Multipurpose!

I have soved a difficult space problem, and in so doing I possibly have one of the most extravagent and expensive work tables.

I am afraid and ashamed to admit it has more use in the last few months in this capacity than that for which it was made.

I did play some Bach the other day and was amazed that I still could! (Glen Gould need have no fear! )

My dear friend Jo (Mystory) came yesterday and we saw the film 'Seraphine' a beautiful film for people interested in painting, however it left us a little sombre for the rest of the day.

However she had made me a lovely book

.

Jo works so very meticulously, and cerebrally, but the result still has a spontanaeity.

All around the inner city are some wonderful paintings on the wall. Fitzroy has some beauties, here are some closeups of the textures.

These artists work on such a large scale, and yet often with very fine detail .

Revamp

I love the idea of revamping jumpers or indeed reworking an old into something different This is one I finished last night.

And my favourite done at the beginning of winter.

that and making quilts is what I am doing with the TV on at night, but I am really enjoying the painting and drawing.

This is another just in early stages.

I am loving Stuart Davis's work and this is based on our trip to the port, and the preliminary drawings.

This is the underpainting so do not know where it will end up (certainly minus the masking tape!)

Books

How I love making books, but I do ask myself "Why"? so I decided to make one for each of the members of my art group. I wanted them to be useful sketch books so used pastel paper for one and canvas sheets for some and so on.

Some of the covers are made from the batikpapers seen drying on the pomegranate tree. (It sounds so very romantic and 17th century, I think...."under the pomegranate tree" there is something quite exotic about them. The imagined picture is far superior to the reality...the poor little pet will be supplanted by the more pragmatic lemon or lime tree! Batik reminds me of my ceramic days with Raku, you never really know what it will look like when the wax is removed and the layers revealed.I am really excited about Viera da Silvas work at the moment, I realise it is her wonderful exploration of perspective. I am working on the alleyways of Fitzroy, this is the one opposite my house (where the graffiti artists were of the side picture), still in early stages I am happy I am making some stuff, after a fairly difficult time being overwhelmed by 'other pressures' hopefully I can show more next time I post.

another vision of the kitchen!

Remember this

Well this is it now

What fun!

a day at the port

Just back from a wonderful day with the art class down on the port, we painted on the wharf and then went on a small boat close to the huge ships and cranes to take photos to use the kid's phraes...it was "awesome"!

This is the class 'hard at it'!A montage from the day and then some very little drawings....not going to set the world on fire but it was such fun.

I felt so terribly fortunate to be out with such great people and having the best time 'playing'

I never stop reminding myself of how very lucky I am to have a passion....I know I have said this before.

Time now for a whisky!

Batik workshop

I have just mopped up half a tin of white house paint from the studio floor! I bet I'm an not alone in that "fun filler-in of time"!

Had a wonderful weekend at "Beautiful Silks" ....and I walked there and back...how good is that.

Anyway I did a class with Els van Baarle a beautifully gentle and talented artist and teacher from the Netherlands.I especially was excited about using the Tjanting , and hope to really discover what it can do for me as soon as I can.

You know how sometimes you go to a class and you just wish, maybe, someone might have stayed home....well it was not like that, everyone was so super and the work really exciting.

These are my works and sadly the colours are not as vibrant as real life.

The bottom 2 are pieces of drawing paper, Els will use paper towel and even toilet paper but the secret is the layer of wax on the top, which gives it real stability.

Our group met at Carolyns last week and made more books this is mineThis a quick blog as time is very short but I do not want to lose contact with the friends in blogland, and please forgive me for not commenting, I love reading them but it is in snatches and I really appreciate the comments you give to me.

Secret Belgians' and their Books

My friend Jo of Mystory, did a wonderful blog on our class, she sent me a picture of myself at the class with Rae Cummings our teacher.

So the process was not exactly as romantic as her post showed, on the other hand this is how I finished

I used watercolours in the stash, left by my husband. It makes a lovely, interesting cover I think and before I put the backboard and just had the stitching down the spine it was lovely with the edges of the first of the signatures being the watercolours and showing through the stitches.

I bought a painting at an exhibition of Ron Reynolds my teach, it is of North Fitroy and as I have just moved into the area, I felt I must have it.

He gave me this other little one as a present.

Had the Very Stuff group here today....my first entertaining in the new house, it was so great. My intention was to put a photo of them at this point, however I think I would be in trouble, they looked preety serious at the time.

We wandered around the corner in the middle of lunch to find some particular paper at Officeworks...the joys of propinquity.

