Cath Sheard Art

Author: Catherine Barker-Sheard

  • Paint everywhere!! It’s a good thing…




    I’ve got back into painting in the last couple of weeks. My Aunt has (sort of) settled into her resthome, Mum is getting better, work has slowed a little – so out came the brushes…

    I joined an abstract/contemporary artists community at http://www.wetcanvas.com. Seeing their work, and sharing some of my own, has clarified some things for me. I’ve been feeling more and more drawn to abstract art, both in terms of what I paint and what I view.

    But with the change in interest came all sorts of questions. Was I making “real” art? Did it need “talent” or was I just “fluffing round”? Did any of that matter as long as I was enjoying myself?

    I’ve realised what matters is that I pursue my passion – and my current passion is abstraction. So I’m painting for all I’m worth and trying not to worry about what anyone else thinks.

    The two middle paintings were inspired by the idea of Mt Egmont erupting. There’s been quite a bit in the media lately about the idea that Mt Egmont – only an hour from here – could well erupt in the next 50 years or so. Then my brother-in-law sent me a journal article about how geologists are realising global warming can cause mountains to collapse. They used Mt Egmont as an example that has collapsed at least twice in the past.

    Thanks for looking 🙂

  • CC06

    We cropped, we shopped, we scrapped!!!! It was GREAT.

    Okay, what am I on about? Last weekend was Crafting Connection 2006 in Wellington, run by Kiwiscraps – the best scrapbooking retailers downunder.

    I did 9 classes in all, and scrapped till I thought my eyeballs were gonna fall out LOL. Natalie, another librarian, went with me to Wellington and we had a blast. She shopped, I cropped, we ate great food, slept well, and bought heaps of new scrapping supplies. Excellent… We’re saving up for next year.

    I bought home some unfinished projects cos some of the classes were really fast paced – and have since finished most things. Which is seriously cool, cos sometimes unfinished projects kind of, well, stay unfinished…

  • At least I did something :-)


    Okay, so it’s not exactly a major piece or work – but it was good to get the paints out and do something. Now I have blue/purple fingernails – so situation normal 🙂


    Pity the scanner has added stripes across the top where there aren’t any LOL


    Mum is in the hospital wing of a resthome for about 8 days – the hospital said she was too sick to come home but not sick enough to take up a bed when they’re jam packed already. So they recommended the hospital wing – and Mum likes it, so that’s good.


    This week I’m off to Auckland for a 4 day course – so I’ll take a few art supplies and a journal with me and make the most of the long evenings. Hopefully that will kick-start some creative habits again. I’m finding the longer I don’t do any real art, the grumpier I get!!!

  • And on the mend again

    Mum came out of hospital yesterday. She’s not right exactly, but she is improving. As always, it will take a while and she won’t get back to quite as good as she was.


    She moves with all the speed of a herd of turtles stampeding through a field of peanut butter… But she is very determined.

    Last night I found her sitting on her bed, waving her arms round. When I asked what she was up to, she said she was doing the muscle strengthening exercises they had shown her in hospital. Good on her!!

    So, life reverts to semi-normal – until next time…

  • Sometimes other things are more important than art..


    I’m not really doing any art at the moment. Mum’s been sick for a bit and on Thursday we took her to hospital in the ambulance – again 😦

    She has got worse since; things are not going that well. I know painting would calm me, but I have zero concentration. I’m not sleeping very well – I was finally sound asleep this morning and the hospital rang at 7am and woke me. Of course I thought the worst, but they were just updating me on her progress. Nice of them, but..

    So, we watch and wait and pray. Not the first time we’ve been through this, and hopefully (probably) not the last.

    Stay warm everyone.