Freaked out weather patterns

Last week we sweltered and burned

Christmas day we froze our behinds off!! It even snowed on the hills

not far from here a couple of days ago friends were fighting bushfires.

The two edged sword of the rain is the increased fuel load in unburned areas from the regrowth if there has been enough rain

February could be awful. And the Western side of the state hasnt begun burning yet.

Victoria burns

again.

A bugger of a year

Well how about that- this year has been a shocker and been roundly topped off with surgery last Tuesday for gallstones. For the past few years I have had bouts of indigestion which I usually linked to stress- which is surely the cause for the initial attacks.
A couple of months ago my dearest friend went through some tragedy which was awful and that was closely followed by my Mother's trauma with her emergency by pass surgery etc. While Mum was recovering and I was running around like the proverbial headless chook the indigestion manifested again. After the initial attacks it had settled into a weird pattern which was linked to my cycle- indigestion in the period between ovulation and getting my period- BLAH! but it would settle down but it flared during Mum's hospital stay and really did not settle down which made completing my folios rather interesting to say the least.
Finally M.O.T.H. put his foot down and prodded me to go to the doctor after one evening of sobbing with pain from the 'bloody indigestion' so off I trotted in the last week of madness with the assessment going on etc. By this time I had modified my diet to the extent all I was eating was fruit and water because anything else killed me. Gradually i did get to expand it rice paper rolls- not pork ones though BRRRR lol
A raft of blood tests and ultrasounds later I fronted back at my GP's office to find I had gallstones she made the call on the spot to the surgeon to get me an appointment that evening and by 7pm on the 16th it had been arranged for me to be put on the list last Tuesday-the 21st. Thank heaven I kept my health insurance current because after the surgery my surgeon informed me that my gall bladder was quite large and very inflamed and he was pleased to have been able to do it then and there rather than waiting another week because the inflammation was on the brink of becoming a full blown infection- yikes- and probably Christmas would have been ruined by my recovery.
Because it was a laprascopic procedure I was out of hospital the next day but in hindsight I probably should have stayed another night. They gave me the chance for out and I took it but I had just had a morphine shot so they could remove the drain tube- OUCH beyond belief. And the morphine headspins kicked in as soon as I was put in the wheelchair. Motion seemed to trigger off the nausea I had missed out on post operatively. The nurse wanted to take me back upstairs but I wanted fresh air and out of hospital- stubborn wench that I am. She took pity on me and got me a plastic bag and one of those big disposable towel things "Just in case" because I was doing the breathing thing to keep it at bay. M.O.T.H. arrives and I almost knock him over to get into the car and AWAY from this place! We had hardly got moving and my head was in the bag. Poor M.O.T.H. was freaked but I growled just take me home! and like the love he is he did.
Slept on and off in half hour batches til about Thursday evening and then was wide awake for twelve hours straight before passing out again and sleeping soundly for five hours- bliss. Then on Friday was pretty good- actually damn good because I was still flying from the morphine so I hung out two loads of washing- yeah yeah I know that was silly but I was careful. It was a glorious day and I tottered back and forth -SLOWLY - with one piece of washing at a time and was really pleased with my progress. That caught up with me yesterday thoough and I spent the day on the sofa watching the idiot box. MY GOD That was boring LOL
but the dressings came off my four little holes yesterday and they look good. I have a nice little pattern somewhat reminiscent of the Southern Cross around my belly button.
Suffice to say I had a lot of gallstones- little hard buggers around the size of pea or larger and as I observed to my doc if they had been diamonds I would have been set for life but the thought of being able to eat something I like for a change is bliss and Friday night I had pizza1 just two slices of vegetarian pizza but OH BOY was it GOOD.
Thank you to the staff of Western Private Hospital and Mr Jason Winnett my surgeon. Check him out ladies he is very very nice even this old married lady enjoyed that part even in the midst of pain and drugs.
Onwards and upwards and looking forward to the Christmas celebration at my home with my family and M.O.T.H 's family- yep I am going to do it and enjoy it because I can eat again!!!

last painting for assessment

which is tomorrow and this was completed today
I have two that are incomplete but I can submit them for assessment still PHEW

this is an 'expressive' landscape means it is not and 'objective' landscape so I can do what I like with it
Only to tidy up my Visual Diary - which is almost non existent this semester "blushing"
A painter I am not but I am learning things
only drawing folio to fix up after this and that really is only one drawing to complete and some tweaking of a couple of others

assessment time

Wont be around much except for the odd pic maybe
assessment is Friday week and I have two paintings, three panels of a 5 panel piece, a quilt and a box to finish as well as a couple of drawings
OH MY GOD
but I refuse to get stressed about it all - lets see how I am on midnight on the 9th
anyhoo this is one painting- my figure study and yes it is a painting- gouache underpainting with pastel overlay

see you round like a rissole folks

Masks again

Part of a five piece work to be handed in for assessment next month

- not finished of course but the progress is there- I hope.

