Going Home ... memories of open fields

There is something about landscapes with horizons that seem endless; endless in hope and possibility, and in freedom.

I refer to the process of painting these as “resting in the landscape”. 

I have wonderful childhood memories of long solitary outrides on horseback alone and content, with the lands as much stretched before me as was hope.  In a sense there is a longing for these days, but not a melancholy.  Hope persists and freedom if not in open fields, is still within spirit. 

Click here to see new works

Lost, Found and Stolen - a few days till the opening

Hopefully you received the invite to attend the opening or to visit the exhibition ... if not, you can view it here.

Maggie, Joan and I meet regularly to discuss our works, Joan, Estelle, Jeanette and Maggiewhere we give feedback and generally edge each other on .... we're great friends, trust and respect each other and find the interactions extremely valuable.  

Last Saturday, in preparation for our next exhibit, Jeanette Gilks (who will be opening the exhibition), Estelle Hudson and Ana De Vlieg (who will both be doing walkabouts) joined us.

Their contributions, insights and comments were valuable, interesting and their energy, efforts and participation hugely appreciated. 

They're all artists who also teach or facilitate workshops and who are interested in the development of art ... Jeanette and Lara 

You can click here to read more about the day on Joan's blog.

Ana De Vlieg

Red Sky at Night

by the collaborative:  Sienna Sam

aka Joan Martin and Lara Mellon

 

Joan and I decided to enter this year's KZNSA member's exhibition as a collaborative:  Sienna Sam, derived from our beloved dog and cat respectively. If you know us, you'll know how moggy we each are over our 'babies'. 

I love the colour Sienna, hence why my Bullmastiff's named as such; use the colour in most my work, and of course Joan's Sam features in many of her paintings.  We like the combined meaning of the names too:

This year's theme was RED

We buckled down and worked like mad-crazy, and were delighted with the result.

For now, these are pics of work in progress, and then here you can see close up details of the work, as well as the explanation or statement of the work .... and in a few days time, I'll load an image of the final work.

 

I've finished my ...

Sketchbook Project, 2012

"A walk through the trees" .... a walk through the forest

I've loved working on this project, and thanks again to Joan for introducing me to it, and then to have Ana join us recently too has been great.

Each page was meditative. I'd take my pages, clipped neatly on a clip board and work into it each night in bed for a few minutes ... or sometimes for an hour or so ... before dozing off to sleep. 

The rhythm of sketching and dreaming through each page was therapeutic ... and I loved it.

You can click here to view the pages in more detail ... or see the snapshots below.

Some of the pages included text, which I've detailed below the images.

 

A walk through the trees ... through the forest.  Lara Mellon.  Dedicated with love and gratitude to Maggie Strachan.  Durban RSA 2012.

The wind began to blow hard and I was not afraid to be freed, and so I began to find my path through the trees, through the trees.

I found bugs and beetles and butterflies but no best friend.

The gentle breeze kisses my cheeks and I wonder.

Walking through forest, along paths, through life, is always better with a friend.

I loved flying kites, now my dreams fly on butterfly wings.

I think I think too much.

 

windmills, windmills, windmills everywhere ... turning everywhere

sometimes our dreams must be set free

Walking alone is not lonely.

Suffer the little children. Even the lilies of the valley.

Burnt Sienna is my favourite colour. Red hot from the earth. And I have a dog called Sienna.

all i want is peace and quiet.

I look to the hills, where does my hope come from. My hope comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.

flowers are still flowers in the dark.

I would travel long distances on horse back, into fields that stirred with dust and smells of earth. Up hills, along roads sometimes, just me, Safferrick and our thoughts.  Beautiful times not forgotten.

Figures would appear walking along the paths I'd travel. I was not afraid, even when the shadows were dark.

I owned a dog called Ta-Tinka and I loved her very much.

Don't let the birds nest in your hair.

When I was seven, I dreamed of owning a circus and also of owning a massive farm.

It is with reverence and awe that I watch the butterfleis flitter flatter in my garden.

I long to walk where it is quiet and still.

light at the end of the forest it is bright it is light at the end of the forest it is bright. It is bright at the end of the forest. It is bright at the end.

and then it is light. just light

Lara Mellon - Durban, KwaZulu Natal South Africa

A path through the trees

You can read more about The Sketchbook Project 2012 on their blog, their website or on Facebook.

Update on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 3:09PM by Administrator

I've just uploaded my first clip on YouTube ... :-)      You can see it here

Sortof-a-secret for now

Another New Year. Another new chapter in my work.

I can't tell you much about the work as it forms an integral basis to the exhibition that Joan and I are working towards for a joint exhibition at the start of 2013 .... suffice to tell you it's sold whilst still wet on the easel, to great new friends from Jhb. They had to leave it behind as it'll take a while to dry still ... and truth be told, I need to hang onto it for a while.

I can't even tell you the title ... that might give away what I'm up to ... ;-/ ... but I'm thrilled with the outcome. Love it ... and so, sharing it with you.

 "untitled" - Oil on Canvas - 40cm x 120cm - Sold