Art to Art Pop Up show

Art to Art in Balwyn are holding a Pop Up show starting on August the 23rd. All artwork available will be under $2000 which is fantastic for art fans that don’t have big budgets. I will have three works available in the show, and there are 30 other amazing Australian artists with work showing. 

Make Something out of Nothing, 96cmx66cm Acrylic on MDF framed in Tasmanian Oak $1000

Rebel Heart, 91cmx91cm acrylic on canvas $1250  

Between Days 61cmx84cm Acrylic on Canvas $900 

The opening night is is from 7pm on the 27th of August and you can RSVP via this link: RSVP

Remembered Landscapes

Remembered Landscapes is a collection of paintings that I have been working on over the last few months. They are all inspired by the Australian Bush and the Upper Yarra area of Melbourne and include a mixed series of both abstract and more traditional landscape paintings, all with a typical Clair Bremner twist.

The exhibition will be on display from the 6th - 22nd of September at Established For Design in Malvern East. I am really proud of this series and I am looking forward to seeing the work on display surrounded by a beautifully curated collection of furniture and homewares.

You are invited to the exclusive opening event. Please join us for an evening of art and drinks to celebrate.

Thursday 6th September, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Established For Design
287 Wattletree Rd, Malvern East

[If you are interested in attending please click on the button below to RSVP for catering purposes ]

RSVP HERE

How to choose the right artwork for your space.

Original art can totally change the feeling of a room. A well placed artwork can pull together all the other furniture and elements in the room or make a statement all on its own. It’s a great way to add a bit of personality to a space, owning an original artwork is a special way of adding an individual touch to your home.   However it can also be hard to know exactly what kind of artwork is best for your space and making a descision can be hard.  

The main question I have clients ask me is what size artwork is best for their space.  If you are lucky enough to have a large wall then go as big as you can, or consider a group of two or more paintings that go together (a dyptytch or triptych) 

Generally speaking, hanging a large painting in a small room can actually make the room seem bigger.... which is the opposite to what you would think. People will often make the mistake of purchasing an artwork that is too small for the wall. Artworks will always look smaller once they are hanging, so if your budget can allow it I would always recommend going larger or waiting until you can afford a piece that is bigger. A large painting will create a focal point and add movement to the walls, especially if the subject of the painting is a landscape or inspired by nature.  

However, creating a gallery wall consisting of many smaller artworks can also work in any space as long as there is a cohesive look to the artworks (such as similar framing styles).  Gallery walls are great for people that don’t want to commit to just one artwork or they have many favorite artists and they want to be able to collect a little something from everyone. Purchasing smaller artworks can also be a little kinder on the pocket, as you can build and add to your collection over time. 

Dont be too concerned with matching your art with the existing room or decor. Add modern art into older style homes and traditional art into modern homes. The contrast of styles works every time. It is more important that you choose an artwork that creates an emotional response within you when you see it rather than choosing something just because it matches the sofa. If everything matches too perfectly, the art work will end up blending in rather than standing out as a statement.  

Choose and artwork that you love, your opinion is the only one that matters. If it makes you feel something special then buy it. If you love it enough it will naturally find a place in your home where it fits. 

Finally, If you seen an artwork that you love but it’s not quite the right size or colour, always approach the artist and ask if they are able to create a custom piece. Most artists are happy to create private commissions, and if they are not able to then they may have something else available in their studio already that fits your needs. 

If you have been thinking about purchasing one of my paintings but you’re not sure if the size is right or if it will work in the room, feel free to send me an email with some images of your space. I am answering questions like that all the time so I’m happy to help.  

Tools of the trade

The main medium I prefer to work with is Acrylic paint. Over the years I have experimented with every art supply and material imaginable. Early on, while I was studying Viaual Art at TAFE,  I was actually using oil paint because I thought that you weren’t a “real artist” unless you knew how to use oil paint. 

As I have aged and matured I have realized how rediculous that idea is and that you can be a real artist and use whatever materials you like. I also always hated the messy cleanup process that is involved with oil paint. So once I started to get back in to painting on a regular basis I decided to use acrylics.  

The fast drying time, vibrant colours and easy cleaning qualities are all perfect for the way I work.  

I also use a range of brushes to create my art, all of them are cheap and some of them are not even “artist” brushes. I use nylon brushes, house paint brushes from the hardware store and a few mop style brushes that are meant to be used for stenciling or applying gesso but I like the scratchy messy marks that they make.  

