goodbye 2012 hello 2013

I wish everyone a very happy new year and i am assuming you all had a very merry Christmas !!!!!! Now of course i am sure 2012 had a few rough bumps along the road but i think this time of year its more important to consider the more positive aspect and be proud of ones achievements .

2012 was a top year for me art wise i had my first Sydney solo at TRAFFIC JAM galleries called "Fluidity " . Having such an incredible gallery such as this behind me is a real blessing for which i am very grateful for . OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH and how could i forget my beloved redhill galleries success they had in november . "PARIS"JE TAIME" was a sell out that even i did not see coming . Was truly the most remarkable event for me this year . So thank you REDHILL gallery . I am very humbled to be represented by such wonderful galleries . I wanna thank everyone of my clients that continues to love my work and am so happy that so many paintings have found lovely homes this year . My ALICE series also came into its own with prints available now . I have never been more artistically happy than i am about this series !!!!!

2013 is going to be huge !!!!!! i kick off with my second sydney solo in may , then my second solo at "TOSARI" gallery in toowoomba . I have have been introduced to many new clients in the darling downs region and cant wait to exhibit with them in october .I will also be heading back to france again, i am truly addicted to all things french however this trip will take in Italy and london . I really just cant wait to get back in my studio and get all the beautiful paintings and idea out of my head and on to canvas .

ok now let get a bit more personal , my biggest new years resolution is get rid off stress in my life and learn more ways to cope with it . Pace myself with my painting and keep carm and carry on!!!!!!!!. yes yes and of course the normal one of go to the gym more and eat healthy lol surround myself with positive people and be always grateful for my family and friends who i love dearly . Here is a more interesting one I will only drink french champagne now , not cause i am a wanker but i am just not a drinker so if i drink i wanna make it count .Hence the above painting !!!!!!!! I am currently like most of you on holidays to me this means two week of no painting or drawing and not much computer time :( its a bit harsh but i need to rest my hands as its essential for my longevity as a painter . Hands should never be taken for granted .

so have a very safe new years and woooooooooohoooooooooo happy new year . If you fall into a rabbit hole i just hope its wonderland xox  

sketching has been a obsession of mine .

I have always believed that sketching goes hand in hand with painting . I sketch like i paint and i paint like i sketch its really a very happy marriage of media . When your style is as defined as mine has become then there is not much difference between the two . I was sketching many years before i started painting and it really was my first love . My latest series of sketches are truly beautiful if i do say so myself . Yes it is ok to loves ones own work cause if not then how the hell are your clients going too .lol .

These latest works are featured in "PARIS JE'TAIME" which is about to hit its second big week so please pop and and view it as it is 2 years in the making . Rather then just draw with pencil i like to add inks as i have always been a massive fan of them . Then kick them up a notch with a bit of paint and cray-pas .While scribbling and having fun they are then done . I love to make mistakes as that can add to the character of a drawing . However on occasion i can be almost finished a sketch and oppps i have an accident and coffee goes all over the sketch its then ruined  . So while i do sketches for almost all of my works not everyone makes the exhibition cut ie the coffee incident . That however is all part of the random fun of being and artist . xox

a wonderful opening weekend !!!!!!!

What a wonderful opening weekend of PARIS JE'TAIME !!!!! the weekend kicked off with the offical opening on the friday night .Above is a picture of myself with the gallery director Margaret campbell ryder . The redhill gallery really dose do a very elegant art opening with champagne flowing all night to the delight of the clients . I wore a Karen millen dress thats a bit french waitress crossed with black swan , meaning yes a bit of a tutu. Nothing more fun then a bit of a dress up and getting out of the paint splattered clothing . The red dots were flying all night and i walked into a room full of them . Redhill gallery had been very busy preselling clearly . I really loved seeing all my clients and getting a chance to meet some new ones . Its also wonderful to be surported by those close that i love dearly .

I always wanna let my hair down after the opening as I must be on my best behavior , well thats what my lovely manager says anyways . I have been hitting the Normandy for years now after my redhill shows cause of its close vicinity. Love the BOVINE bar there , had a very sav blancs and then hit the dance floor . I ended up on the stage with the DJ at some point and danced the night away to journey and bonjovi ..................was so much fun.

