Stimulation . . .it's all out there . . . . bring it on !

What did we do prior to blogs and emails ?

I adore the connection with people from around the globe.
Receiving emails is rewarding, but . . . having them arrive with
pictures is a huge buzz that delights my curiosity.

It is like receiving a new book at Christmas . . . but, every day. WOW !

Jacob Hashimoto Acrylic discs Rhonda Hoffman gallery, Chicago

We are a very lucky generation to be able to access all this amazing creativity so regularly & with such ease.

Progressive canvas

Jennifer Hamilton 2010

Work in process

Here it is 2010 and we are starting, the letting go . . . . .

The Progressive canvas project.

We have now established who is involved.

There were quite a few interested, but not all shared the same 'joy of process' and reasons to be involved, that we do. Those who will contribute will have to be willing to have their works contributed to, painted over, changed and all together altered during the process.

They must have a studio and be willing to share process with other members. They must be willing to photograph each step and maintain good documentation for final presentation.

The group have spent the last week discussing the size, width and other properties of the canvas, on which the works will be done.

We have drawn up an outline of guides for the continuing progression of the work and are now about to start !

Someone asked, ' why do it . . . what are your desired outcomes . . . who gets to keep the works? " . . . . . Well, I guess the reason to do the works . . . . . is to form a group who meet regularly. To share our knowledge of different processes in a practical, functional form, in a creative way. . . . . while learning to let go of what we can be too precious about. Hopefully throughout the project we will break down some of our inhibitions & blocks . . . so we can see what changes will improve our own art practice.

We will meet each month to show what we have been doing and to have a practical demonstration of processes applied to canvas's. We then meet the following month to share thoughts behind our individual applications during that period and swap works.

We are starting with 9 canvases each. We each start our processes as we desire and then they are passed on to the other individuals in the group . . . . .until everyone has contributed to each canvas.

The project will start in the first week of February, with the last meeting being in the first week of October. At the end we each will have 9 canvases . . . . one from each individual involved. . . . . with their contribution being at the beginning, middle or completion.

In October, over a long deliciously indulgent weekend, we will have a final show and tell with works and presentations at the Rusty Roo. We will share some final learnt processes and make any final marks to our canvases . . . . it is then that we will decide if we wish to exhibit the 36 canvases . . . or start the process again.

I'm looking forward to the sharing. . . . the camaraderie is already evident, the processes already suggested . . . . limitless, the ideas and the learning to let go . . . . frightening . . . . . . . but, I'm excited!

I will keep you posted !!!

Navigating Christmas

Christmas was a very eventful affair.

We had the usual lead up with extremely enjoyable parties and 'drop in for drinks' with friends . . . from Cameron's work place, my work mates and long time 'in mates' from long ago groups, initially formed through days when I nursed, attended BIA art colledge and when we were the parents meeting with our children.

Our front yard 'Beer garden' saw a lot of use.

A celebration in Brisbane with my family, the Boyces . . including BIG brother Peter and his beautiful wife, Yanyan, Mum and Dad, Brianna, Sam, Arron and us. It was very intimate, sharing and peaceful. We started the day with Dad presenting a fully cooked BBQ breakfast . . . we ended the day with left overs from a luscious lunch created by Mum and a slide show of Arron's pictures, he took while in Vietnam. I discovered information no mother likes to hear. . . . like bike accidents ! But, all up it sounded and looked like a successful trip.

Then we ventured to the country to celebrate with Cameron's family, the Lee's . . . . they are a far larger group. It was noisy, full on and the true in your face family affair. We decided it was the best Lee family Christmas ever. . . . . . not because of the food or home, but because All the members, young and old, appeared content with their lot and happy with the years outcome. A true blessing.

Then it was through to Woodford to drop off Brianna at the folk festival to assist Nancy fancy pants for a week. Brianna looks forward with unbridled anticipation to this event each year.

We traveled through to Maleny to visit friends and stay for awhile. It was a pleasure to chill out amongst the green and mist. We visited galleries, ate too much and had a bit to drink while sharing the relaxed atmosphere and laughter of jokes that have percolated over many years.

