{ flowers : an exhibition }

Section of The Fountainhead 2013. 72 x 54cm; Watercolour on Arches paper.

Cymbidiums 2013. 1120 x 78cm; watercolour on Arches paper. 

King Protea & Gum 2013. 1120 x 78cm; watercolour on Arches paper. 

Pink Lilies 2013. 72 x 54cm; Watercolour on Arches paper.

Cymbidium II 2013. 30 x 37cm; Watercolour on Arches paper.

New York 2013. 72 x 54cm; Watercolour on Arches paper.

Last week marked the opening of an exhibition that I have been working towards for the last little while. 'Flowers' is a collaborative show of four artists showcasing our works of all things floral; hosted at the very beautiful Black & Spiro showroom and store here in sunny Brisbane. 

The exhibition opening last Thursday was the perfect Spring evening. The store was not only brimming with art but also hoards of fresh flowers and happy people; all enjoying their mid week champagne amidst the Black & Spiro fabulousness. Look at all that colour!

For those who are able to make it, the exhibition will be on show for the next three weeks (until mid November) so be sure to pop by the shop as there is just so much to see - I promise it won't disappoint! I hope you like these pics and seeing what I have been up to lately. Thanks for stopping by and I promise to not leave as long until the next post!

Pip xx

{ going wild! }

 I am having SO much fun at the moment.... with commissions always coming thick and fast I rarely take the time to just play around and get more fluid with my work. However I am slowly starting to do more of this, and I am planning to do a lot more from here on in, too. Here is a sneak of a few things that arecurrently overtaking my little studio.....  I love nothing more than being all-enthralled in the colour, flowers, fronds galore!

It's certainly brightening up these cold Winter days, and also getting me excited and so enthused about what I am going to be working on later this year. Keep an eye out as there are going to be lots of bigger (and hopefully more beautiful!) things on the horizon from me!

Thanks for stopping by as always.

Pip xx

All pics taken by me on my iPhone

{ sail away... }

Image via Jetsetter

Image via The Gifts of Life

A custom commission I did last year for the ever-stylish Alex, owner and head designer at AP Design House.

Though my sea legs are actually not that sturdy, any travel daydreams I have inevitably seem to come back to wooden-hulled boats slicing through jewel blue seas; thickly coiled ropes; breton stripes amassing and windswept, salty hair. Don't these pics make you want to slip on your espadrilles and set sail?! I thought I would share a few to get you through the end of the week - plus some commissions I have completed, some old, some new - but all reminding me of that sea-faring feeling I love so much. Enjoy!

Image via SPRING

'Le Premier Poussin' - a snippet of a marlin I did for a dear friend,

which in turn became a wedding anniversary gift for her mad-keen-fisherman-husband.

Image via my Pinterest

This piece I completed for my sister - it was a wedding gift to some great friends of hers that have a real style about them. She wanted something gender neutral but also with an underlying sentiment - and she came up with idea of a big, chunky knot. I was thrilled to do it as I really enjoy doing the monochromatic pieces every now and then, and the textures in this one were perfect to sink my teeth into. And yes there are multiple puns intended indeed - not only did they 'tie the knot', they also live in Knott St!



{ a beautiful contrast }

Image via Art in Picture

I just stumbled across this image and thought it was so beautiful. A black & white Monet with that great white beard; I imagine him humble yet distinguished with his shining shoes and French tweed. Such a contrast to the beautiful expanse of those ethereal, watery, pastel waterlilies he is painting...

Claude Monet's  'Matin' (troiseme panneau). Musee de l'Orangerie, Paris.  Via Intermonet

Both stop me in my tracks. Both so arresting.

I took this last picture the first time I visited the Musee de l'Orangerie in Paris in 2009. This old French man was very stylish, and the two of us sat and wandered these rooms for what was possibly an hour. I remember thinking we were two strangers from opposite sides of the world but could share in an understood silence - both just enjoying the wonder and beauty that surrounded us. 

I love this picture and the memories it holds, it always makes me smile. I hope it makes you smile, too.

See you soon,
Pip x

{ autumn tones }

Painted gumleaves curling...

And another kind of gum....

A snippet of a recent magnolia watercolour & ink commission.

More leaves...

 I am well overdue for a post, and in scrolling through my recent work, my pictures felt very much like the change of season we are experiencing in Australia at the moment. I am always enamoured with the way flora ages and changes and decays.... but I am sure that the shift from the colour and brightness of Summer to a cooler, muted palette is certainly inspired by the beautiful world around me.