The rest of the weekend I was in the gallery on both days between 12 and 2 sketching up clients idea for commissions . Was  awesome to get to meet lots of clients one on one and hear there paris stories . Some were first time buyers and some had many many starr paintings. Its always been a mystery to me where they all go and why they picked a particular painting . I also witnessed many more sales happen and lots of clients were giving me idea of what theme my next show should be !!!!!!!  Thank you redhill gallery for a wonderful opening night and thank you all those that came to the opening night or that  visited on the weekend .Its now open so please go and see it if your around or just wanna be in paris again .x

commissions alert

Yes everyone if your interested in a commission or just wanna meet me and find out what i was thinking when i painted a certain painting !!!!!!! i will be in the gallery on both sat and sunday .  I will dazzle you with my skill as i sketch your ideas . I am the an artist that loves commissions . x

one sleep to go

One sleep to go before my french exhibition opens . woooooooohooooooo yes i am more than a bit excited . I painted my little heart out for months and months and have been waiting for my big home town exhibition . I only exhibit in Brisbane once every two year so its always a bit event . This means all those most important to me shall be at my opening . I have a wonderful family and awesome friends who are so supportive . One girlfriend regularly brings over beautiful home cooked meals for me . Not that i am a poor starving artist but the fact i sometimes forget to eat decent meals as i am furiously finishing off paintings. Chocolate is not a meal :(   Over the years those close have been understanding with my many moods and eccentric nature  .lol  I am very grateful to be represented by such an top Brisbane gallery  REDHILL is just outstanding .  I have always said it takes the right artist and the right gallery .................when u get that right mix its MAGIC .

In saying all that its very lovely to know that yes i love PARIS but clearly so do many other's . I cant wait to catch up with all my clients , some will be new ones and some have been following me for over a decade. I am as always humbled by the response to my work .So thank you everyone  ..................... see you all toomorrow night !!!!

Cheers starr xox

sunday mail !!!!!

wow what a nice way to wake up and find a full page about my up and coming exhibition 'PARIS je't'aime ' in the sunday mail .!!!!!!!! Yes PARIS I DO LOVE YOU and i am always grateful for all the inspiration you have given me . Friday night is my opening and i am terribly excited and a little nervous at the same time .I love an opening and the redhill gallery always dose an elegant one . Most will never know the hard work that goes into a SOLO which is over 40 paintings , this takes a very long time to do and the thought process behind it is intense . Once completed its all about how the public will receive it,but thats where knowing you have done the best work possible counts. I always believe in producing a fresh exhibition every time this means all my exhibition have new works . This also adds to the pressure but also its a challenge . Publicity like this is just awesome so thank you SUNDAY MAIL and sally browne . The only thing i need to thing i have to think about now is what ever am i going to wear ? After all i am a girl before an artist lol

paris je t`aime

 here is a blurb about my latest exhibition called Paris, je t’aime which opens in november !!!!! so stay tuned for the opening details    

 

Starr’s visual love affair with the magical French city of Paris is clearly evident in her latest solo exhibition entitled ‘Paris, je t’aime’.

This stunning showcase sees Starr revisit the remarkable imagery that has been the source of constant inspiration since the first time she set foot on it’s famed soil.

The stars come out at night and it is these enchanting moments in time that Starr has captured so elegantly. From the iconic Eiffel Tower, brilliantly lit on the Parisian skyline – to the magical underworld of the Paris nightlife, filled with dancers, showgirls and the mystical ‘Absinthe Fairy’ ... where even Alice has ventured out to see the sights!!

Starr is still a Brisbane girl at heart, yet it is her unique insight and talent that brings new life to the ‘City of Love’. 

Alongside the beauty of this French wonderland, Starr will also be unveiling a collection of major new works, studies and works on paper. Here, her new Story Bridges have that same wow factor as the Eiffel Tower.  Amongst opulent chandeliers, dazzling nudes and magnificent landscapes, her vision is as fresh and astonishing as any in the world.

Let’s face it... Starr loves her home town too.

a colorful story

 A colorful story ...............behold my latest story bridge . Its part of my latest exhibition in Brisbane at the redhill gallery in November . Yes i know its french theme but there is always space for a few new bridges . I am a big fan of white with splashes of color .This idea did not come out of no where  it was inspired from my early "i can be colorful" abstract . This was done over a decade ago now how  the time fly's when your painting  !!!!!!! its 1mt x 1mt and is available via the gallery ........www.redhillgallery.com.au . x

stewart macfarlanes book launch

                 Well i am terribly excited about Stewart macfarlanes book launch at the GOMA gallery book store . Its on at sat the 15th from 2 till for 4 , he will be talking and also signing copies . I am a huge fan of his work and was his model for a few years . In fact some of those paintings are in his new book . I have always thought hes the finest figurative painter in the country and a truly inspiring artist with his dedication to his craft being second to none.  Make sure you get in a get a signed copy ..................... especially if your like me and you just love artist books . x

I heart cyber world .

