2013
Merilyn Chappel
Farming the Land
Farming the Land
One only needs to travel a few hours out of Sydney to be greeted by farmland. And these farmlands have been a wealth of painting inspiration!
I have so enjoyed using different techniques to portray the diversity of the iconic Australian farmlands. “Counting Sheep” was depicted using various papers from publications like ‘Farming the Land’ as well as corrugated cardboard and rich inks. Jersey cows sheltering under a huge tree to avoid the afternoon heat were perfectly suited to a black, white and grey colour scheme.
Farmhouses and their surrounding fields of red earth lying fallow or drifts of yellow canola made their way into beautiful artworks. The seasons also inspired different colour schemes from vivid greens in spring to the sharp blues and rusts of winter.
I will never stop painting Aussie farmlands – there is inspiration around every corner!
Artworks
Artist
An interior designer and journalist, Merilyn Chappel has been painting for over 25 years. Initially a watercolour artist, her work has evolved to encompass other mediums including acrylics and inks, but more recently mixed media. This foray into mixed media has resulted in uniquely textured, impressionistic works but these still exhibit Merilyn’s dramatic use of colour and design. Merilyn’s subject matter varies considerably from large dramatic landscapes to small interiors; from bold and colourful fruits to sensitively painted flowers; from Australian stockmen to French villages; from African giraffes to Australian dairy herds; from Sydney sailboats to outback towns – even shoes, hats and teacups have a look in!