I am a terrible brush owner. I abuse them all the time. I let them dry out, or I soak them for days on end in dirty water. I use them to varnish and then forget to was them. I use them to scoop out blobs of paint, smoosh them into containers and clog them up. When they are dead I throw them out and buy new ones. 

I use a few different brands of acrylic paint, but mostly Derivan Matisse, Golden Acrylic and Hydrocryl. I mix different brands together to make up my own colours as well as using colours right out of the tube. If I know I’m going to use a particular colour a lot then I will mix up a big batch and keep it in a plastic container with a lid. I also use Liquitex paint markers to add in some of the fine details on top. 

I paint on both stretched canvas and watercolour paper, I have my canvas custom stretched and sent to me and I purchase my watercolor paper in large sheets or pads. The canvas is 12oz cotton and the paper is always 300gsm cotton or above. 

Australian Natives

I have always loved Australian native flowers, the shapes and colors are so unique and strangely beautiful. I will always love painting landscapes but every now and then I get the urge to create floral paintings instead. I’ve been spending a lot of time working on a series of new landscapes for a solo show in September. I find that when I focus on one thing for too long I go a little crazy and I need to work with something totally different. 

Over the school holidays I started to play around with pen and Watercolour because I was at home and it’s all I had around. I created a collection of native inspired paintings which then spilled over onto canvas once I returned to the studio two weeks later. 

These florals on canvas are bursting with native goodness such as Proteas, paper Dasies, bottlebrush and flowering Tea Tree. They are all 76cmx76cm and you can view more details via my website here http://www.clairbremnerart.com/shop/

Open Studio 11th-12th November

This year I'll be taking part in the Yarra Valley Open Studio Tour which is held over three areas and three weekends between September and November. The Warburton area will be on the 11th and 12th of November from 10am-4pm.  

You can come and visit me in my studio at 21 Woods Point Rd in Warburton (in the YREC Business Village opposite the caravan park). I will have original artworks for sale, including paintings on canvas, paper and a exclusive collection of hand painted original ceramics.  

To find out more about the Open Studios, including the other participating artists, you can visit the official website at  https://www.yarravalleyarts.org.au/yvaopenstudios

Feeling floral

I've spent the last few months working on lots of landscape inspired paintings for my exhibition. While I do love a good landscape, after a while doing the same thing gets a bit draining. So now that I've finished I've started playing around with some still life paintings instead. I wanted them to be quite loose and expressive and I wanted to work in some softer more pastel shades. 

Sometimes a slight subject change is all that's needed to inspire creativity again. I spent some time working out a limited colour scheme to begin with then I spent no more than 40min on each painting. The first was on a small canvas I had left over and the other two were on paper.  

These small studies will be added to my store in the original paintings section once I have a few more to add to the collection. I will be doing a few larger versions as well once I get through a few private commissions that I have lined up.  

Inspiration vs Painting

Here is a quick little peak into my process. The paintings for my upcoming exhibition were all directly inspired by the Yarra River. Some were sketched interpretations and others, such as this one below, were inspired by photographs.  

I never try to copy a landscape exactly, I always like to use my own interpretation which gives my paintings their imaginative and dreamlike quality. As you can see, although I was directly inspired by the photo, the finished painting has taken on a whole new feeling of its own. I tried to emphasis the feeling of the sun going down and the last warmth from the day hitting the riverbank to the right.   

Last Light (152cmx101cm Acrylic on Canvas) will be in display during my exhibition Yarra, which is being held at Cambridge Studio Gallery in Collingwood from the 8th to 26th of March. There will be opening drinks on the 12th of March from 2pm, it would be lovely to see you there. 

Studio snapshots

Here is a little peek into the studio and what I've been up to lately. If you want to see more behind the scenes stuff make sure you subscribe to my instagram account.  

I've started another piece for my new series. This will be in my show in March titled Yarra where I will be focusing on the local river scenes. 

I finished (and sold)  this pretty piece. 

I also completed this commission that was started before Christmas. I usually don't take that long to finish commissions but I have been away a fair bit these last few weeks.  

I have a big pile of canvases due to be delivered soon so it will be a busy few weeks. If you would like to pop into the studio to view anything in person then feel free to message me. I haven't forgotten about that Open Studio day either... it will happen soon!  