Once this academic year is over I want to start a series of masks because they fascinate me.

Heirloom flowers

Despite the drought my garden is surviving in parts, we are keeping the heirloom flowers alive. That is the flowers that came from my family- mostly my grandmother who has a fabulous garden still and the M.O.T.H's parents garden- we have their asparagus crowns YUM and the fluffy pink poppy above.
The iris is from my Nanna- I also have a rose bush grown from a cutting from my parents garden which in turn was grown from a cutting from my great grandmother's garden. I dont know longterm about the survival of any of these with water shortages and possible move's north but I intend to enjoy them while I can

Faith

Faith is something we are all conscious of at present, the faith of those who believe and those who dont believe but my personal faith in people has been somewhat restored. Last week I managed to leave my wallet on the station in Yarraville- realised as soon as I boarded the train and got off at the next station and raced back but it was gone. I did the reporting thing and cancelling cards etc straight away with no problems thankfully then on Friday evening I got an email from a man whose son had found my wallet at another station in the general area.
My cards and personal bits and pieces were intact although the money was gone- not that there was really any money in it anyway but the person who took it was a complete amateur it seems because there was nearly $40-00 worth of met tickets and a Borders gift voucher in there as well- although another voucher for $5-00 was missing- probably because it looked like a cheque.
The young man's father was insistent that his son not be rewarded for doing the right thing but M.O.T.H. and myself decided he had to be acknowledged and thanked appropriately. When I thanked the father of this young guy he said he hadn't done anything but I said of course he had, he raised his son to be honest and responsible and that is a very valuable contribution to society as a whole.
Thank you

Some sort of normalcy

Well that was an interesting time of it, Mum has had her operation and been discharged after 8 days which is pretty normal. Very confronting having your parent going through something like this. My Dad has been copping the brunt of the outrageous family- for those who dont know me personally my Dad is one of nine and his father was one of twelve so we have quite a sezeable extended family. It got to the stage with him that he actually began to let the answering machine pick up the phone which is something my father would NEVER EVER have allowed before this.
I must admit to being oddly exhausted by the whole process so had a very quiet weekend and starting to pick up on doing the backlog of stuff I need to complete for school- eeeks looks like painting and painting to go on with
the list is frighteningly long but I refuse to get stressed by it- we'll see.
This afternoon in between fighting with the washing machine- which wants to wash my floor for me and various other things I took the camera out into the garden to capture some spring for myself for inspiration.
I have to do a diptych about myself in some form- the brief is wide ranging as to materials and techniques so I am actually looking forward to it and I am painting a chocolate sponge cake for another brief- pity I am using an illustration as my guide rather than making the thing for a model- trouble is I would eat it LOL
Check out my garden

Fact is wilder than fiction

The past few days have been a bit surreal to say the least. A dear friend's misfortunes have been much in mind for the past couple of months. And then top it off my Mum who thankfully is a stubborn woman had a heart attack last weekend.
The dramas of the past few months added to the latest would have to make my life seem like something out of Days of Our Lives or the like.
Last week was my Dad's birthday and we were all keyed up for lunch together on Sunday- I had cooked something yummy in preparation the day before and had a bit of a late night- the old insomnia has been kicking in over the past couple of months again but I am keeping an eye on it- so I was pretty dopey when the phone range and it was my Dad to say Mum was in an ambulance on her way to hospital with a suspected heart attack. Dad was doing his best to put a brave face on it all at the time but I could hear from his voice that he was pretty shook up.
I get dressed and go up to the hospital Mum was being taken to- only a few minutes from my home thank goodness. Seeing Mum on a ventilator made it all too real. But thank goodness for my own curiosity when I was able to see the monitor they had hooked up and the readouts were all pretty steady- and for two aunties who are nurses and answered questions straight when I was growing up.
Anyway Mum was hospitalised and went through a raft of tests and found that an artery was completely blocked and two more were sufficiently blocked to require by pass. But waiting for the verdict and while she was operated on was awful. I have never been the most patient person in the world but this was hell on wheels.
They moved her to another hospital here in Melbourne to do the operation yesterday and she came through- after the meeting with the surgeon on Thursday night and his reassuring attitudes of the routineness of the operation I did feel a bit better but honestly this guy was talking about my Mum!! That AINT routine!!To top it off the surgeon who was operating on Mum is a complete hottie- like something out of a soap opera which sort of added to the complete surrealist nature of the past week. Weird the things I notice but this guy had beautiful hands.
Yesterday is a bit of a fog- Mum decreed that none of us go to the hospital yesterday because she was going to be so out it etc. Everytime the phone rang I shot through the ceiling - dopey bloody auntie gave me an ear bashing the night before and I didnt absorb a word. Sometimes my extended family are completely outrageous and on the most part I can deal with them but I didnt need her rabbiting in my ear that night at all. When Dad got the call he rang and let us know she was out of surgery and okay- No visitors today except Dad but tomorrow I am going over and need to see my Mum.
I have seen friends and family lose parents and have dread for that time for me- although everyone assures me Mum will now bounce back better than ever.

