Virtual Art Exhibition - Your Invitation

May I announce the opening of the virtual 70 Plus Art Exhibition, featuring works inspired by friendship, fun, curiosity and the desire for new experiences!

This all began with a little tinkering with the old computer programme MSPaint - and it has grown. As Lilly, one of our artists, has said: she hasn't been to a hoity toity art opening for ages.

Well Lilly and all of our blogging mates, here is your opportunity! Our invitation design comes to you with the good wishes (and restless Paint brush) of Suranga Date of Gappa. Please accept her generosity with my good wishes.

And on entering the gallery space, take a set of earphones to hear a commentary as you wander ...



Thank you Suranga. I've always admired saris.

However, I must say a word or two in defence of our artists: I do think that all of you have shown you do know what you are doing. We said we'd accept everything from stick figures to Rembrandts. What is perfection in art? Judge for yourselves ...

Now everyone - I know we have a large crowd here but please let's enjoy the fruits of the wonderful talent hanging on our virtual walls in relaxation. And do help yourself to 'wine' and 'cheese' on the way. We've hung the paintings in the order in which they arrived in my mailbox.


This little delight is from Judy of Living on the Other Side of the Hill. I believe that she has taken inspiration from her grandson TW and his teddy bear - what do you think? Isn't that sideways grin familiar?



Lilly says her 'work' is rather like 'horrid wallpaper', but must we accept her word for it? Perhaps she has gone a little dotty here, but Lilly says she had great fun in the creation and that's what counts. She thinks we may have started a blogger craze ...



Steve Emery of Color Sweet Tooth IS an artist who sells his stuff.

Steve said: 'I used to do these with Oldest, back when he was about six or seven years old. We called them "Scrap Creatures." We would scribble and spray and cut and paste/paste/paste, and get something random and crazy. Then we'd see what emerged.

'Today I took 30 minutes and made this one - "Tortoise and Hare." That's what came out. After 5 minutes of random color and fiddling, the rabbit was plain, and the tortoise then became so, as well. Then I sort of carved the figures out of the background, and refined things a little here and there, careful not to clean up too much. This one looks a lot like the others we made back then.

'Please feel free to post at your virtual opening - thanks for the invitation. It was fun to do another one of these after all these years.'



Steve also sent this lovely dinosaur which he and his oldest son fashioned in Paint when Oldest was a little tike.

'Oldest and I just reviewed them. He carefully preserved them through several computer changes, moving them up with diskettes, etc... This was one of our favorites.'

Great memories eh Steve? Thanks for sharing.



This little tiger and his mate came from Rhada of The Musings of a Night Owl who is a real MSPaint fan.

Enjoying the show so far? Please try some of the scrumptious Tasmanian camembert style cheese ... goes very well with the Hunter Valley whites.



This is my personal favourite from Rhada's collection. It reminds me a little of some of Claude Monet's work. Silhouettes in the fog ... I love art works and word pictures which simply suggest.

It's another from Rhada who says MSPaint was a real fad of hers in August and September 2007.



Rhada had forgotten all about these until her daughter remembered and retrieved them from her inbox this week. Aren't there some lovely marks here?



Rhada really got wound up in her Paint didn't she? I love the freedom of these images.















These four are also from Rhada.



I found it really interesting to see the influences of various cultures coming through in work done in this global computer software programme.

The drawing above and the next few are from Suranga Date of Gappa - the designer of our invitation. I love them all, but I think that this is particularly recognisable as being the work of a woman from India. Do you? I think it's quite beautiful.



'Just tried something,' said Suranga in one of a flurry of emails to me.

'I have written your name in our script (Devnagari script). It is in the thin red line.

'Then because we have summer here and you guys are probably into winter, I thought I'd send you some spring flowers, sunshine and greenery.

'You've got me hooked on to this Paint stuff. Thank you.'



More from Suranga ...



Suranga is really becoming relaxed in her drawing now ... that's what working with Paint can do.

In fact Suranga became so keen she is now decorating a brand new blog (and Gappa, her old one) with Paint pictures, and they're getting better all the time. Have a look at Suranga Date's new blog Rehotya for a feast of lovely Paint art, plus some incisive comments on Indian politics.

By this time she had threatened not to send me any more of her Paint drawings, but luckily didn't keep her pledge ...

This is 'Mumbai Tribal Art' by Suranga. Remember this interesting Indian academic with a fascinating blog had never tried computer art before ...

And with this little gem Suranga bows out and hands over to:

'Cup Cake' by Mrs Bubblefish of Ms Textual. Steph says she thinks she has found a new addiction. If it involves beautiful cakes, I don't blame her one bit.

Don't you love the freedom of those squiggles in this colourful little picture?

Sea Genie of Reality Insanity is an old hand at computer art, filling her blog with wonderful images. She did this one for our exhibition and displayed it on her own blog as well.

But, bloggy mates, don't worry about trying to emulate the sophistication shown here in your own MSPaint efforts. This one was fashioned in PostScript, a professional level programme.

Liked the messages in this one Genie - thank you.

STOP PRESS!! We have a late entry for our exhibition. This lovely floral study comes from Tulsa of The Art of Living in Japan.

















She says:
'Here is my first challenge at art on the computer!

I used one of my pictures of a flower as a base.

I use a mac so the software I had was appleworks paint.

Thank you for the inspiration!'

Beautiful work eh? We'll hang it just here where the light is perfect...

Thanks Tulsa.

Suranga has emailed through yet another 'work' - she's cooking with gas isn't she? This one has an inspiring message. Let's hope that people will listen ...


She's still sceptical however ...

Gunjaaish of Speaking Up, Jotting Down ... has also sent across her own Paint creation, and popped a copy on her blog ...







Gunjaaish wrote: 'Sending across a picture I painted, inspired by you guys. Totally novice attempt, but explains perfectly things going on in my life right now.'

Many of us use art and writing as a way of expressing inner feelings. This little work does that to great effect I think. May your troubles soon lessen Gunjaaish ...


Well now, time to indulge in wine and nibblies, chatter and fun, alongside a second look at our wonderful images. Thanks so much to all my bloggy mate artists for their contributions.

As the evening closes, please leave a comment to give us an idea of what you got out of this virtual gallery opening ... I'd really love your feedback.

And if anyone has a burning desire to use MSPaint look at my most recent 'Older Post' for instructions and ideas. Then send your effort over to me in Oz for inclusion in our virtual collection.

Drive carefully ...
Hugs from June