Marie Jonsson Harrison » modelling

227 ART CHOCOLATE and the NEW YEAR

mariejon — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 07:19:25 +0000

ARTIST DREAMER

As another year turns the corner I cannot help but be very thankful for the last one and wishing the New Year will also be kind to us all. The most important thing for me is of course the health and wellbeing of my family and friends but if I could I certainly would extend that wish to all living people and animals big and small! World peace, health, wealth and happiness for all that’s my wish. Yes of course I am a dreamer, that goes hand in hand with being an artist! So I will try with my art to make you smile with my paintings and sculptures. Perhaps also poke a little bit of fun and hopefully now and again also make you think about something that you hadn’t thought of before, perhaps something that you could also do to make the world a better place.

ART ON A CHOCOLATE BOX

I have had an amazing year work wise and it has ended on such a perfect note with my chocolate box (chocolate tin) by Sv. Michelsen for 2015 just having arrived on the market. They are the leading chocolatier and collected by the Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark. All the chocolate boxes (tins) are numbered and the first one; number #1 goes to the Queen Margrethe ll, number #2 stays with Sv.Michelsen which are third generation chocolatiers and number #3 goes to me the artist. It goes without saying that the chocolate tastes divine and it’s all gluten free too.

2015 KUNSTDASE

This amazing privilege all came about last year after I had quite a few exhibitions in Denmark, organized by my European agent Eliane Kristensen who divides her time between France and Denmark. At the Easter show for the Knud Grothe Gallery (one of the most prestigious galleries in Denmark) I was selected to be the featured artist and this then led to Sv Michelsen seeing my work for the first time and commissioning me to paint an image for the new 2015 chocolate tin.

MY ROYAL CONNECTION

If you look really closely at the painting you will find Princess Mary and Prince Fredrick and their 4 children clad in formal clothes with their sashes and tiaras on too.

It was so fun to paint and I would really like to thank both Eliane and Knud for this wonderful opportunity!

ADVERTISER NEWS ARTICLE

The newspaper article attached was on page 3 of the Advertiser on Boxing Day and from all the messages and emails, phone calls and text I got afterwards I can only assume that a lot more people sat down during the Christmas break and read the paper than they normally do during the week, lol! So thank you so much everyone that was really special. Very special too for me to have Hillivi beside me, it has been so much fun for us to get to model together. So many people remark on how similar we look and now Hillivi calls it Twinning! LOL

ART BLOGS

The coming year is proving to be just as busy as the last one and therefore something has finally got to give I am afraid and that is the regular big blogs – you may have noticed for the last little while I have been a little lax with my artblogs and for that I apologize. This year I will try another format. I have found that my blogging takes up so much time and I have been struggling so hard to keep up with my painting and sculpting deadlines that eventually something had to give! So from now on I will perhaps write a longer blog only now and again and instead keep you updated with photos and some words about what is happening in my world. I look forward to still seeing your comments and sharing your worlds too.

QUOTES

So for now I leave you this year with this quote by Bill Vaughan;

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and Happy Holidays to you all.

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES. Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

130 A Love Letter & Art

mariejon — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:40:50 +0000

MY BEST ARTWORK

To my gorgeous daughter Hillivi who is beautiful both inside and out, Happy 21^st birthday! I cannot understand how the years passed so quickly since the day you were born. We have Doctor Jack to thank for your safe arrival as of course with my track record with pregnancies and Kai’s emergency cesarean things could not just go smoothly! But never mind you arrived safely and were just perfect. Your dad and I thought we were just the best parents in the world as your little brother Kai was such a little angel, who just fed and slept and looked around satisfied with his surroundings. Here is the painting I painted as a Thank you for Dr Jack.

THE ART OF NOT GETTING TOO BIG FOR YOUR BOOTS

We often talked about our fantastic parenting skills your father and I and the lack of such in other people, lol and were smugly satisfied with ourselves. Well how wrong you can be – you certainly gave us a run for our money! From the minute you were born until you turned one year old, you screamed blue murder unless I was rocking you in my arms, no other arms would do either just mine! Everyone around us now looked at us with pity, lol and wondering about our parenting skills. Oh how quickly one falls from the pedestal!