I heart cyber world .....................i really do since i first turned on a computer years ago at my girlfriends insistence.  See she fell in love and married a man from denmark via a chat room !!!!!!! .  Having a manager who was a wizz in cyber world i never felt the urge and just wanted to paint and thought how could a computer be more interesting than creative ventures . While you all were possibly emailing since birth i was a late starter and still a bit tech challenged. I was held back because of dyslexia which affects my spelling etc . Why make an ass of myself in cyber world like i did in school and college all cause of learning difficulties .

I am so happy i set up my first MYSPACE pages and the joy that site brought me was inzane , i still have that site and while i dont even think and can remember the code these days !!!!! I will never delete it cause of the memories . Most of my friends from that site came along to facebook and wow how much fun is that site. I heart FACEBOOK. When u paint all day in your lonely world cyber world is a awesome as you have people to talk to . I can go for days with out real people contact . So i thank all my facebook , twitter and linked in contacts its been terribly inspiring ride .

Inspiring to say the least ..............My ALICE series is all about my technological journey via the classic fairy-tale into wonderland and beyond . In my lastest work i am showing alice in  paris she taking an instagram photo of the effiel tower . This is however just the quick sketch from my visual diary . I guess its all about how i deal with the ever changing world with PAINT . x

I am a bit of a whore !!!!!

Ha that got your attention !!!!!.................what i meant was i am a bit of a whore when it comes to paint .............very disloyal , but very loyal to colour . By this i mean if a company makes a killer colour i will use it if not another paint company will . Loyalty also depends in my case to what country i am in at that moment in time . I am a big fan of ATELIER paint and MATISSE great paint and great colours all round . Atelier makes some of the best mediums as well i love them . Before i even put paint to canvas these days i can easily do 6 coats of various mediums , its exhausting work to be sure . While in america i was introduced to GOLDEN PAINTS  http://www.goldenpaints.com/ . They are the number one acrylic paint company in the world and easy to find in small art shops globally . I love this paint and i find it useful to be able to switch to something very compatible when i run out on locations . Makes sense to know more then just a few brands if you travel so u never get stumped . Nothing worse then running out of white in the states  , this has happened to me and i freaked out when i went into one of there mega art stores . Just so much choice it was overwhelming . Now that i use a few brands i am always confident that i will always know an equivalent varnish in time of crisis   .  Of course i do strongly believe in supporting aussie paint companies when you can !!!!!!!!!

its been a year since you left this world

Its been year since you left this world and your forever missed by your fans and me . Your music touched a generation and totally rocked my world . While you may have heard of a band from the 80's called WARRANT , jani lane was the singer and songwriter . His most famous hit was CHERRY PIE so now your thinking yes i have heard that song . You may have even danced to it at an 80's theme party at sometime in your life .

I am a huge glam rock fan and just loved the 80's and have spend much time over the years in a very special place on this earth called HOLLYWOOD thats where the jani's of the world came from .  In fact on a few of my trips i encountered him , i was completely speechless not by his appearance which had long since faded but to be in a room with a supreme talent such as him . !!!!!!!!!

When i was a teenager i danced around to his music in my bedroom and sketched his portrait as often as i could which was a lot you should have seen my school diaries .I thought school diaries were actually visual diaries ? While growing up it was his music that got me though some very tough times in my teens . However its was his lyrics that inspired many of my paintings years ago and even to this day . Music comes and goes but there was just something about the song and dance man that jani was that just inspires . Painting his portrait is childs play for me to interpret his lyrics into a massive abstract is something totally else . He truly was a modern day POET.

This is ULTRAPHOBIC , still do this day one of my favourite paintings .The anger and hurt that i felt when this was painted was intense , i never paint when i am upset cause if i do this is what my work turns out like .  Your memory will live forever and your now in HEAVEN , just as your song says . x 

ALICE series prints

I am so excited that finally my prints are out , they look amazing and i hope you love them as much as i do !!!!! here a little blurb about the ALICE series and prints. x

Starr’s brand new exclusive print series is based on the beloved Lewis Carroll fairytale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, taking influence from the classic Disney movie. She has also drawn upon various other iconic images and a touch of the current dark and far more sinster Tim Burton movie showing Alice as an adult.

Starr’s work shows the journey a modern woman takes as she struggles to hold on to traditional values. iPods, Facebook, Coke Cola and the Twilight phenomena are all intertwined as she navigates her way through an ever changing technological world.

Whether it be ‘Wonderland’ or Brisbane, this series is brought together by the unique style and colourful imagery that can only come from one artist…. Starr.

