Busy little globetrotter!

Since I posted the last article I have moved to China. After Vanuatu we did 2 years in the Middle East - United Arab Emirates - so I have a lot of catching up to do on this blog. Quite frankly I am getting a bit excited about this whole art thing so I am going to skip very quickly through those two years and just put up the paintings I did while there.

The first 2 pieces were inspired by the Moroccan style mosque near the Al Jimi Mall in Al Ain. I liked the geometrics and the colours. I am really attracted to this type of work.

I decided to apply the same principles to drawing flamingos. I don't like the product - it is clumsy and grubby, but I am learning about line and flow and colour and paper - so I have put them up and I will rework them one day to be more in line with my vision for them.

I had never painted people so one evening at a group I joined for practicing art I copied this lady from a magazine. And then on Mother's Day in 2008 when I was really missing my sons I painted the young boy knocking on the door to visit his mother. Because I was in the Emirates he is dressed in local costume.

There are a couple of people I want to thank for their input in the UAE. Rebecca Tilley, a young Australian woman who was teaching art at a school, had painting evenings where we went to her home and she gave us some lessons and left us to do our thing. They were lovely evenings and I really enjoyed them. Bec is also now in China and we are still friends and will collaborate more on art over our time here. Marion Davidson inspired me to begin a series of drawings and as time goes by you will see just how important her influence was. Thanks Bec and Marion, your love of art has inspired me to continue.