MOTHERS LOVE

But you know honey – you needed me just like I needed you and thank god you hung on to me for dear life. You must have known that I was going to a rough patch in my life as I was struggling in my relationship with my own mother (which thankfully is much better now.) I craved to feel loved, needed and wanted so much and you gave me that – so THANK YOU baby girl you made me feel whole again.

ARTIST MOTHER

Growing up with an Artist as a mother must have had its own trials and tribulations too. Not being one for the normal lullabies you grew up listening to your mothers very bad renditions of Ry Cooders “Little Sister”, the Swedish “3 Wandering men” and the Beatles “Help”. How people were amazed to hear a 2 year old child’s word perfect singing “Help” on top of her lungs “When I was younger so much younger than today. I never needed anybodies help in any way……..

I still call you my “Little Uppas girl” but these days you do actually walk yourself, however until you were 10 years old you used to be able to convince me to carry you more often than not, I finally had to stop when your feet were dragging on the ground as I held you in my arms!

DISTRACTED ARTIST

I am sorry I had to leave you sometimes, sorry about having to go to Japan or Japapan as you would say when I had to go over for another art exhibition. Sorry I was preoccupied with my artist thoughts and not listening at times. One such incident springs to mind.

You were 3 years old dressed in a red dress and black patent leather shoes and I held your hand firmly as we negotiated traffic in the city on our way to a very important meeting. You were saying: “Mummy, mummy, mummy” and I said “not now darling, just walk we are in a terrible hurry.” So we rushed ahead with you barely keeping up, trying to walk as fast as you could with your little leggis. Then you again said “but Mummy, mummy, mummy” and finally I had the good sense to listen. That’s when you told me you had lost your shoe 2 traffic lights ago and there as we turned around and backtracked we found your little black shoe lying in the gutter of the footpath.

THE ART OF A BEAUTIFUL HEART

You have grown from a beautiful little girl into a stunning young woman and as lovely as you are to look at, it is the inside that I admire most. You have a beautiful heart, treat everybody fairly and with respect, a champion for the underdogs and a lover of animals. Your principals are so high you are a vegetarian and won’t even wear leather and chastised me so much I could hardly sit on the new leather lounge we had bought without thinking of the poor cows either. You are the life of the party, the girl all the boys want to call their own and the girls want as a best friend. You have the beauty to be a top model and the voice to pursue a singing career and also the smarts to go to university. The world is your oyster darling – but even with all these assets you have your feet firmly planted on the ground and know that everything that glitters is not gold and so far you seem content living a country life and pursuing a life dedicated to others as an emergency nurse.

BEST ARTWORKS

For me having you and your brother has been the best thing that I have EVER done in my life, there is nothing in my life either as a model or artist, travelling or in monetary terms that can ever measure up to the love I feel for you and the joy you have brought me every day of your life.

So Happy Birthday 21^st Birthday darling Hillivi and from the bottom of my heart I thank you for coming into my life when I needed you most and hearing my call for “Help”.

Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody’s help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I’m not so self assured,
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won’t you please, please help me.

And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
My independence seems to vanish in the haze.
But every now and then I feel so insecure,
I know that I just need you like I’ve never done before.

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won’t you please, please help me.

When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody’s help in any way.
But now these daya are gone, I’m not so self assured,
Now I find I’ve changed my mind and opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won’t you please, please help me, help me, help me, oh.

Happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie xxxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES. Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

114 Elders Fine Art Gallery.. never give up

mariejon — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:13:36 +0000

GALLERY DIRECTOR

This painting “Christmas for the Elders family” was commissioned by Jim Elders from the Elders Fine Art Gallery in Adelaide, South Australia, a man I much admire and without whom I would not be enjoying this wonderful career as an Artist.

I have told you how I started painting in How it all began, which is something that I did every minute of the day (in-between looking after a new baby & going back to modelling) early morning, late into the evening, when baby Kai had his naps, and all weekend when hubby took over the child minding.

PAINTING OBSESSED

Friends and family was highly amused at my newfound love of painting and would come over to see the latest artwork. They would giggle and laugh and I am sure in a lot of instances pat me on the head, shake their heads and think that at least I am amusing myself but it won’t amount to anything much, LOL.

