There are a lot of Natural Art subjects right here in Victoria.

I recently had a trip to Port Fairy and Apollo Bay to collect artworks.

On the way there, my husband and I took the opportunity to have a small camping trip in our own state, explore some more subjects and photograph them for future paintings.

The variety of subjects and colours we found in just 5 days would be enough to warrant a whole exhibition if only I could paint them all fast enough.

The first area we visited was the Southern Grampians where we found lovely, big, twisted old gum trees standing in paddocks with dry grass and the backdrop of the bluish/mauve mountain range. Our cameras never stopped clicking as we marvelled at the different effects of morning and afternoon light on the same trees and mountains. There were also little farm dams with sheep and cows and narrow treelined country roads. In one town we found a typical Australian weatherboard cottage complete with a water tank out the back and chooks pecking around the front. The owner very kindly let us photograph them in the name of art.  All very inspirational.

We found a lovely open garden with roses. Then we headed down to the coast.  Port Fairy is a quaint little port with boats bobbing in the river, sandy beaches, rocky beaches, a lighthouse, many historic cottages and heritage buildings. Endless painting subjects.

The trip along the Great Ocean Road has views of the rugged coastline with its famous 12 Apostles, and stories of shipwrecks. The journey then took us through the beautiful Otway National Park with its towering trees, bracken and tree ferns.

                                                               At Apollo Bay harbour there were small rowboats, a fishing fleet with nets, buoys and of course the sweeping surf beach with its turquoise waves.  More clicks of the camera shutters.

The next morning the weather gave us intermittent sunshine and rain    showers. A walk to Marriners Falls had us photographing tree ferns with raindrops hanging from their tips and tall gum trees and tree ferns with sunlight shining on them if we were patient enough to wait for a sunburst in-between the showers.

Needless to say I can’t help thinking Victoria is one of the most beautiful and varied states in Australia and just can’t wait to create some more natural art paintings – that’s if I can get to do them in-between the gorgeous yellow sunflower and flame lilies that are beckoning me from the garden.

So keep watching, there’s going to be some great new Natural Art paintings coming up.