Sweet Home Austinmer

The Outlook oil on panel 2011

As many have known for a while now, I have relocated down the South Coast 1hr from Sydney to the little seaside town of Austinmer. This is a view of the front of the caretaker's cottage where I live with Shaun and Zuza. The horizontal piece of wood sticking off to the left holds a bird feeder where rainbow lorikeets and cockatoos come to feed. The lavender is going crazy and compliments the yellow of the facade nicely.

The Dining Room oil on panel 2011

I painted this view of a buffet that Jennie gave us in our dining room. Notable art objects include ceramics by Hidemi Tokutake and paintings by Maximillian Feuerring. The room on the right is the living room where Mark and I set up some music equipment and have been jamming a bit.

The Living Room oil on linen 2011

The painting on the back wall of the living room is by Margarita Georgiadis, a small painting near the fireplace by Alison Coulthurst. The green couch under the skylight has been painted by many a Sydney artist. The view into the back reveals the dining room, where thanks to Justin we're now in possession of a proper coffee machine.

The Backyard oil on panel 2011

On a brilliant winter day I climbed up the backyard and painted this view of the patio. The Hill's hoist is classic, and I trimmed that umbrella tree myself.

Studio at Night oil on panel 2011

One late night I crawled onto the couch and painted this small interior of my studio. There's no proper light even during the day, but at night it particularly feels like a cave.

Dog Beach, Austi oil on panel 2011

On the Austinmer headland, there are fabulous views both north and south as far as the eye can see. This is what locals call 'little Austi beach', where dogs are free to run and cavort with each other. The Norfolk pines do a great favour in breaking up all of the horizontals.

Looking South, Austi oil on panel 2011

This is a view from the old 'Headlands Hotel' site which has recently closed down, and from which I recovered some wood to burn in my fireplace.

Goulburn revisited

The Briars oil on rough linen 2011

This past month I had the opportunity to head back to Goulburn to house-sit for a mate. The first two paintings are studio paintings of two sites at South Hill that I oil sketched this past winter and finished in the studio. I'm trying some new glazing techniques that I picked up from Charlie Sheard, which I find dramatically increase the colour 'mood'.

The Windbreak oil on linen 2011

This little crop of shrubby trees is in the corner of a paddock at South Hill where I like to hunt for rabbits.

Inside Days, Goulburn oil on panel 2011

The weather during the two weeks of my house-sit ranged from mild sunny days for working outside, to days like the one when I painted this one. Threw a few logs on the fire, retrieved my mate's entire collection of Death Cab for Cutie out of his closet and painted this little interior.

A Riot of Sparrows oil on panel 2011

Part of the job of housesitting was to look after my mate's chooks. They were timid little things, and after dumping in the day's feed, I would watch these little sparrows fly through the chicken wire to feast, while the poor chooks would cower in the corner of the pen.

View into the Bathroom oil on linen 2011

The wonderfully cool winter light cast different tones all over his house and provided me with quiet little views like this one.

The Boy's School oil on linen 2011

On one of the nicer days I set up outside this dis-used Boy's School perched on top of a hill in town. The old buildings that populate the hills of Goulburn are a testament to the industriousness of the first settlers, and ideas of permanence in architecture that prevailed at that time.