JUNK ART SCULPTOR

Not that I thought it would either I just knew that I could not stop and if I wasn’t painting I thought about painting, dreamt about it or talked about it, like a woman obsessed. My dad, who is an artist himself but generally more in the abstract area or as a junk art sculptor, would encourage me and buy me paints and materials. After a while he said:” you know honey I think you are on to something – there is a genre in the art world called Naive Art and although it does not look anything like yours it seems to be in the same vein.” So dad got me a few books and I started to dream that maybe one day I could become a “real artist”.

It took about 2 years for this penny to drop and I thought I should see if I could get representation from a gallery. Now obviously as my father was already an artist with gallery backing and I had quite a public profile from being the Australian Model of the Year it probably would have been much easier to take advantage of that but I wanted to make it on my own arts merit.

CALLING ART GALLERIES

So armed with the Yellow Pages (Telephone Directory) I started calling galleries. I started with the less known and worked my way up the list. In the most polite of fashions I explained that I was a new artist and was wondering if at some stage I could either come in or send them an image of my work. Without fail every single gallery I called said: “sorry we are not interested in seeing any new artists, or we are totally booked out”, and some of them were rather rude and abrupt. At this stage there were only 2 Galleries left in South Australia (that I hadn’t called) and that was the two most famous ones 20 years ago; BMG (Kim Bonython’s) and Elders Fine Art Gallery, and as luck would have it I called Elders first.

Jim Elder answered the phone himself and I couldn’t believe it when he said; “sure come on in! I will warn you however that I very rarely take on any new artists but I always look”, and with that we made an appointment.

ART GALLERY APPOINTMENT

So on the allotted day I turn up, Jim is very busy getting a show up and hardly acknowledges me but points at where I should put my work along the walls on the floor. I had 14 works with me so it took quite a while back and forth from the car and finally it’s all in and eventually Jim comes to take a look.

His face gave nothing away, he looked grumpy to me and sort of huffed and asked what the price on this and that one is? I said that I had no idea at all what the prices were, so Jim said, well that painting I think would be 300 dollars, and this one 500 and the artwork with the flowers 950. By this stage my eyes were round as saucers as I listen to this obviously quite mad man, lol. But who was I to argue and when he then said he would buy, this one and that one and the other outright, counting up 10 of the artworks and taking in the other 4 on commission basis I nearly fainted. I left Elders Fine Art Gallery that day with a cheque for nearly 7 thousand dollars, which with a young family and a mortgage made me skip to the car!

The paintings sold the following weekend in their Christmas show and I now had a new career painting full time and the rest of it is history as they say!

So thank you Jim and Helen Elders, you provided the most wonderful start to my career and I am forever in your debt. It goes without saying, that if the Elders had not changed the gallery to an Auction house: Elders Fine Art & Auctioneers, I would still happily be on their books.

So here is a quote by George Allen, I think fits very well in here with light of what everyone thought initially about my art career, lol.

“People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don’t know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie xxx (c)

90 I Miss New York & Art

mariejon — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:09:11 +0000

THE ART OF NEW YORK

I miss New York and our New York friends so much today! Don’t you just love the “Big Apple” the city that literally never sleeps. Streets teaming with people of every race and nationality and shops and food from every culture. Talking about the culture – what about all those fantastic Broadway shows and the fact that you can pick up a cheap ticket either in the booth at Times Square or through the lottery the individual theaters use. New York has a multitude of artistic inspirations to which artists never tire of exploring in all art forms, including me of course having done many paintings and sculptures on the subject.

MODELLING AND ART

As I have mentioned before – hubby had promised to take me to New York 25 years prior to our arrival there – you cannot say he doesn’t keep his promises, lol.

In the early 80’s whilst I was modeling in Europe, Bryan backpacked through Europe where he made lots of friends along the way, American couple Peter & Amy were two of them, newly married and on their honeymoon. Later on when he found himself in New York he decided to look up them up, and was immediately offered a bed, being the gorgeous people they are. Bryan stayed with Rosslyn & Sol (Amy’s parents) in Paramus which is in New Jersey about half an hour from the city centre of New York.

