Pink Chair-ity Auction Project Stage 1-"The Sealer"

A couple of weeks ago I was approached by a furniture company in Melbourne The Porch to take part in a Chair-ity Auction with them and with all proceeds going to National Breast Cancer Foundation.
I must admit that i do get asked alot to donate artworks, i do when i can and to what i think are worthy causes (most of them are) but it is hard to donate to everything! But my first thought here was YES, a week before my cousin was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer (which she is currently undergoing treatment for), and i have had several friends that have had it and won their battles thankfully, but i know many do not. Of course it's not only breast cancer that is the problem - it's all cancers, and this is just one charity out of many - we should all do what we can!
This is something that can happen to any of us at anytime and I want to do my bit to help to fight and to help further research.
Other artists so far that are donating are:
Peter Russell Clarke, Jamie Daddo, Suzie Wilks, Graeme Base, Jane Sinclair and Miranda Scoczek.
The chairs will be exhibited at Fed Square and then tour around our beautiful Melbourne for a bit then they will be auctioned on ebay!

I am going to post my progression through the blog starting today with Stage 1, hope you will take the journey with me, have a bit of fun and know that we are helping a very worthy cause...................

Well Julie from The Porch (an extremely lovely lady) brought my chair to me in a box which my partner and I assembled at home, i did make him read the instructions! I have to say this chair is amazingly comfy and immediately he was thinking of where he would put it until i reminded him that is was to be painted and auctioned :) Looks like we will be investing in a couple of them later down the track :)

I asked for my chair raw, in hindsight probably should have got it pre-painted, but today I sealed the chair to stop resin and tannins seeping through the paint, after one coat i thought it looked pretty good until my partner wandered past and told me to put another coat on! (he is a painter & decorator so i decided he would know more about this than myself) - after the 2nd coat i sanded and it looked grand! I am pleased now I have gone through this process as i have gotten to know my chair quite well. Also lucky for me my little daughter Abby was on hand to offer me advice :) It is now ready to be worked on!
I have posted photographs below of Stage 1 - "the sealer"

Links to articles of my exhibition

Well..... i thought i would share.....
The exhibition has finished now and I'm am so happy to say that the wonderful Wyreena gallery gave me lots of exposure, Eastern FM radio, Channel 31 and 2 local papers, I sold 17 paintings out of 24 and have had lots of great feedback and positive thoughts sent my way, thank you everyone that came along and supported me and to those that came in on the Saturdays to have a chat, and those that chose to buy my paintings, I hope they are being enjoyed in their new homes :)
- it was a wonderful experience and I'll be seeing you next October 2012 when i return again to the Wyreena Gallery, Croydon

Here are a couple of links to some articles I was in........

Maroondah Leader

Maroondah Weekly

Thank you :)

Ballarat Writer's and Illustrators Festival

If you are heading off to this festival on Saturday 3rd Sept, I might see you there.
Fellow illustrator Kim Fleming and myself are heading there for the day to see what's happening and to hear some very interesting info, it should be a very cool day and i don't mean weather wise, although it can get pretty windy in the 'Rat'!
I'm pretty excited about immersing myself in all things writing and illustration!

IA A3 show in SYDNEY

If you are in Sydney this weekend make sure you get along to the A3 print show presented by Illustrators Australia
It's a wonderful display of beautiful prints by unbelievable illustrators.
Opening night is Friday night from 6pm & then it's open on Saturday too!
Chippendale is the place to be this weekend :)
I have a piece in as well and all of them can be viewed here

Opening night

Thanks to everyone that attended the opening - it was great and i really enjoyed it.
I am very pleased and excited to say that so far i have sold 11 pieces!
I will be there every saturday through August and would love to see you there.
A BIG thanks to Wyreena's Tracy, Krissy & Michelle who have been so great, and to Scott Norman who played some beautiful music including guitar and didigerdoo!

OPENING NIGHT TONIGHT!

WEDNESDAY 3RD AUGUST 7.30-9.30PM

Hi Everyone
Join me and others at the opening of my exhibition at Wyreena Gallery tonight
For those not on Croydon side of town head down Eastern Freeway, turn left onto Ringwood bypass, then left onto Maroondah Hwy, follow then turn right into Dorset Rd, then left into Hull Rd and bingo you are there!
There will be great music by Scott Norman, guitar and didgeridoo, drinks and nibbles.
I will also be there every Saturday through August until the 27th
So see you tonight.
Many thanks to the wonderful staff at Wyreena, Tracy, Krissy and Michelle
and thanks to all my friends, even if you can't make it along thanks for your great support J:)