This blog has moved...

Please note:: This blog has moved.

http://jackiezhu.com/blog/

Yoki The Dragon

I came across the most funky dragon I have ever seen this morning and it just happens to have the same name as my Step-Daughter!

Check her out;

Made by fabrickitchen.

My first Feature on a blog!

Hello my lovely readers!

I have been featured on Maddobling's blog today! I am very honoured as I love reading Samara's Dusty Diva's features. Thank you so much Samara!
 

Shop Makeover

I have finally given my store a bit of a makeover with a new banner and avatar. It reminds me of Liquorice allsorts! Let me know what you think TigerWings.

My first blog giveaway!

I have been planning this for a while but couldn't decide what to give away. I finally decided that original ACEO's may be a good idea for my fist giveaway. So, the winner will receive not one but TWO original ACEO's! The first is an Oil Pastel painting on thick Oil Sketch paper. The Second is a watercolour on watercolour paper.

 So, what do you have to do to win? Simply follow my blog and leave a comment to let me know. To receive multiple entries post about this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook or Twitter and leave the link in my comments section to let me know. 

Competition closes at 3pm Thursday 28th October 2010.

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1.02.28

You thought I had disappeared right?

Ok so I am a little embarrassed at how long it has been since my last post, but I want to assure you that I am still around and have been working. 

For over a month now I have been slowly working on a drawing for my Worlds Collide Series.  I have never taken this long on a single drawing and I have to admit that it is driving me crazy however I think my patience is paying off. I will post some pics of it soon.

I have also been playing around with some ideas and techniques and I now realise that I should probably be posting about them also. I will add some WIP's over the weekend so you can see what I am working on.

2 New Series...

Apologies for my absence lately. Things have been incredibly busy and while I may appear to have disappeared, I have been working on two new series.

They are;
1. Eastern Treasures:: This is based on my photos from my recent trip to China but with a twist. I am westernizing them whether this means changing the colours, medium or style. The reason for this is not because I do not LOVE traditional Chinese art, but simply that I am trying to create something unique. 

2. World Collide:: This is something I have been planning for a very long time. Here is where it came from... when I look at someone or meet someone, I don't see race or colour, I see a person. I truly believe that we are all equal and genuinely forget that some of my friends are of a different race. So, my idea is to create lots of paintings and drawings of women (which we all know I love) in different types of traditional dress and backgrounds. e.g. an African woman in a Chinese dress. It's difficult to explain but you will understand once you see them. I literally finished my first drawing of this series a few minutes ago. 


Let me know what you think.




 

I was very excited to discover that my painting 'Rashida' was featured in a treasury this morning.

Seeing Red

Hong Kong/Chinese Holiday April - May 2010

As most of you are probably aware, I couple of weeks ago I returned from the most amazing country. I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in China with my husband (who is Chinese). We traveled to Beijing together for 5 days and went on a tour, visiting several tourist sites. It was the most amazing two weeks of my life and was definitely an eye opener.  

We then spent some time in Taicheng (my husbands hometown) before heading to Hong Kong and doing so serious shopping. I didn't buy much but I enjoyed browsing. I have to admit that the markets frightened me a little. The people are crazy and the Sales People chase you to try to make a sale but it was fun. 

Below are just a few pics...

Busy, Busy, Busy...

It has been a while since I have blogged and I am feeling extremely guilty. Things have been a little crazy for me at the moment as I have so much happening! 

1. I am going to China on Thursday 22nd April 2010 for a little over two weeks. Hubby is Chinese so I am going to meet his family for the first time and doing a little site seeing. This will be my first time overseas so I am very excited!

2. I have been helping my sister plan my mothers 50th Birthday on 26th June. I have just finished the invitations this morning! Trying to arrange a party interstate is a little difficult but it all seems to be coming together. 

3. I am helping a friend arrange her Engagement part on 3rd July and her wedding in July 2011 as I am her Chief Bridesmaid. 

4. And I am currently interviewing candidates for two positions in my day job and several of these have had to be held after hours.

So I am finding it difficult at the moment to keep up with chatting on Etsy/Dust, blogging, Twittering, Facebooking and updating my website but I am determined to find the time.