You know how life goes – they all kept in contact for the first 10 or so years with a letter or postcard here and there, then life got in the way and we would get the occasional postcard from Peter as he circumnavigated the globe on various adventures in his job as Chief Engineer on various ships.

So we plan our first trip together to the USA and although I had never met them I have spent the last 25 years hearing all about the great time Bryan had and the wonderful friends he met and now the search is on to try to reconnect.

Boy what a saga that was, endless searches on the internet and phone calls etc, but finally a bit of luck through the maritime college in New York where Peter used to teach, and bingo they got in touch.

(Below is my acrylic on board painting of the apes at the Bronx zoo, a must in the sightseeing schedule)

THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP

What came as a complete surprise however was the incredible warmth of these lovely people. As soon as Amy heard that we and our children were coming their way, we were offered a bed with her parents in Paramus. This is 25 years later mind you and for all she knew we may have turned up on her doorstep as Riff Raffs, lol but she had no hesitation and we spent 2 fantastic weeks there.

We spent 14 days on wonderful adventures in and around New York sometimes with Amy & Peter and also on our own investigating the city. Met more of their family and friends too and spent a combined Christmas/Hanukkah as that year, the 2 celebrations fell on the same day.

Oh and what a feast that was. Amy does not do things by half, the table was laden with goodies such as various finger foods; meat or vegetarian, platters of roast beef and other meats, vegetables in all their colors, a French dish made from filo pastry stuffed with cheeses and jam (to die for) a glorious Mushroom Pie (dead again,lol), olives, nuts, chips, crackers dips, pâtés, cheeses, fruits, bagels, pumpkin pie, cakes, biscuits and cookies in every shape and form. Our eyes truly boggled and when I asked Amy how come she had bought and prepared so much food enough to feed an army, she said; “Well you got to have a choice, don’t you!” It was one of those days where you ate and drank from midday to midnight and couldn’t possibly do up your pants or they would bust.

It is a Christmas that we will always treasure, so a big salute and cheers to our New York friends and I leave you with another dear New York friend, Bob’s favorite quotations, he is funny as a fit and we met through Amy & Peter.

“Some people are like Slinky’s – not really good for anything buy they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs..”

“Why don’t you slip into something a little more comfortable….like a coma”.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting everyone,

Love Marie xxx (c)

If you enjoyed this art & travel blog you may also like this one about New York: 137 ICE SKATING IN CENTRAL PARK

80 Cashed up and Arty Farty

mariejon — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 02:37:41 +0000

ART & FRIENDS

Isn’t it interesting how friendships are, how people come and go in your life? Some are there all the way others appear and disappear only to reappear again.

Just like I imagine these cats do in my painting “Cats in Case” in a Louis Vuitton bag (which is also available as a limited edition Giclee Print)

If I think about my own friends and I do have quite a few, although I could probably count on 2 hands the ones I could run to if I was really in trouble and know that they would come to my aid. That’s not saying that I don’t treasure the rest any less as each and every one of my friends has added value to my life.

THE ART OF THE FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND

Now I won’t count into that number the “fair-weather” variety that did me wrong over the years. Oh yes I have had my share of those, as I think most of us have. You know the type they come across all sweetness and light and you just love them to bits when suddenly you find they have just pulled the carpet from under your feet.

You are just like “I swear I was just standing on carpet a minute ago, what AM I doing here lying on the floor”! With time you learn to dust yourself off and get on the bike again although it does hurt just as much as when you were little, it is lucky that with the years you learned some coping skills.

We just had this discussion with the nephew who said he has many different circles of friends and we are just the same.

FROM ART TO MONEY

There is the” Hippy Variety” – into having a good time and looking after the environment, “ The Cashed up lot” – when we go out with them we end up spending a week’s wage on one meal and need the magnifying glass to find the food on the plate,lol and have to stop at McDonalds on the way home!

