Time . . .

Anyone who knows me well, will have heard my constant lament 'where has this year gone' . . .and this year is no exception. I have neglected to blog as life has been too hectic, but now almost ready for my next exhibition, I can leave a few words and pictures here to prove I have not been completely lazy. . . .though not as busy as some.

Workshops

Kieth Lo Bue workshop at Studio West End, Brisbane

Kieth is an American born Found object Jeweler and Sculptor, living in Sydney Australia. He calls himself a 'Stuffsmith' and when you see his work made from Stuff into Objects of Artwork . . . stuff acquires a whole new meaning.

I adored the man and I enjoyed the workshop - conducted at Studio West End here in Brisbane.

If you are interested Kieth has many web sites and Blogs. Well worth a look.

http://www.keithlobue.com/

Art in the Olives. Fantastic weekend of creativity and mmmmmmmmmmmm gluttony.

 

Myself and a few friends attended the festival to do some Basketry with Therese Flynn Clarke (Winner of the 2012 Caldera Art Award.) We sat on the side of the river, and trying not to be distracted by the scenery, sound of live bands playing music and the smell of food, we used random weave techniques to create sculptural vessels from numerous fibres and cane.

  

 

 Therese Flynn Clarke  Winner of the 2012 Caldera Art Award

The Arts in the Olives is a festival celebrating the creative arts. The festival is a collaboration between the residents of the Lost Worlds Valley and BADCAP - Beaudesert and District Community Art Projects and offers a variety of workshops.

Plenty of great accommodation on offer.

Wide selection of luscious food and operators - cheeses, wine, olives, pickles, sausages, honey and gorgeous baked delights . . . .

Huge selection of workshops. We all agreed we will do Blacksmithing next year.

Fingal Workshop

How glorious to share a week with friends at the beach. . . .being creative.

My latest work - printed, grounds and painted on 100% rag

   

  Sometimes, it is hard to remember we are here to do work! 

Could not resist doing a series of photographs with this huge jelly fish. 

Rusty Roo workshops

I have enjoyed weekends at the Roo with friends in my NEW STUDIO space. . .. (not as many as I would like as we have been busy building the new studio space and bathroom and the pottery studio . . .  .) look forward to the ones organized for later in the year. 

  

 Studio has windows on three walls and double set of doors - great light

Cameron with the help of my Father and Son hauled the mammoth press upstairs into the light filled space with it's wide veranda, with great views. (Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!! )

Cameron and I installed a new bathroom upstairs so that we do not need to go down and out when we need . . .. to go. It is Fantastic.  

Lily - Sculptural art in the Landscape                            Linda Wheel throwing on one of our two new pottery wheels.



Linda firing her pots in Rusty Roo pit. 

Opening the pit after a long slow burn over the week.

Example of results from Pit firing.

Lily creating Ikebana magic throughout the property. Example of my photography which was conducted into the wee hours of the night with the help of torches, wine and lots of laughter. . .

 Something to admire while drinking our wine and watching the sun set.

Flying Arts workshop

Gelatin plate workshop with Flying arts. Great workshop held at the state Library Brisbane

 

Something unrelated

Cameron and I recently attended a costume party . . . (We passed a group of small children on the way and it took all our considerable will power not to jump out of the car and scare them. . . . .  Then Mr Plod said NO!)

Beautiful pair ain't we . . . .NO?

Delivered and in the News

On Saturday we took my entry along to the Tip shop where the hard working endeavour team placed it in safe keeping ready for the publicity shoot and then transportation to the city Library.

I had the opportunity to see a couple of other artists works - Karl de Waal's mixed media was there - (this is but a small piece . . . . .)

 . . . .and Fatima  with her quirky slant on life . . .mmmmmmmmmmmm

Channel 10 news coverage of the Tip Shop Competition 2012. (June 2012) Sharon Lee and her daughter Brianna where interviewed in the video along with the Brisbane Lord Mayor.

Since then I have been talking to some of the industrious people from the Brisbane City council and they expressed how thrilled they are with the selection of art works that they have received as entries for the second year - 2013 tip shop competition.




