can just print your own.

Some dreams are so easily sorted!

What's kinda cool is they are my images so I can use prints of sold paintings ,so others get to see and share the pieces that have been snapped up. And oh boy its been a steady year of sales…

So if you're keen to get a 2015 edition they are available from Helensville Art Centre, Discover me website or direct from the Artist, cheaper too!

Or wait for next year when it'll only get better. hee hee

"I see Red"

"I see Red"
Definitely how I feel today. Have had surgery done on my nose and lets just say there has been a lot of blood. Had acute sinusitis and allergies for 12 years, so fantastic that I am sorting that out at last.
As an expressionist I paint how I feel not just what I see.
So this Painting," I see Red"was finished earlier this year but I didn't exhibit it with the Life is But a Dream series as it was so intense and full of emotion. I was annoyed how I couldn't think, focus or     paint with the sinus headache and then realised, why not paint how IT feels…                                                      
Being one to always look at the positive I thought of all the things that were red beside pain, anger, or  aggression. So this is that Painting, there is the road full of Autumn colour and the glorious beauty of red. Its good for the Artist to paint about all sides of life, not just the nice. What does pain look like? grief? loneliness? I enjoy exploring and expressing in colour life's full plate.
Funnily enough its a green palette I am working with today but thats another story…..

Yellow is most definitely My colour just now...Beautiful, Positive and Vibrant.

First I received word I have been accepted into the New Art Awards,

a national Competition and selection exhibition ,

with my Painting, "Dappled Light" 

A Painting with a full yellow sky inspired by the white villa on

 Stanmore Bay beach and Van Gogh's use of yellow.

What else says Sunshine more than a complete sky of glorious YELLOW!

So next thing I hear from a new website I have my work listed on.

www.discoverme.co.nz  I have sold a Painting "Sunshine and Birds"

With, you guessed it, the second Painting I have ever done with a full yellow sky…

Its exciting to see a email and find someone in Palmerston North at 10pm on Sunday 

needed your Art at their house.

So we just need that yellow dress I ordered, in chiffon, in 5o's style to turn up in a parcel to complete my vibrant slash of that delicious bright primary colour. This week yellow but next week who knows where my mood will lead me...

"Best view , Best feeling..."

Sitting in the studio, looking out at the best view a studio ever had I reckon. Used to be a small unused deck once but Muzz closed it in and put these huge expensive windows in, it takes up two thirds of the wall . So its a small intimate space, great light and hey, no one else can fit but me! Its cool I am near everyone but tucked away. If visitors came they could miss the fact I'm even here. Can shut the ranch slider and its real quiet too. Though usually I have the Pink Floyd blasting…
 its a good day, have finished and entered the  Art Awards and now the best feeling an open slate…

Got a sweet textured surface there on one side or some nice gessoed driftwood to have a play with...

Queen for the Day

September nearly gone already, exhibitions at Helensville and the Estuary finishing Sunday.

School holidays now here too, that's me too as a teacher. So lovely to get up and Paint…

oh!I do that already! Yes, I am lucky as only Jack left at home so its all quiet as. I don't work until 10.30 and just 4 days a week so I paint with that lovely morning energy before I go in. Will post a pic of  today's wave Painting, capturing the movement rather than the light…

Then I go in to kindergarten and do all my cool Art projects there and my sustainable Enviro school stuff. I have a Wild flower garden, recycled bottle bird feeders we fill, worm farm, orchard, bug hotel , driftwood Art and we are making a birdbath out of recycled china...

So going to work is wonderful, yesterday I even got to dress as a Queen for a Cupcake day…

Ha! Ha! Should post a photo of that!

"Wet and Wonderful"

I love days like this, just a free day ahead of me, lots of painting, creating and cooking….
Tomorrow I am teaching a workshop at The Estuary Art centre, first since 2010. bit of a landmark.
Didn't think I would share my perspective on Art in this way again. but the lovely Helensville Art centre asked me do to some. They are such non judgemental cool people to work with. That lead to joining Art Kiapara and current exhibition. Workshops booked for October.
Called into Estuary to participate in exciting puppet workshops and all the fun. Hence an enquiry to do a workshop there on the 21st. Sept.
 Have been squirrelling away since and building up my Art boxes so I guess i was keener than I thought! ... its kinda nice to unfold these last bits that have been dormant since my illness and reope parts of me, I do love to inspire and encourage others to play...

chemotherapy choices

the only antioxident complimentery medicinal products the oncologists think are acceptable are noni ,omega 3 fish oil and lyposperic vitamin c,along with low antioxident diet.
my wifes hair and nails bear witness to this after her chemo,including extra sessions,joanne had AAA- breast and lymph,but we are positve its sorted!!!