These prints are all 50x40 cm and printed on quality archival art paper. Edition strictly limited to 100 signed prints only

$395 plus $10 postage and handling. Starr will add prints to the series as time goes by. These images are taken from her fantastic Alice in Wonderland series of paintings and will be her only works in print. please click on this link for more information or to purchase prints!!!!!!!  http://www.starrartanddesign.com/paintings/prints.html All prints are personally signed by Starr . 

Conviction in the first degree.

 I am as guilty as they come , I love to sketch in my TUTU ...........the red one to be exact . Well the evidence is mounting now!!!!! This photo was taken a month or so back via the highly skilled  Jason from"silkshot photography " . Seriously if your going to paint it then live it i say . Imagine a world where you could sketch till your hearts content in a fabulous tutu, thats where i live  ...........................we only get one life after all .You know the stories about the crazy eccentric artists , well its all true . Conviction is everything to me , my art is me 100% , while i admit i am not a ballerina I do love it . I am addicted to the grace and elegance of the ballerinas .

This one of my latest works and you can see exactly where the tutu comes from now . This tutu is actually vintage , i love a vintage tutu . I know that even before it arrived in my world it had a life all its own years prior . So yes i am guilty of sketching in my tutu ......BANG BANG and i would have it no other way . All for the love of ballet. xox

RIP adam cullen

I was so saddened to here of adam cullens death . Hes one of australian's most famous painters and very few will ever achieve what hes done . I loved his work as hes got a unique style all his own . I had only recently stayed at the CULLEN hotel and its has his paintings all over it in every room was delightful to be surrounded by his powerful art .

According to newspapers he had suffered from bi polar and depression . When i heard that i thought really what talented artist dose not i know lots and they all have various bouts depression and more serious forms of it . Blue days are just something artists live with , i know i do . I always took it as with the gift of my talent  i also got blue days that forever more i will deal with . Its the whole sweet and sour bit really , you cant have one without the other . Also no matter how far you reach in your career and how many accolades its will never be enough to stop the artistic temperament creeping up on you .

Health is another big issue the newpapers noted with adams passing . I think its very tough for a modern painter these day health wise . We are not just using acrylic or oils we are using multimedia as well , spray cans etc ...................the list goes on. All this over time is a very deadly cocktail and a product of our modern society and our wanting to be so original we will try lots of toxic new techniques . However without of health we have nothing . I take the whole health thing very seriously ..................i wear lots of gas masks at certain stages of my paintings and eat a very simple raw diet in the hope that even if chemicals do get in my system its so healthy it gets rid of it . ventilation is also important .Isolation is also a very hard emotional ride that artist's self inflict like its our badge of honor . I am always anti drugs and would prefer to run everyday to get a natural high that only exercise can achieve . I however think you can only do what you can and being a positive person is a good thing and having positive people around you on your blue days is a must .

 Adam has achieved the ultimate goal of immortality this has always been the dream of the modern painter . !!!!!!!

charity concert featuring KILLER QUEEN.

Now some very good friends of mine that i have known for decades are putting on a charity concert to raise money for cancer research. I am donating a "story bridge in teal " 60cm x 50cm its just beautiful and one of my most wanted version's i do of the bridge.Its just beautiful and electric in colours . I am donating 100% of the profit to their cause . I think we all know someone whos been touched by cancer this is just how an artist helps . This painting is 990.00 so if you want it, have to have it or just wanna donate to a wonderful cause contact "IAN" via starrart@starrartanddesign.com .!!!! And make it yours .

If your not in the market for a story bridge thats ok too but maybe you might wanna come to the concert at the Tivoli on Saturday night . Will be a huge night for sure . I love queen and this version of them are fantastic you will love them and nothing like a good CHARITY CONCERT. All the info is down below . I hope to see you all there !!!!!  

WHIMSICAL

          WOW i am very honoured to be offically opening Beth Mitchell's exhibition . This young emerging artist will showcase her etheral, enchanting and whimsical art photography in her first solo exhibition at tosari galleries in toowoomba .Beth has been short listed for a number of national awards and is breaking new ground , confirming shes one to watch .

          When i first saw beths fresh take on ALICE in wonderland i was amazed . The underwater idea is just fantastic.  Wonderland can be where ever your imagination will take you and artists love to interperate this classic fairytale there own way .  Beths version is original hence why i am so happy to be surporting this wonderful new talent .

