Aside from a blog my website also allows me to have a forum. It's pretty lo-fi and not at all fancy, but still has the capacity to host discussions - not online chat, just posts that can be replied to and expanded on.

I have recently become pretty disappointed by the way a couple of the art forums that I have frequented in the past have gone. Having met a number of you through forums I really value the opportunity to have some online dialogue, and I know many of you do too....so I thought I might   make use of the forum application within my website and see how things go.

Basically it would be password protected same as the blog page is and we could invite people to join in. I see it as being something small but (hopefully) with some good contribution's and contributors.

I imagine it would focus on anything to do with being an artist - recommended shows, exhibition information, dealing with gallery issues, art supply sales, technical questions....whatever. And of course some humour too!

If you are interested in joining in you can access the forum by clicking on "The Littlest Forum" page on my website, the password is Member. http://www.amandavangils.com/userimages/forum.htm You don't need to create a user profile, just pop in whenever you want, add a new topic, respond to a post or just browse.

Cheers
Amanda

Well all the swap pieces have now found their way to their new homes so the New Year Art Swap is done and dusted.

This is the first Art Swap I have organised and I  had a lot of fun organising it, so a big thank you to Simon, Erika, Steve, Dianne, Jim, David, Claire, Glenn, Jacqui and Vito for taking part. Especially to those of you busy working on shows who still gave the time to making  new work specifically for the swap.

I hope you all enjoyed taking part and seeing all the images posted on the blog... and that you all received something that you are happy to hang on your wall.

I'd love to do it all again next year. I have learnt a few things this time around. The very first thing I would do differently is give more notice - teeing up the players about 3 months in advance.

But I am also wondering if there are other changes I should be making, for example:

• should the size be set at a particular measurement (eg 5"x7"), or should a minimum size be set, or should it just be free reign?
• should the work be only new work, set to work within a time period - say last 2 or 3 years, or should it just be left open?
• should we keep the group quite small (11 participated this year) or try for a bigger number (say 20+)?
• given everyone's busy schedules, is once per annum the ideal timeframe or would people like to see more regular (or less regular) swaps?
• did you like having the information posted on the blog, would you prefer it as a 'forum', or nothing at all?

I'm sure there's other things to think about. I would love to hear everyone's feedback on what they'd like to see done differently / same next year. Please pop your comments in the blog, for general viewing and comment...or you can email me too.

And of course, I'd love to hear who would like to be included next time.

Thanks again everyone.
Amanda

PS If any of you have a show coming up send me the details and I will post them here for everyone else to see.

Well now that the New Year Art Swap has officially ended the swap seems to have   spread it's wings a little more.

Aside from the swaps between myself, Simon and Steve mentioned in a previous post, Erika Gofton has now organised swaps with Dianne Gall, Simon Collins and myself. So now instead of 11 pieces of art involved in this swap, there will be 21 pieces swapped in all. That's an exhibition right there!

I'm not sure on the timeline for Erika's swaps but if there are any images confirmed in the near future I will post them up here.

Cheers
Amanda

The last image is of a very recent painting by Jim Thalassoudis. A fine painting in it's own right, "Nocturne" is also a study for a painting which will be included in his next show at Charles Nodrum Gallery (5th - 28th June).

Simon Collins is the happy recipient of Jim's painting. 

"Nocturne" 2007 Oil on linen board, 25.4 x 10.2cm (10x4 inches)

Well the Art Swap bug has hit some harder than most. I have been lucky enough to have a couple of extra swaps offered to me (I think this must be project organiser's privilege) which of course I have happily accepted.

After knowing Steve Warburton for about 20 years we have FINALLY organised to do a swap in March   - we have been talking about it for around 5 years but this project seems to have given us just the push we needed.

And Simon Collins, who I have swapped with before, and who has been very busy in the studio has swapped me his "Subi (Oatley)" 2007 oil on board 5"x7" for

my painting "Tumbling" 2006 oil on linen 8"x6"

Lucky, lucky me. Thanks guys.

Well I've had a few emails letting me know that pieces have been sent and some already received. 

I rather love the thought of all our art works flying through the air courtesy of Australia Post. These little treasures carefully wrapped and trusted to the postal service who could be processing bills and catalogues for all they know. 

Some people have asked me to pass on their thanks to the artists who created their piece. You can do this easily in the blog by adding a comment. At the bottom of each post you will see a comments box like this ->  Click on the little envelope to leave a comment.

You might want to let us know you have posted your piece, or you might like to let everyone know that you received your piece. .. or you might just want to make a comment on any of the pieces.

Well I thought it's about time I posted up an image of the piece that I will be sending to Jacquie Comer. So here is Art Swap piece number 10 "Ready, Setty, Go!"

"Ready, Setty, Go!" 2006, oil on canvas, 19cm x 14cm (8" x 6")

Number Nine is Claire Busuttil Bridge's "The Shot Tower" This fresh, sketchy work is our second mixed media piece and will soon be making it's home with David Brayshaw.

Our first print, "Stellar Nursery V" is an archival digital print from Jacqui Comer. This lovely piece is headed off to Dianne Gall.

More than halfway through....here is the seventh image.

This one is a watercolour pencil on paper by Vito Manfredi and will be going to Erika Gofton.

"Peer Group" 2005, watercolour pencil on paper, 30cm x 21cm.

Number six is from the wonderful Dianne Gall.

"Naughty Luci", 2007, Oil on linen on board, 14.6 x 14.6cm (5 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches)

Luci, the female Lucifer, is a Bobble Head Devil Girl! Naughty Luci will be heading off to live with Vito Manfredi. Thanks Dianne.

I've been really excited to see the various pieces as images have come through.

