I saw this painting of Penny’s on her site a few days ago, and loved it. I was going to leave it another week to feature her art again, but seeing this again, I had to post it on my Art Blog here, now. Will find out more details later from her (UK time difference), and maybe the title, if there is one. 

click on image to enlarge

click on image to enlarge

(copyright Penney Sandel 2021)

This painting by Penney Sandel is entitled “She” and is acrylics on canvas board (12″x 15″ in the old money). From Penney’s own pen: “The core features are that of a friend. A friend of many years yet never met, never spoken to, but her beauty, peace and power always radiate. It incorporates everyone I encounter on media, in person and via the dreaded zoom.”

As soon as I saw Penney’s painting on her site, I too thought I knew this woman. Like one of my all-knowing aunties. Or a vibrant woman on the street who you think you have known for years, but you have not. Please keep an eye out for Penney Sandel’s artworks on this Art Blog in the near future. Or visit her site on Instagram.

Please email me (below) if you like this Art Blog, or want to contribute as a “Guest Artist.” Or: Interested in having a try at photographic modelling? (if you live in the Wide Bay Q. Australia area, or passing through). Or have photos to contribute as a model if you are not in the area? No experience necessary, am seeking the natural look, everyday people, all shapes & sizes, preferably of a mature age, eg. age 40, 50, 60 plus. Maybe it could be on your bucket list? I have done Life Modelling myself in the past, for Tafe College & the like, and it is very rewarding. Well, at least give it some thought! Photos can be incognito btw, with hats over the face, or face turned away, or obscured, and a different name used. Thank you. Dennis.

PS: To help prevent robots spamming my site (as they do a lot), I have avoided a live email link. Please copy & paste my email, and write to me if you will. Including your Facebook name/site will also help me in avoiding robots. And I will write back. Thank you. Dennis:

EMAIL (COPY & PASTE): dm@dennismealor.net

This photograph (minus the scribbled blue sunnies for model privacy – wish I didn’t have to add them) won me 1st Prize ($1,000) at the Bundaberg Arts Festival 2012, in the photographic section. I didn’t even expect anything that year, and was at lunch with a friend when I got a call from the Festival organiser. “Are you going to the awards night tonight?” she asked. I said, “I wasn’t going to.” So she replied, “I think you better turn up tonight.” I suspected something at that point. Glad I went, had a good time. Model: Arlene, age 50 at the time. I always prefer photographing older women. So much more to give, their life experience and presence reaches out through the lens so wonderfully. I was extra pleased that the judge was a top ABC photographer, flown up from Brisbane for the night. Nice.

click on image to enlarge

click on image to enlarge

This art piece by well-known Bundaberg artist Carmen Maybanks takes me back to my debut as a Life Model at Bundaberg’s TAFE College in 2014. It was for an art course, and I did a stint as a model for a semester there. Carmen was one of the life drawing students at the time, and asked if she could take some rear pics of me, to do a pottery piece. I was fine with it, and it was good to also get a series of photos of the event for posterity (yes, there is a possible pun there). Please search “Art Bungie Jumping” on this site, for my views on Life Modelling. It was one of the best things I have ever done. 

Carmen came into the Bundaberg Regional Art gallery (BRAG) some years later, and I was a volunteer on reception at the time. I asked her if she still had the tray of my bottom, and yes, she did. So I bought it for my partner Gaye, as a pressie. How narcissistic is that? Later, I moved in with Gaye, and suddenly was proud owner as well, of my posterior et al. It takes pride of place in our lounge room, and is a great conversation starter. It could be used for fruit. But it is too good for fruit. So it stands in the book case on its own metal stand. Thank you Carmen!