How do you express your creative side?
Do you paint, draw, write, dance, or do something else to express yourself?
In 1999, I moved to Bali and began full time painting. On the 22nd May, 2008, I met Bayu and within a year, I’d ceased painting and taken up writing instead. He wasn’t keen on me painting male nudes. I wonder why? Sacrificing painting was worth it. My studio quickly became a storage area for our business, Private Ubud Villas, but in late 2024, I found my studio calling me once again.
Getting back to painting.
I knew I needed a stimulus to keep me focused on painting for some of each day, so I employed, Viktor as my assistant and studio manager. He began work in January, 2025 and although he had no experience in the arts, he was keen and that’s what I needed. Under my direction Viktor cleaned out my studio, dumped ruined paintings, refreshed others and within a month I had a working studio again.
I’m not a great painter but I am enthusiastic.
I am not a popular painter, but this has never been my aim. I love colour and to represent images in a semi-realistic way. I paint with large fields of colour, in both an impressionistic and pointillistic style. Google says, “Pointillism is a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image.” Here are a few examples.
Impressionism and Pointillism
Once again Google tells us the difference. “Impressionism, known for its rapid, loose brushstrokes and emphasis on capturing fleeting moments, aims to represent the artist’s subjective experience of a scene. Pointillism, a more scientific approach, uses tiny, distinct dots of pure color to build an image, relying on the viewer’s eye to blend these dots into a unified whole.” Here are a few famous impressionistic paintings.
So, what are my paintings like?
Here are some of my completed paintings and works in progress.
And as said previously, I like to work large, with colour and to paint semi-realistic works.
Here’s a large painting I am still working on.
And then there’s the adapted mural pieces.
In the early years of this century, I often worked as a mural artist in remote Queensland schools. I would photograph the completed murals and when I returned to Bali., I’d copy sections of these murals onto large canvases and paint them in oils. These mural oils actually sold quite well. Here are a couple of them.
During covid I returned to Australia and taught a year 1/2 class at Badu Island in the Torres Strait. Towards the end of my contract in 2022 I worked with students to produce a series of murals. Of course, I photographed these. Below are a couple of them.
Naturally, these photographs became the inspiration for a series of painting I’ve developed with Viktor’s assistance. Below are a couple of them.
What next?
Viktor is employed as my studio manager and assistant, so I am constantly seeking inspiration for our next collection of paintings. I need to keep him busy everyday. On a walk yesterday I photographed a field for Cana lilies. and when I was in Siem Reap at the beginning of this month, I sketched and photographed temples. Next week, I’ll take off with Viktor and Oni my driver for a day to sketch Bali temples. They all become inspiration for the paintings I or we produce.
This is a wonderful reminder not to get locked into one area of creativity. Your paintings are fascinating and really very good, Steve, as is, of course, your writing. So glad you are so creative. Enjoy and this hopefully will encourage others to reach out beyond their comfort zone and try new ventures. Why not?
Your style is you, Steve, bold, brash, bigger-than-life, holding nothing back. It’s so honest, like you’re splashing truth on those canvases. I’m curious, has the return to painting given you inspiration and more energy for writing as well, or are you finding you enjoy one over the other?
Hi Sherry, That is a huge question. There are not enough hours in the day and I am adjusting my priorities. The fine tuning is far from successful and writing is coming in last place and this is not sitting comfortably with me. I have so much new writing to do, editing waiting and the list goes on. But I am 70 and not prepared to beat myself up about poor choices. I’m doing the best I can and will keep fine tuning my life. Hugs to you. Steve
Thanks Susan for your positive feedback. Viktor works with me in my studio and I trust him to help with my paintings. I frequently say, “Nothing is wrong – It just isn’t finished yet.” This encourages him to be a risktaker. Steve.
Great to see you painting again!
Thanks Kristi.
I envy you, Steve. Sadly, I don’t think I have an artistic or creative bone in my body! I just like looking at/reading other people’s endeavours.👍🤣
Thanks for commenting. Come and paint with me and we’ll see how creative you are.
Steve, I feel bad because I can’t get on with my memoir. I wanted to get my blogs done for Peru and Cuba and then I have been busy getting the garden and entertaining and catching up with friends we don’t see for six months as well as helping a couple of sick friends.
I will start again on the travel memoir when we are travelling again next month.
My creativity at home is in the garden or in the kitchen. It’s great that you are painting so much. Do you feel more a sense of achievement from your writing or your art?
Hi Teresa, There just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. That seems to be true for both of us. But we do what we can. I love writing and also painting. I enjoyed your blogs from your South American and Cuba trip. I look forward to reading more of your memoir when you find time, but there is no rush. Enjoy your busy life. Steve
Thanks for sharing Steve. I admire your energy which comes through in everything you do. I look forward to your temple drawings and paintings. I love watercolour as you know but have also been tidying up my Covid diaries, written in 2020 when it was changing our lives so drastically. All my love, see you later in the year with Gemma xx
Hi Gabrielle, What medium are you using for your Covid diaries. I too look forward to catching up later in the year. Steve
Lovely post Steve, thank you.
Will reply properly soon !
Moira
Thanks Moira.