Since the Christmas break, I've been busy preparing for my next exhibition, titled 'Feather : Leaf : Print'. Its being held at Tiny Tree Cafe at Coorparoo which has a beautiful little gallery space at the back. White walls, so perfect for displaying my work. I love these small suburban places where art is more approachable and relaxed.
However, every exhibition creates a mountain of work for an artist. Not only the creation of the artwork itself, but also documentation, framing, labels, bio, artist statement, promotion, delivery, installation, opening night etc etc. And with the installation deadline looming, I must admit I've been spending more time on the fun stuff (making the artwork) in the past few weeks. I know that I've already have a lot of artwork ready to go, but I love the excitement of creating new works and exploring new ideas.
So yes, I've been creatively busy (I can't help myself). Over the break, I dug out my indigo dyeing kit that I bought after doing a workshop FIVE years ago and have got it going (finally). My little black bucket is now a blue-heavenly witches indigo brew which I don't have to share with anyone and I can just step outside my studio and start dipping my papers. Now I know that it's very naughty that it took me five years to do it, but I'm so loving doing it that I'm contemplating buying ANOTHER kit, but I know that it will probably take another few years to use that one, so I'll stay strong and resist that urge and just enjoy this one while it lasts.
I've also been playing around with cyanotypes, including wet cyanotypes, which of course seems to have brought on the rainy weather. My garden is thanking me, though the chickens aren't so keen on being damp.
Anyway.... having an indigo dye bath, cyanotypes and my printer 'Thumper' on the go, its been a golden opportunity to mix the three up a little. An example is a wet cyanotype that didn't quite go to plan, so I dipped it into the indigo a few times, dripped water on it (which then obscured the feather cyanotype) so then I needed to monoprint the feathers on. Fun, scary fun. Now just waiting for the sun to come out to play more with the cyanotypes and to warm up the indigo bath and off we go again......
My exhibition at Tiny Tree Cafe (420 Cavendish Rd Coorparoo) opens on Tuesday 28 January at 5.30pm, please join me if you're in the area. The exhibition continues until 22 February. I hear they have some wickedly amazing European handmade cakes............! The bonus is that two other artists are also exhibiting work, including Robert Astill with his eco-dyeing. Sounds like it'll be worth the big slice of cake to see it all......
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| Indigo Dye Pot = Black Bucket |
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Indigo dyeing on paper,
dipping mindfulness exercise! |
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Close up ... with some water splashes
to make it interesting |
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This is a failed cyanotype of feathers,
which I have dipped in the indigo...
lovely effects. I think I also
left it out in the rain overnight accidentally! |
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A detail of the failed cyanotype, with
feathers monoprinted on top.
I've called this one 'Fresco'
because it reminds me of a wall mural. |
