I went down to Sydney to see the Paths to Abstraction exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. This consisted of "140-plus works by some of the most influential artists of the modern era, including Whistler, Cézanne, Monet, Seurat, Vuillard, Bonnard, Gauguin, Matisse, Derain, Picasso, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Klee, Robert and Sonia Delaunay, Hans Arp and Sophie Taüber-Arp" http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/paths-abstraction/. It was exciting to see such a collection of well-known artists work.

I went down for the weekend. On the Sunday I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the S.H. Ervin Gallery. Primavera was showing at the MCA which is an exhibition of artists under the age of 35 years.

The exhibition at the S. H. Ervin Gallery was of Australian women artists. "Slow Burn- A century of Australian women artists from a private collection. Slow Burn traces the history of women artists in Australia and the development of a remarkable private collection over a 15 year period. The evolution of the collection was guided by the late art dealer, Eva Breuer. This exhibition presents ninety three Australian women artists ranging from the delicate pastels of Janet Cumbrae Stewart to the modernist prints of Margaret Preston through to the bio-techno sculptures of Patricia Piccinini. The works in the exhibition demonstrate the skill and versatility of women artists over the past hundred years."
http://www.nationaltrust.com.au/properties/gallery/exhibitions/Slow%20Burn/Slow%20Burn_default.asp

Spring is here at last. Today we have clear blue skies, the birds are singing and the view goes for miles. We have had rain every few days so everywhere is green and lush. The trees are in blossom and the flowers are out. It is a beautiful time to be alive. Work has been demanding but today is one of my precious days doing nothing but painting. I am enjoying using oil paints. I also am thinking of doing a large drawing based on the West MacDonnell Ranges using charcoal and inks.

This is a quick basic sketch from my trip.

Glen Helen Gorge. Gouache on paperI have taken down my paintings from the exhibition in Armidale. I am really enjoying not having the pressure of working towards an exhibition. After a fair break I am starting back this weekend into my painting. I will do some works from the Northern Territory and go up the hill at the back of my home and do some en plein air paint sketches. This is a small gouache from my trip away.

I am looking forward to going to Sydney in a couple of weeks to see the Abstraction exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW. I am going to see work in private galleries as well.
Art Gallery of NSW: "Discover the work of the most influential artists of the modern era and how they changed the course of art forever.
Experimenting with colour and form, these artists explored exciting new ways of seeing and imagining.
This major exhibition of over 150 paintings, drawings and prints reveals how abstract art emerged around the world.
On loan from 59 of the most prestigious art collections in the world including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Museu Picasso Barcelona, Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, Tate Modern and National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Art Gallery of NSW "