WHIMSICAL opens on the 20th of july at 6pm till 8pm ................and then continues till the 20th of august at tosari galleries in toowoomba . www.tosarigalleries.com.au . !!!!!!!! I am very sure i will be adding a few of her beautiful photos to my collection . I know what i like when i see it and beths work took my breath away at first sight . so if your in town or around the area in the next month please do pop in and view her work.

melrose and my american boy

Every painting has a story and a reason why it was painted . "melrose" was a very special painting for many reasons . Firstly it was part of my first LA exhibition quiet a few years back now . It then ended up on a book cover for a marketing UNI text book . Then it ended up in one of my top collector collections . For a painting it certainly got around . While on one of my LA trips i met a captivating man and this scean was outside of his house , he lived just off melrose . I just now refer to him as my american boy , he made a hell of am impact on me . A girl will always remember her first american she encounter's as they are so damn charming . I remember this magical scean and walking up it with him holding hands . Over the years i have shopped this street many many times but nothing was better then having corona's at the snakepit (a very cool little bar on melrose) with the american boy who oddly wore more make-up than me . Lets face it if it had not been for him i may never have painted this exact scean. ART is all about passion and adventure , experiences like this just enhance ones creativity .I always wanted a life that resembles wonderland and cant wait to fall down the next hole and end up in another place as special as MELROSE . X

photography an artistic journey

Firstly let just say i am excited to finally have a buzz for something other than painting . Nothing can ever compare to painting for me it was always love at first sight . However since picking up my first real camera which is a NIKON its heaps of fun  . No its a big camera and not a my normal little barbie pink idiot proof Nikon . Let me say i have no interest in being a photographer as i am aware its an art in itself which takes many years of study to prefect . I looked over lots of my travel photos and most were so terrible they were useless . Meaning i could not use them as reference material for my paintings as most were not in focus , even with my abstract style they would not work .

"KAKADU" is one of my most amazing paintings as i had to trek hours to get the photo and also travel for days to the destination . Years ago me and my trusty barbie pink idiot prove took this shot mind you another 20 shots did not work out . A few did and hence i created this  painting with a very unique view . I loved the results . So a few years later i decided something must change and i must get some better skills for this exact reason. Ohhhhh and while at art college i even did a few electives in photography but clearly i learned nothing . I think you have to want to learn .

I have always had lots of friends who are amazing photographers ................they are all so god damn talented . I am grateful to be getting lots of advice and have even done a short course . They are all so supportive and yes they all make jokes like "have you taken the lens cap off". etc ...... while at this stage i feel happy just to be able to hold the camera straight. I am sure there will be many more jokes down the track .lol I know this skill will enable me to create  much better paintings and capture a scean with much more confidence. I will never let a moment pass me by again now i have a REAL camera .x

I wanna thank the wonderful guys at  https://www.facebook.com/FotoFrenzyPtyLtd for helping me on this wonderful journey .check out what they do as they are all the top of their fields .

HOLLYWOOD the love of my life .

I have a beautiful french toy poodle ................her name is HOLLYWOOD .' Hollywood n Vine starr" is her full name . As you might imagine shes quiet the star , and loves the camera and a good dress up . She was named after one of my favourite cites Hollywood . She is the love of my life is always so damn happy to be with me and i can assure you i am not always a bundle of laughs. lol  Her favourite colour is pink and shes loves edhardy clothing . I have been know to shop for her wardrobe at some of the sames places as Paris hilton shops for her doggies .Shes quiet the attention seeker as well and very affectionate .I knew i was getting a poodle from the start as they are quiet a famous breed associated with painters all over the world because of the no shedding of hair . Nothing worse than animal hair around a studio . So yes shes high maintenance and likes to always be cut in the french style .

 I admit i am a huge black animal fan , my cat was also black but she ran out of her nine lives a while back :( I love animals but think you have to really be able to give them lots attention and be in position in life to care for them properly . I have a few more pets i want in the future but with traveling it makes it difficult . I do see a black raven bird and a black Arabian horse as well in the future ..............ok and i am just upset that i cant have a rabbit in Queensland . I WANT A BUNNY any Alice in wonderland freak would have to have one . I have always found such carm in my chaos when animals are present. Hollywood is a total delight i am lucky she found me .x

fairytales are to girls what superheros are to boys

"love is like a butterfly" ...............is part of my little girl series . I oddly avoided doing this series for decades i always new exactly what i would do however . Just took the right little girl walking into my life to inspire it and give me understanding and conviction this series deserved . Made me get in touch with my inner child and think back to all my dreams and wishes i made in my childhood . My niece coby is my model and shes so cute , constantly running around doing random things as children do . Not having children myself it took her and her girly zest for life to get this series off the ground . Also working out a way to doing it with integrity so it would be unmistakably mine . This series has been a run away success from the moment it hit galleries a few years back and has developed beautifully and naturally . "love is like a butterfly" features a butterfly , something so special about them i have always been a huge fan of insects . Witnessing coby over the years run around with a bug catcher sealed the deal for this work . Love , fairytales , childhood icons we all remember are featured in this ever expanding series . I think fairytales are to girls what superheros are to boys .X

A portrait of an artist .

