Playing around without expectations

My 2022 resolution is to play more in my studio without expectations (but still enjoy cake at least once a week!).  I want to work without outcomes, meaning that what I do in my arts practice is for myself rather than for a specific outcome driven by external requirements.  Like making work for an upcoming exhibition.  Why not just make work for the enjoyment of it?

A few weeks ago I participated in a workshop by a local artist as part of a gallery run public program.  A simple idea - just play with paint and drawing materials.  Just the usual materials - pastels, ink, watercolour, pens, paper, brushes.  Nothing special, no fancy self-made stick tools and homemade walnut ink but just an emphasis on PLAY.  Scary at first - what, no rules????  But then, yippee!  I couldn't quite unleash my inner 'Pollock' due to the carpet flooring and limited table space, but I got lost in the mark making anyway.

I went home with several large sheets of watercolour paper decorated.  I responded by de-constructing some of the sheets to make books.  They are only half-done, I consider what I have already done to be backgrounds and sometime when I feel the need just to play, perhaps on our upcoming caravan travels, I can take out a pen and get lost in the mark making again.  Just because it feels good.

Why not?

Banksia inspired,
working from memory, feeling
my way around the seductive cone shapes

scribbling, pushing, blobbing, blowing,
flowing

Back in my studio,
I folded and cut the large sheets up
to form a 'snake' concertina books

I glued some sections together to
form more of a codex book form

I then added covers made from box board
and mulberry paper - I love the feel
of a sturdy cover and the mulberry
paper is so lovely to pat.....
now they are ready to work into
when I'm ready.

Advice from a Dung Beetle - a new Artist Book

I'm continuing on my pledge to reduce my stash of paper and reject prints (as seen in my previous posts).

My latest artist book was inspired by a 2019 BioBlitz that I was selected to participate at as a creative researcher. This is where I met Entomologists who were studying dung beetles.  Previously I only thought dung beetles existed in Africa (I saw it on TV once) but I soon learnt that Australia has its own native dung beetles, and they are so fascinating!

Dr Kathy Ebert (an Entomologist) working in the lab
analysing beetles collected in the field studies

Out in the rainforest with the Entomologists.
It was a bit wet, lots of leeches, but
I'm still smiling!

Here I am drawing insects collected, using
a magnifying lamp to see the detail.

The artist book I have made is titled "Advice from a Dung Beetle".  The idea started with a poem that I wrote and a lithographic drawing of a dung beetle based on some sketches I did at the BioBlitz.

The design for the book started with an online video tutorial by Helen Hiebert.  Its a simple design for a tunnel effect in a concertina format.   The idea of the book is that you have to look through the layers of foliage to see the dung beetle, with the poem narrating the activities and life cycle of the beetle.

Here is the poem:

This is the mockup design based on
Helen Hiebert's tutorial

The closed book - the cover is a piece of
thick handmade botanical paper, with a scrap print
on the front (featuring a gelatine print with lithograph beetle print).
The slip band is a piece of kraft card with a gelatine print
fragment and digital text.
The book is approx A6 size, so produces an
intimate viewing experience.

Looking through the book.  The imagery features leaves,
and has been created using gelatine prints, drawing and painting.
The cuts out give peep holes into the layers beyond,
like layers of leaves on the forest floor.

A view of the book in its entirety.  There is a dung beetle
print on the inside of the back cover that can't be
seen in this view.

Another view looking down the 'tunnel',
the view getting narrower as you look
through the book.
I love the layering of colours,
the greens and the blues.

Sketching Banksias into life

Banksias are a favourite native plant amongst many Australian artists.  Their amazing shapes, colours and textures inspires a lot of obsessional art making!

As well as discovering Banksias in the bushlands where I walk and ride, I grow them in my garden.  I love how their sculptural forms rise majestically above the other plants.  They command the attention of the various honeyeaters as well as the human-sort of visitors to my garden.

Banksia flowering on one of my walks.

The lines of yellow 
remind me of the segments of an orange.

And when the colourful show is over,
the pods remain.

One of my interpretations.  This is a snapshot from a concertina
artist book on Parchment paper, the watercolours I used on the paper
shine brightly like the banksias in flower.

Another Banksia artist book, this time on Kraft paper
using muted colours in my favourite combination
of blue and brown.

Another artist book, this time I played
with more intense colours,
and brought out some textures with
waxy pencils.  This one is also
on kraft paper.

Sharing Nature Sketchbooks

Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings have eased in Queensland, for a while perhaps, so I'm finally able to offer face-to-face workshops again.  I'm so grateful for the opportunity to get back into running workshops in this 'new normal' world of hand sanitiser and social distancing.

I'm currently facilitating a series of 'Mixed Media Nature Sketchbook' workshops, combining gelatine plate monoprinting with drawing and watercolours in a concertina format.  Its a technique I've developed to combine my love of printmaking with the intimacy of sketching.  My books are always centered on a personal experience of place, usually involved with travel to national parks or coastal areas.  

The following photos highlight the results of two of my recent workshops, I hope you enjoy the imagery as much as my workshop participants did!

My work, a workshop demonstration

My work, scribbly gum inspired, workshop demonstration

Student work, I love the watercolour work on this one.
Viridian green can be hard to work with, but it really makes the work pop

Student work, guess what her favourite colours are!
I love seeing colour combinations that are so different to my own.

