It’s very exciting when I can enter an art competition and be shown in a real gallery! I entered the postcard show last year when I was just starting out in oils. I made a few mistakes and definitely had them in mind when entering this year.

Just putting anything on a canvas – I painted a picture that was disjointed. I didn’t have a vision, style or end goal (see right “succulents”, oil on canvas, 20x25cm, 2014). That is the beauty of my State of Being Alphabet Series; I have 26 paintings to try whatever I want. Unfortunately with a competition just ‘anything’ won’t win you anything and has a high chance of not being purchased.

This year I have gotten into my style ‘groove’ and took a concept I couldn’t use for the State of Being Alphabet and made a mini version. It was much more enjoyable still having that ‘free reign’ but more of a defined style to follow. (And an actual story behind the painting)

Leaving entering too late – Last year I only entered one piece because of poor planning and with high entry fees it was a bit of a bust.

This year wasn’t much better I’m afraid to say. It was about 3 weeks before the show entry deadline and I hadn’t started! Feeling resourceful I painted them in acrylics because I knew they took less time to dry and therefore I had more time to manipulate my images.

Overall I think I did well but more planning next year- I might have to paint a few small works earlier in preparation!

If you are in the area the exhibition is on at:

Linden New Arts
26 Acland Street, St Kilda 3182
19 September – 21 November 2015
I have the below two works on show and available for purchase 🙂

Internecine
adj. mutually destructive
Acrylic, Modeling Paste and Ylang Ylang Sand on Canvas, 20x25cm, 2015

Canorous
adj. Melodious, resonant
Acrylic, Modeling Paste and Ylang Ylang Sand on Canvas, 20x25cm, 2015