I have also received the Cannel Ten news segment that ran last year 13/06/2012  - after the competition was finalized.

We were also inteviewed for a segment on the radio. . . . so a very exciting process. Now I can't wait to see all the new work for this year arranged together -

from first May at the Brisbane Square Library - with the launch on the 10th May at 5pm - should be a great night . . .  .

come along - it is a fantastic Library . . . (just feels great and the service is seamless . . .with this lot of art in it - it should be a real treat)

Another soul working on the wasted

I would love to introduce you to a very talented artist who has a macabre and intriguing slant on life and its machinations - Fatima Schelfisch.  Fatima entered the competition last year and was one of the finalists with a groovy Waverly table that I coveted. This year she has created an even finer example of upcycling - and her painterly additions are incredible.

 

These two pictures are examples of some of the art work now found on the discarded item she chose from the tip shop. . . . . I bet the people who discarded this piece of furniture - would now like it back.

To see the pictures on the incredibly creative item of furniture - come along to the Library . . . the one in the city.
Details and dates in last post.

Tipped to shop - again

Tip Shops People's choice Competition, on again

This year there are twenty individuals chosen to enter the annual competition - which of course means I have a lot more competition to win the monetary prize . . .  (but that just makes it far more interesting.)

Walking into the  Acacia ridge Tip shop, I did not need to introduce myself  - they remembered me by my very heavy piece of furniture, which was my entry last year. (Drinks cabinet won in 2012) After talking to the friendly and helpful volunteers,  I walked around to the ringing cries of  "please - something not so heavy this year . . . . " so, with this in mind, I looked for small things.  

46 COLEBARD Street West, Acacia Ridge, 
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneCityCouncil

Endeavour Foundation Tip Shop, Brisbane. http://www.endeavour.com.au/page/shop/tip-shops/

Once again I was confronted by a plethora of items. Would I Mosaic, paint, collage, print or redesign a piece of furniture? SMALL furniture.

Now here i am, with an extraordinary mix of old, new, and items that screamed 'don't go there' and others that I just needed to take home, with no fixed idea of outcome in mind.

I loved the look of them and though I did not know what they would become, I was  sure they had potential... . . .  I think!

I have an old broken light with glass fixtures (one missing, presumed broken) Toys, bowls, plumbing waste fittings, plates, more toys and half an old lamp base . . . . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I want to use as many of the available things that I can, so that my end project will highlight the issue . .. which is, WASTE. . . . NOT to be wasted. . . . .

Not waste, that is rubbish, but waste that is just thrown away and could be given a new life with some cleaning, remodelling and imagination . . . . sometimes that is, LOTS of imagination!

So if you need a something why not try the TIP SHOP and assist the Endeavor Foundation at the same time, while also helping reduce the amount of WASTE that goes into our dump sites.

So now to making something - keep your fingers crossed and I will keep you posted,
Cheers

Go on . . . you never know what you will find . . .
46 COLEBARD street WEST, Acacia Ridge

Where does time go?

The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” ― John Muir

I appear to have neglected to enter anything here for what appears, a very long time.
Yes! Too busy. I hear this all the time, and I think it is because we have so many options - there are just too many great things to do and be involved in.

We have been building at the Roo. A new pottery shed, new bathroom upstairs and the addition of a office/ spare room mmmmmmmmmmmmm all take lots of time. . . .but that said, I know they will all be appreciated. Having Cameron and Arron move my mammoth printing press up to the second story of the building - yep! Up stairs - was a huge task.

The rains have ensured the place is looking spectacular. . . . .but it also encouraged us to plant up other areas . . 

Watching and photographing the wild life is another time waster.

We have hosted a few Artist retreats - which are a lot of fun . . . . . 

 however, that is more time gone.

 

Land and sea mixed media drawings/studies Fingal Heads Artist retreat.

Installation work at the Rusty Roo  

Grounds and Mixed Media at the Rutsy Roo

Then I attended a few Artists retreats at Fingal and The Tweed in NSW - very beautiful places - and Yes! More time.. . . . but i am not complaining.