Slowly Slowly

It's been a weird and wonderful time and somehow a year or 2 has come and gone...
I miss my friends now and feel bad that I have totally dropped off the face of the earth, but I haven't been up to it!!!! I have been very surprised that it's taken so long to bounce back and get some energy again, have felt like a watered down version of myself.
Computers, TV's and Phones are all quite draining but no excuses now, I am walking and working on my fitness .Choosing to do things that make me happy every day, walking away from any stress,
learning to do things differently,
now after the latest trip to the Auckland Art gallery ,
I am ready, excited to
face this Artistic block and get back into my passion,
get back into LIFE

One year later... I'm back!!!!!!

I have been out of the circuit for a wee while but please don't think I'm not thinking of you all, just had to deal with it MY way.... I figure If you don't run your own life, somebody else will!
Start as you mean to go on, That's what I say! , So I am proud to say I got my A into G and took 5 new pieces to the Manly Art Show and today they are being seen and enjoyed, new work too, from the meagre pieces painted in last 6 months, few direct responses from life on driftwood
and 2 medium canvases about emotions and the visuals of how I felt but was unable to voice...
Not too shabby, have been inthis same show for 25 years so good to still be here!
Didn't end up having a sale as such, just felt like prostituting myself to get money so i gave away 9 piecec over the last months and that filled the need to make room for the new, and find the right places for them to spread the love.
Gallery is no longer but I am so you are very welcome, just give us a buzz first.
Peace and Love to you all, hope you are all in sound mind and health
Oh and totally chilled tooo C U xxx

Where, What? Jo Bain?

Well i missed August, in fact very often time has no meaning, it goes fast, other times slow....
Can't believe its 6 months since my operation and a year nearly since i first found the lump...
Not the year I had planned, of course but I have learn't alot about myself, lost my old self really and have gone back to zero and have to pick myself up and start again...
Have struggled to get back in to life, sorta strange to shake off being in 'sick mode' so time to get stuck into a new project... have listed new work on website and have a sale mid September planned, last year I let NINE go at bargain prices, made a whole lot of people happy and made room for the new work. What is next?
Off to Wenderholm to paint for a week and totally chill out, be one with nature!

New Paintings "History in the Making" detail

My starting pint was from research of real windows in France

"New Life" 2011

Also to folllow; detail "History in the Making" A new techinque I'm returning to more and more
of old drawing on the painted surface, its a bit lika doodle or scribble but quite satisfying and somehow elusive at the same time

Art News Jo Bain

You make a living from what you get
You make a life from what you give
Winston Churchill quote I saw in hospital, so true
Very quiet week, detoxicing from all the drugs poured into me for 5 months,
I feel a little lost, lucky I have the family round me and a project to complete, I love a challenge, painting a Manniquin for the Wearable Arts, in Warkworth over the month of August,
very interesting how the shape influences the paint. Will post a photo when done !!!
Also entered the Depot, in Devonport, Portrait Show starting this week...
Sending one of my new people panels I've begun of medieval style people at important moments in life, this is New Born, the emotion and colour, its like burqundy crystals, stain glass windows portrait , very different style for me. I like all the black, great contrasts.
My solo sow is on in Northcote until 3rd august at NorthArt. beautiful large pieces painted all but one at Regional parks in this neck of the woods, some lovely paintings of the light through the trees and old gravestones among trees and flowers. Come and see me in there, I am on duty at the Gallery, 31st July 10 to 4pm email is currntly out but call me for detailsPh 09 424 1190

ART NEWS FROM JO ! Done and Dusted!!!!

