Art News from up on the hill in La La Land!

I am feeling very VERY vague, hey worse than usual ,but its all supposed to be like this, right? but often is pretty hilaroius in reality, as I forget everything, everything...
so I may well be a danger to myself as I continue to cook ,paint, and you know, live my life with nothing in my head, can't remember ANYTHING!!!!
Slow progress on the Painting, but slow and steady, quite interesting having to take my time and having so little energyetc
as I am writing, drawing, researching, relaxing and nuturing me so when the moment comes the paint just puts in down like a sweet song, just simple.

Half Price Artwork at Home Gallery/ANNUAL SALE IS ON!

If you have always wanted to pop in or know someone who may want to,
come this week to The Hole In The Wall Gallery, 23 Ardern Ave, Stanmore Bay
Call 424 1190 or otherwise open 10 to 4pm, Weds 20th to Easter Monday
This time of the year I let a few go out the door, make room for more, have to sell a few to keep up supplies of canvas,even though I have 4 beautiful huge canvases begging to be started, and a few small pieces half finished... come up and see what I'm doing, or have a chat, low in energy but I'm pottering into it slowly. Third chemo under my belt, can't say it isn't knocking me round, but I'm through the worst!

Go Van Gogh, he painted through all his sufferring, right

All I needed was a quiet week, but it was quite the opposite...full of drama
But an artist loves a bit of emotion and intensity,
nothing like a bit of Adversity to feed the soul !
Hence my hat is off [ and hair] to Van Gogh for painting no matter how hard it got, no matter what life threw at him ,he kept his faith, his Faith in " the Paintings" that had to be painted....
This new series is in 12 panels, I am currently onto the 4th piece and have drawn up the sketches for 5 more. Nice to feel this excited again.
I mostly do not have the energy to paint at present, but sketch/research/ read and think alot more, before the painting is started, So it's a bit like Art Schooldays, showing a physical trail that got you to the end result, ie. this series
Its very Different!
This will be for a Exhibition late in the year< I always have to be painting for 6months ahead of deadline! Watch this space!

Busy Busy!
Am organizing the advertising for NorthArt Show in July, its called "Switch",
the Best huge canvases [36" by 48"] and ART work from the last 3 years.
Also organizing Annual Easter Sale here at the Home Studio/gallery too, more details soon
Or email me at gallery@jobain.co.nz for info

Art Chat from Rodney Artist Jo Bain

From in the midst of my chemo

My knight in shining armour fixed everything! rang the hospital, got stronger medicine within an hour it was faxed, picked up and I had relief from nausea 24/7 , 24 hours, instantly.
Gone after 3 minutes!!!!!!! One month of putting up with being so sick, hey, isn't chemo like this?
Gone ,GONE, I laughed out loud and couldn't stop!
Being Jo Bain, I started to sketch, by the next day started to paint, i felt like me again, in fact I think this is the best work i have ever done.
I might be onto some of the most important series of paintings in my career....
Am I strange to be enjoying my cancer, does that make me an optimist ?
or plain crazy, to always see the silver lining?
I feel absurdly happy and good about life, I am in a good place with so many joys
and all those beautiful people in the community being nice to me, I feel lucky.
I must update my website with new photos, some of the new stuff sells as I finish it,
maybe not only I can see they are good paintings.... so pleased the creative flame in me still burns on.... www.artistjobain.co.nz

"Quiet Time"by Jo Bain

Been a very quiet time, but I really am appreciating the time to slow down and take a respite, to just be in the moment and appreciate all the small joys each day brings.
Have just completed my second chemo and have lost my hair, feel embarassed to be even worried about such vanity but you really do still feel the same, your spirit is intact and untarnished.
Energy is low but still manage to draw the ideas and read /research ideas, and in the future these paintings will come in with a hiss and a raw!!! Even began a journey!
Have been accepted for the Original Art Show and paintings are ready for Easter Show, it has to be work from the current year so its great that i am usually so prolific because I had finished some special ones from plein air painting of trees at Wendlehlom and local trees at Stanmore Bay.Also
working on spontanous pieces that I do just for me to get the emotions out, very raw, direct and simple, they come from the place of nothingness so don't have to be important, or to have an end result but actually really like them, often finished off with drawing on top of the canvas.
Funnily enough I have sold everyone people have seen so life sure is full of surprises...

Painting everyday!!!!!!!

Have been delighted that I have been able to get into the studio and do more than
Think and Look!
Its been along time since I have had that energy,
sometimes it felt like that creative part was GONE but its been 10 years since activity level has gone so low, but even during surgery and recovery I did manage to potter and at least draw.
Now I have 18 weeks of chemo and was daunted to think I wouldn't get any thing done, for all that time, definitley not patient!
But have found that pottering every morning in the studio has been very productive, its as though I use my time more effectively or maybe see what needs to be done very clearly.
Put 3 pieces into the Estuary Show in the end, including one that got slashed
and ripped until it said what it had to say.
Now resolving some unfinished pieces, as well as working on this new series of people in front of a Stain Glass Windows, medieval looking ,great black contrasts .
Working on one today with all the late fall of summer and the carpet of Pohutakawa, green and red in vivid display, fabulous !

Exhibition News

Been a quiet summer, but not going to let a little cancer slow me down! Just completed an exhibition at The LakeHouse Art Centre, Jan 11th to the 3oth, thank you to the wonderful help of staff there.
Next on is the Members Show at the Estuary Art centre, starts next week ,on 3rd of March,
I have a very special piece, for an aptly named show ,'Reflections',my first day of Chemo too.
I am painting or drawing when I can and recording the emotions and feelings for expressing at a later date. Having an exhibition in July at NorthArt , 12 of my big canvases can be enjoyed how they should be seen, in a wonderful new space, but lots to do before then.
Easter Show and Original Art Show coming up fast now, time to get back into the studio, so not being able to teach or gad about could be good for me! An Artist loves a challenge!

About Jo Bain - the artist

Jo has always been painting, cutting, drawing, attending art courses from a early age. She trained in 1980 at NSTC working for 17 years as a kindergarten teacher making the most of 12 weeks break a year to paint. Every few years relieving teaching to enable her to paint for more days a week. The freshness of the children's colours, their openness to use a variety of mediums and their lack of preconceived ideas has been influential.

In 2000 Jo began full time art training at Hungry Creek Art n' Craft School, giving her the confidence to become a mixed media artist working in Acrylic, watercolour, ink, pastels and recycled textures. In 2001 Jo began to enter competitions - winning both The Pumphouse Award and Third overall in the Royal Easter Show. Jo was accepted for many prestigious shows including the Goldwater Art Award - Waiheke, The Original Art Show - Auckland, The Affordable Art Show - Wellington and she was merit prize winner twice in the Franklin Art Awards.