Mexican Fiesta Wedding Sketch

The Real Mexican Fiesta Wedding Couple

This was my little sketch to go on the programme, so everyone attending the outdoor ceremony would know what was supposed to happen.

As you can see our beautiful daughter Nicky and her husband Adrian look a whole lot better than the sketch. But I make no excuses – well not many! I hadn’t seen the dress although I did know what it would look like and the little fantasy head piece and teensy veil. And I knew the bouquets and buttonholes would have cacti, berries and a mix of fiesta colours.

I have to say it was a most gorgeous day. A pink and gold sky dawned and we knew we had a perfect day ahead.

Joanna and I drove across the city at the crack of dawn, already wearing our dresses, but sans makeup. No officer we haven’t just returned from a ghost party – this is us before look fabulous. The make-up lady could then turn the girls into glorious beings. And she did. The groom, his best man and best ‘lady’ – yes Amanda from San Fran soon took off to take their places at Ballast Point and await the visions who would soon follow.

What a fun family wedding it was.. Hot hot sun ( Mexican style ) at the outdoor ceremony. Relatives from far and wide – Joanna (sister) from Sweden, Aunt Patricia from Utah, and heaps from across the ditch, including her elder sister, and others from around Australia.

The Flying Fajita Sistas restaurant was the nearest in style to some Mexican favourites in San Francisco, where the wedding couple have been living. These two are serious foodies, so the idea was to have a wonderful lunch and share some of the best dishes with friends and family to celebrate their new lives together – in Boston!

Cousin Jenine took over the flowers and searched out the best ones from the markets, and made all the bouquets table decos etc. Groom’s Mum made the Mexican style wedding cake, Aunty Karla made a family favourite to go with a selection of Nicky & Adrian’s favourite cakes and desserts. Nicky had made little cutout Frieda Kahlo’s to hold labels for various drinks, cakes etc. Adrian had made tiny bags of delicious marshmallows each tied with people’s names, placed on decorative table settings, which showed them where to sit.

So great having all the cousins together. Hardly ever happens. Cousin,sisters, brothers, young friends, family friends and of course parents. That’s Milton & I. And John & Lorraine. Proud to bursting. Never cry but I did think I might.

At the end of the day most of the guests continued on to a popular pub to celebrate into the evening. The Bride and groom joined them before ‘retiring’ to the Shangri-lah to enjoy some amazing Sydney views and some time to re-live their very long day.

For us ‘oldies’ we couldn’t wait to get home and kick off our shoes and collapse – with a nice cuppa tea – as you do!!

©ErinHill2012

Balmoral- Acrylic and Oil Stick

I may well be able to get back to the Studio.

Weddings, moving house, a little eye surgery and intermittent  internet, certainly creates a hiccup when one has a major exhibition on the horizon.

I did get the line sketch onto the acrylic under painting for the metre square Balmoral feature work however. It’s in the Studio window and seems to be getting a positive response. It’s very strong, very simple, very clear colour.

There are only a few smaller works to complete before we open on March 1st, but they are planned in my head. Just need to get them out of there and onto paper. Easy. Maybe. Keep positive.

You’ll see those soon.

©ErinHill2012

Underpainting for major work

I need a very large painting on the main wall as you enter the exhibition. Did I mention my Bather’s Pavilion Exhibition in March & April? Well it’s 2 years since my last one already!

So this 1metre square piece will do the honours. Not in it’s present state of course. This is the scrubbed on colour only. Yet to follow when I get a moment – between moving house,  Nic & Adrian’s Fiesta Wedding & Term 1 Sketch Classes beginning – will be the sketch to go over the lot.

I did a few location sketches looking over Balmoral Beach recently. They were high speed as I was on the view side of a street with no pavement. I drew my breath in every time a vehicle whistled past. But later when I was looking at them back in the Studio, I felt I had some nice compositions.

