Artist friends

This week, I managed to finish my Japanese queen sized quilt.  I like it so much, I can't bear to part with it, and since Bob loves it too, it is destined for one of our beds, to snuggle in during winter, and for the cat to shed hairs on, I suppose.

I have also been working away on my doll clothes, knitting so fast that I have had to send off for more wool.

I've started sewing up my huge koi fish, and have nearly finished embroidering  the tail.  It is coming along well.

I am still working on my art, of course.  This week, I painted a board with gesso, then using various tools, created patterns, textures and motifs using gesso and modelling paste.  Next, I dropped in a background of my Aussie earth tones.  Next, I will be creating the surface, using inks and Shiva oil sticks.  I am hoping to make another ode to the red centre in this piece.  Hope it turns out!

I also did another piece using black and red inks, based on volcanic cross sections I have seen.   I am liking working with black, and hope to make some more abstract  pieces using this method in the future.

And, I finished my little work featuring bush turkeys, the confident raiders of the suburban garden up here.

As well as doing work myself, I have been admiring the work of others.

At the BIA exhibition this week, they are featuring the work of  Mary Brimblecombe, "Time and Timelessness" and Michael Daley.  Mike and I participated in an oil painting class under Margaret Fredricksson a few years ago, and he has gone on to create his own unique style in acrylics, in spite of his developing Parkinson's Disease.   I was very chuffed to see how enthused other people are of his work too.  He has worked damn hard to achieve the skills and creativity shown in his work.

He is not the only one of my peers to be doing well.  Riley Lawson, who I have mentioned in a previous blog, is one of the artists in the RAW arts, "generation" program  at Arena ( 210 Brunswick st, Fortitude Valley from 7.30 to 12 am on March 22nd).  Plus, he has been interviewed in Moustache Magazine.  Not bad for his first year studying in Melbourne.

I also watched the Artscape program on the ABC, "Jamie  Daddo: a different Canvas".  It documents the art of Andrew Daddo's twin brother, and the close relationship between the two men.  Jamie Daddo was hit by a car when he was 18, and , as a result, lost much of his speech and movement.  In spite of the damage to his brain, he has gone on to find love, become an artist, and be a really positive person.  A very inspiring and touching episode.  Congratulations to the ABC, once again.