DONE! DELIVERED! SHOW WAS BUBBLE WRAPPED,
20 HUGE PIECES /TRAILER FULL! TARPAULIN ON! [and bucketing down]
AND MY LAST CHEMOTHERAPY TODAY!
FOR AN ENCORE HAD TO TAKE TRAILER TO CHEMO!
WAS SO COOL,
they hang show, choose pieces, do advertising/ invites/ Opening, food, its funny I thought it would be hard to let go of control, they may not even pick my favourites, but it feels GOOD,
I really feel so happy for myself,
firstly completing a goal I had ,THREE years ago, to work slowly on these big pieces,
paintings that would SAY something, [more political?] maybe just a stronger voice, a honest, Pure, in you face, look! Listen!, I often add words now and have to say I was pretty proud of myself still completely project, what with this and that,
gave her gallery, NorthArt, Paintings to choose from and I am at my low LOW moment with chemo, supposed to be in bed dribbling.... nah, way over rated.....
Now hope you can be there, on SUNDAY for the Opening 4 to 6pm at Northcote,
you have to see this, I am super excited to SEE what they have done with them [as I won't have seen it either...]
loading pictures of new Paintings on website to coincide with Exhibition 'Switch".
My own family don't recognize them as mine, can't wait to see the reaction.....
If you need more info. call us at pH 09 424 1190 Or North ART website or pop to mine www.artistjobain.co.nz
Hope your life's are as blessed and wonderful, aren't WE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE!

"Switch" Jo bain's Exhibition Opening July 17th 4pm

Feeling so GOOD right now, got a chemo tomorrow, but never mind that, my head is on advertising, posters,finishing, the Show is a WEEK away, well less than until I drop off work, wow, its amazing feeling;
Seeing things through, completely a task, for years I have worked on these, all my life I have had this faith in myself, and to get to the finishing post,
even one you set yourself, to complete this vision I had
of a whole room of works in a perfect space/ loads of light/ white walls /on these fabulous canvases/ raw, real and in your face,
full of emotions that people would not be able to ignore, be polite, not mention,
to look upon that which is not visual but what we feel, the things we all recognize and know but do we really look?
The world seems behind me at the moment, the wind at my back, the perfect people turning up and helping and now a chance to be part of Wearable Arts in Matakana,
hey every day is GOOD DAY Hope to load photos on website next week so watch out for that, this week I'm orange/red/purple and pink [ in life and in the Art]
so very intense and upbeat, quite a wonderful resonance!

Art news Jo Bain

Amazing what a little change of attitude can make....
bit shocked to find i hadn't finished my chemotherapy as told, but have been so good
I get more, hey I know only three, but I've decided thats okay, after all,I'm not letting that STOP ME!!!!!
Have decided I am over being sick/ hospitals/drama and have starting teaching this week and I can't stop painting, cooking, writing, just told chemo i'd be late as had work til 1.30, in fact seem to go when it suits me now! Even the hair has started to be a soft fuss, that's not supposed to happen until 6 to 12 weeks after chemo is over, yes even my hair is stubborn.
Exhibition has to be packaged and delivered in 12 days,
no worries, have 25 large pieces to choose from!!!!!

Never mind, just have to handle being spoilt for choice, huh, and maybe book the next show.
Ponsonby, Devonport, Newton Galleries interested all interested !
Just remember,
EVERY DAYS A GOOD ONE

Jo Bain ArtNews/What do you Seek?

Only one month to my solo show, "Switch"

It's been very intense with them all in the studio, three years of work and with seeing this finale coming together before my eyes ,its exhilarating, and the paintings are bubbling forth,

surely I should be tired and finished but each piece starts another, several trips to beg borrow more paint, these HAVE to be painted... I should be pulling threads together, better not come unravelled... Just have walk without FEAR and all is possible.

Going to be the most exciting thing to see them with the beautiful light,

[ NorthArt is a wonderful space] we are all seeking something, is it light or the LIGHT?

I CAN SEE the whole pattern,We look for fulfillment in all the wrong places, rushing here, buying this, always busy, seems so hard to find peace , a moments silence, we are bombarded with sensory overload at every turn,

when did it become about quantity, NOT quality?

Being home sick for all these months has made me see, truly see ...

The world is inside out and we are looking at every thing upside down, what is truly important, what do we cherish...

What would break your heart, what would leave you broken???

I have been right down to the nothingness and you are still you, intact, pure

How beautiful is that?

Latest NEWS: JO BAIN Dragracing!

I feel fearless. I feel alive.
Spent Sunday drag racing my new car, my 50th b'day present, complete with
flame job, ,mitre high Celtic cross on bonnet & Tree of life on boot , Crucifix daggling from mirror and wait for it.....
on a Jag XJ40!
Was actually at a small "Jag members" meeting when I raced, they couldn't keep me off the track,
Loved IT! Doing 16.3 sec runs on the quarter mile, speeds of 150km plus, just rather into it! only woman racing too!
SO will cars now feature in my Art, you never know, Painting I started Friday is bloody fierce!
look out for " Always Another hill to climb", this series is looking strong and fearless too...