Hmmn that could be dangerous- she's a fiery number my Mum- lol just like her daughter.

Sinners Prayer

The resolution aint so good but I am relatively pleased with the piece.
Incorporating stitch and painting
Inspired by Ray Charles and B.B. King doing Sinner's Prayer- an old Lowell Fulson number with Billy Preston on organ on Genius Likes Company.

2 kitties

My two devils together
Miss Jazzy reeks of tomcat and is keeping her distance while she cleans up or the big fella will not be impressed- usually he gives her a hiding when she drags her fluffy butt home after playing with the boys.

Thinking of a dear friend today who has had some bad news and will now go and spend the day in the garden to think of him and his family.

Spring time

Well this morning is glorious and I could do a million things to take advantage of the weather before it disappears tomorrow. But I am tied to the PC at present trying to get my journal up to date for a theory subject- with company.
Miss Jazzy is my adorable fluff ball who is the ultimate lazy kitty. She sleeps 20-23 hours out of 24 depending on the weather. In cold weather she goes to bed to keep warm and warm weather she sleeps to stay cool. She is a positive menace while quilting because she is totally in love with natural fibres. No cheap acrylics for this little aristocat!! No thank you! Wool is nice, cotton is better but silk is just heaven to this kitty. And of course being so cute she tends to get away with it.
She gets up with hubby some mornings and this morning was one of those and goes and plays with her boyfriends of which she had two at present.
Bandit stays with me, the big sook, and she comes in again when she is hungry. Unlike Bandit who is very vocal-and probably snoozing in the sun under the rosemary or my roses- Jazzy does not have a meow. Her attempts at getting food are silent touches and deep affection. And when Mum is busy she does the passive insistence like this morning curling up on the table on my hand the mouse. The minute I move towards the kitchen the little tubby will charge down that hallway looking for food- yes she is round- but she is NOT fat despite getting called Fatty by the M.O.T.H- men can be such bastards lol

Pity about that mouse eh Miss Jazzy?
Despite being a complete floozy and very, very lazy she is actually a very good ratter- ewww she brings them home to share after catching them in our neighbour's fruit trees- the neighbour is pleased- Jazzy is pleased and I have stick the corpse in the bin.

Jim Dine Homage

Ergh my first part of four- with my tricky tummy and stuff of late- spending heaps of time getting to know the contours of my toilet rather well unfortunately I have barely begun this assignment- due tomorrow.
I am going to have to beg an extension because there is no way I can get four drawings done tonight
oh well looks like I am going to be behind in all subjects this term.
cant be helped.
Anyway this has already garnered a couple of comments about kinkyness- well I will just let you wonder where my brain was when I came up with this idea- at least there is some stitch in it

/R

Pubs and critters

and indigenous art near Chillagoe

Sun birds collecting nectar
Mt Malloy pub- good beer lousy lemon squash

Mossman Gorge

Some pics

Over Flinders Street towards the "G" St Pauls from School

These were taken illicitly from the balcony at school, proving again that talking to the workers gets you further than the management . The views are brilliant even in pretty ordinary weather like this

Back from the 'warm'

A Chillago honeyeater

Warm? You wouldnt have thought so when we go there Brrrrrrrrr.
And the worst part was everyone up in that part of the world was fighting off or recovering from the latest lurgy which sent me on my butt for a couple of days in bed.
Started off really fresh and ready for some fun and drawing but ended up in bed snuffling and hacking with fever. But the sailing trip was not to be postponed for something as simple as flu.
Unfortunately lack of energy didnt leave me much to squander on drawing - or struggle with the rather wild rocking of the boat. But it was fun even if standing on the edge of the table in the middle of a rather wild tacking session was a tad scary.
Himself indoors has now decided that sailing has all the adrenalin of mad motor cycle riding without the gravel rash so that might be a future for the household- that and living in that part of the world. Which I must admit is looking more and more attractive with each chilly minute I am back in Melbourne.
The guys were trying to get me onto the outer reef to do some snorkelling but when we got to McKay it was too rough to snorkel and there were SEVEN helicopters on the cay in the middle of nowhere. It was like something from a James Bond Movie- weird to say the least.

