Do you have a Sketchbook ?

.... I have a confession. I am a sketchbook purchasing addict.  

I love buying sketchbooks, the new fresh clean pages, the potential and anticipation of filling them with pretty things. However, I am not that great at actually using them.  

At this point in time time I think I have four...maybe even five sketchbooks going at once. I usually have one in my bag, one in the car, one at my home and several at the studio. 

I use them sporadically to sketch composition ideas, jot down names for paintings or ideas to sketch later. I also use them to brush up on my general drawing skills and some poor souls just get random pages torn out of them when I need to write down a shopping list or phone message. I have some that were really expensive and others that were just impulse purchases from discount stores. 

I love the idea of starting with one sketchbook and filling in every single page with sketches and art but I just can’t seem to commit. I also love looking through older sketchbooks to see how my ideas have changed or developed. Sometimes I’ll come across old sketches that never made it to a full painting and I’m inspired to finally paint it.  

What about you? Are you a fellow sketchbook hoarder?  

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.  

Faces

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. 

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. 

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.