Nicola Moir at Gallery East, Clovelly

Hanging the Show

Returning to Simeon Street

 Simeon Street Roofs

Mixed Media on Arches Paper

46cm x 38cm

From Simeon Street

 From Simeon Street

Watercolour, Ink, Chinese Paint on Bockingford 

33cm x 26cm

From Simeon Street Ink

Ink on Watercolour Paper

24cm x 24cm

I recently discovered a new view of Clovelly from a high point near Simeon Street. It gives a wonderful outlook onto the landscapes and the graveyard and ocean in the distance. These are quick sketches from that point.

Blank Spaces

Fern Street Road

Watercolour and Chinese Ink on Rice Paper
58cm x 42cm

It is often hard to know when a painting is finished. In watercolour it is really important to be aware of over-working as this can dull a piece irretrievably. Oil and acyclic perhaps more forgiving as paint can be scraped back or painted on fresh. In watercolour I enjoy that each brush stroke is intrinsic to the final painting. Obviously, as a result I am attempting to make each stroke deliberate and beautiful, and also diverse. In these recent pieces I am deliberately exaggerating the under-working to leave some of the rice paper or watercolour paper completely exposed.

Fern Street

Watercolour and Chinese Ink on Rice Paper
50cm x 42cm

Bronte Fence

Watercolour and Chinese Ink on Arches
33cm x 27cm

Clovelly rock walk sketches

 Clovelly Sand

Watercolour and Chinese Ink on Arches

 20cm x 19cm

Clovelly rocks

Watercolour and Chinese Ink on Arches

26cm x 20cm

The distinct linear clouds combined with the pattern of rock or sand offers an inspiring reference point. In these small pieces I am using this real-life reference to abstract and suggest. Increasingly, my desire is to abstractly conceive reality in a way that does not purely abstract but rather captures the monumentality of the landscape. I want every brushstroke to express and to have purpose.

Abstracting rock patterns

Clovelly and the Vans

Chinese Paint and Ink on Rice Paper

42cm x 40cm

Clovelly Monochrome Ink Sketch

Chinese Ink on Rice Paper

58cm x 42cm

In these ink sketches I am reducing the landscape to pattern from the water and rock. The sandstone rock provides endless reference for abstraction.

Clovelly Cliff

Clovelly Cliff

Chinese Ink and Paint on Paper

29cm x 40cm

Shui-mo-hua

Clovelly Rock

Chinese Ink and Paints on Rice Paper Scroll

42cm x 59cm

 Clovelly Swell Sketch

Chinese Ink and Paint on Paper

40cm x 29cm

Inspired by a recent trip to Hong Kong, a place I grew up I have decided to draw on some Chinese painting influence for these pieces. With my recent use of ink and watercolour it feels like a natural progression to look at Chinese landscape painting. This genre of painting has a deep history in using ink and washes which is more specifically known as Shui-mo-hua. The idea of this form of painting is not to reproduce the subject but to capture its essence. So to paint waves, rather than portraying a static image, the goal is to express its power or movement and to reduce the useless detail.

Clovelly Road Dribbles

Clovelly Road Dribbles

Watercolour, Ink, Acrylic and Oil Pastel

64cm x 51cm

I do not know what I think of this painting yet. I completely lost control of it then it came together again... I think.

Coastal Walk near Waverley Cemetery

Coastal Walk near Waverley Cemetery

Ink and Watercolour on Card

 51cm x 64cm

Clovelly Surf Lifesaving Club in July

Clovelly Surf Lifesaving Club in July

Acrylic, Watercolour, Ink and Oil Pastel on Card

64cm x 51cm

Burnie Street, Clovelly

Burnie Street

Watercolour on Arches 300gsm Paper

36cm x 28cm

This painting was an exploration into a composition with a strong vanishing point. I wanted to capture the shadow pattern on the ground particularly from the fence to emphasis the converging perspective. As someone who has spent a lot of time in a cold and wet temperate climate I am really enjoying the strong light of Australia and the interesting effect it has on the landscape.

Clovelly Randwick Ink Exploration

Clovelly Road Sidewalk 

Ink, Pen, Watercolour on Watercolour Paper

29cm x 42cm

Looking north from Beach Street

Ink, Pen, Watercolour and Watercolour Paper

42cm x 29cm

California Bungalow on Fern Street in Ink

California Bungalow on Fern St in Ink

Vandyke Brown Ink, Sepia Pen, White Acrylic and Watercolour on Watercolour Paper
42cm x 29cm

The california bungalow is a familiar sight in Sydney. As the name suggests they are a style of architecture that take their influence from America developed between 1915 to 1940. Their low pitched red triangle roofs framed by foliage are a dominate feature of the landscape here.

Douglas St, Clovelly

Douglas St in Ink

Ink, Pen on Watercolour Paper

29cm x 42cm

This view out to Waverley Cemetary was an experimentation in ink. The ink was applied with  a pen, a dip pen, a stick and a brush in an attempt to get a variety of line.

Clovelly Swell

Clovelly Swell

Watercolour and Ink

29cm x 21cm

The swell at Clovelly can be very dramatic in rough seas. The waves collide into the reef just outside the bay but still retain enough energy to crash over onto the concrete platforms. The long narrow bay draws the water in creating distinct channels with the dark blue rip moving away from the beach and the white wash moving towards the beach.

Clovelly Road Electricity Cables

Clovelly Road

Acrylic, Oil Pastel and Pencil on Card

62cm x 43cm

Clovelly Road is a classic Sydney suburban street lined with electricity cables and trees divide the road and footpath. The cables and towers provide an interesting linear quality that criss-crosses the landscape.

Clovelly Beach in Autumn

 Clovelly Swimmers in Autumn

Mixed Media on Paper

49cm x 62cm

 I never thought i would be one to blog but, hey, 'everyone is doing it', so let the nazel gazing begin. Today's artwork is a view over Clovelly Beach. It is hard to believe this little oasis is in the middle of a city. Perhaps i still have my pommy immigrant perspective but i always feel like i am on holiday when i come to this beach.