The painting so far is done with watery acrylics, as in watercolour style. The next part will be the sketch. I’m thinking I’ll use a brush with black acrylic – thinned down but not too much. Raoul Dufy uses that look in his work, and I like the random quick look, although in reality every line is well and truly considered.

I will show it here when it’s done. Mmmm a lot will have happened by then. A rapid start to 2012 indeed.

©ErinHill2012

Down at Manly Cove

This one began life as a little sketch I did while sitting on the steps in the sun, at Manly Cove.

It’s 2nd life was when the colour was applied and it became a greeting card and print.

Third time lucky was the large line & watercolour sketch I did recently. But it’s luck ran out. I wasn’t happy with something about it.

Forth life is above. Thick acrylic on watercolour paper and then free line sketch over it. Now I’ll give it a break. Now it’s working nicely. Lucky you Manly Cove, or you’d be quaking in your matt, wondering what else I would do to you. Maybe it’s forth time lucky.

©ErinHill2012

Ferries Passing, Balmoral

Well this is different. For me anyway.

By using a sketch as the reference, which I’d done on location at Balmoral Beach, I decided to block it in using my acrylics straight onto 300gsm Arches Aquarelle.

Interesting how you get a slightly illustrative look, because it’s already that way in the sketch.

Also has a pastel look, with the soft edges.

I’m thinking of doing another in this technique to see if I like it, and if I can do it again with another sketch.

Actually, the ferries do pass right there in front of Balmoral Beach. One coming from Manly, and the other going to.

©ErinHill2012

'Waiting for Shakespeare'

An entirely different work from the previous ‘Intense Colour Sketch’.

Again based on a sketch done at Balmoral Beach when sketching one day, this was about 5pm in the afternoon. People were beginning to spread out their picnics and rugs and get out the crisp white wine. Tonight at 8pm sharp would be a performance of a Shakespeare play in the rotunda.

This time I prepare an 18 X 24 inch canvas with scrunched paper towels which are then gessoed over and left to dry.

Once it’s ready to paint on I do a pale wash line to mark where the big areas will be. Then simply start applying the acrylic paint, looking at the sketch to remind me what is happening. I do move elements about and allow things to be take their own place. Time to stop looking at the sketch and concentrate on making sure this is working as a painting I’m happy with.

I am doing a series of ‘French Window’ paintings and this has joined those. Actually I do like it. I like paintings which you can back to and see more each time.

©ErinHill 2012

From the Island, Balmoral

I’m trying some serious colour for a new series of sketches. Done on 300gsm Aquarelle Arches. Good solid strong colour.

Mask off the area and get the acrylic paint ready.

Because I’m looking through my sketches for good compositions I don’t need to do any drawing or indications on the paper at all. I like to keep a real spontaneity about my work especially if it’s not the first time I’ve done a subject.

Then it’s a matter of blocking in the big areas with acrylic paint, and following with small shapes. Finally the black pen gets ready for it’s star performance. Go. No turning back now. Whee.

And there it is. It’s on an easel for all to see – and comment on.

©ErinHill2012

New Year's Day 2012

The sun was streaming through curtains and woke me. 6.15am on the first day of ‘Next Year’.

Time to get my ‘wake up’ cuppa tea. Wow, it’s glorious out there. I can hear cicadas and tweety chirpy birds, happy chat from early risers walking off their Christmas pudding, a boat engine as chaps go fishing. Pretty quiet overall. Fills one with happiness. Sketched the early calmness with the dark horizon before everybody started pouring onto the beach.

Before the day got away on me, put out the breakfast things, and sketched that. Love the big camphor laurel chopping board from Nicky & Adrian. Not the sort of thing one buys for oneself, but boy the old ones are not in great shape anymore. Lots of history in those boards.

Not breakfasting on the raspberries, boysenberries, black currents from the fruit salad we took to Stu & Yvonne’s last night. Milton is keen to make a ‘Summer Pudding’ with them, using some sponge cake intended for a trifle. It’s an English recipe traditionally using bread, but hey, can never waste old sponge cake.

