Creation
This drawing comes from Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling painting of The Creation of Adam.
My charcoal drawing is simply a creation, a drawing loosely based on that image.
The focus of my drawing is on the creative spirit and the act of creation itself which comes from within us all.
To me God is creating in every moment and expressing through us when we allow this to happen.
That is the essence of my “Creation.”
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Vincent’s Church
This is a new painting of mine inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s painting of The Church at Auvers.
It is an acrylic painting on canvas.
Below is the original painting by Vincent.
Vincent’s painting
I have always loved this painting.
It was featured in an excellent episode of Dr Who. Here is the Wikipedia detail of the episode
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_and_the_Doctor
Also here is a YouTube video made from this episode.
My painting is a humble tribute to Vincent.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Tree of Knowledge
On my morning walk today I met the “The Tree of Knowledge”……… and it spoke to me.
It seemed like a simple, clear message which I now share with you……..I hope I got it right.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Approaching Sunset
The Sugar Bowl Cloud Watches were out as sunset approached recently. They were excited because they don’t usually stay out so late in the day. Not a word was spoken. They enjoyed every moment.
Their love of clouds is infectious. Also they exude perfect peace and quiet when they just sit there and take it all in.
I think we can learn a lot by watching these amazing little sugar bowls.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c)
Basic Instinct
Here is a charcoal drawing which I titled “Basic Instinct.”
Since my art is all about expressing our…..intuitive nature or basic instincts this image seems appropriately titled.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Recently a comment was made on one of my posts by a very valued wordpress fellow-blogger John at the artratcafe. He mentioned that none of his contacts know of The Goons.
Like him, I was raised on their humor and would love this post to be dedicated to them.
Also it might introduce you to their amazing and unique humor.
Here is their website at http://www.thegoonshow.net/
“The Goon Show was a British radio show that started in 1951 and ran until 1960. It changed the face of British comedy and still maintains its influence to this day!
The Goons included Spike Milligan, Peter Sellers and Harry Secombe. They burst onto the radio with surreal storylines, absurd logic, puns, catchphrases and groundbreaking sound effects. They ridiculed the pomposity of those in authority and laughed at the stupidity of mankind.
Characters such as Ned Seagoon, Eccles, Bluebottle, Major Bloodnok, Minnie Bannister, Henry Crun, Grytpype-Thynne and Moriarty all helped to create an alternative and ludicrous view of the world.
Few comedies from the UK have endured so well. Episodes are still repeated around the world and the BBC continues to release them on CD.”
Australia embraced The Goons. Spike Milligan came from Woy Woy ………. near Sydney.
You can easily see where Monty Python and many others including The Beatles, got their humor from once you listen to The Goons.
Long Live The Goons!
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Roundabout
No wonder kids have so much fun….colour, shapes, textures, movement.
Let’s all jump on the roundabout of life!
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Road to Murwillumbah
Mt Warning
“The Big Nose” or Mt Warning of Murwillumbah
Yesterday I had to deliver artworks to the Tweed River Art Gallery…….about 40 minutes drive from the Chateau. The Tweed River area is one of the most beautiful regions in Australia. The photo at the top of the page shows how the road winds along next to the Tweed River and shows Mt Warning off in the distance. The Gallery is located near a place called Murwillumbah which is close to the NSW and Queensland boarders.
Murwillumbah which has a small population of only 8,000, sits on the south eastern foothills of the McPherson Range in the Tweed Valley. The area is hilly. Many of the buildings in the Town are Art Deco in style and there are cafes, clothes and antique shops. Murwillumbah was nominated one of the top ten sea/tree change towns in Australia.
The area is used for filming of the British reality series, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, and has been since 2002. Versions of the show for other countries are also produced in the area.
The major industry, apart from tourism, is sugarcane growing. There is also some dairy farming and many alternative lifestyle retreats nearby, notably one belonging to the Hare Krishna religion.
I have always had a special fondness for this area and as a friend said recently…….it seems to have a strong spiritual energy there.