Low Isles on Sunset

But I like sailing- well cool laid back sailing not that knuckle chewing other kind the boys indulged in on the way to McKay Reef. And the turtles were amazing and the whale we sighted. Apparently Migaloo has been spotted this season, when we arrived in Cairns there was an article in local paper that he had not been seen in the area so far on this years migration. But "Willow" a former Low Isles charter vessel had reported seeing him which was good to hear.

I'll post a few more photos as I sort them out off T's computer and hopefully get mine back tomorrow.

The Perils of Technology

And our almost total reliance upon it
It lets you down folks!!!!!
Aaargh
I was slack with the blog over my break but I was busy playing
I have done two quilts -no pics because they are all on my other pc which is being rebuilt - some braiding and just puddling for fun. Nary a painting or exercise for painting to be seen.

sigh whimper grumble moan and I have been without my pc for four whole days which is tough for a net junkie like me.
I have hooked up hubbys so I can get a fix now and then so the withdrawal twitches are not so bad.
Started back to VU on Monday -REALLY tough to drag my carcass out of bed after such a long break and on a truly FILTHY winter day here. Although the views from the new premises did make up for the wretched weather.
Got a couple of assignments to take with me to Queensland, the timing of the work and the holiday will fit in well although the painting assignment will be very tricky to complete on time because I dont want to drag a pile of paint with me so I am going get down to that over the next couple of days so I can finish it around the right time- here's hoping.
Pics of the view were taken on my phone, I plan to take in my real cam on Monday to get some shots. Maybe some of within the gallery space at the Uni as well- that is spectacularly good btw
/R

A Howlin' Wolf

Anyone who knows me well knows my abiding interest in the vulpine, and vulpine like dogs having been brought up around German Shepherds. I adore wolves and live on the ONLY continent without them alas. So I get my fix when I can.

And hell being a fan of the great Howlin' Wolf aka Chester Burnett dont hurt either.

You know I'm the Wolf baby, you know I stays in the woods

You know I'm the Wolf babe, you know I stays in the woods

Well when you get in trouble, you call the wolf out of the woods
Well you want my money, well you want me to spend it on you

Well you want my money, babe you want the Wolf to spend it on you

Just as soon as you get my fortune, she said what in the world I want with you?
Well I spend my money, trying to make you satisfied

Well, I have spent my money darlin', tryin' to make you satisfied

Well, the woman who took my money and took my home and,

oh the Wolf gonna wreck her life

From my printmaking adventures

The process for this was from my first real effort in lino cutting- from development of imagery to the end product etc. I got this back today and photographed it tonight.
Julie was cool with me experimenting on fabric and I did a couple on white cotton lawn and one on some pole dyed silk. One of the cotton examples went into my journal and I decided to play with the other with some stitch. It was a pretty basic process of stitching mostly straight stitching once the stitch formed some form of resist I dripped silk paint onto the still visible fabric to knock back the 'whiteness' of it. It was met with enthusiam by all and sundry but I cant help feeling it is a bit run of the mill embellishment wise but it was a nice gentle exercise to test the boundaries- which after the discussions on Monday are about to be pushed to the limit.
I have been experimenting with eyelets and other items on canvas and the next assignment in painting is about music - which slots into my longterm aim to do a piece based upon my love of Blues. giggle snicker I already have a working title in my head "blue is a colour you can feel"
Any hoo this is the froggie- Frankie would have approved I am sure

Free as a bird

Well almost only Wednesday and Thursday to get through now. Hoping to get some work done for myself but first i am going sort out all my crap clustered around the house and re file it all- oh I know it will all migrate again around the house. I NEED A STUDIO!!
I do have a little project I am whipping through at the moment, some friends are getting a puppy and all new 'babies' need blankets but other than that I just want to sort out my gear into the things I need to have available for school and the stuff I want to play with in between and hopefully starting to incorporate my stuff into my school work.
After the conversation today with my tutors I am feeling okay about the future of my painting endeavours. *giggle* they might come to regret it now I have been given permission to test the boundaries because I have always been more than capable of pinching a bit more than the proverbial inch. Already some ideas are bubbling in my head - nutting out techniques will be fun but it might lead to a disappearance of oil paints in my life. NOT that I will regret that at all. Oh well if not a disappearance then certainly a reduction of its presence YEE HAA!!!

