If you can’t get to my in-person exhibition in South Australia [pandemic travel restrictions, anyone?], or you can & you’re wondering about the stories behind the 12 still lifes in my Plenty Twenty exhibition, then This Is For You! Here are the stories embodied in the 12 paintings…

1/January – Arcs and Iridescence $515

The *Arcs and Iridescence* title refers to both the vintage china – with pearlised surface and arched legs and handle – and butterflies and their quivering flight paths and finely scaled wings.

The sweet lidded bowl is complimented by the scarlets and oranges of nasturtium petals. The colours are divinely bright on the generous watercolour paper.

This piece radiates ‘uplift’, a sunny afternoon captured for your forever enjoyment, even during winter darkness. This will suit you if nasturtiums are your Happy Place – mine too! – for your cosy reading spot or anywhere you want glowing light and warmth!

2/February – Hazel’s Chai and Paisley – SOLD

A china cup of light infused chai floats over a paisley landscape… warming your heart with pinks and golds … mmmm, delicious!

This piece would be lovely company in the nook where you enjoy your cuppa, to gently remind you of the sheer luxurious validity of doing so!

[Side note: While painting this, I listened to a podcast of Russell Brand interviewing Brian Cox … you may feel the vibe of intelligent voices in British accents emanating from this one!
Take a moment, too, to think of Hazel, the kind elderly lady who would bequeath a sweet teaset to a new friend who was at the time an 8-year old child.]

3/March – Wavy Glass and Marimekko $515

While helping a friend clear out a shed, this wavy glass jug came to light, beckoning me to paint it!

Gathering friendly paper maché and nasturtiums to keep it company, I also harkened back to joyful 70s simplified flower motifs for the background.

This is an individual statement of appreciation, perhaps for your breakfast nook or sunroom.

 

 

 

4/April – Picked Pears – SOLD

The white china bowl and the teapot flowers keep company with generously yielded pears. Cat lovers will note the familiar cat scrabbled fly screen!

This is a visual ode to op shopped china, feline companions and sweet Autumn offerings. An image of contentment, perhaps for your hallway.

 

 

 

 

5/May – Quinces and Crab Apples – SOLD

Pale yellow quinces slowly ripened on the tree. They come into their own with a table linen and scarf background along with dear cherry-like crab apples.

This is an image of abundance and appreciation, perfect for an altar or near the hall stand…

 

 

 

 

6/June – Succulent, Geranium and Honeymoon Fabric – SOLD

Several lovely swathes of patterned fabric returned with us from Tangerine Man’s* and my honeymoon in Borneo. I’ve not historically been a fan of succulent plants, but natures wonderful shapes and bold designs have ‘grown’ (haha) on me. The humble geranium’s leaf structure and a little lidded pot complete the composition.

This picture gives off a conservatory vibe, so if you don’t quite have a conservatory and you want one, this might be a good pic for you! Alternately the greens and patterned-with-white areas pop forwards making this a welcome addition to sunny kitchen (though not itself to be placed in direct sun)!

 

7/July – Garden Flowers (Yellows) – SOLD

Marigolds are so generous – from each seed a hundred flowers! They’re a small blossoming representation of sunshine, and their yellows pair companionably with a scarlet nasturtium.

Blues and spots are a classic foil to the shape and colour of the indian vase with garden flowers and lone pear.

This happy still life will bring cheerfulness to the space where you choose to hang it.

 

 

8/August – Still Life with Gourd – SOLD

My friend grew this cool gourd and kindly let me draw it.  I haven’t even accentuated the the colours – it was vibrant just like this!

I arranged the gourd on a sweet fabric with related colours. Nasturtiums tentatively arched nearby.

This one brings late Summer vibes. It would bring delight and warmth to a conservatory and/or tea-drinking spot.

 

 

 

9/September – Past and Future Poppies $515

Past and Future poppies… ribbed dried poppy pods, spilling their fine seeds into the glass jar holding their potential ready for next Spring.

This is a record of the delicate between-seasons keeping of seeds, while nature turns and becomes once again warm and ready to enthusiastically grow tall plants from tiny seeds.

This picture would be a wonderful Circle of Life contemplation piece for an altar, or on an always-shaded wall in the kitchen or eating nook.

 

 

10/October – Nasturtiums in Blue and White Vase 2 – SOLD

This delightful op shop vase shares its shape and particular blue twirl-and-leaf pattern, while holding friendly nasturtiums straight from the garden.

This painting will reward extended inspection with its balanced composition and joyful colour combination.

It’s a Spring and Summer reminder you can keep indoors, to lift your spirits all year long! A gracious piece for an older child’s room – or yours!

 

 

11/November – Green Cup and Child’s Daisies – $515

One by one I was gifted these daisies making up a posie so small an egg cup is sufficient vase.

In the 2021 Flowers and Food calendars, the quote I’ve paired with this picture is Dean Jackson’s, saying:

“…when a child gives you a gift, even if it is a rock they just picked up, exude gratitude. it may be the only thing they have to give, and they have chosen to give it to you.”

The foreground cross pattern and the rounded hand-shaped cup round out the still life composition with the blues and greens of fabric and background.

This picture would be a keeper gift for a child, a starter piece to encourage them to collect art from a young age.

12/December – Buerre Bosc Pears and Dahlias – SOLD

The classic shape of buerre bosc pears fits beside the hand-blown glass with swirls of white and blue. The pears greens and browns are friendly with the soft tones of the dahlia petals and their deep green leaves.

This is a bold composition, with judicious colour play and decorative elements.

Would be a perfect fit in a row with 2 other produce-featuring still lifes, perhaps behind the side board in the dining room.

 

 

Make your favourite your own!

• An original painting will bring a unique, buoyant energy to your wall. Make one [or several if you have a bigger space] your own!
  Artworks are custom framed and your new artwork can be collected from Mockingbird Lounge after the exhibition.
  If there’s a picture you want for your very own, you can of course purchase at the exhibition venue.
  Or, if you fall in love with one of the images above – or after you leave the exhibition you can’t stop thinking about one – you can also ring them on (Australia) 08 8294 3398 message me to arrange purchase and a red dot will mark it as Sold To You.
• Companion calendars – a collection of the twelve exhibition images combined with 2021 dates, and quotes of goodness and individuality
• An exhibition pack of 12 cards to send your love still available at Mockingbird Lounge (and possibly on my site, soon).

In August, one-of-a-kind pictures will be available only from the Plenty Twenty exhibition venue, Mockingbird Lounge, Glenelg, South Australia. This is so we don’t inadvertently sell a one-off item to two separate bold souls!

However, calendars and cards – items there are multiples of – are available at both the exhibition and below.

[Later: remaining pictures now included below.]

Hope this is useful!
Speak soon :)
Meg x o

 

*not his real name