Learning a new Technique

Each exhibition I try to learn a new technique. I appreciate the mystery and excitement, the meeting of new people and sharing of knowledge. With my initial paintings in mind, I tried to work out which method would be appropriate. How to show the mysterious and uniqueness of the seen and unseen I appreciated in our garden . . . in a new way. 

initial - oil on canvas

With my knowledge of jewellery making I realized that the method of fret-work I used in silver-smithing would be ideal for what I wanted. To remove rather than to add. To create the what-if of the design. To allow for movement through the creation of depth and shadows.

initial painting - oil on canvas

However, I wanted the work to be in metal and of a size approximating an A4 sheet. I knew I did not want to do the work by hand-saw. Asking around I learnt that I could have the work fabricated from metal, if I produced Vector files. What on earth was a Vector file?????

I started by drawing the designs I required for each basic human need, and then cutting the nine works out of paper, I then scanned the cut works into the computer, so I could use photo-shop to start the long process of manipulating the images.

 

Asking around I learnt that I needed Adobe Illustrator to make Vector files.  Attending a course in Illustrator at The Edge, in the State Library, I then routinely returned to the computer lab to spent months using you-tube and the assistance of helpful staff, to learn how to make Vector files from my drawings. In the process of making the files I learn I could attend an induction course to learn to use the laser cutting machine they had on the premises in their fabricating studio.


The Edge Fabrication lab

I applied, but for months the machine was fully booked. In desperation I rang the edge and was informed I could attend the Wednesday Bump-in session, where you can use the machine for thirty minutes. . . . enough for one design to be cut.

BEING, HAVING, DOING and INTERACTING

LEISURE

Attending weekly, I managed to cut three works from 4mm ply and instantly I knew they were what I wanted..

FREEDOM

But, suddenly I was well into 2018 and I was only just finishing my images to convert to Vector files, while the laser cutting was a weekly trial in patience. The possibility of finishing all nine images seemed impossible. . . however I kept examining our garden, reading about gardens and working on my images.

AFFECTION

I visited a fabricator to discuss having the Vector images laser cut from metal, however when they tried loading the files into their machine, they crashed the machine. My images were far too detailed and I needed them created with auto-cad, not illustrator . . . ahhhhh!!! Panic.

What to do?

Never give up.

While I tried to learn coral-draw and auto-cad, I worked on some of the other images to represent the nine fundamental humane needs. 

 

PARTICIPATION

Meanwhile, each week, on a Wednesday at the bump-in session at The Edge, I managed in thirty minute sessions to cut out another one or two laser cut images in 4mm ply. 

PROTECTION

With each cut I was starting to appreciate the 4mm ply. I liked the fragility, the weightlessness. The ephemeral quality of thin ply.

I started experimenting with painting and mono-printing the cut-outs. . . .  it had possibility.

All I needed to do was make and cut the remaining works.  All nine of them, when it had taken me three months to complete three . . . help!!!

UNDERSTANDING

5WAYS

Hanging an exhibition is an exhausting process which requires hard work, co-operation, assistance and a good eye. Fortunately we had a generous dollop of all qualities supplied by the 5 exhibitors, family members and friends -  resulting in a two day assembly - which eventually culminated in an extremely cohesive display  . .  A huge Thankyou



 

 

 Deciding where to hang each individual piece so that it works as a whole is not an easy task . . . thank goodness we all have an abundance of humour . . .

 Sculpture, ceramics, installations, paintings and wall art from various artists, with entirely individual ways of working, does not automatically work together  - without serious thought and lots of juggling . . .

Painting - Sharon Lee  

Sculpture - Lyn Derrick   

Installation - Lily Karmatz

Ceramics - Linda Back          Ink on paper - Kate Cooke

The past two years being influenced by Ikebana and the 'Do' has been an extremely enjoyable process . . .A mammoth thankyou to Lily, Linda, Lyn and Kate from me - and to my family for their endless support and good humor throughout - you are all wonderful.
Time to go home, recharge our batteries, and get our glamour-rags out for the Exhibition opening of 5WAYS . . .

Brisbane to Bargara

Brianna is in Bundaberg - Bargara for two weeks for work, and invited me to share some time with her.

C Bargara Resort

Brianna and I enjoyed the exhibition, at the Bundaberg Regional Galleries - 'Strong Women Strong Painting Strong Culture', curated by Deborah Sims and Matt Dickson . . .as Sunday 8th March was International Women’s Day! The exhibition was originally curated in 2011 for the Centenary of International Women’s Day and has been touring ever since. 

We thoroughly enjoyed the video of the women teaching their grandchildren the art of 'fighting for their man' and 'basket weaving'.

We adored our visit to Mon Repos Regional Park. Rangers and volunteers walked with us, under a full moon shimmering on the ocean, to watch a batch of Loggerhead turtles hatch, and then make their way to the water. Approx, only one in a thousand make the return trip.

Lavender farm, Gelato, Bundaberg distillery, eating out, shopping, walks and then more Gelato . . . and staying on the esplanade in a studio apartment at C Bargara resort with ocean views . . . . all very nice!!
Yes! Thank you for the invite gorgeous. . . .