Time Out at Moreton Island

Last week I had the privilege of spending 5 days camping on Moreton Island with my partner Craig.  Getting away from everything (internet, phone, housework, day job etc) really recharges my batteries and gives me time out from thinking 'logical' and 'practical', enabling me to daydream a little and focus on the natural world around me.  This focus gives me the starting point for more conceptual-type thinking which doesn't come easily to me when I'm surrounded by day-to-day issues at home. 

Whilst at Moreton, I spent my time planning a small series of artist books based on my experiences there.  In particular I delved into the world of 'Haiku', an Asian form of poetry.  Haiku is loosely based on a 3 line poem of 17 syllables.  More importantly, writing and reading Haiku is like a spiritual journey - traditionally it refers to a season or some aspect of the natural world.  This journey is one of mindfulness and becoming aware of the smallest detail.  In my Haiku, I have explored the banksia flowers and the honeyeaters feeding on them; the feeling of my toes in wet sand; as well as the effect of bushfire and oil spills on the landscape.

This is my first experience of Haiku and I loved it.   Once the flow of writing Haiku started, I couldn't stop it - thinking about the poems as I swam and snorkelled (unfortunately there was no way of writing it down at the time!)

Here are a couple of samples of my first attempts (work in progress!), enjoy....

Banksia cones open
Black branches point to the sky
Beginning and end

Honeyeaters perch
On golden banksia cones, open
And rich with nectar

Sand Bubbler's burrow
Neat balls of sand surround it
Radiating out

Papermaking with a Bali Artist

Last weekend I had the privilege of working with Naruse, a Bali paper artist who is visiting as a part of the Papermakers of Queensland Berbagi exhibition.

We spent a very hot day at Noosa working with botanical fibres to create some interesting works, using the pour technique.

Naruse demonstrating a laminating technique

Embedding objects in a paper sheet at the forming stage, in this case raffia

I'm forming a sheet using the pour technique.
It was nice to play with water on such a hot day!

Conservation of the Species - my solo exhibition

For those of you who haven't been on my website for a while, I'm having a solo exhibition in May at the Richard Randall Art Studio at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in Brisbane.  So exciting!

I've got my invitations done, see below.   I'm having drinks to celebrate, so please join me on Saturday 19 May at the Studio for a chat and view my work.  I've started planning a visual feast of prints, artists books, handmade paper sculpture and fibre sculpture.

I'm also publishing a book "The Magic of Monoprinting", a professionally printed 80 page book giving insights into my art practice and well as lots of beautiful photos of my colourful monotypes. The book will be available from early April and can be pre-ordered. The price will be approx. $30 (to be confirmed).

Today I have finalised my workshop program. Details are on my website.  I'm limiting numbers to 6 for each workshop so each person will get plenty of time to access all my resources, including my press "Thumper".  I am running the workshops between 10am and 2pm, so you can avoid peak hour traffic and will also cater for those with school-age children (or grandchildren!).

I'm having a 4 hour monoprinting workshop on the Monday 21 May.  This is a little longer than my usual 3 hour workshop, just to give you a bit more time to get into the printing and developing layers.

I'm also having an exciting 2 day workshop on 'Nature Journals'.  Over 2 days, we'll be inspired by the botanic gardens around the studio and you'll make an art journal with a nature theme using a recycled book and decorative papers.   On the first day we make our covers and pages - printmaking, papermaking, painting, drawing, stamping, collage and cutouts.  On the second day we assemble the pages and sew it all together.  It'll be heaps of fun playing with gorgeous papers, making your own textures and stamps from lino and other found materials. 

Check out my website for more information on the workshops and contact me to book in.   

Only 105 sleeps to go!