I won some Art Prints from one of the most amazing Artists...Deann Acton!

I came across Caya Papaya's store one morning by chance and I loved her work so much that I decided to take a look at her blog. I was very excited when I discovered that she was holding a giveaway so I decided to enter. I didn't think I was going to win and had already decided that I would be purchasing the prints if I didn't but to my surprise I won! I was so excited on Thursday when I received the most amazing package - it was an Artwork in itself. I have to share the pics with you...

Check out the envelope! Stunning isn't it?! And each print came in it's own transparent envelope!

That card was stunning. It is the small details that made this package spectacular!

I loved Deann's note so much that I had to share it. I hope she doesn't mind...

And here are the prints I received. She is VERY talented. Please visit her shop and her blog. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/deannacton

http://caya-papaya.blogspot.com

Thank you SO much Deann! I love the prints!!!

Some more of my Artwork from my Teens

On the right is a pic of Linz (FaerieMajikk)

Just for fun....some of my Art from my Teens...

I found some of my old Artwork from my teens when I went home for Christmas and I thought it would be fun to post some. These are from when I was 14 to 17 years old.

Wednesday Wishlist!

In case you haven't noticed, I love paintings of women and trees and that is what has inspired this weeks wishlist. I hope you appreciate these amazing Artworks as much as I do!

Do yourself a favour and check out their Stores!

My New Website!!!

Hello All!

I just wanted to let you know that I have finally created my website! I am very excited about it as it is something that I have wanted to do for a long time! I will be adding some discounts and promotions very soon so make sure you check back often.

Prints will also be available on my website very soon. I will be making an effort to blog more often now that I have completed the website too.

Thanks and have a fantastic week!

xxx Jacks

Innocent Objects - New (and Old) Artworks

You may have noticed that last night I added some mini Artworks to my store last night which are re-creations of Artworks I completed in 2001.

The above is one of the paintings I submitted for my Year 12 Major Art Assignment. It was my first ever oil painting and I loved it so much that I could never sell it. I have had so many offers to purchase this painting but I am so attached I couldn't bare to part with it. It is one of only a few paintings I have kept in my personal collection. And is one of the only paintings that my husband just loves. He had a small heart attack when he saw me editing the above picture and he said "Please don't sell that painting!".

So here is what it is about:
Have you ever looked at an object and wondered what it has been used for? Take a chair for instance. It's just a chair. An innocent object used to seat a person while having dinner, or working or painting right? But what if that was not all it was used for. What if, without you being aware it had been used for a horrific crime like murder?

This is what I based my Year 12 Major Artwork on. The Series was called "Innocent Objects". I was reading books about Serial Killers and I was particularly interested in Jeffrey Dahmer who in my opinion, was one of the most evil people in the history.

Butterfly DUST

I was very excited to wake up this morning only to discover that one of my ACEO's had been included in a Treasury.

If you would like to see the treasury click here.

Mademoiselle G

Late last year I was very lucky winner of some prints from the very talented
Mademoiselle G


I also received some Christmas tags which were so beautiful that I couldn't bare to part with them so I selfishly kept them so that I can scrapbook with them =0)

Thank you so much Genevieve! They are more stunning in reality!

I'm back!

Ok so technically I have been back for over a week but I only re-opened my Etsy Store on Saturday. Things have been crazy since I got back and despite the fact that it has taken me a week to open my Store and over a week to write my first post for the year I have been working!

2010 is going to be huge for me I have decided. I am writing myself a strict schedule which I am determined to stick to which will include regular blog posts! I am also aiming to complete at least three drawings or paintings a week (starting next week - he he) which may only be ACEO's but that it a start. I desperately need to add to my Store.

While I was away I thought a lot about what I was going to do with my Art and spoke to another Duster about opening a second Store for Polymer clay items only. She suggested that I just keep the one Store which I am very grateful for as I have decided that I will no longer be selling Polymer items in my Store. I will be removing the items that I have for sale sometime this week as I want to focus on my paintings and drawings. I feel really good about that decision.

I will be uploading some new Artworks this week also.