Mystery Object Revealed
Since my recent post where I tried to identify a found object…… I finally have solved the mystery.
https://burgessart.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/a-rare-and-ancient-artifact/
There is an award winning pie shop called Goldsteins close to the Chateau. I approached the Manager and asked for a new pie tray to see if it might be similar to the object I had found. A perfect match!
Of course the final touch which made it look like it could be a valuable artifact was the many motor vehicles which drove over it giving it what I suspected…..a Ding Dynasty look. “Ding” means an instance of minor surface damage.
It this case it was somewhat major.
Sadly it has little or no value BUT framed it looks great. So if you want to create your own original Ding Dynasty Object deArte you now know how to go about it.
Have fun and amaze your family and friends. When someone offers you $1 Million ….just remember who gave you the Secret.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Nerang River Cockatoos
This magnificent scene greeted me on my morning walk today.
The Nerang River Cockatoos No 2
The Nerang River Cockatoos No 3
They did allow me to get quite close. I felt honoured and privileged for this. Such a large number of beautiful creatures sharing a meal together in peace, harmony and obvious enjoyment.
We can learn a lot from them I think.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Is It This
OR
Or This
This
This ?
OR
Or This ?
After trailing a one week free membership to a gym last week I had to decide if I wanted to take out paid membership. At first the decision seemed hard until I put it into the right perspective…..for me. Others might see it differently. There are many good reasons to use a gym particularly if it is unsafe to walk the streets, bad weather, etc.
But when I considered going into a room and walking for 30 minutes on a “tread mill” against walking in the beautiful landscape of the surrounding mountains and rivers………it was a no brainer.
Thank you for the one weeks trail……..but NO!
Our SOUL or SPIRIT needs as much (or more) exercise as our BODY.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
A Rare and Ancient Artifact?
Sometimes we come across something that is so beautiful and rare it nearly blows your mind.
Recently I discovered such a gem and want to share it with you here.
It is so rare and so valuable I might have to put it to auction to see what its real value is.
You can see the delicate and intricate markings all over the surface. For some reason I am drawn to the Ming Dynasty which was also called Empire of the Great Ming, the ruling dynasty of China for 276 years (1368–1644) following the collapse of the Mongul-led Yuan Dynasty. They could have had such items. If so it must be worth a fortune.
Below is a little bit to show how Christie’s Auction House sell items of such rarity for very large sums of money.
Christie’s offers ancient art from the dawn of civilization to the Dark Ages, ranging from Western Europe to the Caspian Sea, embracing the cultures of Egypt, Greece, Rome and the Near East.
Christie’s London holds the world auction record of £7,926,650 for the Jenkins Venus from Newby Hall, England. This Roman marble statue was sold in 2002 for the highest price ever achieved for an ancient classical marble sculpture at auction.
So by now are you ready to pay almost anything for the above item?
First offer over $1 Million can have it ………… No, sorry it is priceless and not for sale.
Could this below be the answer?
Overlay of a Mayan Calender
Above I have overlay-ed an image of an ancient Mayan Calender. As you can see it fits perfectly. So could this prove the existence of an ancient Mayan Civilization in this area. Questions and more questions?
Just remember my advice……..
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN ….YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND!
Now.. you are welcome to try to identify it for yourself…….. if you can.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Early Pen and Ink Drawing
Early in my career as an artist I set myself the massive task of drawing 40 Major Buildings located in Sydney. Using only pen and ink I visited what was considered the most famous and historical buildings at that time.
The Strand Arcade – Sydney
At the top is one of the 40 drawings. This is of Sydney’s popular Strand Arcade. I wanted to show the beautiful delicate wrought iron artwork and the light and airiness of this unique building. Above is a recent photo showing the arcade preparing for the Christmas Season.
All drawings were done on site with all the problems that went along with that. People, weather – heat, rain, winds etc., interruptions, and many others were always challenging and testing my resolve. There were some interesting things that happen and one particular story I remember was drawing Kirribilli House. Kirribilli House is the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister.
