Exhibitions in Brisbane, knitting bees in Melbourne.

I forgot to say in my last post that I also got taken to the  Connections Renewed exhibition at the BIA, in Brisbane.  Lyn Derrick's work, unfortunately did not come out clearly in my photos. The pottery is by Linda Beck:

 

I especially like her blue pieces:

Another artist was Lily Karmatz who worked with plants to produce some stunning effects:

My favourite artist was Sharon Lee, mainly because she uses a lot of techniques I am familiar with in an interesting way.  She also is a lovely person, and explained the way she works with stencil, monoprint, screen-prints, and other techniques very patiently to us.  She was so encouraging!

 

 

 

I also was lucky enough to be taken to the museum to see Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul.  The exhibition is really worth seeing as it is very informative , giving an incredible glimpse of what an amazing place Afghanistan is, with a long civilisation and history and, being at the centre of the Silk Road, having cultural influences  from China, India, Persia, and Mesopotamia.  The  tale of how the treasures we see today were saved from the  barbaric destruction of members of the Taliban is impressive, but the fact that so much has been lost to the Afghanis and the world is heartbreaking.  We weren't allowed to take photos, but what remains is so beautiful, demonstrates extraordinary craftsmanship and artistic talent, and reveals an Afghanistan that the world media rarely mentions.  At the end of the exhibit there is a changing exhibit of the peoples of Afghanistan, whose faces reflect their mixed heritage and their country's beauty.  I feel very privileged to have been able to attend this exhibition.  It is worth seeing if you are in Brisbane.

As I am in the rather depressing process of packing up in Brisbane and preparing the house in Melbourne for our impending move, I haven't had much time for creating.  However, I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with a knitting and crochet group in Melbourne who meet monthly to knit rugs for the Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, and make other items for themselves.  The rugs, which are given to each woman who leaves the hospital, need to be made of acrylic wools, and be bright.  Look at the wonderful colours of the rug currently in process:

The knitters and crocheters vary in age - we even had a budding member of three!  It does my heart good to know that there are wonderful people in our community willing to share with the less fortunate of this world.  The other items being worked on for themselves or their friends and relations were equally creative:

( a baby's beanie)

(a cardigan)

(a rug)

(a scarf)

(a shawl)

(more of the Ethiopia rug)

( a basket)

(a floor rug)

( a necklace for Miss Three).

Are you feeling jealous?  Start your own group!  This one meets once a month and those attending vary according to what they have on in their other lives, so the same people do not always manage to make it,but it is a lovely way to share ideas, chat with old friends, share food, have some time to create, and do good.  Plus, I had the pleasure of reacquainting myself with the other members of the household, including this rather bizarre looking frizzled hen who gave me a very beady eye, when I failed to remember to bring weeds and snails:

This is the last you will probably be hearing from me on this blog for a while until I have finished the torturous moving process.  Keep creating, readers!

In praise of friends

Life has been a bit fragmented lately, as I pack and clean my Brisbane home and prepare my Melbourne home.  Yes, we are in the process of returning to Melbourne!  This has been having a rather negative effect on my creating, but thanks in part to some very good friends who are intent on ensuring I don't get too stressed or work too hard, I am managing to keep making art, and learning from the art of others.

On one visit to Melbourne, I was taken to the Finders Keepers market in the Royal Exhibition Building, as a break from the cleaning and sorting

What a wonderful array of varied, individual and exciting artisans there were.  And, how fantastic to see so many talented young artisans!  I keep being told by older women that the young are not interested in art and craft.  What a lot of rot! No wonder the venue was crowded.  Obviously, the word is out, in spite of the negativity of these "glass half fullers"!  Finders Keeper markets are great places to buy original pieces for yourself and as gifts.  I bought Xmas presents for others and earrings and scented candles for me,  and got lots of inspiration.  Plus, I was able to renew my acquaintance with the Carlton Gardens

I was also asked by another friend to help out with a printing class in Brisbane.  I met the students and was caught up their enthusiasm and creativity, and enjoyed showing how the same materials  can have different effects depending on whether it is the first print:

the second ghost print

or the third one:

And, of course, depending on whether paints or inks are added to create a different effect.

I had time to do some quick drawings of bush turkeys with conte, like these

 copy them and distort the images with the photocopiers, then tear up the images and collage them face down onto some damp watercolour paper, rub them with eucalyptus oil, and put them through the press twice.  The resultant images are not awe-inspiring, as this one shows, but they will form the basis for future work inspired by the petroglyphs I have been collecting on my Pinterest board, "Rock  art".

At the class, I caught up with a lot of friends from my rusting day and took more photos of their creations which will be the basis for future art works:

Other friends took me on a day trip to the holiday home of one of them, in  Tamborine Mountain to the south of the city.  What a wonderful place for a home and an artists refuge!  It is cooler than the surrounding flat country, with wonderful views towards the surrounding plains, including the Gold Coast and the ocean.  The mountain is dominated by the national park, with its stunning subtropical rainforest full of amazing palms and forest walks and lots of bird life.  We gathered at the beautiful and welcoming  home

admiring its wonderful crammed full garden which included macadamias, palms, grapefruit, ferns, and these wonderful orchids:

 

This wasn't all!  We set off to explore some of the shops, including the local fire brigade's craft market, and Marks and Gardner Gallery, which had a very good exhibition of David Hinchcliffe's oil paintings as well as some very nice porcelain.  What a great day!

 

To reward myself for packing, cleaning, organising, etc.  I have also given myself little pockets of time to make these little useless objects from felt as gifts for a friend

 

lacquer my little embroidered fish made from hand dyed fabrics:

and keep embroidering my long strip of dyed, printed and joined fabric strip.