lunchtime in the park

On my work days I try to go for a half hour walk in the park across the road from my building. It's a really good 're-set' time to go and look up into the trees and sky, watch the birds, search for treasures and have some mental space.

I see all sorts of interesting things and small treasures: today's strange find was this oddly spiralled sap.

There were hard lumps and filigrees of this resinous ook that had seeped out of the tree all the way up the trunk. Some bits has fallen onto the ground but there were lots still attached to the tree.

It's opaque as you can see, has no detectable smell and it quite smooth - not at all sticky.Very strange.

progress report

things are zooming along with my current body of work - still very experimental but huge fun and my hands are perpetually paint and ink-stained

here's what I have been doing for the last few days:

 eggshells painted with stage blood

 silk stitched and painted with plaster, painted with stage blood

t

 a ham net from last Christmas, saved for he right project, layered with silk organza and fibre, stitched and painted with soluble paper, paint and ink

sinamay, painted and dyed, layered with silk, stitched, stuffed with silk fibre and cocoons and pierced with porcupine quills.

exhibition!

Three of my artworks will be on show in the Media House Gallery in The Age building in Melbourne from 6 August until 26 September.

 Desert Triptych

 Jealousy

and Xylem/Phloem: the secret landscape of trees.

The lovely Margaret Cooter (herself a talented and always interesting artist) commented on my post about Tomas Saraceno's sculpture and left a gift in the form of a link to the work of Shelagh Wakely - an artist I haven't heard of before.

Drop whatever you are doing and go and read this  http://www.theartsdesk.com/visual-arts/first-person-curating-shelagh-wakely

Beautiful, clever, delicate and rich work - I'm looking forward to learning more. Here is an image of Wakely's work partially recreated Paisagem Inutil, 1997 taken from the article.

Tomas Saraceno at GOMA

When we were in Brisbane a couple of weeks ago we went to the Gallery of Modern art and were absolutely captivated by a beautiful, light and clever sculpture by Argentinian artist Tomas Saraceno.

All photos taken with my beloved Pentax Spotmatic, using a Fuji Neopan SS film.

makings

It seems a new series is emerging in the studio. Ideas have been slowly developing over the last couple of years and are starting to become their own mysterious shapes and colours.

 

I still don't know what they will become but they are choosing their own path.  And my studio is feeling lived-in again.

postcard from Brisbane

Last week Kind Dog had some work in Brisbane, which is 1300 kms north up the coast from Melbourne. I joined him after work on Wednesday and we had a lovely few days together enjoying the 22 degree warmth.

Here is the view from the balcony of the flat:

While KD worked on Thursday and Friday I worked on my thesis,

read on the balcony,

and met a really lovely fellow historian of the emotions at the University of Queensland. I don't have a photo of her but here is an ibis I met on the walk back from the ferry.

Friday afternoon was spent at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA - to which I always add a silent 'Pyle') and was very happy to see a piece by one of my favourite artists. This is Simryn Gill's Forking Tongues - a perfectly assembled spiral of chillies and cutlery. Very clever and good. 

On Saturday we explored the rainforest at Mt Tamborine which was magical - full of mysterious pods and seeds, strangler figs and beautiful mesmerising verticals.

and Sunday we went about the same distance in the opposite direction to the weird Glasshouse Mountains, which are the remains of volcanic cores.

Unfortunately I reawakened my dormant back injury and have spent this week at osteopath appointments, resting, taking drugs and feeling sooky.  Fortunately the osteopath is very good and I am being strict about not sitting for too long. That red ladybird above the keyboard is a timer - so I make sure I get up every ten minutes. You can also see evidence of tea (natch), two lots of lovely drugs and my thesis chapter patiently awaiting my attention.