This acrylic painting was the cover of Artlink Magazine for the summer edition 1992-1993, and I was absolutely thrilled.  I had only been painting for about 5 years at the time but was already working full time at it and loving every minute.

PLAYBOY MAGAZINE COVER

In my previous career as a model I had of course appeared on quite a few covers over the years, among them this Playboy Magazine cover.  Oh I know what you are thinking, lol but there is no need for anyone to go out and order any back copies of the magazine as I only appeared on the cover and it was a head shot too, bad luck, lol!   I was overseas modelling when the Playboy cover came out and had broken off with my boyfriend (whom I later married) and he said he got the shock of his life when he walked into a shop and saw it.  His mate that was with him promptly bought the magazine and “hubby to be” was apparently mightily pleased I wasn’t a centerfold!

ARTLINK MAGAZINE COVER

So to be commissioned to do a cover of a magazine in a completely different profession pleased me very much.  The brief was to create a cover that had something to do about art.  So I painted 2 paintings (the other, I will tell you about another time)on the art theme, if you look closely at this painting, “The Artist Camp” you will find a lot of the different forms of art represented.

FROM TOPIARY ART TO BODY ART

Starting from top left and going across you will see; Topiary– which is the art of clipping and training bushes and trees into different shapes, a form of living sculpture.  Then there is a Landscape artist and the nude model posing for a Figure painting, a small detail from Picasso representing both the Cubism and Abstract Art, followed by Body Art.

FROM FABRIC ART TO TATTOO ART

Next row down the lady is doing some Fabric Art and the stereo typical Outsider Artist, Art Brut or Art Raw with the Physiatrist and the patient in the straight jacket.  With all this political correctness my portrayal of that may offend however as I count myself in that bracket too as a Naive or Naif Artist I hope it is met with the humor I intended.   Next we have a so called Sunday painter with a Portrait of a cat and Aboriginal Art followed by a Graffiti Artist, Art for Therapy in prison and finally the Tattoo Artist and the little girl being inspired to love art by all of them!  I think the Bull Terrier is up to no good with the bike though,lol, not sure he has art in mind.

ARTISTIC TALENT

Whilst I do appreciate art schools and the skills they teach to art students, I do believe that a lot of the time they turn out artists who paint just like their teachers and sometimes their own fresh ideas are belittled.  My own take on the matter is that EVERYBODY has an artistic talent of some sort, some find that talent early whilst for others it may be a life time exploration.  However what I think matters most is the passion and enjoyment of creating and not necessarily the final result.  I would encourage everyone to find the inner child, to borrow from Mark Twain – explore, dream and discover but this time in relation to art and not travel.

Here is some lyrics from a song I really love called The Cape by Guy Clark which I think fits well here;

“He’s one of those who knows that life
Is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath
Always trust your cape”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting or whatever turns you on,

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.

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.