Kirribilli House
It is beautifully set on the shores of Sydney’s magnificent harbour. So as you can imagine security was very strong. After receiving official clearance I was able to have free access to the gardens to choose my best viewing point. I’m not sure how long it took me to sketch the building but I remember a Security Guard remaining with me the whole time. Most of the drawings were sold at the time and provided the money necessary to travel and live in Europe.
I hope you enjoyed this small but informative journey into my past.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Torn Edge
A new photograph.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c)
New Artwork
I am forever amazed and delighted by art. Like an inventor there are always new discoveries being made….. with my work, my students, other artists and the world around us.
Oh how many ways I love ART!
During a recent art class this image was created. A student had been using acrylics and a 2 litre ice cream container for her water (to wash her brushes etc.). When she finished I emptied the container and found this image in the bottom. How amazing is that.
Art is all around us ……… we just need to be alert to it.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Boat That Was
Tuesday
The Boat That Wasn’t
Wednesday
I have always been fascinated with before and after photos. There is a strange feeling when something is there and then disappears. How the space is effected. Could there be a ghostly image lingering there or is the space somehow changed forever by the presence of what was.
I’m wondering if you have the same feeling.
Of course this image has another change….. and I’ll leave you to find that for yourself.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Transfiguration
Here is a new acrylic painting of mine titled Transfiguration on a 30 x 40 inch canvas.
This was inspired by a Raphael painting of the same name….. his last painting.
The Transfiguration by Raphael
I also like the Harry Potter reference to Transfiguration.
“Transfiguration is a branch of magic that focuses on the alteration of the form or appearance of an object.”
This has a close association to my painting too.
I think we all need a little bit of magic in our lives.
What do you think?
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Right Relationship
As I see it everything in life is about finding the right relationship….with ourselves and others. Others includes all people and all living things. Some include the spirit of all things. I can accept that too. There is so much we do not know or understand about everything. That is the adventure of the future.
Finding right relationships brings about a feeling of balance and harmony.
That is the goal of all art too. To create something that just feels “right.” Others immediately respond to that feeling of “rightness” from within themselves.
We all know the truth instinctively but sometimes will not admit it. Fear can cover truth……..at least for a while. War is created like this. Eventually the conflict must be resolved and harmony is restored.
Our internal conflicts are no different. If we are denying something or fearing something the result is the same. War within ourselves. The moment we see this and face the truth the conflict disappears.
Hey this was just supposed to be another photo posted for you and look what has happened. I’m raving on. Enough!
All I wanted to say was I had to find the right relationship between the trees to make it work.
I think I did………do you agree?
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Found Objects
Recently I found two objects lying near a road. One was a 5 cent coin and the other a marble.
I decided to give them new life and here is a result.
Their circular shapes were the element that united them and the cast shadows reflect that shape.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Wow!
Isn’t it wonderful when we experience something that unites us in perfect peace and harmony. We instinctively feel something much bigger then our personal selves.
On this day the Sugar Bowl Cloud Watchers remained in this state for hours. A real joy to behold!
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The morning walks are yielding a goldmine of material for my art and blogs.
This morning I had the time to break my walk to shoot this ….movie. That is what I call it. You might prefer video.
I called it Wind for obvious reasons with the tag……….The Gymnastics of a Plastic Bag.
Who says plastic bag do not have personality. This one is soooo persistent you will love it.
Remember this is an art movie without any editing. It is made that way with no glossing over.
Hope you find it as interesting and exciting as I did.
You are welcome to leave your comments.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
I’m a Moth and you can’t see me
Yesterday a very alert 3 year old visitor named Ciana came to the Chateau and discovered this beautiful Moth hiding on an old tree trunk. As you can see it was very well disguised.
As we look around us it is easy to see the undeniable workings of a Designer far superior to our feeble selves. Nothing we can create will surpass this magnificent creature. Our greatest Jumbo jet or best designed motor vehicle might beat it in scale but not in intricacy and perfection.
