Spam hound

You know who you are "Anonymous" the settings have been reset and even though I am NOT blogging much at present I would appreciate you keeping your commercial mitts off my blog,

Ms Miriam and Mr Hugh

Makeba and Masekela
the greatest exponents of South African music in my very humble opinion

tranquil days

The Time Has Come

Been a while I suppose
still plodding along and starting at last to get some creative juices flowing.

At present my photography is the largest part of creative practise I am engaging in but here's hoping for the future

Wow

Words dont do it justice

pictures are worth a thousand words they say
aint got no words at the moment so the pics can speak for themselves

Doubts

The past few weeks have been kind of rough, I havent felt in the slightest bit creative and was getting really depressed by the entire issue. Slogging away with drawing just to keep up my 'creative fitness' as one of my tutors referred to it was SUCH a chore. So much so I have actually been wondering if I have made the right decision to move this far from family and friends.
I am hoping it is just the post move blues because in real terms I have been on the run since we got up here and not had much time to get creative- that and the fact there have been outside influences on my movements around the district. The aforementioned Wicked Witch has played a role in my mood, being accosted by strangers and abused for no real reason is not pleasant but that seems to have settled down. Her toxic presence is set to be removed from this sphere in about 8 days- and yes I am counting but I am not the only one doing that! ;-)
But maybe I am rediscovering the reasons I moved to this part of the world after my sailing evening on Wednesday- not much wind so a boring sail for the white knuckle dudes aboard but I loved it.
Good company and a brilliant light show and being able to photograph Samantha at long last in good light was a bonus

Ministry of Silly Walks

and hey after reading this morning that the Monty Python crew have set up a channel at You Tube I just had to post this
go and visit and have a giggle and know how much laughter the re enactment caused

http://youtube.com/MontyPython

Sketching trip that turned into

a skinny dipping expedition.
Yesterday I was restless and packed up the Rocket and took off to a local creek to do some sketching. A good omen as soon as I arrived was the appearance of a Ulysses butterfly- something I am taking as my personal totem in some ways I suppose- they have featured in my work in the past of course.
Did some pen and ink work but was feeling a bit hot and bothered and went for a paddle in the creek. Realising there was no one for miles around and I would hear anyone approaching I decided to get into the water but I hadnt brought a swimsuit- and anyway my swimmers are all too big now!- so as skyclad as they come I went for a swim in the water which was crystal clear and with little fish in it all over the place. The water was cold and refreshing and thankfully well above the Croc line up here in the highlands YAY
Nice place to unwind!

More

Cape Tribulation

Long drive but worth it
but get up there early unless you want to be run over by all the tour buses out of Cairns

Time is the shrinking commodity here

Haven't been around much because over the past couple of weeks we had some friends staying with us from Victoria which was terrific fun. Corrie and Hamish were brilliant guests to have and we have been whipped into shape by Corrie LOL.
Well she got me to get my studio sorted out FINALLY!!
We did some trips around the countryside and some sailing with the Sea
King who has not been so flash but at least his back is now better and it is only his hip that is still playing up. That bad lad has been limping for a few years now but it looks like replacement is the only way to go now the poor love. But Corrie and I have been giving him Reiki and it did ease the worst of it.

One of the trips we did was to Cape Tribulation in the Red Rocket- gosh I love that little car! One of the first stops was the Daintree Ice Cream factory- liked the macadamia and banana/mango flavours- the sapote and the wattle seed I could take or leave but the garden was spectacular as you will see from the above

'Popping the Kite'

Yep more sailing again, some friends are visiting us from Victoria and the Sea King suggested we all go to Snapper Island for the day after the race that started from the club very early on a Sunday morning.
The log was filled in with the wind reading of S.F.A which to most of you will make some sense but himself 'popped the kite' for a spinnaker run to Snapper. And boy is the aforementioned kite pretty! Check it out!! I didnt take too many photos yesterday mainly because I was busy keeping an eye on the skipper for much of the day.
Our darling friend the Sea King has had a bad back for a week or so and probably should not have gone out yesterday as he spent much of the time prone on the deck without getting much relief but his crew had a fabulous time although one was rather freaked by the sail back (me)
Got him home in double quick time and hopefully he was able to get some relief and some sleep but will hear more later today. Fingers crossed for a recovery for him.

Personalised Log

As many of you know the M.O.T.H and I hold our mate the Sea King in very high esteem.
His generosity of spirit and integrity has been somewhat undervalued by some people in his life of late but we decided that he would know just how much we both love him.
It was his birthday last Monday and we had his little celebration here with us- along with my Dad- with all his favourite food. A roast and a wicked flourless chocolate cake I know he loves.
AND I made him a personalised log for the love of his life- his yacht!
The image on the front of the log was the most work in design and stitch involved in the book as the pages within are for a very specific purpose and are very 'straight' but the image of Tau Ceti was painted and stitched from some photographs I have taken of the lovely lady in the past. He recognised it as his yacht immediately which was a buzz because I did want it to be recognisable.
It was a lovely celebration and nice to give my mate a present that is at once practical and beautiful. And to know he appreciates the thought behind it too!!!

Art, Gender and Textiles

Recently while making a present for my dear friend the Sea King - a personalised log book for his yacht which I have not yet photographed *blush*- I was musing on the almost inescapable fact that almost by virtue most of the work I do is largely 'feminine'. Although I have made him a quilt in the past - also for his yacht LOL- and things for M.O.T.H as well it is sometimes a battle to think of something for the guys.

Strange really because I am not a girly girl type.
But it raises interesting questions about the nature of gender and the allocation of art to some roles- although there are a number of male textile artists out there it is still very much an area of the arts that is dominated by women. Possibly another reason why in the larger Visual Arts areas it is lesser valued or dismissed as horror of horrors to that elitist ilk as 'craft'
Tracey Emin has lifted areas of our speciality into the realm of the mainstream art world but few others have made an impact such as her. Perhaps Annameike Mein is another but very few others have enjoyed the same profile in the larger art world.

All I can say is that the men in my life who love me have always been appreciative and supportive of my work. And for that I thank them and they can expect to get more 'girly' pressies in the future LOL
aaaargh I think too much!!!!!!!

Bats in the belfry?

Well I certainly know at least one person who has kanga's hopping around in her top paddock but we have micro bats roosting under the eaves of the house. They provide endless entertainment to Miss Jazzy in the evenings when they come out and hunt the insects that are attracted to the lights in the house. She alerted us to their presence yesterday by sitting and staring up under the eaves between two of the beams and there they were- although yesterday I am sure there were only about four there are a few more today.
Jazz has adapted to her role as an inside puss even though she longingly looks outside she seems happy enough to stay inside even when she has made it outside she doesnt stray and it is very easy to pick her up and bring her back inside thank goodness because of all that fluff I wouldnt like her to get a tick. She has alerted us to the amorous activities of the Boyd's Dragons and the big dance off between the males a couple of weeks ago but her favourite is the micro bats or as I am sure she thinks of them - the flying mice

The pyro in me

Last weekend we had a bonfire at a friend's house. I love fire in the night and played with the cam - and the flames a bit later on- to catch the flames dancing in the dark.
I know it is not very politically correct to burn off nowadays but around here they still burn canefields periodically- accidentally and deliberately.
and the reason I havent been blogging as much is my desktop was down with a crook video card but my dear friend fixed it again. Although he has warned me that it is 4 years old now and will need to be replaced sooner or later but I am so used to this machine and my laptop while great is nowhere near as much fun to use being loaded with the dreaded Vista. aaaargh