“The Teacher group” – loves books like me & always interested in everything, The “Arty-Farty gang” – doing the art galleries, film and theater events, “The Swim friends” – where it’s all about health & diets and the “Farmer mob”- oh you guess it, all about the weather at first, but then you peel a layer and there is lots more to them too. I still see some of my “Modelling friends” where it’s about old times, botox and menopause, lol – it used to be more fun when they were into sex, drugs and rock & roll!

THE ART OF LIVING LIFE

Not forgetting our kids, their friends, nieces and nephews as well, I have to admit I am rather fond of the younger generation – they are lots of fun and haven’t gotten that grumpy old man or woman syndrome yet either which is always a bonus.

Anyway what’s with the grumpy syndrome anyway – take a chill pill and enjoy life it’s way too short to waste on negativity (I do make exception for one grumpy friend lol somehow he is cute & grumpy and makes me laugh)

The thing is I enjoy all of their company and feel very lucky to have such a broad range of people who are all interesting in their own way. So with such a cross section of friends there is not a chance to get bored.

Now over the last year I have acquired a new category the Facebook friends – and yes a lot are of course just acquaintances; however there certainly are some of those with whom a deeper relationship is developing, reaching out across the world from Scotland to South Africa, Indonesia to Hongkong, Turkey, France, USA, the Middle East and even Russia.

ARTISTIC WEBSITE

A rich diverse and very interesting lot they are. So today I would like to share a poem from one of these friends, her name is Annamarie Causer and she is a writer, columnist and author of many poetry books. She also writes for a website called CRAIGMILLAR (look under Memories for Diary of a Countryside Lady) or find her on Facebook FB CRAIGMILLAR (for news, opinion, history and events) Annamarie was inspired to write this from the “Cats in case” artwork, and I hope later on to share more of her work with you.

“ODE TO FUZZY FELINES
Kitties to the left of me,
kitties to the right.
out the box
they pop,
playfully causing fright.
Some with white sock.
A suitcase laced
with a li’l
bitty
kitty.
Legs braced
agin their tangling,
wrangling,
and dangling
furry body.
Their whirlish dervish
and devilish laced
antic
cause endless frantic
a worrisome flurry
and such a worry
(but only to cat haters)”

Here is a quote I like from Abraham Lincoln,

“No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you,

Love Marie (C)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALEand SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES. Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

58. A Lifetime of Pix – Photography

Marie — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 23:55:07 +0000

EXHIBITION OPENING

We had a most interesting weekend recently. I had been asked to open an exhibition for my dear friend Ted James who was celebrating 50 years of being behind the lens of his trusted camera. It was held at the Rustons Rose Garden and Convention Centre in Renmark, South Australia.

This Artwork Sold in America

ART IN PICTURES

I first met Ted as a 17 year old just after I had starting modelling and over the years he put me on the cover of a few magazines. In the hectic days of fashion and glamour, Teds shoots were always very different. They would take a whole day and involve some great locations, either down by a beach or in the middle of a wheat field just before harvest. Ted would always pack a picnic with dried fruits and nuts, cheese and crackers and fruit juices and everything would happen at a leisurely pace resulting in some great photographs. He also worked for the Australasian Post and Pix Magazine, Scope Magazine in South Africa as well as Pietro Press in Italy. Ted maintains that his favourite work was photographing beautiful girls, and who can blame him, great work if you can get it eh, Ted?

EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK

By no means was Teds photography limited by beautiful girls however much of a dream job that may seem to some of you! No, he also had many a distinguished clients, as he plied his trade from landscapes to river scenes, horses and cars, working for British Leyland, Volvo, Bank of Adelaide, and Faulding’s, just to name a few. Of course he also did a lot of fashion work for most of the designers of the time, including Lidwien and those photographs were exhibited at the Rockefeller Centre in New York.

GOLD PAINT

A couple of the artistic engagements that stood out for Ted was the “Golden Couple” from Holland, who as Ted put it were “starkers” apart from the gold paint that covered them from head to toe, whom he photographed at Noarlunga Beach. But it was as they were driving home that they really scared some other motorists, sitting there looking like “gold statues” in the car and then they suddenly moved and looked at the car next to them. “You should have seen the looks on those poor peoples faces, said Ted!” Another highlight in his career was photographing Swan Lake and several other Ballets for Michael Edgely and his first wife.

