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Luxury Whitsunday Resort Hangs Samantha Beau Originals

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As an artist you always want that “BIG” gig, the one that gives you world class exposure and traffic.

My opportunity came 18 months ago when I was asked to paint two pieces for the refurbishing of luxury hotel, Coral Sea Resort in Airlie Beach, gateway to Australia’s premier islands, The Whitsunday Islands.

The brief was for two pieces, both using charcoals and subdued tones, a particular red and reflecting the reef.

Obviously the less ambiguous the better however this request did through me for a brief moment.

I presented a few concepts trying to artistically capture what was within the interior designers mind.

Finally we got there. Two large abstract pieces, flowing in nature, indicative of the Great Barrier Reef with it’s channels and bright flecks of iridescent blue.

Coral Sea REsort
Commission

The resort is amazing fringed along the foreshore leading from the main port to the Coral Sea Marina.

The Rocks is a pool bar that offers music with the setting sun, a cracking wine list and bar style food. I recommend staying at the resort but if you can’t stop by for a Sunday session and watch the sun go down after exploring my art works.

The first of Mystics are in the board room and the second you will find on the second floor by the lift.

I have a third piece in the hotel and my favourite by far.

I painted it to reflect the reef and water and was my submission for the 2019 Luxembourg Art Awards.

The Great Barrier Reef Samantha Beau
140 x 170
Commission

You will find this beauty in suite 201 which is a grand room with views over the Coral Sea, islands, pool and with it’s own gallery.

The resort is uplifting and the spa rooms amazing. I highly recommend staying and exploring the region and my art works.

Click here to make a booking and click here to follow me on instagram.

Bay Street Pop Up Art Exhibition

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Four days in and I can say the pop up art exhibition Meanwhile on the Border has been a success.

Despite challenges with covid restrictions being introduced on the opening night and non stop rain over Easter, the gallery has had many people visit and three pieces have so far, sold.

Considering there are very few art galleries in the Coolangatta-Tweed area, the arts are well loved and I sense people would like to see a full time art gallery evolve from this pop up in a vacant shop front.

The opening night had all the pizazz that makes art exhibitions so much fun. Wine, sushi, fun and even the media to take photos for the social pages.

Here are a few memories of the first few days.

Carnivale

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Carnivale, Venice

Pin on The way I see it…

I have long loved this quote and understood it’s potent message.

When people are forced to show their true face and speak their truth, all sorts of editing and voices play around in their heads. Give them a mask and freedom is suddenly discovered and truths told.

In 2019 my sister suggested we visit Carnivale in Venice for my birthday.

What a great idea.

I flew in from Australia and she flew in with her partner, from the UK.

Venice is spectacular with it’s canals, food and northern Italian luxuries, but add another level of WOW with Carnivale.

People dressed up, masks, frivolities, music, festivals and endless dreaming.

Here I was trying to get my jet-lagged mind around the magnitude and magnificence of Carnivale. The festival which runs for 14 days dates back 1000 + years and it a true party and festive time.

I highly recommend going if you can.

This piece is a celebration of all my memories of Canivale. Including a naked woman who was being painted at a mask ball I attended.

The arch ways, the drops, the colour summazing an amazing experience once upon a time.

Oil on Canvas

Pine float framed

63.5cm x 1.55cm

$3750 USD

Madrid Skyline

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Madrid Skyline

Fortunately in 2018 during a visit to southern France, my sister suggested a rendez-vous in Madrid with her flying in from London and me training down from San Sebastian.

Prior to this suggestion I hadn’t really had the “Madrid Urge” and had simply pidgeon-holed the city as somewhere I didn’t need to go this life time. How wrong was I?!

My favourite tour guide in the world, my grandma, had told me about The Prado, Museo Reina Sofa and others, but I thought it might be a bit boring. Very very off point!

Just like MOMA in New York, The Lourve in Paris and the Tait in London, the art galleries in Madrid are the holy grail for artists. As is the many hundreds of art galleries, street art and culture.

I feasted on the visual sights and fed my soul.

The hotel we were staying in had a fantastic roof top bar, fashioned from a van.

I am not sure how it got up there but it was a funky addition to the central hotel. From the skyline one’s eye could stretch out over Madrid. It wasn’t until that first encounter with the skyline that I appreciated how BIG Madrid was.

What also expanded my view on Madrid was the myriad of steeples telling the story of Madrid’s rich history.

I sat and painted trying to capture the chapters of history unfolding before me silhouetted against a European Autumn sky.

Over the next two days were visited the famous fish and food markets, otherwise known as Mercado de San Miguel. Small food vendours offer incredible pinxos and tintos from all over Spain, but particularly Madrid in flavours. I loved it!

From sea urchins, to fish tartare to Octapus and deserts. It is a lively market and well worth the visit.

The skyline has always been something I wanted to capture large scale and whilst I haven’t based my current exhibition around this theme, I could and never run out of subject matter.

The piece I will be presenting at my upcoming pop up art exhibition is one that captures the skyline and the fish market in one. Zoom in on the bottom right and you will see the seafood that Spain is infamous for whilst the eyes are drawn to the intriguing spirals of the Madrid sky, very much like mine were.

Oil on Canvas

101 x 101 cm

Stretch Canvas

$1800