{ a beautiful contrast }

Image via Art in Picture

I just stumbled across this image and thought it was so beautiful. A black & white Monet with that great white beard; I imagine him humble yet distinguished with his shining shoes and French tweed. Such a contrast to the beautiful expanse of those ethereal, watery, pastel waterlilies he is painting...

Claude Monet's  'Matin' (troiseme panneau). Musee de l'Orangerie, Paris.  Via Intermonet

Both stop me in my tracks. Both so arresting.

I took this last picture the first time I visited the Musee de l'Orangerie in Paris in 2009. This old French man was very stylish, and the two of us sat and wandered these rooms for what was possibly an hour. I remember thinking we were two strangers from opposite sides of the world but could share in an understood silence - both just enjoying the wonder and beauty that surrounded us. 

I love this picture and the memories it holds, it always makes me smile. I hope it makes you smile, too.

See you soon,
Pip x

{ autumn tones }

Painted gumleaves curling...

And another kind of gum....

A snippet of a recent magnolia watercolour & ink commission.

More leaves...

 I am well overdue for a post, and in scrolling through my recent work, my pictures felt very much like the change of season we are experiencing in Australia at the moment. I am always enamoured with the way flora ages and changes and decays.... but I am sure that the shift from the colour and brightness of Summer to a cooler, muted palette is certainly inspired by the beautiful world around me.

I love this - life will sometimes imitate art; but art will always imitate life.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pip xx

All images copyright Pip Boydell 2013

{ botanica 2013 }

Grevillea 'Loopy Lou' - watercolour on paper - by Pip Boydell 

You may remember a month or two ago I posted here about a new botanical piece that I had begun? Well, I'm pleased to let you know that it has been selected to exhibit at Botanica - one of Australia's most preeminent botanical art exhibitions, curated and hosted by the Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney each year.

With all the exhibited artist's work appearing by invitation only, Botanica is held in high acclaim in Australia and internationally so I feel extremely humbled to have been asked to submit, let alone accepted and hung as part of this prestigious collection!

I still can't quite believe I made it through but in doing so I am really looking forward to heading down to Sydney for the opening which is tomorrow evening; to meet the other artists and of course see all the amazing work that I know will be just awe-inspiring (for me, anyway!).

For anyone that is in Sydney I highly encourage you to head along. Here are the details:

When: Saturday 13 April - Sunday 28 April 2013, 10 am-4 pm daily
Where: Joseph Maiden Theatre & Moore Room, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Price: Free Entry. All works for sale
Enquiries: 9231 8182

All works are for sale (including my grevillea!), by enquiry through the Foundation & Friends at the Botanical Gardens at the phone number above (or you can contact me directly by email pip_boydell@hotmail.com).

So I'll wish you all a happy weekend early now - and I will check back in with some pics next week!
Pip x

Image - original artwork copyright Pip Boydell

{ you had me at calippo! }

I'm not going to lie, I get some weird and wonderful requests in this gig and I'm the first to admit that not every one is easy to crack. From the precision of a big botanical; to the delicacy of single flower; to the folds and creases of a shirt or getting the colours just so on an icy iceblock... as any creative person will attest, most days present with a rollercoaster of the daunting, the challenging, the peaceful and even the tiresome all in one. But then every now and then one comes along that is just plain fun and makes its way to paper so easily..... well, this was one of those!

This is Sarah & Oscar. I don't often talk about the people I do commissions for but, I wanted to share these two with you simply because they really are one of the kindest & loveliest couples I have ever met; and that their choice of commission was so quirky and fun. When Sarah asked if I would paint something as a birthday-come-wedding-anniversary gift to Oscar; we ummed and ahhed over a few possible subjects but in the end settled on a pair of Calippo iceblocks. These are a favourite of theirs, and I love that they chose this as a symbol of 'them' - its so fun and sweet and ever bright, and they just seem to smile back at you!

Sarah and Oscar - thank you guys again for having me create something so specail to you; that was so fun for me. You guys are the best; and like the title of this post... you had me at 'Calippo'!

See you again soon,
Pip x

Photos 1-4 taken by me on my iPhone; photos 5 & 6 kindly provided by Sarah. 

{ a pretty little update }

A pretty peony commission amongst some other pattern work I've been toying with. 

I completed this for the very lovely Kate over at Polkadot Pantry as a gift to one of her dear friends.

Another day, another peony! 

These were a commission from a wonderful group of girls to their dear friend, as her 30th birthday gift.

 I am lucky enough to call the recipient family and she is one super sparkling girl....

so these shoes (which serves as bride and bridesmaids kicks, to boot!) were very fitting, (Yes I liked all these puns too.)

I'm hoping that a couple of pretty peonies and some sparkling shoes will distract you from the fact that it has been so long since my past post - or at least tide you over till the next one!

I've got lots of things to share with you in the comings weeks, I say this often but this time I'm for real! 2013 is flying by but already I am really liking this year. Happy Friday to everyone, and I promise to see you soon!

Pip x

All images taken by me on my iPhone