Looking out to the garden, noticed the Garden Orbweaver web was just a couple of strands. His smaller mate on the other side is still there. Maybe he trapped an enormous bunch of insects ( what is a bunch of insects called – a flock, a school, a tribe. mmmmm.) Perhaps he wanted to have a brand spanking new 2012 web. Something minimalist maybe. Just tossed out the old cluttered one.

And the nice bottle of wine with ‘thank you’ card. That’s a sketch.

Milton was walking with Amelie and somehow these lovely visitors were wondering where was best place to see the 9pm fireworks. By this time most of the foreshore positions were snapped up with rugs, chairs and families with baskets of yummy food and drinks. Milton suggested they could have the box seats on our balcony overlooking the lot. We were going to friends elsewhere anyway. They were thrilled with that, and we found this very nice token of their appreciation on the outside table when we arrived home at 2am. Already ‘next year’.

©ErinHill2012

Christmas Eve Moments

The Sun is out. Perhaps beginning to go down. It is 6.22pm.

What a difference the sunshine makes. This is the day before Christmas. People go at dawn to the Seafood market, as fish and Seafood is one of our revered Christmas Day meals. Of course we still follow tradition and  have Turkey, ham or Roast Pork. I know all will be on offer at our Family lunch tomorrow. We even have plum pudding with all the trimmings. Usually it’s sweltering outside but we must stick to tradition or else. Of course it’s nuts but we so look forward to it.

But now as the afternoon passes into evening, The shadows are getting long, the birds are tweeting, cicadas singing and the big Garden Orbweaver waits in his web as it swings in the slight breeze. That spider has the best view in Sydney. He seems to do well judging by the size of him.

The chattering excited children seem to be inside now, all being bathed and getting ready for bed. And if like I was at that age, a 4am wakeup to see if Santa has been.

Mostly our work is done, wrapping and cooking. I took some time out to sketch some little moments that appeal to me. I’m not attracted by the buildup and stress that can come with Christmas. I do however notice the little things. The couple having coffee on a park bench with their santa hats on. People meeting on the pathway and having loads of laughs. White cloths spread on Park picnic tables and champagne for the family,  Cars being loaded with Christmas packages. The sound of Christmas music. The Church bells ringing.

Well it’s now a perfectly hot Christmas Day. Clesr blue skies, sweat dripping as one tries to finish the contributions to the family lunch. Nicky our ‘bride to be’ stayed over so we toddled down to beach first thing for a splash about. Milton said he’d come if we weren’t doing serious swimming!

A quiet moment, a cup of tea, before we hit the traffic and cross the city for the first of 2 events with more food to consume than we normally do in a week.

Have a great day everyone. We’ve started ours and yours is coming soon.  XXXXXX

©ErinHill2011

Welcome to our home in the of South of France

A fantastic opportunity to join me in the South of France, in a very tiny village called Trausse, where I’ve been painting since 1999. The owners of the 3 beautifully restored stone houses use one of my paintings each year as their Christmas card and a lovely way to keep in touch with all the clients who have stayed in the cottages over the years.

Because I’m now teaching Sketch Classes in the Studio, I’ve decided to take a small group of interested people on a Sketching and Food Tour to this area in the Minervois wine growing region.

You may never have sketched, or you may be an experienced painter, but to be in these historic locations and have the chance to sketch there, is an exciting opportunity for artists of all abilities.

We’ll start with a week in Paris prior, but here are the dates for Trausse,

Week 1 – 16 – 23 September 2012

Week 2 – 23 – 30 September 2012

We have a second week for those who’d like to stay longer. You can have 2 full weeks or just a few extra days.

We have limited places available, so do check with me, to see what we have.

For the full story, go to the menu bar above and check our ‘Sketching in South of France’ details.

We welcome artists and food lovers to a magical time in this tiny village of Trausse and it’s surrounds.