I should be painting

but I am so bored with it all- I have finish tweaking a couple of paintings for class. I am definitely NOT cut out for painting. It is such a slow process and I get very impatient with it. I need the results I get to be apparent or I get discouraged by it. But I am working on the stitched collage piece too so life is not too bad.
These are three canvases which are nothing special I will probably paint over two of them but the centre one has caught my interest. It is the painting from the aforementioned collage class assignment which I just let go and decided to have fun with the colours and go where they led me. I do like the subtleties of colour you can achieve with oils but it is such a painstaking process and due to lack of room I cannot afford to have more than one piece in progress at one time so I have to wait and wait and wait to continue working on it.

Aaargh enough moaning time to get on with it

Catch you in a few days

/R

Bit Blurry

I'll have to get my mate 'Wolfy' to teach me about these camera phones ;-)

This is my concertina book for Printmaking - I can get on with my other stuff tomorrow now that is out of the way yippee.

On the couch with the doc again today- ooh I just realised how that sounds ROFLMAO. But here's hoping.

Having a quiet giggle

This is an old bit from a while back- but in Printmaking we are going to be making a Concertina Book and have been told we can use what we like to cover it. The choice for me is to do a piece with bonded and embellished tissue or maybe dear old crepe paper- it has such a nice texture and when you wax it with metallic looks deliciously grainy. The box below was done in crepe paper. Musing about doing it now at home because I can knock it over in about an hour or so because I have the materials already so I can use my time in class to finish my edition printing.

Choices, choices. But we have made another one, I am going to miss week 2 and 3 of next semester in favour of a break in Nth Qld. Winter only officially started today but I am already sick of it so off to book flights today YIPPPEEEE

The Recipe

This week was a dear friend's birthday and she requested her usual indulgence which is a batch of my infamous Caramel, Macadamia and Hazlenut slice. A completely delicious and gooey concoction that is only really for special occasions but last week some of us got together and had some morning tea and I said I was going to be making this so making more was not really a problem.
So I made it and took it in today and several people wanted the recipe which is the purpose of this particular post.

The photo above is by Marina Oliphant from The Age when they published my recipe last year in an article by Matt Preston - actually they published two of my recipes *blush* NO I dont spend much time making naughty sweeties - only some of it and only for special folks

This is the recipe - Enjoy

Caramel, Macadamia and Hazelnut slice

INGREDIENTS
Base:
150g (1 cup) plain flour
1¿2 tsp cinnamon
60g (1/2 cup) hazelnut meal
90g (1/2 cup) brown sugar
90g dark chocolate
80g unsalted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
Topping:
100g hazelnuts
395g tin condensed milk
2 tbsp golden syrup
50g butter
100g macadamia nuts
100g dark chocolate,melted
METHOD
· To make the base: Sift flour and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in hazelnut meal and sugar.
· Melt chocolate and butter together and cool. Add to dry ingredients when cooled. Add egg and mix well.
· Press mixture into lined and greased tin (a standard 18x28- centimetre tray or similar) and bake for 15 minutes at 180C.
· While the slice is baking, toast hazelnuts in the oven for eight minutes.
Remove and de-skin by placing in a brown paper bag and rubbing furiously.
- Remove base from oven. Have a cup of tea and bit of a sit with the paper while it cools to room temperature in the tin.
· To make the topping: Mix condensed milk, golden syrup and butter in saucepan and heat, stirring until it almost boils.
· Pour mixture over the base and top with nuts.Bake for 15 minutes and leave to cool.
· Drizzle lines of the melted chocolate over the top until covered with a lacy coating of chocolate.Cut with a bread knife.

Three cheers

for my drawing/painting tutor Paul. I could have kissed him yesterday when he said I could turn a collage assignment into a stitch piece. I have been hanging out SO badly for something like this.
The assignment was to make a collage of a still life set out for the class and I was using my hand coloured papers and enjoying it and then talking with Paul about it he said go ahead and stitch

Well it will be different for this school
/R

mucking about and moving forward

Weird few days, but with some judicious self medication and some gradual work the worst is over. Although waking up with a mouth like a bottom of a bird cage is not fun but it was only TWO glasses of wine- on an empty stomach albeit *blush*
Seriously it has left my temper rather short so I am being a bit of a hermit because I am not really suitable for polite company at the moment.
Spent yesterday working on a little bag to keep my essentials in for classes- phone, wallet, keys, specs etc because I have decided with the total lack of storage space I am suffering from at present it is easier to set up two back packs for classes- one with my painting gear and another with my printmaking and drawing stuff. I did some discharge dyeing by putting some black homespun into a 1:1 bleach and water bath and experimented with my new water brush on the fabric too which was fun. I used the samples up to make the little back and when I get the dig cam batteries charged up will take a pic of it- very satisfying to just do something creative and also practical for myself for a change.
Onward and upward
/R

Yesterday

This time yesterday life was good! I had spoken to my tutor about applying for Recognition of Prior Learning for Media and Studio Studies and he had agreed that it was probably a good idea. Which means no more colour exercises which is definitely a good thing for me because I was going slowly out of my mind doing that again. I have done very little homework in that class because I had done that all before and motivation for that was NIL.

