Author Archives: Comic_Jo

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About Comic_Jo

Living in the outback has its challenges but it can also be fun. I live and work in Cunnamulla where I teacher art to kids and make art myself. You will find these two domains linked - teaching and art.

Portraits Over the Last Few Years

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I am working on several portraits at the moment. Because a few people have asked to see examples of my work, I thought I would create a page with only portraits to clear away the clutter.

The girls were happy to pose for this portrait. We had fun at the time.

So, below you see our friend Cheesy. This was painted for an exhibition back down the track. This artwork is influenced by the colours of Cunnamulla. It is also reflective of the earthiness of the surroundings. It is raw and straightforward.

This is a picture of Tice with the cat from next door called Mr Laite.

And this is a picture of my old friend Phoonoo. (Painted with permission from Margo, her sister.)

This is a picture of my niece. Family is important to me, and this one was painted on holiday in Sydney.

Believe it or not, I met Dadi Janki when she was in Australia. Her philosophy is important to me to this day. I painted this picture. I was experimenting with subtle texture.

This illustration was painted one day when Cheesy and Dan took us out to explain the Sandhills of Cunnamulla.

And here you can see me experimenting with reflections. Again, these are my nieces reflected in my glasses when on a trip in Sydney.

Here is Trent working out at RESQ+

Those were the days.

These portraits were painted on boards for the graduation passing out parade at our school. It was a lot of fun.

I’ll add a few more when I photograph them in the morning.

Mandala – sand art space

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Sand Mandala

Once in the Hot Springs Complex, bathers will find various spaces to chill out, relax, and unwind. The Sand Art Mandala is a space where you can create temporary art for fun. For a day at least, your art becomes part of the relaxing ambience. It is part of the larger area at the Springs where bathers can launch their sporting activities on the water of the Warrego River. Swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and the like.

Circular Structure with Triangular Placement

I was surprised when this painting emerged on the canvas as it was not what I intended to paint!. But the circular structure attracted me. This is the underpainting. The one an artist does when planning out a painting, I will glaze this here in my unit and then go back out next weekend to put the reflections and leaves into the mix.

In the meantime, I will be playing with composition and planning the frame. The painting will become squarer, with the triangle artists love to use, skewing to the left while viewers look at it. The frame will be the red colour of the dirt here, and the red will echo onto the rocks.

As I glaze and prepare the frame for this painting, I will journal about it here. It won’t work as a painting until all of the various contrasted textures are added.

Painting at the Hot Springs – an experiment

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I have been down and checked out the tent, and I will have a pleasant day painting. You can see that the view is now being captured from a different aspect. There are many different ways to become involved in the spaces at the Hot Springs. There is a relaxation space where writers can charge their devices and sit in a quiet atmosphere of contemplation. As well as the swimming complex their is a space below where bathers can access the river bank. Soon I intend to start launching my kayak from there.

This is a bush tent set aside for relaxation. People can laze back and read books or chill out between adventures on the river.

This is the space where everything will happen throughout the day. I am not after a finished painting at this stage. Rather, I want to get started. Set up a way of working. I will add to this post throughout the day. It was 8am when this photo was taken. The riverscape will change as the day warms.

Arid, Creative, Humming, Crazy – Tourist Spot

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Lightening Ridge a space of contradictions

The image of the Artesian Bore Bath above is particularly inviting. It portrays an image of health and clear, fresh well-being. But as a contrast, look at the image below which was taken very close by. I took advantage of a Poster Factory special lately, where, as an artist, I could receive a free introductory print if I paid postage. Surprisingly, I chose to have the print below made up for framing. It will be called – Three Rocks in a Surreal Landscape. This photo symbolises the morning I got lost trying to find my way back from the Cactus Farm. There was nothing to judge by, and the Map on my phone could not get its bearings amongst the rabbit warren, piled mine discards. There is nothing to judge direction by – just more and more mine discards. You can sense why I say ARID.

There is a fun, crazy side to Lightening Ridge, contrasted to a crazy opal mining aura. Both things kinda collide and then gel at the Lightening Ridge Bowls Club, where it seems to me that people do a whole lot of gambling; being a poor struggling artist, I do a whole lot of watching others gamble while I sit at my laptop and toil away. Pokies and Keno and partying. But I like it.

Some places like the one featured below are compact, cosy and classy.

I will spend the morning here at the John Murray Gallery, then the Hot Springs again. It was beautiful this morning at about 6am, and there were heaps of people there. It seems that many come for a swim before work, and the feeling is very relaxed. However, the pool is shut from 10am – 12pm so I have to plan around the closure.

