Fi Wilkie Art | Tutor/teacher

Fi Wilkie Art

Phone: +61 415 955 707

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25.01.2022 Listen to your Mother... overwhelm comes easy to me... a few weeks ago while in the midst of an existential crush, my Mum calmly points to my much loved print from a Margaret Preston Exhibition and says love that - doesn’t it look great... you should have a go a something like that so, because I think to myself - ‘hmmm that might be a nice pressie for her’, I set to work. My recent night time sketching had already provided me with the subject matter so I just upscaled my ...existing designs and gave them a heavy lino printed looking line - Now, I know you are going to tell me -‘ this is so different for you Fi ’? - Well, yes it is, I have not painted any kind of StillLife for nearly 3 years! but I suppose these hark back to those times when being forced to hang out at home reminded us of simple ‘stay inside’ things. Preston was an Artist in the 1930’s, and like our Grandmothers many of us recently turned back to baking, growing, earth mothering to find our retreat and relaxation and in some cases our sense of purpose and function - so... remembering that the still life work of artists like Margaret Preston was often looked down upon by the established art world, as trivial, feminine, domestic and ‘purely decorative’, I say it tells a heroic story of identity and place and purpose. It tells us of mum’s trying to get things done, and women worrying about what other women think of them and of trying our best to be good at being a cook, a wife, a mother or just ALIVE. Our homes are now more than ever our retreat and more and more our work places, finding pockets of joy and a sense of calm - a point of focus, is probably easier than ever - except when we are overwhelmed - and then some of us just need to make art.

25.01.2022 Yes, it is a tad busy around here with the usual roundup of ‘jobs to do ‘being listed and dealt with. You know the ones that wake you up at3 am like ‘ weed that garden bed’ and then the other ones that prod at your insecurities about your work, you purpose and your whole ‘raisin d’etre’. OMG- It’s still such a creative cocktail of nerve racking excitment and anxiety taking part in this - but I just can’t help myself get so enthusiastic to be part of such an amazing event. Every year is different and this year I’m Sharing the fun of it all with @sibbocustomartist - so please do come say Hi and hang for a while. @ Margaret River, Western Australia

25.01.2022 And the left side - as promised!

25.01.2022 A massive busy first weekend of @margaretriverregionopenstudios - here are some Little corners - a little friend and a little bit of weather that made me think about heading to Redgate beach in my bathers again . Thanks @blue_wren_framers for my lovely frames and all that hard work getting us ready for our studio doors to be flung open

24.01.2022 Do you think Xmas cards will have a different job this year? Putting pen to paper and sharing our thoughts with favourite friends and special family - yep, I think they will - something to touch and hold when isolation is still among us. A tangible way to connect, a historical record to be kept and studied fir understanding in years from now? When you produce cards you wonder what they will carry within them - all the feels, all the good intent - a moment in time. You can ...find cards at the link, at the @artgallerywa shop and @mukaugiftware in Cowaramup. All online orders are will be packed up with an added little Xmas gift from me - and it goes without saying ... Thankyou for supporting little over big, creative over generic and people over pointless this Christmas. X See more

24.01.2022 Banksia and cowhide - a winning combination in uptown, downtown Cowtown. @mukaugiftware #cowaramup

23.01.2022 Lili and Stella - if someone who knows these girls is following me here - please let me know - these are my favourite reviews ever ! coupled with the lovely card I found in my post box from Charlotte, they are really good to read when you have to do all the boring admin stuff in the follow up days after @margaretriverregionopenstudios finishes... and please don’t forget to do YOUR admin stuff too and register for the wonderful @cape_lodge prize - your feedback is REALLY important to help this great event report accurate date and receive further support from the govt departments and the shires who support us Cheers Peepsx ( pic : ‘Red Tail Rumba’ off to their new home soon)

22.01.2022 Forest Tapestry - Western Spinebills : this painting developed slowly and kind of drove me crazy for a while trying to get the balance right- like many of mine, it started as something quite different to how it ended... Amd I had to reacquaint myself with the virtue of self acceptance as it took soooo much longer to get there than I wanted it to. It’s a hard lesson to learn - every time we learn it - Western Spinebills often visit our garden, but they are hard to spot - so ...a treasure to see- I loved this so much when it finally revealed itself that I gifted it to a family member - which hardly ever happens - cause as most artists will tell you - we just can’t afford to keep our own art if we are trying to survive off it as our primary income. This one shown is one of our new limited edition canvas fine art prints, professionally stretched and framed and UV treated - it’s hard to tell it’s not the original painting. ( limited edition of 20) $895. 90x60cm Available by online order of drop into the studio