I do think taking a photo of an artist / creative must be a difficult thing to do . Jason from SILKSHOTS dose an amazing job . I oddly dont mind having my photograph taken which i imagine makes things much easier as many moons ago i was a hair/photographic/model .Every new major solo show i have to get new photos done for media and press etc. check out jasons facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/SilkShots-Photography/123642204349529 hes terrific with dealing with a temperamental artist like me so just imagine how great he can make you look.!!!!!!!!! I just love this photo , shows all the important features , ME , my matching lippy and stilettos and of course the ART.

leaning tower of Pisa

I always knew that eventually i would paint the leaning tower of Pisa !!!!!!! . I have painted the Eiffel tower many many times so in a sense it was Italy's turn . Such a marvelous structure to behold and its certainly is Italy's most defining  Icon architecturally . So yes i have painted it finally , and i can tell you its by far the most complicated tower i have ever painted . So much detail . I am very sure its new owner who is Italian will love it . !!!!!!! I am truly fascinated by this remarkable culture and cant wait one day to do an entire exhibition on this country . I think sadly that will be a few years down the track . One day Tuscany will call  its always been a given that i will paint in that location for a few months .  So till then there will be only the occasional painting inspired by the breathtakingly beautiful country that is Italy . x

The right royal affair ball .

Ohhhhhhhhhh what a night !!!!!! Well i had a wonderful time at the right royal affair ball to raise money for the royal Brisbane hospital . My latest painting of the story bridge called "under the bridge" was auctioned on the night. While i had an amazing evening my images of 'BALLS' are quiet different to some . I think someone is a little to into fairy-tales and Jane Austin books to handle the modern version . I imagine balls with prince charming and epic ball gowns with hopeful Cinderella's dancing the waltz. Clearly a very Disney version  i imagined from my childhood . However in saying that prince charming was actually there some guy wore a Disney prince charming outfit hence my surprise only to find out he already had his own Cinderella . Isn't that just always the way girls .!!!!!!!! 

I am very convinced i am not from this time , i just cant grasp the concept of dancing to 'Toto ' rains in Africa ................in saying that it was an AFRICAN theme. While any chance a girl gets to wear her pearls is good thing , I still hold out hope for a more traditional ball in my future ...................and yes my dress had a train , love romantic dresses with a slight Gothic /Edwardian feel . Its nice to dress up and be out of my docs every once in a while .X

Not all there ..........self portrait

"Not all there" is a self portrait . While i am well known for my nudes and city scapes it was the portrait that was always my first love . In fact i have been doing them for over 20 years professionally . With a unique style all my own . My big blown up versions were selling all over Australia decades ago . I leave this subject from time to time and come back to them with vengeance.  This is the one thing i do you will never see heaps of, as they are special and my subjects are carefully selected . If i paint a rockstar/celeb its cause i have met them on my travels or there music is so inspiring to me day in day out while i am painting . I love to paint beautiful girls that i meet organically via my  travels and my regular models i am always painting . Those lucky few girls who are my MUSES have their portraits done lots .lol . Then there are my highest selling series which are my self portraits . Each one very different and showing another side of the very complicated and sometimes misunderstood artist that i am . NOT ALL THERE is about the split in personalty . You can talk to me all you like but i am only half there as my minds always elsewhere ....................makes relationships difficult to say the least . The most important relationship i try to understand has always been the one i have with myself .Sometimes it out and out WAR. :)

Very soon my new blog will be up and it will be about portraits only  and all the stories behind each one  .stay tuned  x

CRISTAL.........one of those weekend !!!!!!

What a weekend !!!!!!!! It started off on the boat "pure adrenaline" drinking CRISTAL . Yes and that is my favourite champagne of them all . Its got to be the Rockstar of champagne for sure . This photo of a  rare outdoor /daylight sighting of the reclusive artist know as STARR .!!!!!!! lol. I was on the way to sunshine coast in style mixing with some of the most wonderful people in the world . We then headed back in a limo to brisvegas , to the beats of Jay.Z's 'new york' .

Then on the saturday i was judging an art show with the Margaret and Jan from the redhill gallery at St Lucia campus . The talent was amazing . I really enjoy judging but i find its always hard to judge others art but i am always very honored to be asked . One multimedia piece that was based on a students interest in dementia put a tear to my eyes . I guess thats the power of art and this girls sensitivity towards her subject showed amazing understanding and compassion . well done !!!!!!!!!!