Store update | small original paintings

I have just updated my store with a series of five small original paintings on canvas. These pieces are only 45cmx45cm (18inx18in) and are the perfect size for a gift, as a feature in a gallery wall or to brighten up a corner of your home.  

They are all following a bit of a night time theme and feature abstract floral trees and a star filled sky. I painted several larger pieces like this a while ago and decided it would be fun to revisit the idea.  

You can find them all in the shop originals section of my website. The price includes express shipping within Australia and if you purchase before the 14th it should arrive well before Christmas. 

New Year. New Studio

I mentioned on here a few weeks ago that I was planing on moving out into a new studio space. Well the time has arrived. I picked up the keys to the new studio last Thursday and I've been slowly moving in over the last few days.  

I have been a full time professional artist for about three years now, however now that I have a "real studio" I actually feel like a real professional now. So silly but that's how my brain works. 

I'm really excited to see where this next year takes me and to see how having a studio outside of my home for the first time ever changes the way I work. I'm hoping that I will be a bit more productive during the week. I find it hard to not procrastinate doing other things when I'm at home, it's always much more tempting to just sit on the couch with my knitting and Netflix. Hopefully having official working hours and a place to go every day will make me more accountable and productive when I need to be.  

It will also be awesome to be able to welcome clients into my studio without having to lead them through my lounge room and messy kitchen first. I am happy for anyone to pop in and see me whenever I'm there (which will be quite often during the week and by appointment on weekends).  

After the Christmas and New Years break and once I have settled in I am planing on holding an official opening/open studio day. I'll let you know when that's happening via Facebook early in the year.  

Still Water | art commission, Clair Bremner

I recently completed another large scale commission for a client in Melbourne. This piece was inspired by a combination of two previous paintings that the client really loved. I'm really happy with the finished piece and I love working on this scale. 

The canvas is 2mx1m and makes a fantastic feature up on the wall.  

Still Water, 2mx1m Acrylic on Canvas, Clair Bremner

This is the second last commission that I'll be working on this year. I have one more to squeeze in over the next few weeks then I'll be taking a break from commissions for a few weeks while I focus on creating a new collection for a show in March.  

If you would like to talk to me about commissioning and original artwork for your home or business next year then send me a message via my contact page.  

Does every painting need to have a story?

Many beginner artists start painting because they enjoy the process. They enjoy the feeling of mixing and adding colours to canvas, the challenge of representing something in paint, of creating something from scratch and saying “I did this”. It’s for the love of it.

If that desire to create goes further and they begin to feel as though this is how they want to make a career, a whole other world of problems are opened up. When moving from the world of amateur into professional suddenly there is a whole new set of expectations put upon you. Suddenly you can’t just create something just because you want to, because people will begin to ask that one elusive question…why?

Collectors, critics and fans will begin to want to know why you are doing something, what is the deeper meaning behind it. What message are you trying to get across? What point are you making?

To begin with I really struggled with this. Even way back when I was completing a Diploma of Visual art (back in 2002-2004) I would be asked by my tutors “what are you trying to say with this piece”…my answer would be a shrug of the shoulders followed by “I dunno”.

I was never interested in creating a political argument with my art. I never had religious views that I felt needed to be expressed or a statement that I was trying to make. As a result I always felt inferior and as though my work wasn’t worthy of anything important because I wasn’t trying to make a point or send out a message. Everyone around me was creating artistic statements and deep hidden messages within their art about the environment, racism, social issues, feminism…the list goes on. There is of course nothing wrong with that, but I personally really struggled with it…because I didn’t have any. Even back then, all I wanted to do was make pretty paintings, but that never seemed to be enough.

So does every painting need to have a story?

It has taken a very long time for me to realize that the answer to that is…no. It is ok to create purely for the love of creating. It is ok to not have a deeper meaning behind each stroke of the brush. There is nothing at all wrong with painting JUST because you want to paint. Does that make my art shallow? Not at all!

The purpose of my art is not to make a statement, first and foremost I want my paintings to be seen as beautiful. I want the viewer to look at it and say “wow…that’s so pretty!”. I want to create a reaction within them that sees the piece for exactly what it is….a pretty picture. I want the colours to be pleasing to the eye, calming and attractive. I want the shapes and composition to remind the viewer of nature and tranquility. I want the details and textures to be noticed once the view comes closer and becomes engaged in the piece. I want them to be able to look into the layers of colour and pattern to see the work and process involved. I want them to WANT to have this hanging on their wall in their home and not have to explain the deeper meaning of it all to everyone that comes over.

