Baskets

I did a Basket Weaving with Natural Materials workshop today with Gippsland basketweaver Pat Dale. I have had her book for about 6 months, and jumped at the opportunity to do a workshop with her.

The basket is mostly made with materials that Pat has found locally or grows in her garden. Willow, watsonia, NZ flaz, bannana trunk, pandanus(?), native vines, reeds and button bush.

I’ve bought enough materials home to make another one and I want to incorporate fabric and yarn in it.

I have also cast on for a lace scarf, but there isn’t much to show yet, so perhaps in the next day or so.

Plus, I’m trying to go through “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” in an attempt to improve my drawing skills. I’ve got the book out of the library, so I’m trying to devote an hour a day to the book over the next couple of weeks. I’m going to be doing some blind contour drawings tonight.

I am hoping that I can improve, because my lack of drawing skill is starting to be a real hinderance in my art work.

Posted in House | Leave a comment

Cheers

Thanks for the congrats about my wins at the Traralgon Show :-).

I think I’m sick or something though, or perhaps still tired from last weekend. I’ve been missing my spark over the last few days, a bit headachy and a bit stuffy, but generally just tired.

I am also very sad today because Singapore will, this morning, hang a young Australian man, Van Nguyen. What a wretched waste.

Leave a comment

Winner!

Handspun Article – First!
Handspun Skein – First!

PLUS Best in Class (fancywork) for Kirishawl.

I am totally chuffed. Riscy took me out for dinner tonight to celebrate! The firsts in the handspun class were great, but I knew the competition wasn’t too fierce, but the CHAMPION of the whole class had me dancing around the place today because it was against all knitting, sewing etc. YAY!!

Posted in Linocut | 5 Comments

Reflections

These charcoal and pastel pieces remind me of reflections you can get on road surfaces at night when it is wet. I also scratched and errased the surface, taking the top layer of the paper off in some locations. I really like the effect.

I have not recovered from my weekend. Today I was such a zombie at work I left a noon and slept most of the afternoon. I’m tired again now, so I think my body is in major protest about the shinanigans on the weekend.

At least I’m in a better situation than Kate who flew back to the US on Sunday night and was back at work today. She’s a ski instructor in Utah. I think she is gonna do it tough for a few days.

The wedding was lovely. Chelsea’s fella is a really nice bloke and I think they will have a great time together. The effort she put into planning the event really paid off and it was a terrific day.

I was also pleased to spend some time with my sister Megan and her family, including my nephew Jacob 🙂 He has grown so much and is starting to say a few words, he is making eye contact much more now which is a credit to Megan and Brett and their patience and love.

Posted in Misc | Leave a comment

I’m Back

I’ve been up since 4am, but awake for way longer since my flight was at 6am … you know, when you need to wake up really early and you are afraid you will sleep through the alarm so you wake up every 15mins all night long. I actually mistakenly booked the flight that early (on the net)and the lesson is now learned.

So I’m not in any fit state to blog intelligently tonight. Except I want to say that I was exceptionally lucky today to get a tour of the State Library of Victoria from Greg, an old aquaintance from my time at Jane Franklin Hall at the University of Tasmania. He works in the manuscripts section… how cool is that. I really REALLY enjoyed the exhibition called Lost and Found. The work of two artists who undertook residencies at the Library. I’ll do links and stuff tommorow.

Leave a comment

Away Away

I’m flying to Tasmania tonight. I’m not packed and oh so slightly panicked… so I’d better start list making. I have to go to work this morning but I think I’ll leave earlier than planned so I can get organised.

My fears were unfounded about being voted off ‘Survivor Style’ (although I’ve never watched even an episode of that show, so I don’t know what I’m talking about). We were elected unopposed, there are 4 community rep spots on the committee and there were 3 candidates. I didn’t have to make a speech, last year there were 6 candidates and I had to make a speech… I didn’t know anyone, so it was quite easy.

