2022 is nearly over and my end-of-year group exhibition with my Oxygen College Visual Arts Class was fantastic. 
T’was so top-notch that Norm and I forgot to take any photos!
I would like to thank all the people from my family and friends and the rest of the crowd in attendance for coming along and supporting us all.

Funny how the build-up all year long, preparing a body of work, learning, doing, making stuff happen, exhibition - boom and then done...certainly left me with a bit of an empty feeling for a few days, but thankfully I was ready for it.

Norm and I booked a holiday to Sydney, for 1 night and 2 days. 
Visit a few galleries, walk loads, find some good food, enjoy some sunshine, take a ferry ride, book a hotel room with great harbour views and celebrate the rewards of a great year.  Then we found out that Jack Johnson was playing on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House, so we booked tickets and it was such a beautiful night.

 

In dot points we:

• Got up at 3:30 am on Wednesday morning to catch a 6:15 am flight to Sydney
• Walked 16km, went to 2 art galleries, walked many laneways, walked across the bridge and caught the ferry from Kirrabillee.
• Saw Jack Johnson out front of the Opera House - just beautiful.
• Stayed at a wonderful hotel overlooking Bridge, Opera House and the Sydney Harbour.
• Woke up to a stunning sunrise on Thursday morning, found a great vegan cafe in Surrey Hills and ate yummy food.
• Spent a long and extremely enjoyable time at the Brett Whiteley Studio, this was possibly equally the best time I had along with the Jack Johnson performance.  Norm and I were absolutely enthralled with everything in this studio, the walk there, the vibe of Surrey Hills.
• Had a wonderful and absolutely fantastic experience at the Art Gallery of NSW and got close and personal to so many artworks that I love and admire, I mean as close as we were allowed, looking at every brushstroke.
• Caught a ferry to Rose Bay to look at the first place we lived together back in 1991, Wilberforce Avenue, and then we caught the ferry back to Circular Quay, then back to the airport for 2hrs in the Virgin lounge before catching our flight home.
• Got home at 11 pm, slept hard and I will confirm, it was the best 2 days away I have had in a long long time.

So now, what next?

Sydney was a great booster of energy and seeing so many inspirational artworks reminded me that now, it’s up to me, no more school, just keep learning, keep creating, and see where this path takes me.  So here I am, on the journey with no expectations. 

Just to let you know I have 2 x 10 Limited edition lino prints - 10 x magenta and 10 x black of my favourite lino print of 2022 (which is about to be archived forever now) “THE SUN WORSHIPPERS’ - you can purchase online here: https://shop.jessicadouglas.com/artwork/prints

Plus I have 2 paintings for sale from my end-of-year exhibition, and I would love to see them go to a new home, they are currently on my wall at home, the colours are amazing and I don't mind if they stay a while longer ;) https://shop.jessicadouglas.com/artwork

Plans for 2023 - works about to be started:

• More fun with still-life compositions
• Enter some art prizes (I have 3 earmarked for entries, now to paint!)
• A body of work called “On the Brink”, expands on my theme of Suburbia but with a focus on the pockets of nature in the suburbs and my new appreciation for their existence post-COVID-19.
• Work on more relief prints - lino and wood block, expanding on birds in the ‘burbs and maybe a cat or two for good measure.

Oh and don't forget to visit the Queenscliff Pier for the Queenscliff Art Prize, its a great walk out and back to view all the entries, have a look here: https://www.queenscliffartprize.com.au/portfolio/jessica-douglas/

Thanks for all your support, I have had a great year, and I hope you have too.

Jess x