Website revamp

Silvereye

My website has had a revamp. 

When I built it in 2002 it was early website days. I had overheard a cafe conversation between two web designers who were comparing notes about how much they had been paid for very little work. Since I was responsible for the website of the organisation I was working for at the time, it seemed a good idea to know something about website software so I built my own website as a learning exercise. .

Ever since 2002 I have used Dreamweaver to make changes but it was sold to Adobe by Macromedia and my version stopped working. Now you have to buy an annual subscription. I was very loath to change as I had so much work on the old site, but I finally decided to learn Wordpress (free and open source version)  and start anew. 

It took a few months of discovery and exploring dead ends, but finally it is live. I am still adding to it, but if you have a look you can take a watercolour tour of New Zealand.

Painting Glassware

Glass and Jug I
Acrylic on Canvas
30.5 x 40.5 cm (12 x 16")

The words  on the jug  are Siegmund's, from the opera Die Walkurie by Richard Wagner.

The Cellist

The Cellist

The Cellist. She is part of the series of collages I have prepared for the Melbourne Ring Festival, featuring Bruennhilde's horse Grane. The collages are here ... spot the cellist if you can!

Chalk on brown paper

Crouching woman

A life drawing from 2008.

Portrait of Simon O'Neill

Siegmund: Portrait of Simon O'Neill.

This painting, 'Siegmund: Portrait of Simon O'Neill', was painted from sketches and paintings made during rehearsals for The Valkyrie in Wellington in July 2012. Simon is a New Zealander though he spends most of his time overseas, singing in the great opera houses of the world.

I had intended to make several smaller paintings of Simon, but instead he leapt onto this large canvas (76 x 102 cm). I was surprised the painting turned out to be green, but then a close friend and artist pointed out that it is exactly the green of New Zealand greenstone and very appropriate.

Detail

Max Bibeau and his double bass

This is Max Bibeau playing a huge Double Bass made in the 16th century. It has the most mellow sound and is bigger than normal Double Bass as you can see. With  any luck he will be taking it home so Australian audiences will be hearing him play it in future. His own instrument is a much darker colour and normal size. I find them all beautiful but this 16th century one shines from within.

Max Bibeau plays Double Bass


 

Other pictures from the Maribor Music Festival in 2012 are here

String instruments, wind instruments and more

Paintings done at the Maribor Festival 2011 are now online at www.artsmitten.com

Christian and his Double Bass