21.01.2022 Sketching with the incredibly talented @craigsoulsbyart and my brave daughters - this is a wonderful way to enhance and inspire your experience and viewing of @thelesterprize @artgallerywa. #artbringsustogether

21.01.2022 People people everywhere - Thankyou to all who have visited so far - it’s wonderful to have an event like this to showcase what we do in our studios - I’m up early trying to finish some new work that I didn’t get around to before we started this shin dig - plenty of joy to be found round every corner of the capes day 5 here we come

18.01.2022 Fi Wilkie just received this gorgeous message in the post from a grateful visitor Fi - and all our incredible artists - thank you for opening your studios and sharing such a special experience with us. Love from all the art appreciators Fi Wilkie Art

18.01.2022 Oh it’s so sad when you strip your walls at the end of a show! All those journeys ( pieces) , now wrapped in bubble wrap ready for their next life in other places, with other people and other stories being connected to them. Frequently asked questions during @margaretriverregionopenstudios Is it hard to sell your work and let it go ?:- ah... YES but its the only way that I can keep making more! How do you know when you’re finished? : easy, it feels fully resolved. Nothing ...left to annoy me, catch my eye in an awkward way or narrow my eyes with suspicion! How do you know what colours to use?: I don’t, it’s an instinct and I had to learn to trust it, learn to manipulate it and learn to embrace my own vision with confidence. ( Grace and Glory: Gum Leaves) See more

16.01.2022 That’s a good one for the fridge door! Did anyone else see this today ? I wonder iv my mother bought a copy??? We are all Feeling so thankful and grateful for all the little and big moments of support and sharing We Margaret River Artists are receiving at the moment - the whole community benefits from those of you visiting and supporting, sharing your pics and bringing back friends. Hope I did I good job helping to promote @margaretriverregionopenstudios today - The dog is bloody exhausted!

15.01.2022 Golden Whistlers are back in stock - available again to purchase/ collect direct from the studio ($45)or order online ($55) includes postage in Aus. These fit straight into those little off the shelf frames ($9.99)for a perfect. Block elevation mounted for 3D ‘ suspension look’

15.01.2022 Kerry is just about set up ....he has some incredible stuff, a giant peg for your lawn, an amazing collection of prawns (!!!!) doing their weird and wonderful things and of course his wonderful wet nosed cows - sun is shining and we are so looking forward to two weeks of meeting you!

13.01.2022 More precious moments touring studios today - and there’s only one day left of this wonderful event! Our artists are all elated; it’s been a privilege to open t...heir studios and meet so many art lovers, but many are looking forward to relaxing quietly for a few days too. Many are keen to see Open Studios as a spring time event; how have you enjoyed visiting in September? Pictured here; 1 Lauren Wilhelm Artist 2, 3, 4 Kate Debbo’s beautiful dog and studio - she was a little camera shy 5 Kerry Sibly and Fi Wilkie Art in their wonderful converted cow shed studio 6 living legend Leon Pericles with the 2019 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay on which his art graces the bottle. Please enjoy the final day of Open Studios. Remember you can commission a piece of art - many artists take commissions if you missed out on something you loved. And follow their work on social media, where they will often show works in progress and new pieces.

12.01.2022 Ok - Now I need a title? - This painting is too big to photograph it all - so here are the bits. I only seem to have the capacity to paint two big paintings a year- it’s always a major challenge, there are a lot of square centimetres to get sorted.. and yes overthinking - that’s something I do well- but when it’s done I feel very emotional - always surprised and sometimes a bit amazed that I actually finished something like that - and then strangely, I can’t really connect with the final piece as being something I did? Maybe I’m just lost in the details for so long that it takes a while to see ‘the big picture’. Anyways - Have you got a suggestion for us?

12.01.2022 Very nearly finished - I think(?) and ready for our next art outing this time to Perth. Happily I have not yet grown tired of playing with this idea - (although I struggle with being so neat ! ) and am planning a few more to do before I complete this series- my sketch book is brimming with ideas- I even have a modest waitlist of those that missed out during Open Studios. Lucky me - grateful for ‘jobs to do ‘ after the post Open Studios quiet takes hold

09.01.2022 Ok so Long square paintings don’t really fit in square social media posts so here is the right side end and next will be the left side - Fire Tail Jig - I get so excited when these guys arrive in the garden at the end of summer to crack tiny , finch friendly seeds -

08.01.2022 Work in progress - it really comes to something when you have to start painting at night to get your ‘fix’, we’ve had so many visitors and been so distracted all day - I’ve really missed my usual quiet time alone with my brush - It’s Not as if I should go to bed early @margaretriverregionopenstudios.