I dont have problems doing the theory based work at all and homework for drawing and printmaking is fun with a capital F, only slightly less so for painting. I am NEVER going to be a great painter. but yesterday I was feeling unshackled at last and could actually feel my creative self as a physical being for the first time in a while which was pretty exciting.

Then the axis of the earth shifted after a phone call and now I have a couple of choices. Let it get me down and disappear into the despair again or I use it. Bit numb at the moment and cant really describe what it is and I think I am only writing this to try and put it all into perspective for myself.

Oh god give me a couple of days the the Gothic humour will reassert itself! But today I think it is a good day to curl up on the sofa with some chockies and the fire. :-) well there is some compensation for feeling this way after all.

Next assignment

The next assignment is 'Drapery" drawing draped fabric. This is another phone cam shot of the charcoal and conte part of the assignment. The brief calls for this one -on grey paper- and another in greylead pencil on white paper. I think I may be getting it .
What's the verdict?

I am a nerd after all

I did it Soph!!
Never having worked in HTML before was freaky but I managed to load up some links and even add a counter/location thingy on the side. It took a few goes and I had to change the main appearance of the blog so I could find the right bits so I could insert the bits of HTML to make the super links. I might change it all again to another design for the page that I like. THis one is okay but lime green? eeeck that lime green is yuk.

Sophie is a textile artist and very very talented so visit her page. Wolfy is a photography nut, well he DOES work in the industry so he gets lots of new toys to play with and the results end up on his page.

Working proof

Talk about frustration! I have so many ideas bubbling in my head at present for textiles but I am still swamped with painting and drawing tasks to complete. Printmaking is keeping me sane though because I can see SO many possibilities for my textiles in that much more so than I can with painting and studio studies is driving me around the twist.
I am so over painting colour scales and exercises.
GRRRRR lol

oh well we soldier on
this is a piece I am working on at present taken on my wonderful new phone. (Thank you for that Anders you wonderful devil now I dont have any excuse for not working on an idea lol)


Thank heavens for the resources from working on my stuff at Box Hill, I dont have to do much to think of ideas for work.

Ruminations on a theme

The brief for one particular assignment is Interior/Exterior. It is a pretty broad based brief and we can use abstract or representational to work our theme.
Probably because of the work I have been doing for the Exhibition and other reasons I seem to come back to the mask- part of the theme of Armour.

Interior being the innermost thoughts, fears and sensibilities being protected from the Exterior of outside.
I have this image in my head I want to try and get down, a mask obscuring the view of the room beyond. A carnivale type masquerade mask. The wearing of the mask in the past at Carnivale or Mardi Gras allowed the wearer anonymity to behave in a way they would not normally so the mask can be protection but also a form of dutch courage for want of a better term.
But what do I make the room beyond? A brilliant ballroom or a darkened place of rendezvous?

Hmmmn time to do some research. This has got to be finished for Monday so not much research only tonight and down to painting tomorrow before going to collect my stuff from the Gallery.

Three down! Progress

Despite lingering Peggy Lee moments I am plodding on and doing the stubborn thing- this is supposed to be a pomegranate- going to eat the model tomorrow :-)
But at least that is one assignment finished, only the two paintings, three separate visual diary updates, another drawing of mixed media usage and an essay to go.
A week of anti climax- who needs it?

Peggy Lee moments

Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is

Allowing myself a Peggy Lee moment or two, there is always a downer after all the upheaval and emotional impact of an "Exhibition/Opening". Spent Monday and yesterday doing as little as possible after Sunday. Probably because the next few days are going to be a bit busy. Well here is hoping it is that and not another period of frustrated inactivity because nothing seems relevent.

The past few months have been pretty fraught on lots of levels. Personal stuff that I was able to work out -WHEN I finally got some energy to work on my pieces for the exhibition dragged me back early on. Unfortunately part of that situation is likely to rear it's ugly head again a bit further down the track but so far I am able to put that on the backburner and will sort it out as it arises. Which is good in one level because I am not obsessing about it but having that there is not heaps of fun. But unfortunately that is beyond any control of mine.

