Just Before Sunrise

It is just before sunrise - Just before the sun breaks through the ocean...... And reflection of the sun is hitting the clouds and a wave is forming just before it breaks. This is at Redhead Beach NSW where we lived. It is my first seascape in oils.

Waterlily – Acrylic on Canvas.

Underneath the painting I first put on a thick layer of modelling pasted with a palette knife to give it lots of texture. This is the first time I have used this medium and I really enjoyed slathering it on.- a bit like icing a big square sponge cake! Then waited for it to dry and painted over the top. I did this in class. I started this one before Christmas and just recently finished it. I painted this from a calendar photo and changed it around somewhat to suit. It is hanging in my kitchen family area.

Cordyline

I have just finished my FIRST OIL!!! It is on heavy duty paper. This is a plant that you see everywhere up here in tropical north Australia - it is not a native to Australia but I think it has been here so long everyone thinks it is!! It is native to Southeast Asia and there are some references to Hawaii.

About the Artist: Annie Whitaker

I have always been interested in art and have not had any formal training. When I was pregnant with Tim I started dabbling with porcelain painting or some people call it china painting. After then working in health administration and raising 2 boys my love of art was put on hold for more important things. As the boys grew up and became teenagers I started to paint with a group of decorative artists one evening a week. This was much better for me as I did not need a kiln. After a good few years of this I ended up teaching a beginners class one night a week as well as my painting group. I booked into a one-day watercolour workshop just for fun and was hooked. I now paint watercolour, which I frame behind glass and I also paint acrylic on canvas. The advantage of the canvasses is they do not need framing and it is much cheaper. A lot of money is spent on frames. So I dabble in both watercolour and acrylic. If I could find a cheap way to frame, watercolour would be my current preference. Although I do go through stages. All of my paintings are usually just inside my head and not from photo's or other pictures.

My style is impressionistic realism I guess, I am not always botanically correct but you know what the subject is. It is my impression of the real thing. This is also true in my landscapes.

When we shift to Tropical North Queensland at the end of August 2006, I am going to try and find a teacher and learn to enjoy my art and use it to help me calm down. I think it will help with the healing process of losing my gorgeous Tim.

The turtle is a water colour – Hurtle the Turtle, Tim called him – I did the year before Tim died. He loved it. I planned to give it to him one day.

The pink frangipani painting (acrylic on canvas) Tim loved and he took a digital photo of it and Tim and Emma made their wedding invitations with it.

The gum branch is a watercolour and my mum entered it in an art show and I won the champion of the show : - I nearly fainted.

The Beach Scene - is my youngest son Phil's favourite and I am leaving it with him when we head north. This is Redhead beach where we live now and also where 1/3 of Tim's ashes have been scattered. For those PHCentral family that were a part of Tim's wedding either here or from a distance - you will remember some beach wedding pics - they were taken here.

I currently have some WIPS (art lingo for works in progress and will be happy to send pic's when I am finished.)

I will enjoy participating in this corner of PH central.

Paint till ya faint,
Annie.

Copyright © 2006 Annie Whitaker. All rights reserved.
Images on this web page are the property of Annie Whitaker.
Any use, private or public, without prior written permission from the owner is prohibited.
whitakers@netspace.net.au

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gail howard
Friday, May 2 2008

Oooooh! Annie, the turtle watercolor is just fabulous! I want to see more watercolors from you! You have a real knack for them.

Annie, I must have great taste, because although I love all the paintings, I chose the gum branch as my favorite. I'd give it a blue ribbon, too. I have a wall it would look great on!

Annie,
How wonderful your art work is; you are a talent waiting to get discovered .............

Love,
Margie DePrado
Old Bridge, NJ USA

Thanks everyone for your encouraging comments! It is so easy to sit around and do nothing after the loss of our Tim. I have found a couple of gorgeous people up here in Cairn that run art classes and between you guys boosting me along and the gentle direction and positive input from Claire and Bev I will hopefully get my mojo back! I have to push myself hard to paint or do anything enjoyable , i thank you so much for helping my through this.
Love n hugs
Annie

Annie
I just saw your oil painting of the plant and the turtle. Absolutely beautiful. I love the plant. Absolutely gorgeous. You sure have a gift....Wow....Laura

All of your art is fabulous, but I LOVE the new pieces!

WOW!!!

Oh Annie I love the baby sea turtle, he looks so happy.

Annie, your artwork is beautiful. I especially love the first painting with so many colors. Since the ocean is my favorite place to be, that's a favorite too.

Wow!

Lang may yer lum reek!

It is hard to pick a favorite from all your work, but I really like the first one. Your new home and new surroundings should keep you busy painting. Make sure that you share your new paintings, too.

Thank you for sharing your artwork with us.

Annie.....I see so much talent in your paintings. The first one of the branch with orange flowers is fabulous. If I were a bird, that would be my favorite place to roost. Keep up the good work. I hope to see more of it soon.

Your dogs are so cute (so are you!).

Annie,
I just love your seascape painting. The water looks great and I love the saturated color. Water, especially an ocean, is not easy to paint, but you did a great job.

Hello Annie, I love your paintings. You are so talented. Thank you so much for sharing your pieces. And I love the Paint till you Faint logo!!
My logo is To Bead or Not to Bead.

Annie, How wonderful to see your beautiful paintings and your smiling face.

Hi Annie, What a wonderful beach ... I bet you're gonna miss that view! I can't remember what you called the first painting, but it is gorgeous.... is that a tree or a shrub? It is beautiful... I'd love to have it growing in my yard... I bet our climates aren't that different... I'm near the Texas Gulf Coast... about 60 miles inland.... hot and humid most of the year and not unheard of to never need a coat in our 'winter'.

What an honor to have your own dear son and daughter-in-law choose one of your paintings as the background for their wedding invitation! I love pink frangipani... they grown nicely here... we yank them out of the ground during the coller months and store them in a dark place... no dirt and no water... I sure hated to do that the first time and just knew they'd be dead come spring... but... worked perfectly... thus far.

You are a very talented artist and I hope you are able to start life in your new home with the paintbrushes OUT!!! I look forward to seeing your first production in your new home. (I still have my easel, etc stored away and think fondly of dragging it all out some day, but the reality of the situation is it ain't gonna happen.... too many other projects these days... and am still trying to learn my limits.

Thank you for sharing your art... makes me feel like I "know" you better! (and your little doggies are adorable too :0)
JeannieTX

Welcome to the Creative Corner, Annie!