Painting, patterns, faces ...

The '100 days challenge' of making daily surface pattern designs continues, riding the celebration of having opened the Spoonflower Shop YSh Studio YveY. Dedicated daily pattern design practices encouraged my first pattern 'design challenge' entry, also with Spoonflower. It's been an energetic time. You can see the work on Instagram, @yshstudio_YveY 

On the fine arts front, sketching and working up my next collection for a future show continues. This month I've also connected with the lovely Janae Paquin-Bowden, a magnificent Flower Farmer / Ceramicist of Fleurs de Lyonville and Janae Paquin-Bowden Pottery. Janae welcomed me to her glorious farm and ceramics studio for our sitter's meet up, and the result of time we spent together led to making her portrait in oils, a detail of which you see here, now sent to Sydney as an Archbald Prize entry. Entering the portraits I make from engaging with sitters, is a studio practice I've enjoyed continuously for the past 14 years. Each work is a practice of indulging in a time to paint from connecting with a sitter and having felt into the stories of the experience, being with these people who inspire me. I believe my 20+ years of making Charity Celebrity Portrait art works for the Jeans for Genes campaign with the CMRI of Sydney strengthened my love of having this as an ongoing practice within YSh Studio.

And on a lightfilled note, face painting continues at the Malmsbury Village Green, Artists and Farmers Markets - and I enjoyed a chance support moment with fellow face painter Jahmiele of #bluejayfacepainting, helping out for a few hours at the Malmsbury Village Fayer. I'm so thrilled to be with those families, and the little people I tend who truly willingly adore the decoration and theatre that comes with the paint.

Along with continuing to work providing arts therapy in palliative care, and privately provide Arts Therapy Supervision support (still fully booked), that's now it for the April news from the YSH Studio.

If you are visiting me whynot hsay hello here, in Spoonflower or on social media

@yshstudio

@yshstudio_YveY

@yshstudio_FairySparkles

or at our cheery Airbnb miners' cottage getaway , 'Leila‘At Malmsbury'

See you again in May.

With warmth,