Australian Watercolour Institute 94th Annual Exhibition.

One of the themes I return to again and again is that of decay. Rusted metal, dried up plants, fallen leaves... I love to depict the beauty in the unexpected.

I guess one of the reasons they appeal is that those subjects have interesting colour and texture. Take a leaf, for example. So many species, so many colours. Some have darker veins, some lighter - lots of techniques can be used to depict them. There are also so many shades of green, with or without other colours. I often tell my students that if they were to just find and paint a new leaf every day they would learn so much about drawing, colour mixing and painting with watercolour.

'Fallen Colour' watercolour. A3 Arches medium paper.

The subject that I first started drawing about 35 years ago is the dried Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise). They appeal for the line-work that is to much fun to explore with a pen. These grew in my garden and remained on the plant until they had dried up completely. I've used Sailor 1911 EF and Pilot Falcon pens with De Atramentis Document ink to draw the lines, and watercolour in a range of earth pigments to paint them. 

'Past Their Prime'. Ink and Watercolour, Arches medium 300gsm watercolour paper A2.

Those on Instagram (janeblundellart) may have seen some photos and videos of both of these paintings in progress.

They'll be exhibited at the 94th Annual Australian Watercolour Institute exhibition at Juniper Hall, 250 Oxford Street, Paddington. Open from 10th June until the 9th July 2017. Closed Mondays.