The most successful shot however was from a Bird of a Different Feather- a pelican no less. As it happened I had a very small part in that too- you see it was on the way home from dropping me off to Bryan after I had accompanied Ted on another job on the Murray Explorer, that Ted stopped off in Loxton at 6am in the morning and captured that photo which then was used all over the world for the State Government and other organizations, the famous, “Pelican on a Snag” which most of you would have seen one time or another over the years.

Another of Ted’s interests is Orchid growing and I feel very privileged to just have had a flower named after me, which was a great honour.

Here is another link to a modelling story in my art blog if you fancy a look; 12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

THE ART OF AGING WELL

At 83 he shows no signs of slowing down and still goes out on the river and rows most mornings before he starts work. When we first met, Ted told me that he was going to live to a 130, and I believed him then and I believe him still, so I was not surprised when he just told me in an email recently, after I had bugged him with all my questions about his past, he said, “I am exhausted, you have put a “middle aged” man under pressure!”

Half his luck, I certainly hope that I follow his lead and Ted I wish you great success with the rest of your “middle age”. Just keep on enjoying Life.

And I think this saying by Peter Ustinov (actor) fits perfectly here.

“The point of living, and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best if yet to come”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxx (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE,GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES. Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

37. The Golden Years of Modelling in Art

Marie — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:34:29 +0000

ART INSPIRATIONS

This painting “Happy New Year at Regine’s” was inspired by my mad modelling days, and crazy mad they were too, but sooo much fun.

As you can see from this artwork (which sold in Japan) we models know how to kick our heels up and we did!

However I have to admit to overdoing it a couple of times too, so if you look closely at the painting you will see a crossed eyed girl behind the sports car which could have been me, but in this particular painting I am standing with my long-time friend Debonella (her name was really Deb, I just always called her that,lol) You can find us on the right hand side with our heads together, the blond and the brunette.

THE ART OF PARTYING

We would party till the milkman came around (and for you familiar with the milkman that would be in the very early hours of the morning) and I remember one particular night when we obviously had consumed more than our fair share and we were caught- throwing up in the rosebushes, together mind you-well that’s what friends are for! Luckily most of the time we were lady like and behaved ourselves, that is what we preach to our daughters anyway (guess we will be caught out now!)

I have many tales of our terrible deeds coming up later on in other art blogs, however what made me think about this now was that I just received an invitation to a very swanky “DO” that’s being organized in town by former model agent owner Sandy Clark, who after she sold her business went on to have another very successful career as an event organizer and later as a public relation journalist.

We have recently lost a dear friend and fellow model Adriana Xenides, who died much too young and made us all question our mortality. For those of you not familiar with Adriana, she was the longest serving hostess on the TV game show called Wheel of Fortune here in Australia.

Well Sandy decided to do something about that and we all take our hats off to her. She had organized the most fantastic event at our new international hotel the Crowne Plaza here in Adelaide invited all past models, clients, lecturers and past students and anyone connected to the industry for a wonderful cocktail party to reminisce and celebrate “that we are still here!” (borrowed from Monty Python’ s “we are not dead yet!”)

PAINTING FOR CHARITY

The funds raised went to “Teen Challenge for the homeless” and “Variety Children’s Charity” including what was raised from the painting I donated to the event as well. Here is a link to that and to the art blog about the night in question 50. Not a trout pout in sight

Just a little thought for you, why not try to contact the people that were important in your own life, see how they are travelling, catch up for a drink or a meal, talk about old times. Life is short, WAY TO SHORT- so let’s make the very best of it while we can.

Here is a quote I like from the Mammoth book of useless information-

“One can survive everything, nowadays, except death, and live down everything except a good reputation”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to everyone!

Love Marie xx (c)

30. Moggy Fontain Painting, and the Melbourne trip

Marie — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:39:36 +0000

MORE PAINTING IDEAS

Just a few days after baby boy came home from Europe we all flew over to Melbourne as one of our Godchildren were turning 21, and what a beautiful girl she has grown up to be, well perhaps I should say always was, as she started modelling as a baby and never really stopped.

