Joy McDonald

I had a great time at Containerval, Hamilton this month.  My work was on show in the Juggler's Artspace with photographer Margaret Bending, and the glass artists Jo Bone and Aaron Micallef.  In conjunction with Containerval we held a couple of 'open studio sale' days at The Shed which has prompted me to photograph my work before it is sold.  These are some of the unframed small and large drawings and some small paintings from the love poem series. Untitled Corinthian But you are my paradise tonight Come to the orchard in spring Frankincense  The winds of heaven mix forever with a sweet emotion Anise shoots fill the air with aroma Pomegranate flowers and sweethearts The dog beach studies Savannah weasel cars green table vessels Nike Scape River houses life study wrapped Chinatown Poe Auto junk Auto junk Auto junk Auto junk Auto junk 

This work was inspired by American painter Richard Diebenkorn, one of my current favourites.  I love his interiors and his urban scapes in particular. His compositions are always interesting. Blue woman with three cups of coffee 76cmx102cm synthetic polymer I'm now working at The Shed - a Juggler's art space and I am ever mindful of the river.  Because of the cyclonic weather we were having, the river has been more like a wild animal than a serene waterway.  These paintings are my response to the river.   Inundation 102cmx76cm   A series of meanders across a broad plain 102cmx76cm  (selected for the Milburn Art Prize 2013)   River Reach 102cmx76cm Synthetic polymer. Red River 40cmx40cm mixed media

Recent painting and drawing Migration , acrylic, oil stick, on linen, 100cmx76cm Ce Soir , acrylic, oil stick, on canvas, 91cmx61cm 3 drawings from small sculpture workshop Dec 5 2012. Mixed media, 32cm x 22cm

Handmade paper, found material, wire, each 32cm x 22cm Some of my recent work. I experimented with paper making and investigated some of the almost limitless possibilities of mark-making using different media including wax, oilstick, ingrained textures, found material and crocheted and knitted silver wire.  The granny rug was inspired by Lorraine Connolly-Northey's Opossum Cape which I saw at the Tweed Valley Regional Gallery.   Granny rug drawing, handmade paper, crocheted and knitted wire, wax, net. foldback , mixed media, acrylic paint, Arche paper, rice paper, wax, oil stick. Stain , mixed media, acrylic paint, Arche paper, rice paper.  Darling Downs, Black Women's Tears. mixed media, acrylic paint on canvas. Machines are abstractions of the human spirit, mixed media, acrylic paint on canvas, 1.18cmx96cm