 

Pottery classes at Logan Artist society of a Monday night. . . . . Learning to wheel throw.

Entering a couple of exhibitions ( one with Studio West end - Ex Libris, book plates, now in the State Library permanent collection ). . .print making and Jewellery making workshops,( one with Keith Lo Bue )

Drawing (West end - with a model of a Wednesday evening )and writing (at Queensland State Library ). . . . . . . 

21st Birthday parties,( Bri has reached the big one!!! - Great parties!!) 

Holidays (Noosa, Fingal, Caloundra and Straddy Islands), Christmas.  . . .

and  .. . .  so here we are 2013

I have two exhibitions this year . . . and lots of work to do. So I hope to post a little more frequently.  We took our dog to the beach at Stradbroke Island  January this year, and stayed at a fantastic place right on the beach - near the gelati place Yum!!!! Dog Loved it!

After recieving many complaints about my lack of blogging, and being unable to answer - what I have done since this time last year . . . . . . . now, after listing some of the things we have done, since I last blogged . . . . I now know where most of our time has gone.

I do Hope 2013 is a very good year.

No new thing under the sun

On a spectacular sunny Sunday afternoon a gathering of creative individuals found the time between eating and drinking, while taking in a fabulous view, to discuss some interesting topics. Some very interesting topics . . .  . However, there was one in particular that I felt required some serious consideration.  During the conversation we decided that it is with regular monotony that we see works that are regurgitations of something previously created, covered or discusses. Painting mimicking a formula that is acceptable or sells. Not that we think selling is bad. NO! We love $$$$$, but is selling the main thing. 

I came away with a feeling of, I want new, I want original . . . . . 

With this in mind, I have been trying to come up with some new idea, something worth exploring, a creative response and technique that is not already out there. 

However, it is Not an easy ask. . . . .task . . . .thing to do.  . . .  this new. 

It appears that many creative thoughts are not NEW . . . .  so I decided to investigate to see why people felt it was acceptable to borrow their inspiration from elsewhere/other.

Now I am not one to be considered religious, but I do on occasion feel that there is some really good advice and some wonderful gems to be found in that there old book.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. ( The Holy Bible: King James)

Does that mean  . . . .there is no new thing under the sun . . . . . . .? NOTHING ??

In this excellent talk from The Economist‘s Human Potential Summit, titled Steal Like an Artist, Kleon makes an articulate and compelling case for combinatorial creativity and the role of remix in the idea economy.           http://www.austinkleon.com/steal/#

So, . . . . . if there is nothing new, then I am behove to steal . . . . mmmmmmmmm. Last week I had John Cleese tell me to sleep and Hibernate and now I have Kleon telling me I may go forth and STEAL mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! (I am so confused the  !!'s are propagating beyond control )

So,(I can use SO again, because I stole it!!!!) with my wonderful new studio space almost complete, I am preparing myself to partake of  . . . .a stealing.  I have investigated . . . .I have viewed numerous blogs, you tube video, books, galleries and read many interesting tomes . . . . I feel I am almost ready to venture forth to STEAL something. . . . .YEP! almost ready . . . .. .dah de dah da . . . . .

Anyone have any ideas?

I am more than willing for you to forward me something to STEAL . . . . . . . Please!

WORDS

Creative writing mmmmmmmm

Anyone who knows me well, knows I have difficulty with the written word. We are not talking about the pronunciation, (which is a subject with more horror in a single word- than what there is in an entire Buffy movie) I am talking about that which appears on the white of a single page/computer screen or in a book.

The spelling . . . a nightmare
The grammar . . . . what the ? I still don't get the comma ( , ) Or the ( ! ) I see it everywhere and think of it as making the word louder and more in ya face. . . . .but it's real purpose. Nup! don't really know.

So why bother worrying about this stuff you may ask. Ha . . .now does that get a !, or NOT? . . .  ..  Well as an artist you would be suprised, serprized,  . . . .wait, wait I think I got it . . . . surprised - (Ha! No red line so it must be right)  how much we have to use the written word. 
Artists statements.
Grant proposals.
Gallery proposals.
Exhibition briefs.
Residency proposals. . . . . .  the list goes on and on.