Then there was starting at VU and the usual nerves and sense of exhaustion that happens with new places, people, routines to be coupled with an entire new learning curve. PHEW LOL. Just as all that was happening we had the Commonwealth Games here in Melbourne which was fabbydoo as my mate would describe it. Squillions of exhibitions and music to run around-when I should have been working on my pieces and homework. And friends from Fiji visiting and family things.
But I dont regret making time to see Jimmy Cliff and Miriam Makeba or any of the exhibitions I went to.

Then there was the Exhibition itself and all the stuff involved with organisational work going on as well as the 'work' itself, two weeks before due delivery of the pieces I had hit a wall. A minor disaster in my work was juxtaposed with a personal attack on me. I just didnt need that. But nor was I going to let it go unchallenged because in the past I have let stuff from this sector go unchallenged for the sake of a peaceful life. This time there was no real choice but to respond. Which I did but it left me angry and far from impressed with a number of aspects of group politics. I think my response was rational and not too personal but I must admit my first instinct was to violence LOL. Which was healthy because I didnt resort to that :-)
Went through a bit of crisis there and spent a weekend on T's shoulder saying the usual not gonna do this - cant do this- wont do this- freak out stuff when it is all coming to a head. But responding rationally did give me a bit a of lift. And now it is all over but....... giggle snicker ROFLMAO. Yeah the witch in me still exists and being a tad more articulate dont hurt either!!

What I am trying to avoid is the anticlimax but cant help it there is always that sense of it after all this- ah the rollercoaster of life.
Sounds like a good time to start listening to BB King rather than Peggy Lee

Let the GOOD times Roll


Hey, everybody, let's have some fun
You only live but once
And when you're dead you're done,
so Let the good times roll, let the good times roll
I don't care if you're young or old Get together, let the good times roll

All over bar the shouting

This is Esther Holland our wonderful Speaker and former tutor, and again she nailed us each and everyone with a precis of our pieces- and personalities. She is amazing.
The long item is the concertina book that Sue Freckleton made and we all contributed pages to as a thank you for Opening the Exhibition. I did hear Esther comment to her son that she would have to make sure that was provided for in the Will. Sue's book was EXQUISITE. And she was the only one of us not taught by Esther and the one who suggested her as the Speaker because the rest of us had talked about her so much.
And Sue was amazed at how well Esther summed up her work and the thoughts behind it.

The Opening went really well. A good half of the guests were family and friends. T and Mum were outside and said a number of people came in from the street to examine the works so that is good news. Catherine reports a solid dribble over the past week.

The works were as expected very diverse again. Sue Freckleton's Kaleidoscope was fabulous and Lesley's feathers were gorgeous. Marlene's quilts won many hearts including T's he raved about her work last night. Said of course that 'Your work was strong darling"
Mel Rayner's pieces were show stoppers and caught many an eye in the window. Suz' shoes were worthy of Imelda Marcos.
Michelle's silk box got a lot of admiration and Sophie's rust dyed book was fabulous.
Soph has a blog too http://essellesbabble.blogspot.com when I work out how to link pages I will put her link in GRRR lol

Trisha a girl I hadnt seen since about 1978 turned up which was a real kick. We went to primary school together and secondary school for a while but we had lost touch until recently. And a couple of friends from my new course came too which was great fun. Not too bad fizz and pretty good tucker and lots of fun.
Needless to say I got home a bit tiddled and pretty tired last night.
Feeling pretty good over all and it was nice to see my pieces in the gallery context and not just as they clutter up my house LOL.

Almost there

These are the two fronts for the vest I am making
a variation on crazy patchwork
hope it works
just going to stitch a single layer back on and bind the edges with satin stitch
/R

In progress

All of you guys who have given me ties over the years are probably wondering what the hell I am doing with them
well this is one item - I am stitching a lace and brocade vest
hopefully it will turn out and I can wear it on Sunday to the 'Opening"
Guys those old things around your neck can be things of beauty.
Some other things I have made with them is evening purses, jewellery pouches and the like.

Oops getting the message that it is pussy cat IN time from Miss Jazzy- who has parked her fluffy cute carcass on the keyboard and is expectantly waiting for her dinner. Better go and feed her before she decides I am dinner
/R

Two down, one to go

Having a quiet Easter after the drive to Ballan and back on Friday in the rain.
Lots of fire time and catching up slowly with homework and stuff like that

This is the soft pastel drawing for the brief for Paul. Only the pencil one to go
Using only the three primaries and black and white to create the colour mixing
All the forms have to be organic in origin - I started out with chillies but decided on a pepper because it is a bit meatier to draw.