We have shared lots of time over the years with the Burns family but my favourite funny moment was when our son Kai and Saasha were playing hospital as little children, and Saasha lay down on the floor and declared that she was a LITTLE bit DEAD. Lol,- Out of the mouths of babes.

CAT AND DOG SERIES PAINTING

This painting Moggy Fontain was bought by them for their second daughter Tarrah who is a fantastic Ballet Dancer presently in New Zealand where she won a 3 year position at the New Zealand School of Dance.

Their son Tristen is very talented as well and dances, sings and acts in various shows around town and recently appeared in Home and Away. Anyway we had a fab time at the Cowboys and Indians themed 21^st birthday party.

But what I enjoyed the most was that we were all together again us four, and boy did we have fun, as we always do.

ART OF LAUGHING

For some reason we spend more time belly laughing than anything else. You know that deep in your gut laugh where you lose control, well if you were in Melbourne a little while ago and spied a tall family of four, doubled over laughing that was us! Lol

Outside of the Melbourne museum Perth based artist Bennett Miller had built a smaller scaled set of the United Nations Commission as an Art installation, for the Next Wave Festival called Dachshund UN.

In this performance “artwork” there were 47 sausage dogs that took part and formed the delegates, speakers and interpreters of the UN Human Rights committee. It looked so funny, the dogs were all different types of sausage dogs; short , long and wired haired, black, brown and reddish and some were constantly barking, while others whimpered or sat quietly whilst others were bored and some could be found napping- just like the real thing really. The detail of the painting below is one of my own Sausage Dogs.( Melbourne tales to be continued)

Here is some advice by Hermann Hesse (writer) that the real UN Human rights Committee should perhaps take.

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xx (c)

23. Don’t let your arthritis get in the way & ART

Marie — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:19:15 +0000

PAINTING ON THE COVER OF THE ADELAIDE REVIEW

I was thrilled when I found out that my painting Don’t let Your Arthritis get in the way was going to be on the cover of the Adelaide Review it was printed in conjunction of an art exhibition at the time.

Quite amazing to me that one can have two completely separate occupations and both ended up gracing covers on magazines.

THE ART OF GROWING OLD

Funny though you would never get a cover in modelling showing old folks like this.

Shame isn’t it that growing old is not celebrated more; you often hear that youth is wasted on the young and in many ways that is true.

Although I must say in my own case that each passing year just gets better than the last. Yes sure, there are always hick ups along the way, life happens to you whilst you are busy doing other things…. as Lennon said.

But for the most part, it’s such a joy to be alive, I’m just not totally happy with the allotment of time…..are we talking round the 100 or so years at the most, give or take a few years.

How is that going to be enough, there is so much to do and see and experience and equally important are the quiet times, sitting cosy by the fire with the rain falling on the iron roof, kicking back with a good red and the latest movie.

On this painting you will find me (30 years or so into the future) the one, in the middle kicking my legs up, yes I do that still and intend to till the end, if I can still muster up the energy.

Bryan is by the bar, hair grey now (it really is grey now although I always paint him still with his blond curly hair and blond moustache)

PAINTING & FRIENDS

The others in the painting are our friends, and you may not have noticed but we have been a little to boisterous in our attempts at some good old fashioned boogying that we have all lost our false teeth, they are all around us on the floor.

Well let’s hope that not all my paintings come true, I would really like to keep my teeth were they belong, and not in a glass by the bed.

Here is a thought by Albert Schweitzer (humanitarian and philosopher) that I like.

“An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight. The truly wise person is colour-blind.”

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting!

Love Marie xxx (c)

Here is another art blog with my artwork on 112 Artlink Magazine and also as a model on the cover of Playboy.

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALEand SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES. Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

16. In a Jam with ART

Marie — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:22:07 +0000

TEXTURES & COLORS

My mother always cooked and really well too, she used to have all sorts of biscuits and cakes and buns waiting for us when we came home from school.She also made jams and so did my mother in law, I was always fascinated by their skills although none of it unfortunately rubbed off on me. Oh no not a skerrick rubbed off, my husband Bryan is the cook of this family and for a very good reason. I burn everything even water he is fond of telling me, you know it is actually possible to burn water if you forget it is on and let it all cook away then you will burn the saucepan.. well I am good at that. So lucky I at least could paint food to satisfy at least a little bit of my cravings!