I then spent the rest of the weekend getting to know a lovely refugee family from Iran . What wonderful people they are and so hospitable . I am now a fan of Iranian food , so healthy . I learned how excited they are to be here in a beautiful and safe country like australia where they can live their dreams . They are quiet modern and dont wear veils and are keen to fit with our culture . I feel i am learning so much about another culture that till this weekend i had no idea about . !!!!!

I was simply inspired by a wonderful weekend . Being an artist is all about the painting but also the very important journey one takes till the next blank canvas is completed .x

A little bit modern .

I had a lovely night catching up some friends and seeing their amazing architectural designed house. Just stunning it was !!!!!!!!! I for the record think architectural designed homes are pure art that u can live in . While i am the kinda girl who likes all things old its very clear my paintings love being in a modern environment . This painting called "I CAN BE COLORFUL"is clearly perfect in the modern house . This is one of my all time favorite paintings . I painted this over 12 years ago but i think its timeless and classic . I do paint abstracts and to me they are very personal and emotive  . They were very popular as well i think i am now inspired to revisit this genera.!!!!!!!!! will be interesting to see what i would do now 12 years later .stay tuned x

alice /disney tea cup study

I am a bit of a collector and i am sure in some peoples eyes a hoarder...............yes as u may well imagine my house is very bright and colorful with everything screaming out at you form all directions . INTENSE to say the least . To me however i find it carming to be surrounded by all things that i love . From barbies to teacups its all here and from vases then back to records . I could never live minimal myself however my painting are almost always hanging in very beautiful minimal house's across the world . They even appear happier that way . lol . I love to paint what i love as with most artists, so if its dear to me it will end up immortalized on canvas at some point. My teacup collection is getting a painted at the moment just in time for mothers days . My brisbane gallery has requested some smaller works and this series fits in just perfectly.  This alice in wonderland tea cup is one of my most precious pieces in my collection . HAPPY COLLECTING / hoarding x 

new brighter than bright nudes .!!!!!!!!

hey if your in brisbane drop into the redhill gallery and check out some of my lastest works .I am loving these very brighter than bright nudes . I think the time is for colour , the world need more colour . Let me know what you think !!!!!!!! . I so love working with models its what makes the experience priceless ...................LIFE drawing is a passion of mine i have been drawing from life since i was 14 . When i was a young artist i just assumed this was what all artist do , well all the master at least . Have a lovely week i shall be painting the week away !!!!!!

happy easter !!!!!!!!

happy easter everyone ........................OHHHHHHH how i love bunnies , the furry kind . Not those amazing mashmello kinds that come in molds and u roll them in coconut that i fondly remember from my childhood . OK i loved them as well . Being a big Alice in wonderland fan of course i love the icon of the white rabbit . MAGICAL . The other bunny that interests me in the playboy bunny , a very tacky modern cult icon in its own right . I do admit to having playboy bunnies seat covers . Like i said a tacky trashy ICON. I guess one girls fairy-tale can be different to the next girls . Let not forget the chocolate bunnies OMG so good ,  i am a huge cabury bunny girl . It dose not get any better than that . Of course being a good catholic girl i do know the real meaning of easter and i am sure it will make my grandmother's easter by seeing me frocked up in a church . This is a quiet a rare sight these day !!!!!!!!!! so HAPPY EASTER everyone.x

alice in wonderland the ballet !!!!!!!

Well now its always wonderful to see the ballet ..........................but ALICE in WONDERLAND is just a treat . In my town of brisbane there is a marvelous local ballet company called the 'Queensland ballet' , they have just done their version of alice in wonderland . It was awesome .!!!!! if your in town go and see it . Of course i had too its one of my dreams to see this ballet preformed all over the world as every ballet company will twist this twisted fairytale in a different direction . I loved the mad hatta the costum was epic ......................very colorful just like my paintings . So well done brisbane !!!!

‎"la paix et la tranquillité" is French for Peace and Tranquillity

hello !!!!!!!!! i have had a break from my blog as i have been very creative in the studio and spending a bit less time in cyber world .  Have been working on some new nudes and experimenting with much brighter colours and just splashing the paint around with no real direction just going with my heart . Totally enjoying being more free and not so controlled . Its a bit like what i was doing 15 years ago but far more evolved . I am very happy with them and love these colours . The world need more colour these days and i think we all agree with that . This is called   ‎"la paix et la tranquillité" and is  French for Peace and Tranquillity ‎. !!!!!!