I never really appreciated the need to speak to an audiance, ordianze, ordieance, ordeeance . . .  . audience ( whiewwwwieeeee)  until I had to give talks at Gallery openings, exhibitions and workshops. . . . I have learnt through the baptism of fire and now know that most people don't know I am sh . . . ng myself  . . . . and I just get on with it. So far no one has spat, shot or sh . . .t on me. So all is well. . . .okay . . . fine . .. OK!

I thought reading was a pure joy that I embraced wholeheartedly, as often as possible.

But! . . . . writing was something I avoided. I think it was all those red lines all through my work at school, that put me off. Why the F.... were people so obcesed, obseced, obcezed  . . . obsessive  about how we spell things. It just held back the creative flow and made the flow of words harder. To me their . . . there seamed . . .seemed to be a lot of rules that did not make and sence.  .sense. 

Soooooooooooooo . . .when I recieved,  (ok!, I remember -  I  before c except after e ) . . . received a reject letter ( that must have been viewed by a barren, loveless, bored individual with far too much time on their hands) .. . .  from a residency stating, I should re-do and re-submit my proposal for consideration, as the ideas were worthy of consideration, however the language left a lot to be desired . . . .  I asked?, who has the time to make all those red marks and corrections? . . . . ( what? Yah I know one two many ?'s )  

But, after due consideration and thinking about all the art I could be doing, if I was hanging out at the beach playing with sand . . . . I re-visited the subject. 

I took out the proposal and had to agree it was amazingly dizmall, dicmel, dysmal, dismal.

So. What to do about it? How do you re-write, when you don't really know why it is wrong?

I turned to my trusty computer . . .an amazing tool that I do not even try to fathom . . . .but use whoelheartidly, holeheartidly, wholeheartedly. I FOUND the Queensland writers Centre. WOW! Why does no one tell us of this fantastic tool ( OH! I have used fantastic already? Ok how about COOL tool ? ) 
www.qwc.asn.au   they have a  plythora, plethora of courses disigned, dezigned, designed  to help . .. .  I saw MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS, but did not like the sub text, Exploring the supernatural . I am trying hard to explore this life and have no inclination to try for one that has super in front of it. 

I then saw, TOOL KIT FOR WRITERS . . . yep! I understood the need for kits and I love tools and I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO THINGS YOU LOVE.

Now, equipped, with the know how of where to go I needed support. My adorable, long suffering husband was once again included in my latest endevor, endeavor, endeveer, endevear,  endeavour. With the promise of coffee and cake at the gallery book shop prior to the torture and a resteraunt, resteront, resterunt, restaurant
(that cannot be right? Sounds like you want to arrest my aunt) meal of his choice afterwards. We booked, then equipped with pens and paper, we set off.

From the 9th May through to the 30th, we have explored  - character, plot, theme, setting, the power of three, the episodic plot, implicit characterisation and the example of voice.  

We discovered amazing people like IRA GLASS   - who talk about the WRITING process. . . . 

It was awsome, awesome and a . . .an advent  . ..event . . THING, we will do again. Show don't tell is looking promising or Narrative structure . . . I even think I have Cam on board, though I do feel the cake and variety of meals has helped sway his enthusiasm. I enjoyed meeting other people and hearing why they feel the need to write. I embraced being out and about in Southbank and West end of an evening (something that we did for years, on a regular basis, but have neglected of late)

So I still do not know the ins and outs of writing. I do not know grammar, structure, spelling or any of the other necessary techniques needed to write a decent short story . . .but as Ira said . . . just DO IT . . . and ask your friends to correct it later. So FRIENDS, you know who you are and you now have fair warning . . .  some , no, LOTS of red pens will soon be required.

Now I need to try and understand, Third Person Omniscient, Third Person Limited and First Person. . . .I think i am okay with Point of view . . . . . but then maybe there is more than one?