Next I ask myself ……….what is the purpose of moths? Recently I watched a new series on the Life of Plants by David Attenborough. It is excellent and shows how many plants are pollinated by birds and insects including at night. Moths navigate by light and the moon I think and are therefore attracted to lights. This is cause for a lot of people not liking them. But if we can expand our view to see that they, like us, are here with a purpose which contributes to the larger cycle called LIFE we all benefit.
Now I have a new respect for moths and their beauty and I hope you have too ……thanks to my curious and very alert 3 year old visitor….. Ciana.
We can learn a lot from children.
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Toy Cooker No 1
After picking up the Toy Cooker yesterday I did a photo shoot with it late in the afternoon.
Here is one of those shots.
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The Playground
More photos from my walks……… kids stuff
Toy Cooker
The things I find or see on my walks never cease to amaze me. Here a toy cooker that is being thrown away. I imagine some child would love it. The remarkable thing is it has sat near a main road for about one week.
It looks sad and neglected. Hopefully it will find a good home soon.
UPDATE : 3.25pm (later in day of this post)
Just went to see if the Cooker was still there…..it was……so I have collected it and will clean it up. Then I will find a child who will appreciate it.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
I love all types of music. Music comes in many different types and styles ranging from Classical, Opera, Rock, Jazz, Blues to Pop, Country, Alternative, Electronic and World to mention a few.
When I lived in Portugal I heard and loved the Fado. On my many visits to Montreal I loved their French Canadian music. Then visiting New Orleans their distinctive Zydeco music appealed to me. The list could go on and on. Many genres have a rich history or geographical significance, or music roots that go far beyond our present time.
To me music is like art ………….. I love all styles, genres, movements etc. because it reflects the diversity and depth of the human spirit and that makes it valuable and relevant to our lives.
So that brings me to today’s post.
Yesterday I heard this song that touched me deeply … “Immortality” by Celine Dion and The Bee Gees
In fact it brought tears to my eyes as I listened to it on the radio and I want to share it with you.
It is set in an elegant place….maybe a Chateau like mine above …and is so beautifully filmed and realized. I love the ghost like figures that appear and disappear.
Hope you like it too………..sorry about the ad at the beginning but it would not be here without it.
The Book of B
Two new painting placed in a book. The Book of B.
Somehow these paintings look great in a book form. This book does not exist at this time.
It is a mock-up… an idea. The paintings are real.
You might well ask …. what is The Book of B?
Good question. I have to decide on that too.
It sounds mystical, ancient and weird. That interests me.
Something might be developing here. Or it might remain just another post. We’ll see.
Any thoughts?
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
The Tree That Wanted To Say “Hello”
On my morning walk today I saw a tree that just wanted to say “hello”, not just to me but……… to the world.
So here it is in full glory. I hope my camera did it proud.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Girl Washing Her Hair While Red Dog Drinks the Water
Another new painting …….well created out of the painting shown below.
And as you can see I rotated the image 90 degrees clockwise.
I did love the original colours and simplicity of the original but felt I needed to do more to it.
Untitled Painting
So now you see the creative process at work. The new being created out of the old…or new.
My work is always full of endless possibilities and even the new painting might change again.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
A Splash of Colour
Sometimes as I am walking in the morning I come across something I just have to photograph. These beautiful flowers jumped out at me.
The problem : They were in a flower shop for sale and I had no money on me.
The solution : Ask. The owner agreed for me to photograph them.
So now we can all enjoy them thanks to the kind owner of the shop.
The Lesson : Don’t let any opportunity pass you by when your intuition says “YES!”
My Comment : How can Nature be so beautiful.
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
Sure Thing
Here’s a new charcoal drawing which I titled “Sure Thing.”
As you can see he’s got the look of a real winner.
I am reminded of a character from an early Woody Allen movie.
How about you…….. can you identify this man?
Copyright Burgess 2012 (c) All rights reserved.
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