The Butterfly Collector

Experimentals!

The last two weeks have been filled with experiments with paint, paper, glue and lots of sketching with all kinds of materials. I am nearly half way through the first part of the surface pattern design course I am doing with Rachael Taylor and Beth Nichols. 

So far we learning how to make motifs for patterns, find our own style, find inspiration all around us and I have managed to torture myself on Photoshop too. Fortunately with Rachael's step by step instructions and taking it very slow I am formimg my first patterns and I am so excited to see them come together. I promise I will show you soon! ... in the meantime I have had fun creating this new collage, patchwork style painting I've entitled "Apple Blossom".  I loved making this from ideas in my sketchbook, playing with colours and added in pieces of vintage wallpaper, in fact I think I shall make more! Happy Creative Weekend to All!

Ugly Betty!

Introducing Ugly Betty ... Who is actually not so ugly anymore! My beautiful friend Louise bought "a lovely brown and beige with peeling lino, renovators delight caravan" this year and with her very creative hands has turned it into the perfect place to have a tea party ...or a little SHOPPE!!! Betty is attending her second market tomorrow decked out in black and white checks, spots and stripes with a hint of red. Louise will display her label JUNK OWL which includes gorgeous handmade blankets, skirts, childrens clothing and re-fashioned jackets inside and she is even taking some of my lovely wares to share there too! So come and meet Betty ...at the Artefact Market ( formerly the Artists Market) in Geelong tomorrow and Piccadilly Market on the waterfront on Sunday!!! You can even win a family photo shoot in her too ...see the details on Piccadilly's facebook wall HERE!!!

Why Gold Fish Never Die!

In the Tank. Copyright Shae Reid 2011

On this Sunny Saturday Afternoon I finally am able to share a project in here that I have been working on for the past year and a half. I have been illustrating my first book for my dear friend Brian. Its been a wonderful adventure of collaboration and creativity that has brought nearly one hundred paintings to life that will be published and shared with the world very soon.

I just can't wait to hold a printed copy in my hands and see one of my greatest childhood dreams of illustrating a book come true!

Book Poster. Copyright Shae Reid 2011

Why Gold Fish Never Die is most beautiful to read and will compel you to think about why you are here and wonder how you came to be alive. Its perfect with prose, humour and short tales mixed in. A joyful and thought provoking journey with the Author and the characters we have created in pictures to help tell the tale.

I would love to invite you to visit the Book's Website, read a little offering of the book and write a comment on its very own blog too!... 

www.whygoldfishneverdie.com.au 

And to keep updated with all the Gold fish News, we now have our own facebook page too ...click HERE to join us!

Book Website. BY Choc Chip Media

Making Cards in the Enchanted Woods!

If you go down to the woods today you might find an Enchanting Surprise ... my new greeting card and gift tag making kit ... all the Teddy Bears are raving about it and sending them to all the creatures in their abodes in the treetops and log hollows. 

I have been thinking about making kits for my little Etsy Shoppe for a while now and this one has naturally evolved from lots of my sketches and paintings. It includes ten of my scribbles and brushmarks in lots of sizes plus fourteen more papers, tags and embellishments to play with too. Today some have snuck out of the forest and you can find them all packaged up in my Shop HERE!!!

Random Acts of Paint!

Its the weekend and I have enjoyed a sunny Saturday with my family. We've been for a walk in the sun, eaten giant scoops of Gelati and had some trampoline, hide and seek and water gun play time too. And to top it all off I have been creating random and playful backgrounds with whatever colours and papers have taken my fancy today for some new paintings and I am enjoying starting to add some details in now too. I think my inner child is a happy girl tonight!

I don't show progress shots very often, but I think its nice to see and share how things evolve and change in the creation. I do love it when other artist's I admire share there work along its way to a finished piece and its also a little window into their world that is wonderful to see. 

A happy Gelati Pastel Palette coloured weekend to you All!