October's going to be a busy month..... my artwork has been travelling interstate and overseas to be exhibited.
The highlight is definitely 'Water Portraits - Portraits d’eau' exhibition in Montreal, Canada, opening on 5 October. I was selected with 10 other Queensland printmakers to exhibit with printmakers from Quebec. If you've been following my blog, you'll remember my moments in the studio when it all went wrong and then thankfully right! Check out the artworks via this website http://dept.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/finearts/texts/specialevents.html
My other exhibition is 'Artbound' at Gallery Red, Glebe, Sydney. I am exhibiting one of my monotype books from my 'Lost and Found' series. There's a photo of my book on their website http://www.galleryred.net.au/artbound-bound-art-30-september/
The other 'Lost and Found' book is currently on show in the 'Paper Pages and Prints' exhibition at the Pine Rivers Gallery.
Its a huge pleasure and privilege to have my work exhibited outside of Brisbane, and the Quebec exhibition is my first overseas showing. Its just a shame I can't be there at the openings, but I've only just come back from holidays!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Flax weaving in New Zealand
Its been a week already since I returned from my NZ holiday....how time flies!
I just wanted to share with you the wonderful experience I had whilst in Whangarei, NZ - I spent a day with Janine, a flax weaving artist. She patiently taught me the basic skills of flax weaving, including collection and preparation of the fibre.
There are a number of Maori customs to be followed when collecting the fibre, including ensuring the sustainability of the plant itself when removing the leaves. The most interesting custom is that women shouldn't collect the flax during their menstrual period. (personally, I think we should expand that to include housework, cooking etc.....!)
As our weaving day progressed, Janine and I had a great chat about basketry in general. I got her started on coiling with daylilly leaves from her garden and then got her excited about random weaving. So the day ended up more as an exchange of information as well as working on our baskets.
At the end of the day, I had created a four corner basket with a folded edge and a two corner satchel with a plaited edge (see photos below). My only disappointment is that both baskets were confiscated by Australian Customs as they weren't quite dry and so had the potential to carry nasties (like rust disease). Luckily I had been prepared for that eventuality and had purchased some dry finished baskets by other artists (including Janine) during my trip.
At the airport, they were filming for the TV show 'Customs' but didn't come rushing over to film my flax baskets being taken - obviously I didn't make enough fuss! Or perhaps flax baskets don't rate as high as hidden drugs and fruit?
Anyway I would like to thank Janine for inviting me into her home and sharing her flax weaving knowledge - obviously much more complicated than my random weave baskets (more concentration required!). On the day we left Whangarei, I gave Janine a random weave basket that I had made overnight - I used palm inflorescence from the caravan park's palms - never an opportunity wasted!
Now all I need to do is find a NZ flax plant over here........!
I just wanted to share with you the wonderful experience I had whilst in Whangarei, NZ - I spent a day with Janine, a flax weaving artist. She patiently taught me the basic skills of flax weaving, including collection and preparation of the fibre.
There are a number of Maori customs to be followed when collecting the fibre, including ensuring the sustainability of the plant itself when removing the leaves. The most interesting custom is that women shouldn't collect the flax during their menstrual period. (personally, I think we should expand that to include housework, cooking etc.....!)
As our weaving day progressed, Janine and I had a great chat about basketry in general. I got her started on coiling with daylilly leaves from her garden and then got her excited about random weaving. So the day ended up more as an exchange of information as well as working on our baskets.
At the end of the day, I had created a four corner basket with a folded edge and a two corner satchel with a plaited edge (see photos below). My only disappointment is that both baskets were confiscated by Australian Customs as they weren't quite dry and so had the potential to carry nasties (like rust disease). Luckily I had been prepared for that eventuality and had purchased some dry finished baskets by other artists (including Janine) during my trip.
At the airport, they were filming for the TV show 'Customs' but didn't come rushing over to film my flax baskets being taken - obviously I didn't make enough fuss! Or perhaps flax baskets don't rate as high as hidden drugs and fruit?
Anyway I would like to thank Janine for inviting me into her home and sharing her flax weaving knowledge - obviously much more complicated than my random weave baskets (more concentration required!). On the day we left Whangarei, I gave Janine a random weave basket that I had made overnight - I used palm inflorescence from the caravan park's palms - never an opportunity wasted!
Now all I need to do is find a NZ flax plant over here........!
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| my 4 corner basket |
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| my 2 corner basket/satchel - inside view |
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| Toasting my flax weaving success ! |
Thursday, September 15, 2011
10 days
Yesterday I flew back from a holiday in New Zealand. As we travelled around Northland in our motorhome, I reflected that not only was I seeing a different country, I had 10 days away from.....
I returned home yesterday feeling like I'd been away for ages, refreshed and ready to launch into my art....once I finish unpacking and doing the washing that is!
- the ringtone of my mobile phone
- the television and internet, especially emails
- my to-do list obsession
- waking up to deadlines and a daily routine
- knowing what day it is
- my art studio - i had time to reflect rather than do
I returned home yesterday feeling like I'd been away for ages, refreshed and ready to launch into my art....once I finish unpacking and doing the washing that is!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Papers, Pages and Prints
You're all invited to the "Papers, Pages and Prints" exhibition being held at the Pine Rivers Gallery this month.
Its going to be an exciting and stimulating display of artist prints and handmade books, created by artists including Judith Rosenberg, the Pressgang Print Group and Qld Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists Book and Paper Group (that's the group I'm in).
I'm exhibiting 3 artist books - my monoprint book 'Found' from the 'Lost and Found' series, my altered book 'Gardens in Art', and my collaborative pages journal 'Birds and Butterflies'.
The exhibition is on from Wednesday 7 September to Saturday 1 October, with opening night on Friday 9 September from 6pm.
There's also a fantastic workshop program, for adults as well as children.
For more information, go to the Exhibitions page www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/pinerivers-gallery
Its going to be an exciting and stimulating display of artist prints and handmade books, created by artists including Judith Rosenberg, the Pressgang Print Group and Qld Spinners Weavers and Fibre Artists Book and Paper Group (that's the group I'm in).
I'm exhibiting 3 artist books - my monoprint book 'Found' from the 'Lost and Found' series, my altered book 'Gardens in Art', and my collaborative pages journal 'Birds and Butterflies'.
The exhibition is on from Wednesday 7 September to Saturday 1 October, with opening night on Friday 9 September from 6pm.
There's also a fantastic workshop program, for adults as well as children.
For more information, go to the Exhibitions page www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/pinerivers-gallery