08.01.2022 Several people have commented on this and taken a pic - it’s taken me a long while to speak loudly about what goes on inside- thought some of you might like this too ?

07.01.2022 That thing that happens when your Airbnb guest randomly connects after arriving and seeing your art on the walls - that she follows you on Instagram and was going to buy one of your collage kits - serendipity ! If you are thinking of collecting one during Open Studios you might like to play it safe and pre order now ? Link in Bio @ Margaret River, Western Australia

05.01.2022 More new card sets - this time the Banksia Bushland Series- - here’s the back story: these designs evolved over a couple of years, starting with images I created after diving into this new subject matter, following the passing away of my dear old Dad. This sad time settled into happy memories of our family homes and the childhood exploring with my bestie, riding our bikes around the streets that boarded the new suburbs, climbing banksia trees and digging up wild flowers to r...eplant ( unsuccessfully ) in my mums garden. With his passing,It struck me, for the first time, that my entire life had been lived on the edge of remnant Banksia filled bushland, first in the suburbs of Perth, then after Al and I got married we lived in the Banksia scrub on the edge of Gracetown, and now we live on the edge of the Forrest just outside Margaret River. A different dominant species in each location, but always the chaos and random structures of this plant form fascinated me with its unique varieties of textures, colours and shapes. I’m still exploring this theme 3 years later, and in a funny way it loops all those bits of life into one - and this set of designs, feels like a joyful resolution of a whole lot of life well lived, sharing happy times with others near and in nature. I reckon if you grew up in Perth in the 70’s you didn’t have far to go to find one of these gnarly old timers winking at you - so many lost now, replaced by neat rows of iceberg roses! See more

05.01.2022 Oh! NEWS !!- we are Moooving up and in - this time our little studio collection of paintings, homewares, fine art prints, art cards are finding a whole light filled nook upstairs in the Gallery space of @mukaugiftware - we should be all ready to check out from this Sunday !

05.01.2022 Ive been getting out and about with my easel this year - both little pieces are still available - there is an option on the half dot for someone I know - the top is a scene from Old Dunsborough Boatramp area and the bottom piece is my favourite local beach Redgate. This year I’ve been really loving getting into Plein air painting with my little group of painting students - I created an online course which is available on demand to work thru in your own time and we have a mon...thly themed approach to continue to develop our skills in our members group. It’s a huge thing to try a new genre, but I feel like these are a good start... finding my own way of doing things is what interests me ... and I might be finding my way with these? Day 6 of @margaretriverregionopenstudios today - Thankyou to all those visitors - and especially the repeat visitors who come for several looks and shopping trips See more

03.01.2022 So exhausted from so many visitors it’s like I’m all talked out! Got any questions for me - I need you to suggest a topic for an instagram post ?

03.01.2022 Most nights, this happens - visitors to the studio that day, send me pics as they update their own instagram profiles. Yesterday, I received a letter in the post box ( I know right!) - it was one of my own bird cards with the most beautiful hand written note and drawings from a little girl who had also visited. The support being shown for our event this year is so incredible -the majority of visitors are from Perth and Im feeling so grateful and seeing again how much Art means to people and brings joy... that thought was lost when we reordered the world into first responder status a few long months ago. Thinking of all our fellow arts workers waiting for their sectors to open up too - I’m here to confirm - you are not forgotten. Thankyou everyone. @trinitytownsend_scapes @thebelletraveller @wandacomrie

02.01.2022 Treated myself to 3 newProtea plants and this bunch from @yelvertonproteafarm yesterday. It perfectly compliments that crazy round paintjng g and is featuring a couple of my iso creative projects - my loo paper clay vases!

01.01.2022 A few new things happening in my studio for this @margaretriverregionopenstudios - first up, my lockdown sketchbook work has been evolving and taken me in a few new directions - - these nighttime tv watching sketches happened all during @Masterchef finals and all that quiet home time we had to endure... this is the new 5 set card pack - I really like them- it’s a long time since I went all accurate and realistic in my approach - bits it really helped calm and console that freaky time - popping them in the online shop today if there is anyone that can’t make it to the studio. (Free postage)

01.01.2022 These two paintings gave me so much happiness while on my studio wall - both sold quickly during the Open Studios but I think they could make the perfect non xmas, Xmas cards. Link is here if you’d like a set to spread some seasonal good vibes! https://tootstudio.bigcartel.com//xmas-card-pack-6-blossom... Also available at The Art Gallery of WA shop AND #Mukau Gifts in Cowaramup