Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

Art Doll - Wilma Simmons  Happy Australia Day... Although there is some controversy over when "Australia Day" should be celebrated. ( see this ABC commentary ) , for this year, Australia Day remains 26 January, with its official holiday tomorrow, 28 January.  Generally, I am fairly politically outspoken, but on this matter, I am still undecided. However, like many Australians, I am leaning towards the movement for changing the date...  I feel for indigenous Australians for whom this date is very hurtful. Whatever the date, we will most likely celebrate Australia Day in our usual way -  very quietly - either doing something in our community or just enjoying our native garden.  Anigozanthus Big Red - Kangaroo Paw  Grevillea juniperina - Pink Lady  Corymbia ficifolia -Summer Red  Syzygium ( possibly Resilience)  Chamaelaucium uncinatu - Gerladton Wax 

 Seasons - Watercolour and ink art tags by Wilma Simmons  I found this series of art tags in one of my boxes ( while searching for something else!)  - I made them in 2017, but have now released them for sale in my Etsy shop  ... These little art works can be used as  gift tags, book marks, decorative hangings, creative journal or collage elements, or even as an educational resource -  creative writing or story telling prompts .  Summer - art tag by Wilma Simmons  Autumn - art tag by Wilma Simmons  Spring - art tag by Wilma Simmons  Winter - art tag by Wilma Simmons 

 Art Tags - Your Crown :  Wilma Simmons 2019  I love creating with postage stamps... so this week's Tag Tuesday, hosted by Sandie made me happy. The theme is Mail, Postmarks or Postage Stamps. I made three small tags, each with a British stamp, depicting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. I thought this saying about wearing your invisible crown  went very well with the stamps and  just couldn't resist using this stamp  with a stamped border ( its source is unknown as it was a gift). The background is Tilda decorative paper. For my other tag, I made a collage of envelopes, a magazine page and an Australian Postage Stamp, commemorating  National Stamp Week. I machine stitched a few lines to add to the touches of colour contrast. I hope to make some more tags using more of my favourite paper material , postage stamps. Art Tag - My Post: Wilma Simmons 2019 

We walk through  each day, with a  restless wandering.  Deep down craving  a different path.  A shining light.  A dream to hold on to.”  ―  Susan Bocinec Terry,  Moods and Musings   To start off Tag Tuesday for 2019 , our team leader, Valerie  has chosen the theme "New Beginnings", so I decided to work with  a new technique and create a new "path" .... The background of this tag is watercolour paper, spattered with three colours of watered down  acrylic paint ( blue, yellow, red) . Leaves and garden debris had been placed over the paper, creating masks. The "path" was where a branch had been placed. The idea is when the paint has dried, patterns seem to emerge. Using ink and coloured pencils, I defined the image. Shadows and lines were created by smudging the ink and drawing with coloured pencils.   Here are a couple of  images of the background without any work on it, and the beginnings of another little drawing  suggested by the b

Mandala XIV - hand stitched mandala - Annette Tubnor  Classic theme inspires Newcastle artists ...   Source :  Timeless Textiles website  The artists and makers who are members of the Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists (NCEATA) were challenged to respond in  “Black and White” for a new exhibition opening this month at Newcastle’s Timeless Textiles Gallery.  Black and White Art Works  by Ruth Spence, Anne-Marie Kelly and Karen Murray  For many of the textile artists, who typically love to explore the richness of colour in their work, the  “Black and White” theme led them to previously uncharted territory. Wilma SImmons said the NCEATA artists had worked creatively with the black and white palette.“When black and white take centre stage, an artist’s message, and their emotions, shine through” she said. “Stripping out colours adds clarity and depth to their chosen subject.” Detail of "Is it Just Black and White" by Lee-Ann Deegan  The

Some art work from 2018 - Wilma Simmons  Reflecting on 2018, I would like to thank everyone who supported and encouraged me and assisted and taught me during the last year. I think it was a really wonderful year - I enjoyed teaching in new places like the Grampians (Victoria)  and the Central Coast as well as in Sydney, Canberra and locally.  I  learnt so much in  workshops with wonderful artists from overseas and within Australia like Jette Clover, Sophie Munns, Gaye Nieuwenhof, Patti Culea  and Bobbi Oliver.  I  was privileged to exhibit at the Embroiderers Guild of NSW and Timeless Textiles Gallery. I have also had  so much fun participating and contributing to groups like NCEATA and Gumnut Dollies in Newcastle and online with Art Dolls Only and Tag Tuesday.  Sometimes, the creative process looks like this for me, but with the support of family and so many talented friends, it all works out well in the end! Best wishes for a creative 2019...