I didn’t produce a single scrap of art yesterday. In the end I was too tired and flopped on the couch watching the second film in the Koyaanisqatsi Trilogy called Powaqqatsi directed by Godfrey Reggio and film scored by Philip Glass

I’m catching the train to Melbourne today and I plan to do some sketching and thinking. Hopefully that work will get me over the line with my ClaArProMo committments.

Leave a comment

I can see this will be a rush

I just spent an hour and a half producing a heap of shit. I ripped off the worst bit and present the rest to you as ClaArProMo No 22.

Melanie Testa linked to this amazing site yesterday, Tom Judd’s Everyday. I am totally in awe of what this bloke has accomplished in one year. Check it out.

I’m flying to Tasmania on Thursday. Just a weekend visit, but lots of preparation to be done, including getting my entrys ready for Traralgon Agricultural Show which is on this weekend. I’m going to the Royal Tasmanian Wine Show Tasting on Friday night, as well as Chelsea’s wedding and visiting my sister and nephew.

Tommorow I’m running for re-election to the Advisory Committee of our Regional Gallery. I’m not a good politician… I am used to the robust discussions in my workplace where, suprisingly, I happily speak my mind and throw in my opinions (and where I’m often the most junior by a long way and generally the only female). This method doesn’t seem to go down well in this committee and perhaps I’ll be voted off, like survivor LOL.

Posted in Misc | 2 Comments

Quickly

I’m posting this very quickly in my lunch hour. I did this monoprint the other night after I blogged the other ones. I think it is probably the best of all of them.

Last night I had to get my skein of wool spun for my entry into the Traralgon Show. It is soaking at the moment and I’ve got to hang it to dry before I head back to work.

I’ll blog some more tonight.

Posted in Misc | Leave a comment

A little bit of art, a little bit of Cricket

I also decided to try out the Hahnemuhle paper for relief printing. As mentioned before, it is a soft paper with a fair amount of texture.

This is an image taken from a magazine. I almost wouldn’t count it for ClaArProMo because it looks too much like a tracing, but desperate times call for desperate measures… besides, I added my own bit by including the torn edge as part of the image.

Then I wanted to try out my 300gsm Hahnemuhle Paper.

So the verdict on the Hahnemuhle is that it is good for the sort of monoprinting I am doing, both weights pick up the line very nicely. I can develop my technique further to really control the shading and experiment with differnt implements for making lines. I think I’ll always get a very texured effect because of the paper. I’m glad I tried the Arches Hot Pressed paper though as I know I can get a very fine image using it… I’ll have to save up though LOL

Whist working at the dining room table today I also half listened to the cricket. Australia is playing a test match against the West Indies at Belerive Oval in Hobart. I love watching cricket at that oval because it still has a grassed area for spectators to sit on. Much better than sitting in an uncomfortable grandstand all day.

Riscy threw all my junk into my work room on Friday so it is now a very uninviting place to work… It’s a fine line for me. I can’t work in clutter, but I hate to clean, a catch 22 which causes me to spread my stuff through out the house.

Posted in Misc | 3 Comments

Warning

Never linocut when tired or under the influence of a glass of wine because mistakes will be made and tears will be shed.

So, I decided to do some little paintings.

Riscy’s foot seems to be getting worse, it is still swollen and puffy and bruised down near the heel. He even used the crutches again this morning. It didn’t help that he cleaned the house and cooked for our little dinner party last night. I feel pretty bad now that I didn’t step in and take over. But the kitchen is his domain really and he was in charge. He needs to learn some delegation skills, something I have no trouble with LOL.

So to make up, I was in charge today. I even ground the coffee and percolated it for him (I’m a tea drinker and it has all been a mystery to me ’til now). I also did a bacon and egg breakfast and cooked a lamb curry for dinner 🙂 It was so tender, probably a combination of the good meat from the butcher and my simmering it all for an hour. I’m gonna have to eat some veges tomorrow LOL.

Posted in Misc | Leave a comment