Dear Stacey (18 August ‘26),
Walnut ink drawing in my sketchbook
Sitting at the coffee shop opposite my workplace on my Tuesday work day morning. It is your birthday week and I have been thinking of you a lot and wondering how you are going as you prepare for your show at Boom gallery. You must be almost ready to deliver them to the gallery?
The sun on my back is heavenly after so many weeks of grey and rain. There is a hum of chatter in the cafe which is comforting after time alone and quiet in the studio. It is nice to be surrounded by other folk. Their conversations are like waves, I catch a word but then they disappear into the fray of condensed nattering. I have been missing communal studio spaces lately. I used to share studio space for many years when I lived in Melbourne and now it is the longest time I have been working from my home studio sharing the space with birdsong, the wind in the trees and the comings and goings of my family. I am not complaining, I do love it so much, but maybe there is an itch to look for something else soon, even for just a short stint? Not sure how that would work financially but interesting to look around. Harder to find in Regional Victoria though… Not many options available.
I’ve been falling deep into my work lately. I have been enjoying the paintings and watching the works come together. I wasn’t sure where this collection of work was going, they will form the body of work that I will present at my solo exhibition at FLG later next year. I had ideas and sketches, but I can never tell where it will go until I’m in it. I know you work similarly to me in that way with your sketchbooks and notes. Its often a rough idea, a song as inspiration or a poem, a colour palette or the season in general… I have started thinking about how I make work in terms of how a writer might craft a novel, whether there is a firm plot or a loose dance across a narrative idea. I love learning this about different creatives and how they work.
There is a tactility to these works I’m making that is richer than works from before. I think the addition of the wax medium with the oil sticks, and looking a lot at the work of Bonnard, Morandi, McCubbin and Phillips Fox. The way they use colour and light. In these works the paint is breaking apart and more fractal. I think working in the art shop has helped me to really consider colour. I have been learning more about the origins of colours and how they work in conjunction with others. It is something I always wanted to dedicate time to, the understanding of the origin of pigments, be it natural or chemically made. Maybe that knowledge will filter into my work and affect the outcomes there?!… I mean already I am finding I’m drawn to Pyrolle Red (discovered by accident in 1974 and a brilliant, bright and less toxic alternative to Cadmium Red)…. what is that about?! I haven’t used Red in such a prominent way possibly ever!
I have been thinking a lot about the “Mother-Artist” and I bought an interesting book called A Woman’s Work, Reclaiming the Radical Art of Mothering. The title felt so apt for me and I look forward to reading it. My interest in the role of artist and mothering is often central to my practice and as you know I love Anne Truitt, for her beautiful books, in particular Daybook which really delves into her life as both Artist and Mother. I feel like I cling to her books for all their wisdom but as I reflect on Arist-Mothers closer to home here in Australia I realised that many of the Australian artists I admire are either not mothers or not very public about being parents (not everyone needs to be public about it and Art takes many forms and we each have themes central to our practice- one of mine happens to be Motherhood). I am often curious about how the Artist-Mothers do it, the juggle, “the divided heart” (yes I am making reference to the book of the same title by Rachel Powers which I know you have also read), how one deals with guilt and time, love of their children while also the love of creative practice. Traditionally the caring and home-tending roles fell to women and perhaps Artist-Mothers now are succeeding (if we even are succeeding?!) in both. Whether we like it or not we are forging the path somewhat as with everything in the 2020’s and I’d like to be someone who people can one day look to and say, “she did it, the Artist-Mother life.”
These thoughts swim in my mind mainly because lately I have been plagued by guilt about sending my little one to one day a week of daycare so I can get one more precious day in the studio but she hates it so much that I wonder if it would be easier to try and work with her alongside me?! She enjoys drawing in my company and she will often wander off to play in her room also. What is worse?! Sending her somewhere she strongly dislikes (mind you she has a great time after the initial separation) or have her home and potentially be guided by her mood. I know there are seasons to all this and only another year and a half until she is at school and then I will have 5 days finally to divide up how I need to!
The Little one’s beautiful drawings in the studio, endlessly inspiring me.
I went to life drawing on the weekend. I am keen to make this a regular monthly practice. The model was so professional and interesting to try and capture. Her body is quite different to the bodies I am used to seeing, like my friend who models for me occasionally, or the body I see in my mirror, my partner and children. The practice of drawing is so important isn’t it!? I am already looking forward to next month.
Watercolours I made in the Life drawing class on the studio wall
Sitting now at soccer practice with my laptop to finish this letter to you, do some drawing of the sheep on the hill behind the oval and maybe work on my novel, some knitting. I have 2 1/2 hours of sitting after a day on my feet. I am grateful for the time to sit and think.
I hope you are having a good birthday week. I hope your family spoils you and you get lots of studio and knitting time!
Lots of love,
Lizzie
1.Studio wall
2. On the easel
3. Studio Wall works in progress
4. Ornamental pear inspiring my Pyrolle Red moment?!
5. A quilt that needs finishing
6. The inspiration wall
7. Curiosities on the shelf including an Alfred Wallis postcard
8. Some favourite books in the studio