FOOD IN ART

However I am fascinated by the process of cooking and I do looooove food, I also like to paint food, I am interested in the different colors and textures. Perhaps it also stems from a life deprived of food during my modelling days, when just looking at it would make you gain weight & old habits die hard even as an artist!

Here is a acrylic on canvas board painting of Jam making in a country kitchen, whilst the cats amuse themselves with the mice.

This reminds me of a funny story that my brother just told me, which seems perfect for my art blog.

ARTISTS INSPIRATION

My mother had decided to make toffee and unfortunately it had not turned out that great, it was incredibly sticky so she decided to throw it away and make another lot. She then thought, waste not, want not, and decided that the dogs may enjoy it instead.

I think they probably had a little go at it but also found it impossible to eat and left it in their dog bowls outside overnight. So when my brother got up the next morning he describes a site for sore eyes.

Stuck in each dog bowl were 2 sparrows, up to their knees in toffee and flapping their wings like crazy when my brother approached but to no avail-my mother’s toffee had set around their feet like glue.

But, do not fear, they were duly rescued and all finished well. So that will have to be another painting idea for me next time.

This is something Bill Cosby said, which made me laugh, being a vegetarian myself.

“Did you ever see the customers in health-food stores? They are pale, skinny people who look half-dead. In a steak house you see robust, ruddy people. They’re dying, of course, but they look terrific.”

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxxx (c)

12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

Marie — Thu, 06 May 2010 00:06:17 +0000

SCULPTURE BY GAUDI

My son Kai has recently been to Spain a country that I love.

I spent a considerable bit of time there in my modelling days, enjoying lots of great work, great food, people, language and culture. Most of my time was spent in Barcelona, where I actually did manage to go and see the wonderful artwork of Gaudi, images that stay on my mind. He built houses and sculptures like no one else I have ever seen. (And as I have said before about my party days, I think I did rather well to fit that into my busy schedule.)

I spent fantastic days and nights on Ibiza, my most favorite Island in the world when I was young, and would go there whenever time permitted.

This painting “Let it all hang out” was purchased by the Australian artist Pro Hart and hung in his house.

The image of this painting is probably a cross between Ibiza and Maslin’s Beach (designated nude beach) here in South Australia. I can almost smell the scent of the sea and feel the pulse of the music from the amazing nightclubs in Ibiza (well we called them Discos then and I was the Dancing Queen. lol)

SALVADOR DALI

I remember doing a swimwear catalogue in Sitges, the town by the sea that Salvador Dali called home. At the time I was only interested in that fact because my father is an artist and liked his artwork.

Now when I think back on that time and remember, I was on Salvador Dali’s doorstep for the most part of a week, doing bikini shoots all day with hairdressers and makeup artists fussing over me and then wined and dined at night. I think, boy I should have paid more attention, what a fabulous opportunity to see and find out more about one of the world’s most amazing artists. Oh well, C’est La Vie, no regrets, it could do your head in to think about all the what’ Ifs’ in life.

Here is another saying I like from The Mammoth Book of Useless Information

‘Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes’

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting.

Love Marie xxx (c)

Welcome to Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s Blog

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:56:08 +0000

Dear everyone who comes here to have a look.
My new website is currently undergoing reconstruction as the old one crashed. Please bear with me for just a little while more.
As soon as this site is completed I intend to start blogging on a regular basis. Obviously lots about art, but also other issues I am interested in or have concern for.
I will probably start with a recap of being born in Sweden, emigrating to Australia at 14 years of age, running away from home, modelling, travelling,marriage,children,dogs and hey, maybe that untouchable subject menopause, how life can be fantastic and age truly is just a state of mind.lol. But until I start properly here is something for you for now.lol a little joke…..
Usually the staff of the company plays Football.
The middle managers are more interested in Tennis.
The top management usually has a preference for Golf.
FINDING: As you go up the corporate ladder, the balls reduce in size.
See you soon
Love Marie xx (c)