Art up north and leisure down south.

I worked on my new painting inspired by the Alice and it ha been a real learning experience.  First I coated a board with gesso - twice.  Then, I used thick layers of gesso to create a sky and hills.  Once that was dry, I used modelling paste to add stencilled images of the birds and insects I encountered.  That took longer to dry, but when it was done, I created a background wash in inks.  Last came the creative, fun part.  Using differed inks, I created a transition from sky to land, from hills to valleys, and brought out the details in the stencils.  I added travelling marks to map the link between the images, drawing for inspiration the aboriginal idea of mapping the country as an aerial view, and using symbols to show meeting places  My next step was to photocopy images and notes from my sketchbook onto tissue paper adhered to postage sheets.  I ripped these tissue images into scraps and glued them to the picture with rice paper glue.  Now it was time to add more writing of ideas and images that the Alice evokes in me.  And finally, another wash of inks to highlight areas.  Done!  Very satisfying.......and such a good diary of my brief visit to the heart of the continent.

My black and white theme is also developing.  Very abstract!  My repertoire is developing!

My wool did not turn up from AK traditions in time for me to finish off my doll, unfortunately.  They still are developing their on-line ordering system, so it has taken longer to get the wool than I expected.  Never mind, there is no deadline.

Instead I worked on finishing an order for a fish.  The tail is now embroidered, and the gills are defined.  Next for the fins and the sprayed layers of varnish.

I also prepared a textured background for another ink work based on the Alice.  I am on a theme here! The area really made an impression considering I was only there for a week!

And then it was off to Victoria with my watercolour pad and camera.

My first adventure was to the zoo with some young friends.  The Melbourne Zoo gets better every year.  The plantings are imaginative and really enhance the environment of the animals whose enclosures are constantly being improved.  The focus is on the preservation of the native environments of the animals, education of humans and conservation, which I really endorse.  

I was fascinated by the striping variations in the zebras.

And got a lot of inspiration from even the roots of the trees.

  Plus, they have a wonderful variety of artworks dotted here and there.

 My two year old friends insisted on visiting the monkeys.  They adore the gorillas, and the last time they visited, one child was kissed by a gorilla through the glass.  When I, as an adult, have visited, the gorillas have shown no interest in the spectators at all, but with my young friends, they came up close and watched each other through the glass.  What a wonderful bond we have with our cousins.  They were entranced by the gibbons too, who also pressed their faces to the glass for a kiss from a human two year old.  I want the hanging pouches that the gibbons, lemurs and colobus monkeys  have in their cage.  Wonderful hanging sculptures.  Another favourite were the meerkats.  Not only did they get to watch their antics, but they get to share their experiences of  popping into holes, looking up at the world through the bottom of a tunnel, and playing in the sandpit.  It was feeding time when we visited the African hunting dogs, and we marvelled at their burst of speed as they raced towards to keeper at feeding time.  The strength of their jaws as they bite their way through bones with great ease is incredible - and a little intimidating. These are not little lap dogs!  We enjoyed the amphibians and reptiles before  hunger and tiredness set in.  Lots of ideas from that reacquaintance with the Zoo!  Bet you they turn up in future work!

My next adventure was a drive to Port Fairy to spend three days with old friends - three other couples who form a group we call the "Gourmet Club", which is a terribly pretentious title for a group which is more focused on chatting and lolling around than high- falluting, pretentious, foodies.  We used to stay in sharers' quarters when we were parents of  10 children between us: picturesque, fun, but not always up-market.  Now, we stay in this beautiful house:

  Even the arrangement by the front door is imaginative.

 I could watch the view from the upstairs windows all day:

 

  Just love the wildness of the scenery : the constantly changing sea, the rock pools, the scudding clouds.  Could look at the landscape for ever!  It has featured in a lot of my past work.

Port Fairy has countless art galleries - which, this visit, I didn't have time to visit.  And, I missed out on next week's craft market.  But, I took photos, admired the beautiful 19th century bluestone cottages, and bought shoes at the wonderful "If the Shoe Fits".

I also caught up with the work of my Photographer friend, Jill Frawley.  Check out her work at www.jillfrawley.com.  I especially love her rural photos, but she is also known for her portraits of families, wedding photos and series on the bush fires which ravaged the Western District.

I feel like I am in "Where's Wally? "  Where will I go next?