Open for business!!
I’m very excited to announce the launch of my brand new online shop just in time for Mothers Day!! I’ve been wanting to make my artwork available as prints for a while now but for one reason or another it hasn’t happened! Well it seems the stars have aligned and suddenly, I have an online shop!!
You can order prints from:
- My website – See the Buy Prints link in the sidebar. ===>
- Facebook (Click on the ‘Buy Prints’ tab)
- Fine Art America (http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/chantal-handley.html)
Some original artworks are still available for purchase, if you are interested in buying an original or commissioning your own artwork then please contact me! 
“Dreaming”
I recently celebrated 1000 followers on my Facebook page! Yay! It seemed only right, to give something back to all the people who have supported me and my art over the years, so I had a little competition and gave away a drawing!!
The winner was Awen Clement and this is her beautiful sleeping baby!
“Dreaming” – Pastels on Colourfix Paper
The Earth Mother Project
The Earth Mother Project
I have started this project because I have to come to know and respect many Earth mothers and Doulas through my art and my children. These women are a constant source of inspiration to me, their love and strength which has emerged since becoming a mother. I am soon to become a mother to another little bundle and this has only increased my interest in birth, breastfeeding and motherhood! I’m hooked!
The artwork that I create comes from various sources. Much of my art is commissioned by beautiful women who wish to capture the love for their child in a drawing. I have drawn myself in various stages of pregnancy and my children provide a constant supply of inspiration as they grow. I also have photos from my friends and family which I have had the honour to draw!
I thought however that it would be wonderful to encourage ALL mothers who follow my art to participate and get involved!
Please follow the link to The Earth Mother Project to find out more information and to submit your photos.
“Herbal Baby”
I came across this image via The Skeptical Mother and thought it was so beautiful, I just had to draw it! Thankfully I was given permission and here is the result!
“Herbal Baby” – Pastels on Colourfix Paper
Thank you to The Skeptical Mother!
Kye & Dayenara
This year has gone by so quickly and suddenly we are at the end of 2012! My final commission for the year has just left the studio, which means I can start winding down, work on a painting that’s deadline is far enough away to not worry about yet and begin to enjoy the holidays!! :-D
Kye & Dayenara, created in pastels on Canson Mi-Teintes Tex pastel card.
Painting in its new home!
I absolutely love to see my work in its new home and was so happy when I received this photo from a client who commissioned the painting of her children! How great does it look on top of the piano!
Let me know if you would like a unique piece, feel free to contact me at any time.#TwitterArtExhibit
I spent last night drawing my postcard entry for the #TwitterArtExhibit and listening to The Beatles!
This will be the 3rd Twitter Art Exhibition for artist and organiser David Sandum and this year will be held in Los Angeles at the E.U. Gallery. The exhibit is a global exhibition of original postcard artwork which this year will help Art Division, a non-profit organization dedicated to training and supporting underserved youth in LA’s Rampart District.
It’s really easy to take part and heaps of fun!! You have to have a Twitter account, which only takes minutes to sign up for! Follow the #TwitterArtExhibit hashtag on Twitter and become part of the online community. Your art will be showcased as soon as you tweet about it and again when it arrives in LA! I will also include it on my #TwitterArtExhibit Pinterest board.
Everything you need to know is here, so get drawing!!
A new Oil Painting ‘Trust’
The Martin Hanson Awards are over for another year…. relief! I have to admit, entering these competitions is a nerve wracking experience and I’m surprised I enter them at all!!
I placed ‘Trust’ and ‘Beginning’ into the competition and was unsuccessful. They are currently hanging in a room full of wonderful artwork and therefore part of the conversation. Congratulations to the winners and everyone who entered!!
Sneaky Peek inside my Studio.
I love to see people’s work spaces especially their art studios, I even have a Pinterest Board dedicated to them! 
I have to confess I am a reorganisation junkie and usually rearrange my lounge or studio a couple of times a month. But now I think I am finally happy with my art space! I love being in this room, this is my studio.
2012 Rio Tinto Alcan Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards
I have dropped off two artworks this weekend at the Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards. Held in the beautiful Gladstone Art Gallery, this is the 37th annual Art Award supported by local industry and the community. Judging this year is Dr Miranda Wallace, the Curatorial Manager of International Art, Exhibitions & Research at the Queensland Art Gallery. I hope you check out the event schedule and make time to visit and see some great artwork.
Be sure to look for my pastel artwork, ‘Beginning‘, and my new oil painting ‘Trust’.
#TwitterArtExhibit
This is a very exciting post!! A call for artists has been officially put out for the 3rd Twitter Art Exhibit in Los Angeles (insert happy dance).
The Twitter Art Exhibit is a global exhibition of original postcard artwork which will help Art Division, a non-profit organization dedicated to training and supporting underserved youth in L.A.’s Rampart District.