I really enjoy soft pastels, messy but lots of fun.

Although now it is the turn of the textiles to play with- I am well in control of the homework situation now and I want to make something to wear next Sunday. After all introducing Esther is rather special so it requires a special piece to wear.

Delivery day

I have to deliver my stuff today, so last night before I flaked out I did some homework for Visual Arts. Yikes. I havent really done any since we started in Feb, all spare moments have been spent working on the three pieces for the Exhibition. But I am really enjoying the course and have to catch up now so I can really enjoy it more
This is for drawing, first of a series of three various media drawings due after Easter

Finished for Better or Worse

Well here they are, my three pieces for the exhibition
I dont know about them now, the usual doubts about them come into play as always
but here goes



Armour
We all apply a type of armour everyday to survive life,
masking fears and insecurities.
Some of us would like the courage to be a warrior and
others would just like to avoid it.
Silk paper, thread, glass, metal, board and cotton fabric.

This came about because of a number of events over the past few months. I was conscious of donning the armour that many (who think they know me) think is the real me. Perhaps that is the problem in the conflict that I had with some is that I have never let them in but conversely they have never demonstrated anything that would cause me to WANT to let them in. Hence the armour.



This is

Tear Down my Tattered Ensign

Cause and effect. Flags and lives tattered by black and white men.

Cotton fabric, manipulated digital imagery, scanned currency.

My political piece. A tattered flag patched together with a rogues gallery and currency. Torn strips of cloth in red white and blue that occurs in SO many flags but particularly the US, UK and Oz flags in this particular time in history. It always amuses me that the black and whiteness of the view of the current leaders of these countries are actually doing to the images of their nations by their actions. They are the ones actually devaluing the symbols that they so aciduously insist they revere.
The rogues gallery from top are Saddam Hussein, George W Bush, Pinochet, Dick Cheney, The Marcos', Tony Blair, John Howard, OBL, Somoza. Rumsfeld and Pol Pot. The Shah of Iran and Mobuto appear on some currency and the currency is from the US, Oz, Chile, Nicuragua, Guatemala, Chile, Indonesia, Philipines, Afghanistan, Iraq, Argentina etc. The funny thing when I was assembling the piece Bin Laden's image kept falling off and it was joked that even he could not stand the company he was in. Basically the cause and effect of the foreign policies of nations are still reverberating around us but the present want to shut off an examination of past mistakes and seem keen on making their own worse blunders. Fools!
Phew that is my soapbox session over


Finally this is titled:


Drowning

Drowning in
Despair
Guilt
Fear
Anger
Madness
or .......
Just Drowning.

Silk paper.

The colours are a bit off on this picture- the red tones have more blue in them- my palette of water colours again. Again this was about some recent events in my life. The sense of losing control and being overwhelmed by things beyond your control. A common enough sensation for many of us in this day and age I suppose but mostly about the most mundane of details that can trigger this sensation.

Weirdly enough in many ways this is a dark collection of work but perhaps due to the work I dont find myself in a dark place at this time and place. Life is busy and fun even if tiring but each bit of exhaustion has a sense of contentment about it. A sense of accomplishment maybe? oh well we will see
:-)
/R

Mounting and Displaying

AAAaaaaaaargh yuk. The armour piece is causing a few headaches. Just when I think I have it solved it falls apart again.
The other two are easy peasy but this is my big piece and the one that means the most to me personally and NOT just for THAT reason.
OH well lets see if the famous problem solving brain of this former exec can be turned artistically... Hmmn but this is something practical and I dont do practical any more ;-)

Companion piece

This is the companion piece to the first pic, the mask mould underneath is not included in the finished project, Both pieces are being mounted on a fabric covered board- of all bloody things I had to buy was masonite- my Dad wet himself laughing over THAT. There is tonnes of it in his shed still from his days with working the CSR contract but convenience and ease of living was my motivation. Because masonite is not acid free I did have to seal it with gesso before I put the fabric on and then because none of my framer's tape would adhere to the fabric I had to slip stitch fabric on the back- well I didnt HAVE to but I wanted the presentation to be my usual anal effort. One recurring theme in my various folio assessments is the 'beauty' of my presentation.

With my fingertips bleeding- well almost- I have almost completed my three main pieces for the Exhibition. Have been feeling very out of it this time around, bored with the organisational work and the personality conflicts involved.

Duct tape and it's many uses

duct tape and cling film to create the mould from life- this is almost finished. More silk has been used on the gold mesh and the central medallion is to be added. Gave up the idea for medallions as nipples, just a bit too much