Caroline

Inspiration

Covid Creative Charm

ABC Radio Sydney conducted a Household Lockdown Portrait Competition in which participants were asked to recreate a famous artwork, or submit an original one, using people and objects in their home. More than 250 people took up the creative challenge and entered the competition on social media.

Figurative Art

Freda Robertshaw - A Trailblazer

Unable to afford a model, Australian artist Freda Robertshaw (1916-1997) painted herself nude, the first Australian Woman to do so, in what must have been a provocative, even confronting, act.

Art Mentors

Sheila Cruthers leaves a legacy that “will paint Australian women artists back into our history”

Introducing Sheila Cruthers, an art collector and a philanthropist of note. What makes Sheila different to other who championed Australian women artists.

Women Artists

Alexandra Dillon, a painter of old paintbrushes and other discarded items

Alexandra Dillon is a Los Angeles-based surrealistic painter creating art on found objects. A love of Old Masters led her to study classical realism in Florence, Italy. Dillon paints imagined portraits on worn out paint brushes & other common discarded objects. Credit: alexandradillon.com

Metalwork

I love this artist Cal Lane, in spades

Bridging industry and fine art Cal Lane eliminates the tough and imposing characteristics of steel and iron to create alluring delicate and intricate sculptural forms using wheelbarrows shovels and fuel tanks as her canvas. Credit:Photos Cal Lane Facebook

Dogs

Contemporary Scottish Artist - Louis McNally

Louis Mcnally is a contemporary Scottish artist who paints using a distinctive style. He painstakingly develops his paintings over many weeks using drawings, photos and memory. Image credit: scottishartpaintings.co.uk

Naive and Folk Art

Naïve UK artist Mani Parkes loves the simple things, and dogs!

Mani Parkes has always wanted to be an artist. Today she is a successful professional artist. The quick drying nature of acrylic paints are ideal for Mani as she can add all the tiny details to her pictures without delay. Image credit: "Make a Wish" by Mani Parkes redraggallery.co.uk

Thread and Needle

Woman of the West Tapestry

The Woman of the West Tapestry is located in the Bland Shire council building in West Wyalong. The tapestry is tribute to the pioneer women of the Shire. It was a project of the Bland Spinners and Weavers Group for Australia’s bicentennial celebration in 1988. Image credit: Neil Crook

Performing Arts

The face behind Snow-White, the brains behind Bluetooth

Hedy Lamarr was born in Vienna in 1914. An only child, Lamarr’s father, a bank director and curious man, inspired her to look at the inner workings of different machines. Lamarr could be found taking apart and reassembling her music box to understand how it operated. Image credit: m.imdb.com

The Netherlands

Dutch artist Charley Toorop - created powerful portraits

Born in the Netherlands in 1891, Charley Toorop was a talented violinist but also a self-taught painter and lithographer who became affiliated with the Bergense School from the 1910s through the 1920s. Image credit: Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Flowers

The puzzle surrounding three tulips

Jacob Marrel (1614 – 1681) was a German still life painter active in Utrecht during the Dutch Golden Age who specialized in ‘portraits’ of tulips in bloom. Image credit: metmuseum.org

Animals

David Oakley a fine artist, despite a life threatening event - Part 3

David Oakley a fine artist survived a vicious attack during an armed holdup and subsequently spent months in a coma. Today we learn how David re taught himself to draw and paint again. Credit: David Oakley

Dogs

David Oakley - A story of resilience, grit and determination - Part 2

David Oakley, a mixed media artist, has lived two lives. Life One was your usual life of a talented young man. In August 2002, David started his ‘second’ life courtesy of an unexpected and unwanted event. Image credit: Gary Sissons Bayside News

Disability

David Oakley - More than animal portraits - Part 1

David Oakley experienced a significant event approx. 20 years ago which had a severe impact on him both mentally and physically. In part 1 today we look at his animal portraits. Image credit: David Oakley 2021

Reflection

Paixão sexta-feira

Christ the Redeemer, the statue which stands above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil offers a timely reminder to stop and reflect on the great losses the world has suffered over the past year. Time to reflect and thank all those who have sacrificed so much for so many. Image credit: Robert Nyman/Unsplash

Sculpture

More UooUoos

A few weeks ago we introduced you to UooUoos - a mythical creature designed for an Art Trail In Melbourne and fund raiser for the Royal Children's Hospital 150th Anniversary.

Shape

Featuring Shape

Because our world is made up of objects - both natural and human made - it is made up of shapes. Today we examine different ways shapes in our environment can be manipulated to create art forms. Photo credit: Caroline.

Texture

Featuring Texture

Texture gives our environment character and today thanks to images from Caroline we can look a little closer at some of the textures she discovered in her trip into the country. Ben Quilty, a texture artist, gets a mention. Photo: Caroline

Photography

Featuring Colour

Caroline has been travelling the roads of Victoria and New South Wales and today reminds us the the importance of colour in our world. Some quotes from famous writers and artists endorses the significance of colour.

Indigenous Art

Celebrating International Women's Day 2021

Today we would like to celebrate women's contribution to history and art. The text and images are courtesy of the author and art historian, P.L.Henderson.

Ships and boats

P.S. Melbourne

The P.S. Melbourne was originally launched on the River Murray in 1912. Built for the Victorian Government as a work boat, the Melbourne was fitted with a huge winch which was used for hauling fallen trees & snags from the river, keeping the main channel open. Image credit: paddlesteamers.com.au

Science

Quick Response [QR] Codes

QR codes have become part of our lives and 6 months ago most of us had no idea what they were. Today Caroline takes us through a history and design lesson on these little codes which are helping to keep us safe. Credit: Bobmath - CC0 Wikimedia Commons

Fibonacci

An artist's representation of some famous numbers

Italian artist Mario Merz (1925-2003), husband of artist Marisa Merz took the Fibonnaci sequence of numbers (featured previously) to new heights, 52m into the sky to be exact. Mario Merz summed up the content of the mathematical series in one short sentence. Image credit: artnet.com

Celebration

It's that day again: Happy Valentine's Day

Take a little time today to think about all the good things in the world and the people and creatures you love. And anything else that makes you feel good: chocolate, a good book, a beautiful painting. Image credit: Photo by Sidney Pearce / Unsplash

Celebration

25 December 2020

Wishing all our subscribers and supporters around the world a Very Happy Christmas with family and friends.