I think I will go back to the Bowls Club and do a bit more writing before making my way home.

Lightening Ridge

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Business Trip with a Difference

It is a long way to pick up the bits and pieces needed to mount an exhibition! I am in an outback motel ‘living it up’ at Lightening Ridge. I have come to pick up this Milk Can.

All my trips are not just about building my business, which will eventually be an Art Gallery. The trips are also about defining my artistic process. I missed so many photo opportunities last night because I was driving. I snapped this one when I reached LR.

I will get out to the outlook tonight and capture images I couldn’t take while driving. I will meet a lady in Moree at lunchtime and pick up a milk can for $290. Seems expensive? That is the market price for ‘milk can’ because they are difficult to find. Even if you do find one, people will not let them go.

To justify such a long trip to pick up an item – I need to fit in a fair bit of creative work. Stay tuned.

Cunnamulla Hot Springs Abstract on Metal

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My Favourite Abstract Design

This abstract design has been printed on metal and is available in various sizes. The beauty of working with digital art is that I can take as many photos as I want and experiment in Photoshop. At some stage, I hit on a design that I think works and I will upload it to RedBubble. I have never seen one of my digital experiments printed on to metal, so this will be my next adventure. I will order a copy and see what it looks like on a cafe wall. My choice will be 60 x 90 cms with a gloss finish. The digital experimental has no AI. I took an image of the water swirling at the hot springs and then beefed up the colour and the crispness.

Because the cushions sold well at the Cunnamulla River Lights Festival, I will probably order a cushion with the same print to see how this all works when set up together. The beauty of this way of working is that I can experiment as much as I want. When I hit on an excellent design, I do an original abstract painting on canvas. Lots of thinking and planning happening for my next exhibition in the Information Centre Gallery in September. (Stay tuned).

Don’t forget to vote in the People’s Choice on BlueThumb. The painting above, called Reverie, will be featured.

True Gusto Catalogue – paintings and merchandise

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This catalogue summarises the extensive range of products offered by Comic_Jo on her various True Gusto storefronts.

Paintings There is an extensive range of paintings offered for sale at Blue Thumb Online Gallery. Please click the link if you want to be taken to the entire gallery.

True Gusto also has a storefront on Zazzle, where you will find merchandise such as towels, sherpa blankets, teapots, drinkware and a wide variety of gifts and gift cards.

Red Bubble has a True Gusto Store Front. Click here if you would like to be taken to the wide range of products including clothing, bedcovers, cushions and the like.

Taking Off

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Taking Off has now been handed over to the Information Centre for auction. I don’t know the starting price, but I bet you can get it for a bargain.

I have often wondered why artists donate work for auctions, but I have come to the conclusion that some people do service work, some join Lions, and some donate paintings. There is the obvious added benefit of getting the art seen.

The artwork was initially created for an exhibition last year. It was painted at Golden Beach and was called Taking Off because that is where I hoped my art career was headed. Consequently, the painting signifies the joy of freedom and the enthusiasm that comes with confidence. I hope whoever wins the bid will enjoy the painting as much as I enjoyed painting it. I don’t know how the auction process works, as this is my first time.

Sharon Harper-Green has sent an email – “April is shaping up to be one of the most exciting we’ve had in Tourism. We’ve had some brilliant entries in the Outback River Lights Art & Sculpture Competition. Our April Exhibition will be Art & Sculpture entries from our region and beyond. It opens on Thursday the 11th April at 6:00pm. Please join us for drinks and canapes.

The Outback River Lights Festival opens on Friday, 19th April, and closes spectacularly on Sunday, the 21st of April“.

Hope to see you all at the River Light Festival.

Amaranthus as an Artistic Subject

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Golden Beach Reverie

This painting is called Golden Beach Reverie. I was surprised when Tonya asked me if I wanted some Amaranthus here in Cully. I love the colours and the unusual shapes of the Amaranthus, so I was eager to try my hand at growing it. This will provide a constant source of artistic ideas.

As always, I was keen to know all about the plant and its properties. As I returned to the car from picking up some seeds, I noticed hibiscus growing at RESQ. So, I asked about getting a plant. Here it is! You can see the Amaranthus seedlings behind it. You can see a Gumbi Gumbi to the side.

I have spaced the Amaranthus along the fence for support, with Snow peas in between. When these Clitoria ternatea are grown enough, I will place them between these plants to create a tangle like the painting above.

The properties of the Amaranthus are many and varied. Complex enough that they will be the subjects of an upcoming post. It is a hardy plant and can be regarded as a weed. For some, it is a staple diet. You can read about it on Wikipedia.

In the meantime, check out how I have been creating products from the above painting.