I love this - life will sometimes imitate art; but art will always imitate life.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pip xx

All images copyright Pip Boydell 2013

{ botanica 2013 }

Grevillea 'Loopy Lou' - watercolour on paper - by Pip Boydell 

You may remember a month or two ago I posted here about a new botanical piece that I had begun? Well, I'm pleased to let you know that it has been selected to exhibit at Botanica - one of Australia's most preeminent botanical art exhibitions, curated and hosted by the Royal Botanical Gardens of Sydney each year.

With all the exhibited artist's work appearing by invitation only, Botanica is held in high acclaim in Australia and internationally so I feel extremely humbled to have been asked to submit, let alone accepted and hung as part of this prestigious collection!

I still can't quite believe I made it through but in doing so I am really looking forward to heading down to Sydney for the opening which is tomorrow evening; to meet the other artists and of course see all the amazing work that I know will be just awe-inspiring (for me, anyway!).

For anyone that is in Sydney I highly encourage you to head along. Here are the details:

When: Saturday 13 April - Sunday 28 April 2013, 10 am-4 pm daily
Where: Joseph Maiden Theatre & Moore Room, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Price: Free Entry. All works for sale
Enquiries: 9231 8182

All works are for sale (including my grevillea!), by enquiry through the Foundation & Friends at the Botanical Gardens at the phone number above (or you can contact me directly by email pip_boydell@hotmail.com).

So I'll wish you all a happy weekend early now - and I will check back in with some pics next week!
Pip x

Image - original artwork copyright Pip Boydell

{ you had me at calippo! }

I'm not going to lie, I get some weird and wonderful requests in this gig and I'm the first to admit that not every one is easy to crack. From the precision of a big botanical; to the delicacy of single flower; to the folds and creases of a shirt or getting the colours just so on an icy iceblock... as any creative person will attest, most days present with a rollercoaster of the daunting, the challenging, the peaceful and even the tiresome all in one. But then every now and then one comes along that is just plain fun and makes its way to paper so easily..... well, this was one of those!

This is Sarah & Oscar. I don't often talk about the people I do commissions for but, I wanted to share these two with you simply because they really are one of the kindest & loveliest couples I have ever met; and that their choice of commission was so quirky and fun. When Sarah asked if I would paint something as a birthday-come-wedding-anniversary gift to Oscar; we ummed and ahhed over a few possible subjects but in the end settled on a pair of Calippo iceblocks. These are a favourite of theirs, and I love that they chose this as a symbol of 'them' - its so fun and sweet and ever bright, and they just seem to smile back at you!

Sarah and Oscar - thank you guys again for having me create something so specail to you; that was so fun for me. You guys are the best; and like the title of this post... you had me at 'Calippo'!

See you again soon,
Pip x

Photos 1-4 taken by me on my iPhone; photos 5 & 6 kindly provided by Sarah. 

{ a pretty little update }

A pretty peony commission amongst some other pattern work I've been toying with. 

I completed this for the very lovely Kate over at Polkadot Pantry as a gift to one of her dear friends.

Another day, another peony! 

These were a commission from a wonderful group of girls to their dear friend, as her 30th birthday gift.

 I am lucky enough to call the recipient family and she is one super sparkling girl....

so these shoes (which serves as bride and bridesmaids kicks, to boot!) were very fitting, (Yes I liked all these puns too.)

I'm hoping that a couple of pretty peonies and some sparkling shoes will distract you from the fact that it has been so long since my past post - or at least tide you over till the next one!

I've got lots of things to share with you in the comings weeks, I say this often but this time I'm for real! 2013 is flying by but already I am really liking this year. Happy Friday to everyone, and I promise to see you soon!

Pip x

All images taken by me on my iPhone

{ botanical beginnings }

One of my first projects for this year is a botanical illustration which I've been working on (amongst other things) over the last couple of weeks. As soon as this one came up, I decided I wanted to do something Australian and as a result have developed a new-found obsession with gathering, buying and stalking out every kind of native flora I can! Thought I'd share some of the bounty that have been giving my home and sketchbook a workout over the last little while.

As you can see, in the end I decided upon this grevillea.... although not as bold and fabulous as some other things I could have chosen; the detail, intricacy and softness of these natives have a real beauty when you stop to take a proper look. It's funny, I actually used to not like these flowers at all (and many natives in fact); but I think I'm developing a new found appreciation for my things in nature that I used to gloss straight over.

Aside from this exercise being a great justification for me nicking roadside flowers and spending inordinate amounts of time in florists, I've really been enjoying tacking something a little different, and trialling and learning with new techniques and approaches. 

It's still in progress but I hope you enjoy a few images of the workings in the meantime. I look forward to sharing the completed piece with you in a week or two!

Pip x