some thumbnails of my illustrations

some thumbnails of my illustrations
Please click on the links below to view my portfolio ........ Images copyright of Carrie Osborne

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Our 'Exhibition of Three Generations'

Here comes the first of a couple of catch up posts... this exhibition of ours back in September seems like a long time ago now, but I thought it would be fun to show you some of it! This was our 'Three Generations' exhibition with my Mum, Heather's wonderful big oil paintings, my illustrations and bits and bobs, and of course my two daughter's fantastic artwork too!
I'm not a big fan of those stiff formal preview do's where everyone feels very self conscious and attempts awkward forced conversation... so we thought we'd have some fun instead!
Lots of pretty cakes and nice drinks and live music...

 These pictures below were taken just as my daughters arrived and before any guests came along, it was the first glimpse they had of all their work up on the walls and Elswyth's face tells it all! I loved their reaction...



The music was a family collaboration too - first my Dad and husband Tony played some acoustic blues while all the children began a mass drawing session completely of their own initiative which I thought was brilliant... I hadn't thought of that at all or I would've got in some better things to draw with! But it was great that they all felt fired up to get drawing after looking at all the artwork around them. It was a lovely atmosphere with the guitars and singing accompanying their happy drawing...



 My Dad has a wonderful voice, especially for singing the blues - I will have to film some of his music another time to show you... Later our friend and Tony's bandmate Wendy joined in with some of her songs and even the girl's aunty joined in for a couple near the end too!

 It was difficult to get many pictures while it was thronging with people, so here's some from either before or after of some of the artwork:

Work by Elora and Elswyth aged 5 & 8

 By Elora age 8

Still life paintings by Heather O' Brien
More work from my Mum Heather
I thought I'd show some roughs from my Dummy Book I am hoping to find a publisher for


Some more of my illustration

By Elswyth age 5
Some life drawings of mine...
By Elswyth age 5

Grandma has a well deserved cup of tea when all the guests have gone!



 I think my girls really enjoyed being part of this little show and having their work admired, and it was lovely to put this together as a family to celebrate that creative bond between us all. It really felt like a bright circle, and I felt that my children's book illustration was the perfect bridge between my Mum's fine art painting and my children's wonderful expressiveness. It was fascinating actually...
I learn as much from my children in their art as I hope they do from me and Grandma, and they are very much the inspiration for a great deal of what I do. I love children's art and it was great to kind of validate it in a way by putting it into an art gallery for the general public to see alongside 'grown up' art. I think children's art should be taken just as seriously.

There were some lovely comments from some of the children over the fortnight that came in to look... and a few mums overheard saying things like "...look that little girl's only five, that's the same age as you! You could do that!"
One little boy said to me, "...I wish I could be an artist" and I replied "Everyone can be an artist, but children are the best artists because children have all the stories already inside them. Grown ups have to think a bit harder sometimes to find them...."
But my favourite comment was from a little girl aged 8 who brought her Grampy in to have a look after seeing it advertised  in the paper, she said   "... I love painting and drawing because it makes you see the world in a more delicate way."
Lovely!


9 comments:

  1. So wonderful to see this come to fruition, and such great feedback for the girls. What could be better than to inspire others to make art!

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  2. I am really glad you put this post together for us to share your exhibition. It was a wonderful idea and it looks like mamy people have confirmed that to you by attending and their comments. Another great idea to have some music. Well done Carrie and all the family too. The girls do look so excited and proud to see their framed art work. Glad you all had a lovely time.

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  3. This is just wonderful, Carrie. Congratulations!
    I love events like this when different arts and generations come together without any of the stiffness and pretension which all too often accompanies art events.
    What a talented family.

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  4. Thankyou everybody! It was great fun to celebrate the creative circles in our family. Perhaps we should do one every couple of years or so as the children grow and change :)

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  5. What a wonderful exhibition you all held, and hope lovely to include the girls and their work too. What a creative lot you are. I think there is something especially wonderful about seeing a creative skill passed down through generations, our families came from my maternal Grandfather right on down through into my children, it amazes me daily and is oh so precious. Your book is looking soooo enticing already, cant wait to see it finished.

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    1. Thankyou Ruthie, I'm really glad we finally got around to this exhibition, that creative thread is a lovely thing to share...
      The book is as worked up as it going to be for now... I've done three full colour spreads and the complete story as a black and white hand drawn dummy book to pitch to publishers. Its being considered by one publisher at the moment - now just waiting for her final decision. (Though not getting my hopes up!)
      But there's two more stories in the pipeline - must get them finished too! :)

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  6. Ohh Carrie, I shall keep my fingers & toes and all crossed for you! I am working on my very first book illustrations with a local story teller at the moment and feeling a bit out of my depth as I've never done anything like it before.

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    1. Thanks Ruthie! Yours sounds like an exciting project! I've learned so much by watching how illustrators like Jackie Morris, Jane Ray and Catherine Hyde work... Jackie often posts sketches and works in progress which are so insightful and inspiring, its worth having a look back through her blog!
      Your work will look great alongside a story, so full of colour and joy!It will be fantastic!

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