so excited about my Sydney exhibition

I am just so excited about my exhibition ...................FLUIDITY . Its the night before the opening and of course u get a bit nervous . I however know i did the work and produced an amazing exhibition to my extraordinarily high standards i am my worst critic .lol. I am the kinda artist who always dose the SOLO's this of course adds the pressure . I always deliver a fresh exhibition every time , i don't bring in other works that had not previously sold . I do this out of respect for the galleries and my own integrity . Thats why i have clients purchase from my shows from all over the country as this is always the best and most recent works available.   FLUIDITY consists of 36 new works and this is a pic of me surrounded by  months and months of hard work . I go into a zone when i am painting a solo and have total focus normally forgetting all the simple things in life and totally crash when its over for a week or so in exhaustion. check it out at www.trafficjamgalleries.com.au or come to the opening tommorrow nite and say hi .:)

introducing the SYDNEYSCAPE .

"View to a bridge" is part of my sydney exhibition "FLUIDITY" at  http://www.trafficjamgalleries.com/ . I am such a fan of the architectural marvel that is the opera house . As an australian i feel very lucky to have such an icon so easily recognizable globally  .  I love to paint cityscapes always have i really think is because i have grown up in a city . If i were a county girl i guess landscapes might feature more in my work but for me its always been the cityscapes. I love tall skyscrapers against a blue sky as much as a white Opera house against a blue harbor . The trick is to paint this subject matter in your style and do it with passion and integrity. So i officially introduce you to the "SYDNEYSCAPE "

FLUIDITY 2012 .sydney .

Fluidity

There is a certain unique gracefulness that purveys the work of young Brisbane Artist Starr. Over the past decade, she has carved herself a niche in the Australian art world that few can emulate.

With a Bachelor of Fine Art to hone the raw talent that has seen her painting since the age of five, Starr’s work exudes a charm and warmth that sees her work collected around the world.

This current exhibition, ‘Fluidity’ sees Starr break new exciting ground, with her flowing style and unmatched use of colour Starr can capture any scene and bring it to life. She is a true artist and her work captures the spirit of the masters, with a contemporary hand.

 The exhibition opens at Traffic Jam Galleries , Sydney . march the 1st ......41 military rd neutral bay .

rain rain go away.

rain rain go away ......................lol well yes in queensland where my studio is located in australia its raining lots . its so annoying when paint just wont dry , i am very spontaneous and prolific painter so this just holds up the process greatly .Oddly i love the rain and the cold and hate the sun but this is going on for weeks . In saying that i am turning out some fantastic work and here is a floral piece called 'floral frenzy ' . I am really enjoying painting flowers lately . woooohooooo . I love however the rain hitting the tin roof above my studio for some reason when it rains i feel safe . So rain rain go away so i can get some art dried . x

alices coke bottle.............amazing

There are moments in life when u just know ur on your right path................finding an alice coke bottle staring at me at a checkout was one of those moments. It was also at my local suburban shopping center i go to most days for coffee . So yes i think its a very positive sign . Yes this bottle is in my latest alice in wonderland painting cause i am addicted to coke . lol

alice arrives in sydney

hey , this is a sneak peak of my latest Alice painting featuring the sydney harbor . Wonderland can be anywhere its just up to your imagination . I take a classic fairy-tale and make it my own . I love adding popular culture icons of our time ....................I love my work reflecting our time . In 100 years its will be amusing to look back at , I love my world i live in as much as alice would have loved wonderland . Facebook , the new personalized coke bottle and lets not forget the harbor bridge and luna park. MAGICAL . This painting will be in my latest exhibition called 'fluidity' with opens in sydney in march . wooooooooooooohooooooo

I see things a bit differently.

Well never one to really care about whats considered different or heaven forbid 'CRAZY' . I have a confession to make ............I see they world a bit different and always have i had assumed everyone did but many years later i realize this is not true . I think its a gift as much maybe as my talent is . When i look at a seen i see it in a painterly way not clear like you do . Its very much like van gogh crossed with SCI-FI my style and i am more than happy to view my world like this . its kinda like having a photo app built it me .lol ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh things much more colourful with this way of viewing the world i guess there was no other choice then to paint it . x

first sale of the year ..............x

Well the years of to a flying start the first sale done through' Fusions fine art gallery' in perth . First sale i know of when your represented by so many u never really know lol . Fusions have made a few sales now for me it really pays to have faith in a good gallery as it can take up to 6month to see results especially in a new city you have no major following in . This was the same for me with darwin , now they sell lots and lots . Patience is a virtue . So this is exciting start for the year .  I always believe in the right artist for the right gallery . These days most approach me and this is a great thing cause the gallery always knows what style art they can sell etc . So if your in perth or traveling through they are so worth a visit and you can see lots of my works also lots of other local western australian artists. .so go perth !!!!!!!!