In my opinion, creating something that is beautiful, peaceful and calming to look at is just as important as creating something that is challenging, thought provoking and has a strong message to put across. There is a space for both within the art world.

Now all this being said, some of my paintings do have more of a story to them than others but that story usually has more to do with what inspired the piece than a particular subconscious message I’m trying to make. For example if someone approaches me to create a painting based on a mountain view near their home, and I am to include the flock of pigeons that the neighbor releases each afternoon into the skyline…then obviously this piece now has a story connected to it.

Or if as I am creating a painting, the images that are coming forward remind me of a particular time or place or event then I can happily match up that piece with such story and give the painting more meaning. But at the same time I no longer feel the need to do this with ALL my paintings. Sometimes it is just what it is and nothing more. The piece was created spontaneously with little to no thought and it is now just a pretty picture.

What do you think? Do you have trouble finding meaning in your work? Or do you totally disagree with me and believe that if there is no meaning behind it then there is no point creating it?

Making a start | how to stop being scared of a blank canvas

Blank canvases are scary. Anyone that has stood in front of one will know this. The stress that you can feel sometimes is crazy. You worry about ruining that perfect white flat surface. You don't want to mess it up. What if you make a mistake? What a waste! 

Then you have to think about what you are actually going to paint. How do you decide? How do you pick one idea out of a million that are in your head?  

Its a struggle.  

The easiest way to get over this overwhelming fear is to just do it. Pick a colour (or three) and cover up all the white. Just slap it on. It doesn't matter how just cover it up.  

There you go... the white is gone. The canvas has been messed up and now it doesn't matter what you do next.  

Even now, after painting pretty much my whole life I still have that fear and anxiety when starting a new piece. Even when I know exactly what I need to do, I procrastinate starting because I worry that I will ruin it. But as soon as I cover the surface with paint the feeling disappears and I can focus on getting the work done.  

Pretty new commission

I have been working on another big commission over the last week that is now finished. This one was 2mx1.5m and inspired by the colours used in another painting of mine.  

Some paintings are easier than others but this one practically painted itself. Everything just came together naturally and it wasn't a struggle at all which made it a joy to paint and I think it shows through in the painting. 

If you are interested in commissioning an original artwork for your home I am now taking bookings for next year. You can contact me through my website to discuss prices and details.  

Internal Worlds Exhibition Opening

It's show time! My new exhibition opens at St Michaels gallery today (the 16th of October) and will run until mid November. The Exhibition consists of eight paintings and all are available to purchase via the gallery.

Internal Worlds is a collection of paintings inspired by nature and the cycle of time. The small worlds of overlapping foliage show depth and details that are not noticed fully until you approach the works closely. This is a reflection of my own inner struggle, the constant tug of war between being an introvert and wanting to be left alone – while simultaneously wanting to reach out and connect with people and maintain meaningful relationships.

All sales and inquiries need to take place through the gallery. You can speak to Erin on PH (03) 9654 5120 or via email at communications@stmichaels.org.au

St Michaels Gallery is located at 120 Collins Street, Melbourne. You gain access to the gallery via St Michaels Walk which is just off Collins street. The opening will begin at 11:30 am today until around 1pm, i will be there and i would love to have a chat to you.

As mentioned earlier,  all sales and inquiries need to take place through the gallery. You can speak to Erin on PH (03) 9654 5120 or via email at communications@stmichaels.org.au

I am happy to arrange free shipping Australia wide on any painting purchased interstate, just let Erin know over the phone where you would like it shipped to.

Internal Worlds Exhibition Preparation

I have a new show opening on the 16th of October until the 20th of November. The show is in the unique little St Michaels Gallery on Collins street in Melbourne which is in the entrance way of the St Michaels building behind the old church.

There will be a brief opening event from 11am on Sunday the 16th, I will be there and I'd love to have a chat to anyone that pops in. There I'll be 9 pieces available to buy, including three framed works on paper. I will not be holding a pre-sale for this show, however once the show opens I will show photos and details of the available pieces and any interstate collectors will be able to contact the gallery and purchase works over the phone.

This series is very abstract and monochromatic and all pieces are similar in colour and would work well together as pairs.

If you happen to be in the city on Sunday feel free to pop in for some champagne and a chat.