Student work, in progress.
This book was inspired by wattle trees.

Student work, wonderful to see them all at the end of the workshop!

Beautiful work girls!  A lovely day out for a group of like-minded friends.

Nature Journaling and Writing

Over the past few weeks, I've been working with Brisbane City Council to help facilitate a series of nature journaling workshops.

It seems that nature journaling has become more popular as we try to reconnect more directly with the natural world around us.  This is very promising as its introducing a wide range of people and children to a world they usually only glance at as they walk through forest and parks.

I don't regard myself as a 'nature journaler'.  I think sometimes the technique gets a bit too caught up in layout and design.  I'm more of a sketchy scratcher -  my sketchbook is full of odds and ends of pencil, pen, watercolour and writing, some pages half-done, some abandoned, some loved to death.

During the workshops, I really enjoyed sharing my love of art and the natural world with others and being able to give each person a way of entering into the world of observation, curiousity and 'slow' journaling.  My emphasis was on using writing (for example, asking questions, recording sensory experiences, lists, or weather observations) and not being concerned with the 'right' way to do it, just record your own story, your own experience of this place, this eco-system, this plant.

By the way, I gained some of my skills via the free 6-week online Natural History Illustration course - click HERE for more information.

And now for a few photos, including a few from my sketchbook.  I hope that you might get out into nature soon with your sketchbook and pencil.  Take a moment or two to give the natural world your full attention.  The attention it deserves.

Nature Journaling at Boondall Wetlands

Some pages from my sketchbook

Amongst the Mangroves

As an artist I get obsessed about things.  My latest obsession (and distraction) are the seeds of the Red Mangroves.  These can be found bobbing around our local mangrove creeks and in tidal flows.

My obsession really started during a recent kayaking trip to North Stradbroke Island.  The waters there are clear with lots of marine animals, invertebrates and plants - a wealth of inspiration and interest to an artist like me.

The selfie stick comes in handy when kayaking !
I'm hoping that I don't drop my phone in the water
as I take the photo....

Paddling up a beautiful little creek off Amity Point.
Can you feel the serenity and peacefulness from the photo?

I love the prop roots of the Red Mangrove.
So architectural!
Perhaps my next obsession.....?

Just passing by a mangrove tree at high tide and spotted
these little guys, difficult to photograph because
they kept moving around the other side of the tree from me.

I jumped out of the kayak at a sandbank to photograph the beautiful
mangrove seeds that have dropped from the trees.
This one still has its 'cap' on.

Here is a bit of information about the Red Mangrove Seed -

Flowering occurs in winter, with the production of a single-seeded, brown, oval-shaped fleshy fruit during summer.

Seeds germinate on the tree (vivipary), which results in the appearance of a long, green, rounded propagule (seedling) about 30 cm long. The propagule protrudes through the wall of the fruit to hang vertically beneath it. This buoyant germinated seed is the first stage of the root system.

- Qld Govt, Department of Agriculture & Fisheries 

Tidal detritus on the sandbank - a goldmine
of inspiration and musing....

Back in the studio, playing with drawings of the seeds.
I like the idea of oversized mangrove seeds on
a full sheet of watercolour paper.

More play, this time with monoprint and watercolour.
Didn't quite work but still lots of opportunities to work into it further.
Playing is tough, persistence and keeping an open mind is key.
Not everything works, but it helps to sort things out in my head.

More monotypes, now playing around with the idea of drawing.
I've been obsessed with circles and mandalas lately, so
these are popping up in my latest work as well.

Using drawings from my sketchbook as a reference, I'm
working into my monotype print with a detailed pencil drawing.
I'm using my magnifier to get into the detail. Very handy tool!

Where Arts meets Science - Part 4

Continuing on from my previous post.....


Day 4 of the Art-science BioBlitz at Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve

The Sunday dawned without a cloud in the sky, absolutely gorgeous!

My tree for this final day of the BioBlitz was Tree 3 - 'Mook Mook', Jinibara language for 'Ghost Tree'.

It was very busy around the base of the tree, as it was one of the trees setup for climbing that day.  To get close to the tree, I had to wear a hard hat and keep away from all the noise and activity.   This forced me to look closer at the soil and around the roots, with my drawings focussing on the beautiful fungi sprouting from the strangler fig roots.

The rest of the morning was spent back at BioBlitz HQ working with the other artists.  We were all a bit frantic at this stage, trying to get as much done as possible before it was 'brushes down!' and time to go for the closing ceremony.

We all had a fabulous time, it was a highlight to work with both scientists and like-minded artists.  I feel like I've established some new connections that will enhance my art practice and help me to spread the word about forest conservation and the importance of retaining biodiversity.

The 5 visual diaries were handed over to the Reserve staff, to be scanned and documented, and then put on show at the Reserve until 25 August.

Wearing a hard hat whilst sketching at the base of
Mook Mook,  something different!

Beautiful fungi, captured on toned paper with
pencil

My watercolour kit, wet and muddy and well used

The art team at work at BioBlitz HQ - me, Kim, Jono, Jason and Leisa
(left to right around the table).  Paula was out in the forest at the time
this photo was taken.

At the closing ceremony, still working on our diaries!

My favourite drawing from the 4 days of BioBlitz -
the Bat Fly!  AMAZING!