Artwork number 5 is by Glenn Locklee. It's the first mixed media piece - charcoal, oil paint and fabric on board. Picnic Point will be winging it's way from NSW to Jim Thalassoudis in SA.

Picnic Point, 2007, charcoal, oil paint and fabric on board, 27cm x 20cm.

Another lovely painting. This one is by Steve Warburton, and will be going to Glenn Locklee.

Untitled 2008, oil on masonite 23cm x 21cm.

Here's another one; this time a very beautiful painting by David Brayshaw.

David's painting is appropriately titled "Moonlight Study" and this one is coming to live with me. Thanks Dave!

"Moonlight Study" 2007 oil on canvas on board 7"x 5"

The next 'cab off the rank' is Simon Collin's painting "Newtown XP", which will soon be winging it's way to the home of Steve Warburton.

"Newtown XP" 2007, oil on board, 12.5cm x 17.5cm

Thanks Simon for being one of the first to show your pic. I'll post mine soon too.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the positive comments you've emailed through about the Art Swap. I have really enjoyed organising it and am so grateful that you were all keen to take part.....I'm hoping to do it all again - even bigger and better - next year.

I am about to head off to sunny Hervey Bay in Qld to spend Christmas with the family (no I'm not from Qld, they migrated there).

I'll be back on the 29th and will upload any images of the swapped pieces that   come through on my email   while I am away, so pop back in on the 30th and check for any updates.   I am really looking forward to seeing all the pieces.......

In the meantime..have yourselves a very Merry Christmas.

Cheers
Amanda

I have the first image to post from the lovely Erika Gofton.

Erika's piece is from her I Spy series and is going to a very pleased Claire Busuttil Bridge.

" I Spy - Untitled 28" 2002 Oil on Canvas 15 x 15cm

OK. We have 11 final players who each have one person to send something to.

The match ups are totally random. I put all the names in one column and then drew out folded post-it notes with names written inside. I did have to put a couple back in and redraw when I matched Simon up with Simon and Jim with Jim, but otherwise there was no interference.

• Steve Warburton sends to Glenn Locklee
• Simon Collins sends to Steve Warburton
• Vito Manfredi sends to Erika Gofton
• Jim Thalassoudis sends to Simon Collins
• Jacqui Cormer sends to Dianne Gall
• Glenn Locklee sends to Jim Thalassoudis
• Erika Gofton sends to Claire Busuttil Bridge
• Dianne Gall sends to Vito Manfredi
• David Brayshaw sends to Amanda van Gils
• Claire Busuttil Bridge sends to David Brayshaw
• Amanda van Gils sends to Jacqui Cormer

I'll send on postal addresses to everyone via email. Works should be sent out by the 10th January. If you have a piece ready to show up on the blog please email it through - I would love to see everyone's pieces and am sure everyone else would too.

Happy Swapping!

We now have one more player confirmed; Jacqui Cormer. Jacqui is a painter/printmaker and friend of Erika's - thanks Erika for passing on the invite.

An examples of Jacqui's work is below and more can be seen at: http://www.charleshewitt.com.au/artist_display.php?art=Comer_Jacqui

Blushing Vista V, oil on canvas 45x61cm

Hi All,

I am so pleased that you have all agreed to play. I think we have a great 'class of punter' which should make for a very satisfying swap. I imagine that anyone playing will be happy to receive a piece from anyone else in the group....well I certainly hope that is the case! I know that I am very excited to know that I will receive a work from any one of you..... Now I am just going to have to get cracking on making something worthwhile.

Cheers
Amanda

Claire Busuttil Bridge
http://www.claire-bridge.com 

Erika Gofton
http://www.erikagofton.com 

Steve Warburton
  http://www.stevewarburton.com 

Jim Thalassoudis
http://www.jimthalassoudis.com 

Dianne Gall
http://www.diannegall.com 

Simon Collins
http://www.simoncollinsart.com 

and me, Amanda van Gils
http://www.amandavangils.com

I love a project and not having a show coming up found myself needing to organise something. So in the great tradition of art swapping, I thought I would try to organise a New Year Art swap amongst friends, and friends-of-friends. I floated the idea with a trusted friend or two and got a very positive response.

The idea was simple....build up our own art collections, contribute to someone else's collection and hopefully get to know   each other's work and meet some new people.

I invited artists from NSW, SA and Vic who all have regular exhibitions (mostly painters). I would have invited artists from other parts of the country but it seems I don't know any.  

Participation is invite only - I sent out the initial invite but everyone who is playing is free to send on the invite to people of their choosing - this way everyone in the group is known by at least one other player.

The guidelines were pretty simple:

• Works can be drawing, painting, photography....whatever your preferred medium is. No theme restriction.
  
• Can be a new work or a pre-existing work. I only ask that it is done by you and that you are happy to send it on to a fellow artist.
  
• As a guide works are to be smallish (about 5" x 7") though each artist is free to offer up a smaller or larger work as they see fit. A size that is easy and inexpensive to post is recommended.
  
• In the tradition of kris kringle, I will put all names in a hat and - without looking - draw out the pairs to swap. The person you will send a small work to may or may not be the same as the person who will send to you (luck of the draw). I can't accept requests for swaps. The only caveat on this is that if two people who live together participate and their names get drawn out for each other, I will redraw their names.
  
• Christmas is too soon, and frankly too busy for most, so I aimed for New Year. Works are to be posted out by New Years Eve, though I think we can allow a buffer of a few days for hangover recovery. Please let me know when you have sent off your piece.
  
• To accept the invite, please email me including the address you would like your new artwork to be sent to (I can act as go-between if you want to keep your address private)

I will be posting updates on this blog. If everyone is comfortable with it, I would like to post images of all the artworks that get swapped.

Come back in a few days to see who is playing!

Cheers
Amanda