Great Life

How I love living in the inner city. One of the amazing aspects is the immediacy of service, I have had the computer man here today and he came within an hour of my going to the shop. Not only did he come promptly, Clement, had TIME, he helped me in more ways than I had requested, even encouraging me to sort the extraneous bits and pieces to do with the computer and throwing out the dated stuff. I felt so lucky to have such care.

Here are some photos of the new studio, still a work in progress but getting there.

I am back doing Uni work and studying the "Moderns" now, I am looking forward to this next bit. One of the joys of the work previously was the discovery of the "Delecroix" letters. It is a small book and it can go with me to coffee shops!! Hopefully there will be some art in the next blog.

Win some Lose some

Well this is how the painting turned out.....totally" missed the boat" however Ron, my teacher has made some suggestions which may be a little more positive than my idea of chopping it up!

The second was an earlier incarnation but I still can not change the order with the mouse.

How do you feel about potato crisps?

I bought a largish bag as I have some "littlies" coming tomorrow, it is my firm belief that you HAVE to eat the whole packet irrespective of the size....and with a "Whiskey Mac"......bliss!

I will sove tomorrows problem tomorrow. One of the super things about inner city living....I just love it so much.

Art Work is beginning!

I mentioned somewhat enigmatically that I was having trouble "moving pictures" well my problem is that I can not presently reposition them within the blog...something is wrong with the mouse so shall try again.

I have done some work on a painting for our "Very Stuff" group meeting on Monday it is "Palimsest" and this is where it is at present...still with masking tape

It is good to have made some space for working in the studio but I am afraid at some cost to the other rooms.

New house.... new painting. This is the painting I bought last month at the firestation Gallery, the first is a sketch of the painting done by Bronwyn Rees on her "road trip" and she so kindly gave it to me. (I can't change the order!*?!)

I do love it and is evocative of a friends place.

Episode 2

Here are some photos of the "inner city" pad.I had a removal firm unpack some of the stuff and this is how they left it...candles everywhere it looked quite glamorous which is just what you need after such an amazingly long and tiring day...they even made my bed!!!!! The last blog showed the less glamorous parts...the studio.

This is the "other"

I realise these photos are a bit away from the "art" work of the blogging sorority /fraternity but I have been talking about the move for many months and hopefully the art work can begin again...and of course the uni work

The next essay is about the influence of the orient on certain 19th and 20th century painters, so I am looking forward to getting stuck in to that.

These are the 3 quilts I made for the family from the fires, and fortunately they went off before the

move.

Furniture going

Big things are happening in the "moving stakes" my wonderful....large.......Victorian cedar table has gone, it has been a great friend, it was truly elegant when it was in the great dining room we used to have, but of late it has seen more robust use, including felting, building, painting, and of course eating!

I have always thought a table the centre of so much joy, when my parents were in England they were living for a while in a large house, but everyone came into the house through the kitchen and sat at the large table when they visited.

This is the interim trestle!

Then..........

From the old "studio" to this

I will get there. This is actually now the 31st July so in one week things are improving, I will be able to fit it all in the room but I am yet to work out how/where I can actually "make" art.

So anyway, back to the "table", I bought one today!

I am having trouble moving the pictures...so the next installment will be tomorrow.

Inspiration

We all need it don't we? I went with Jo to the Firestation Print studio (it is in an old Fire Station) to see an exhibition of Bronwyn Rees work. I came back with the 'fire" again it has been sadly lacking in the maelstrom of History essays and packing up the house.

I MUST MAKE TIME FOR MY ART! This should be our mantra?

The exhibition was truly interesting with both of us the potential owners of her work, that is when the exhibition is over. The most exciting part for me was looking at her travel diary just in a simple spirex book but with lovely free naive watercolours, showing amazing confidence simply because of their naivity.

A while ago I mentioned making quilt for a friends family who lost everything in the recent bushfires.

This is one of them.

I mean to make more. Have made 2 patchwork ones for the children and one more to go.

I am the proud owner of a new car...my first new car! afterdriving for 47 years!!!!!

So excited was I that i took some photos..and then played.

It is amazing what you unearth in the garage when you are moving house and "downsizing"

This was a collaborative pot made by my husband and myself and I had packed it away in preparation for glazing some time in the future..sadly I no longer do ceramics, so it will need to remain bisqued only...it still makes me laugh.

This is a collage of the light through a new little bubble glass window I mean for it to be the beginning of a "piece"

Hope to begin catching up on reading the posts I have missed.