But and this is a b . . .dy BIG  BUT. I still do not know where the comma should be and I still am unable to SPELL.

So, as usual with all the things we embrace in our travels through this life, it has answered a few questions, however, it has opened a can of worms and disclosed rather a few doors that we now feel we may want to open.
NOT a Bad thing at all!!!!!!! ( there, I have used all of my allocate  !  and shall no more use a single one again! oooops)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now with the advice from JOHN CLEESE I am going to hibernate and sleep

Another layer

Cam, Bri and I have been attending pottery Classes at the the Logan Artists Association , at 27 Coral St Loganlea, on a Monday evening from 6pm - 9pm weekly. Yep! We are dragging Cam there and giving him lots of encouragement and numerous timtams, so he can try his hand at something outside his usual 'doings' . . . . .  so far he is being a good sport and has produced some rather amazing pottery, with the supportive guidance of our tutor Ray.

 Ray Outteridge  began potting in Cairns in 1972 under the tutelage of Master Potter Ray Harrison and continued until 1974 when he undertook professional training at the Cairns College of Further Education (now the James Cook University) graduating with Honors in 1977.

Ray is also experienced at designing and building salt, raku, gas, oil and wood fired kilns. His work has been exhibited widely and is represented in local and international collections.

During his professional life as an artist/potter Ray has endeavored to pass on his accumulated knowledge and skills, encouraging all to practice, have an open mind and keep alert for the happy accident. 

We have found that Ray is more than willing to share his wide range of knowledge with enthusiasm and a good open sense of humour, that makes the evenings both  informative and enjoyable. 

The facilities are generous and classes are small -  so you can learn a lot in a very short time.

Bri and I are learning to throw pots on the wheel, which is both challenging and rewarding.

while Cameron is currently learning to do hand building. . . .

There are a few places to fill, so if you are interested come along  - it is FUN and very Creative.

All aspects of Studio Pottery will be undertaken. Cost will be $25 for members and $30 for non members.
For further information please ring Ray on 0418673404 or 55467398 any time or rayoutteridge@tadaust.org.au

There is going to be another fantastic RAKU firing soon, but if you want something interesting to see this Friday night . . . . .  .
A DVD Movie and Slide Night.
• The Leach Pottery 1952”
• “The Sleeping Pot” (The Firing of a large Anagama Kiln at River Falls, Wisconsin)
• Other  selected  short pottery videos
• Works made at the LAA
Where: The LAA Studio
When: Friday Night 11th May 2012
Time: 6 pm.
Cost: Members $5.00 and non Members $10.00
Bring your own refreshments and a friend. All Welcome.


RAKU Firing
On the 31st of March an excited group of potters met for the
first official firing day of the Raku kiln. Workshop participants
soon arrived and we prepared for the firing by filling drums with
sawdust and making sure we all had protective gear ready
which included masks, long sleeved shirts/pants and protective
footwear. Ray then advised on how to glaze the pots, and next
the kiln was loaded for the first firing. We then received further
advice on how to operate the kiln and the kiln God was placed
on top of the kiln for the first time. It will take us a few times to
learn some of the nuances of Raku firing.
Finally, we could hear the roar of the gas burner and watch the
pyrometer (temperature gauge) creep up. All the time Ray kept
the information going and we observed the pots becoming red
hot and the glazes changing from matt to glossy.
With the temperature achieved the exciting stages began. As the
kiln was lifted, the red hot pots became exposed and Ray quickly
placed them in our drums with tongs, where sawdust or paper
was tipped over each pot. This completed the post reduction
process of the glazes reaching the desired effects. After that,
the still very hot pots were removed and placed into water, once
sufficiently cooled an eager team took to scrubbing off the ash like clockwork, while the rest of us organised pots and helped Ray reload the kiln.
This process went on for 7 – 8 firings, finishing in the dark – which made it all so more visually spectacular, with the glow of the red hot pots, smoke, flames and steam. Overall it was an excellent day, where good results were achieved with many pieces.
We all anticipate the next time with relish,