This is the third year for the international #twitterartexibit which is a gorgeous exhibition of handmade artwork the size of a postcard.
In 2011 I submitted a postcard and this year I am so happy to be involved as an Honorary Ambassador!!
“The idea is simple: artists from all over the world receive a call through Twitter social media to create original postcard-sized art, which they mail to a local curator who then exhibits and sells them to benefit a local charity. Artists must have a Twitter account and interact with exhibition organizers to help seed the event.” David Sandum
Submission to the 2011 #twitterartexhibit charity exhibition
Visit the Call for Artists page to see how you can submit your artwork for this wonderful cause!!
The Observer!
Hi Friends! It’s not every day I can say I made the front page of the newspaper! My Star of the Sea school mural was photographed by The Observer newspaper last Friday so I knew my picture would be in the paper at some stage. I received the shock of my life when I picked it up on Saturday morning, I was not expecting to be on the front page! LOL
The finished mural
I posted about my mural and its process in another blog post so if you like, you can read all about it here!
‘Beginning’
As much as a mum wants to have an easy pain-free birth, it can have its complications. To me there is beauty in every birth, whether it be natural or not.
‘Beginning’
Pastel on Mi-Tiente Tex paper 550 x 750 mm
2012
This piece is For Sale.
My Art on YouTube!
I have finally gotten around to creating my own YouTube video. I am so pleased with the result, it’s like a little film trailer for my artwork!!
I think using YouTube as a new place to show my art is going to be an interesting one, it will certainly bring a different group of people to my website and hopefully put my artwork in front of people who might never otherwise have seen it!
Please feel free to share this video, I had such fun making it! xx
Holding Seraya.
A truly beautiful and intimate moment between father and daughter! I am so happy to share it with you! Pastels 29.7 x 42
Ella, commission
This was such a cute commission of a gorgeous little girl! Check out that hair!! I’m getting through the pile of artwork on my desk and also really enjoying meeting new mums and their bubs!
My sale continues until the end of August, if you are interested in a drawing please let me know.
Wedding Gift
It’s been a very busy August. I have a stack of drawings to get through due to my August Sale, and some larger individual commissions to finish.
The latest artwork to leave the studio was for a beautiful couple who were married on the weekend. I think it’s the fastest commission I’ve ever done!! I started drawing last Monday with the client dropping by a couple of times to check on the progress! By Thursday it was finished and being taken to the art shop to be framed. The wedding was on Saturday.
I have posted all the progress shots for this artwork on my Facebook page.
Pastels on Colourfix paper 750 x 550 mm
$40 August Sale.
My sale is officially open to take commissions! I’m taking commissions for 240 x 320 mm pastel portraits. Each one is $40 Aus plus $12 postage & insurance.
I’ll be taking commissions for the month of August or until I hit 25 commissions. I have already received 12 commissions so if you would like one please contact me soon, the sale has been more popular than I thought.
Please contact me at chantal@chantalhandley with your request. Thank you so much for your patronage.
Star of the Sea School Mural
I have just finished my first mural at Star of the Sea primary school in Gladstone. It is the biggest artwork I have ever created – 8 x 3 metres!!!
It took me about 4 days from early morning till late afternoon painting and also a couple of night time stealth missions to project the image on the wall!!
This is the preliminary drawing! I tried to capture elements of the school with the chapel and school motto incorporated with images of Gladstone and Queensland. All with bright fun colours.
The first sketch, not too much detail!!
End of the First Day.
End of the second day and I’ve decided I LOVE painting outside!!
Hard at work!
And the Finished Mural!
Many thanks to Star of the Sea School for letting me paint some artwork on their walls!! I had so much fun and enjoyed every minute of it, I hope I get to do more mural work in the future.
Starry Night
I have been painting a lot lately and realised I haven’t posted in a while! I apologise! ) I was recently asked to recreate my painting ‘Starry Night’ which is of two little boys sitting in a tree.
The original painting is blue, but the lady requested I make it burgundy and pink to suit her decor. I use blue a lot in my paintings, probably due to the fact that I have 3 boys, so using pink was really nice!! It’s ready to be posted out to its new home!
Emily & Olivia
It was so lovely to work on a portrait of these two little girls. I combined a couple of photos of the girls to create the pastel portrait 50 x 70 cm.
I wanted to create a whimsical image of the two girls with lots of pastel colours and capture their beautiful sweet faces.
Fashion Illustration
I have noticed lately that I am drawing more and more fashion illustrations which is my secret love! I think I may have been born in the wrong era, maybe 1930s would have been better suited to my style of drawing and then I’d still be working in Advertising! Illustrating beautiful fashion though and not a Graphic Designer!!
These artworks are for sale in my Etsy store.
