First Painting Complete for 2014

Finally I have finished a painting for 2014!! It has felt a long time coming, but school has only been back for three and a half weeks, so I guess that's Ok! This is my, as yet untitled, entry for the 'Mosman Park Art Awards' which is a biennial event and next occurring in May of this year. I was the lucky recipient of 'The People's Choice Award' at this event two years ago, with 'Look Before You Leap', so I'm very excited to try for a prize again this year. It's been a busy week of paperwork and brain cell pondering…I had to choose three paintings for inclusion into an invite only exhibition, Newman Art Expo, which is in April. It's so…incredibly…hard to choose just three! For sale at that show will be - and, lastly... Exciting times! Even after two years of painting and hours and hours of professional procrastination and thankfully seeing great improvements in my work over the last few years...I still find it so incredibly hard to choose what to paint next!! It NEVER gets any easier. N.E.V.E.R. In fact it gets harder each time. Second guessing myself is a very trying occupation. I've chosen a portfolio piece for my next painting. A pet portrait. Cause that's how it rocknrolls in a house full of pets! I've been getting queries into cat and dog commissions after painting 'Gypsy Rose' in December, so I thought I'd better get some fur child colours on my palette. Its gonna be a beauty…watch this space! Aah? Please remind me to take a proper photo of "Gypsy Rose"…she deserves her own blog post and photo…one day. Speaking of blog posts, I went hobnobbing with the hobnobbers on sunday…a blog event run by Problogger, Darren Rowse http://www.problogger.net I've been happy with my little ol blog ticking along nicely without too much effort or time stolen from the studio, but I was still intrigued to hear what one of the biggest bloggers (AND he's an Aussie!!) in the world had to say. Darren also runs one of my most favourite and informative photography lesson sites. If you love photography as much as I do and want clear help for whatever level you are at , check his site out...http://digital-photography-school.com I almost chickened out of attending Problogger this weekend. The ol' introvert in me often looks for an excuse, but as Perth often misses out on these type of events through the tyranny of distance to our eastern states, and not wanting to wallow in disappointment for not going, I gave myself a rap over the knuckles with my paintbrush and booked a ticket. I'm glad I went, it was fantastic and I managed to drag a friend along too...https://www.facebook.com/StyleIQ who NEEDS to start a blog…cause she's awesome, totally! AM has an incredible way with fashion and style and taming bulging wardrobes. Check her out and give her a little nudge to start a blog….please. Anyway, the Problogger event was just what I needed to answer a few questions and to spark a few thoughts toward making some slight changes. I'm quite happy with how things are here, but I'm always open to new suggestions and learning. There is a huge amount of information on blogging that I just don't understand and have me in Lah Lah land most of the time. Darren took some of the fear out of that for me. He made me realise that all the small little steps I take each week will slowly grow this little art space of mine, as and when I feel the need to do so. As long as you and I are happy here on My Mia's Art, it will tick along just nicely. How are you all liking this little space in the blogosphere? Any changes you feel I should make? So, enough of the ramblings...I think Monet, Manet and Minet Quin, my little arty companions and their gratitude adventures, might need a separate post this week! OK, just one question before I go…What shall I title my new painting?? The girl's are looking in the window of a local art gallery in Mosman Park called 'The Gallows Gallery'. Fire away…I'm listening!! Mia x