Then we made a meandering trip, that took an entire day to travel what is normally an hour and a half trip, to the Rusty Roo. We dropped into shops, friends for lunch and afternoon tea at a quaint place that served delicious scones and clotted cream with home made quince jam. Bliss.
I had only sworn off food after the weeks of gluttony . . . . the previous day . . . . ha!

We enjoyed a visit from my entire family from the 28Th - 31st. It was great to have time to talk, eat and relax while watching the wallabies, possums, green frogs, birds and being blessed by rain. Over the 3 days the place near the side of the house actually met up to it's description, for the first time in 7 years. . . . . . A lawn. The wallabies love it as much as I do.

We then said good bye to Peter, Yanyan and Arron as they made their way to join Brianna at the Woodford folk festival, while Mum, Dad and Sam returned to Brisbane.
That afternoon we had friends arrive from Brisbane to help us celebrate the arrival of the New Year. We ate, laughed and shared a few drinks around a roaring bomb fire. We watched the spectacular fire works herald the New Year, kindly supplied by the local youth camp down in the valley . . . .
After a few days our friends withdrew to Brisbane and beyond.

Then, Cameron & I embraced a few peaceful days to ourselves. Lots of book reading and watching of choice DVD's . . . . . . and more eating. Well, we did have to get rid of all the left over's.

So a very full on Christmas without any dramas and enjoyed by all. A time to catch up with Family and friends and feel very fortunate that we are able to celebrate the passing of one year and the introduction of the new, in such a blissful way.

I hope your silly season celebrations were as enjoyable and happy.

Wishing you a great New Year.
I look forward to another year of creativity and keeping in touch.
Cheers x x x

RAIN . . . . gods juice

Oh what a delight ! to hear the patter . . . .then the tap dancing of rain, on the tin roof.

You could feel the relief from the earth as it fell. Or was that just me, enjoying the cool change. No !, I'm sure the new growth and shoots were sprouting as it fell . . . . . Yes ! I'm sure you could see it getting greener by the minute.

Today was filled with numerous delights. Watching the red back finches darting through the bushes, the wallabies enjoying the soggy food pellets and all the birds ( subtle grey & pink of the galas, dashing red & green of the king parrots, stark white and Yellow of the cockatoos and the mincing browns of the placid doves ) dancing around the feeder trying for the best position.

The air felt charged with re newed energy.

How I have missed the rain.

Creativity at it's best

Doing artist way this year with a group of creative friends, I have been made more aware of what I am doing with my time.

Some times at the end of the week I do a minor assessment, of what I have achieved. This is always done slightly half hearted, but sometimes I do wonder what I have been doing with my time. . . . time in relation to obvious creative output, is some times very thin on the page.


Bri's 18th Birthday, masquerade party

However, It is times like these, (when my baby is celebrating her 18th year with friends and family,) that I can see where an obvious amount of 'quality time' has been invested.

Watching her react with her peers and listening to their speeches/talks, I was/am thrilled and extremely proud, to have been actively involved in such a wonderful creation.

Now that my children are all grown up, I know that from now on I will have more time to paint and create artistic works . . . . . but,

I do so knowing that the time I have spent with my FAMILY, has been some of the best times.

To belong within such a loving nucleus is a blessing.

What a joy . . . . . thank you xxx

life is a series of vignette's

UK-based illustrator Rowena Dugdale ( Click here to read and view more of Rowena’s work, and here to purchase her creations - a wonderful gift idea for someone who loves photography.) has been experimenting with Polaroid and pinhole cameras lately, creating stunning images.





“Like the delicious static on a vinyl record, any dust specks, light leaks, torn edges or quirks are an integral and honest part of the process and character of this body of work and have been deliberately left in rather than airbrushed out.”
She uses objects around her – marbles, feathers, fern fronds, moss and buttons – to create ethereal, light filled photographs. The results are incredibly beautiful…



One of my absolute favourite processes is making mono prints, where I bring in things from the Rusty Roo landscape, compose a vignette and play with layering.

Inspiration 'found'

Here is another one that I thought was beautiful. Maybe it is the bird that has me ? It is by Heather Smith Jones, called Looking forward

http://hrsmithjones.bigcartel.com/

Small delightful 'finds'

What I love about the web and blogging, is the finding of such creative individuals. I found this through a site, through a blog, from a friend. . . .

"listening to a flowering", graphite, watercolor, block print, on paper. This original piece is signed, dated, titled and one-of-a-kind.The paper is 100 percent cotton, neutral pH, and is a soft white color. It is sent with a firm, acid-free backing in an archival sleeve and mailed in a stay-flat envelope. Please visit my Gallery Store to see more available work, including larger works on paper, pinhole pieces and framed paintings - http://www.hrsmithjones.bigcartel.comhttp://www.heathersmithjones.com

Storms

We woke at the Roo Sunday morning to a beautiful crisp day, with mountains shrouded in mist.

By afternoon, there was a distinct darkening of the sky, winds, jump out of your seat thunder and a spectacular light show of lightning.

This wasn't enough for Mother nature, she had to out do herself with some hail stones and another bout of wind that all but took the roof of the house. It is amazing how small this all makes you feel.

What I found the most astounding was . . .the nest in our large gum tree was still intact when it was all over . . . and standing up in the centre was the ruffled bird . . . . still alive. Incredible !

What we weave

I use old ' Nanna doileys ' in my work and continue to be fascinated with the layering, texture, negative spaces and history of each piece. I find the use of crocheting to do this work stimulating. To see it taken another step by Shane Waltener into a sculptural work is worth another look and further exploration.

My spider webs don't look like these.

Shane Waltener created this incredible installation in the Aldwych Tube Station, the Strand, in London, five years ago. Absolutely stunning.
…………………………………………………………………………………………
found via the beautiful periwinkle bloom who found it via sam’s notebook who found it via lisa tilse’s red thread – there is a world of inspiration in these three blogs alone. go take a look!

Jewellery

I have been doing a Jewellery/silver smithing course with a delightful and very clever lady, Aleisha nylund. I love making something three dimensional and unique . . . . . however after seeing these exquisite pieces, I think I will have to try a little harder to be more interesting !

Eva, from Tinctory, makes the most exquisite pieces of jewellery.

She re purposes vintage silk and uses natural dyes to create intricate smocked pendants, brooches, bracelets and necklaces – her inspiration being feathers, sand patterns, shells, and fallen leaves. I am completely enamoured by her style and techniques, and the end results are breathtaking…

Rain, glorious wonderful rain !

We have only received a little of God's juice during the recent storms, however it has been enough to make everything look so very lush.
What a treat to watch those big clouds rolling in over the hills.


To those who have visited the Rusty Roo in the past 7 years or so, you would be extremely surprised by the way it is looking at present.
Green is definitely my new fav colour. Pink looks great with Green.



Why is it that to progress we usually have to make changes. Sometimes these changes are not to our liking . . . we procrastinate, dither and make umpteen excuses not to start. Then when the time is upon us we have to reluctantly admit . . . . . it is the right choice !

Due to the threat of bush fires ( and the building of a new rather grandiose studio), we have been forced to make our country abode safer, by clearing some trees.

This has been a slow process . . . I initially marked about 10 . . . then this has slowly increased ( with sage advise ) to 22 magnificent tall gums.

Finally when the tree lopper man arrived early Friday morning . . . the final count was 28. Oh! my heart was sore. I resisted right to the last. Two very large splendid spotted gums close to the house were still standing late afternoon. The lopper man looked at me rather sternly & said "well ?" I looked at him, Cameron, the trees again & then the house . . . . .and had to admit, it was stupid to resist.

They will be missed. Watching the early morning mist rise through their branches of a morning & the sun glow through them of an afternoon, has been a real treat over the past 11 years.

There are hundreds more and we will endeavour to ensure they stay.

We will also salvage what we can to use for the new patio and other structures. One small consolation . . . . No birds were nesting.