Onwards with the exhibition collection.

 So I have the date booked for the next major showing of my work.
It will be in May, argh,  the date seemed so far away when I booked it a couple of months ago, but it seems to be looming now.
I have been working steadily, just slowly. Finding it difficult to pare the work back. So much I want to include but want the work to be cohesive as a body.
I have jumped around with various materials and mediums, experimenting.

dyed, collaged and stitched detail of a glimpse of Croatia

                                          The plains in Spain... And yes I even had a go at painting, so quick in comparison to the piece above.

A glimpse of my students' work.

So sorry for my extreme absence, things just got a little out of hand, what with a massive school art show, holidays and general dislike for spending more time on the computer, I just haven't written anything.

In my role as primary art teacher I put together a massive Art Show celebrating my school's 30th birthday. The show was called Feast. It was so great to see the children's art on display. There was drama as well.  It was so good that I will include a few photos of my amazing children's work here

picnic food, mmm

picnic overview

The banquet table

  beautiful little ceramic cakes for High Tea, on paper mache plates!

So then it was back to work on my artwork. 

That will be in the next update!

Hopefully very soon

Artist Books Exhibition

Artisan Books in Fitzroy has its annual Artist Book exhibition starting next weekend.
 I was accepted into this show and I know there will be heaps of amazing and beautiful books on display.
 Pop down and have a look -there are many beautiful books to buy there too!
I love that shop!!

Dyeing... again and watermarks in silk and stitch

In preparation for the next few pieces of work I have dyed stacks of silk ( love my scrap silk supplies).

 silk drying on the grapevine clothes line

I've printed  some of my photos from Croatia and now am experimenting with how to make watery marks with the silk. 

watery marks using layer organza and cut back technique

It's in the bag, journey in a suitcase

Artisan books, my most favourite bookshop, has an artist book exhibition each year and today I completed my entry - hopefully it will be accepted..ugh.  The show isn't until September, it is always wonderful.
I'm so excited as usually I am spending late night completing it at the last minute, but it has been a very cold, wet and blustery day here in melbourne so it was easy to stay inside and knuckle down.

I have made a little suitcase book before, it is made using a large matchbox!  I decided that I could make a little friend for the first suitcase.Then came the difficult decision, what on earth do I put in it?? This year there was no theme for the artist book show.
Finally decision made,  it would be a little journey from the Swiss Alps to Venice by train, all in pictures of course!
So here it is.

and here is one of the little stitched birds flying (on a spring) over the mountains, and the wood engraved trees!

this little boat is a pop out on tabs. 

HART ART

HART ART  is Hartwell primary school's art show.
This year it is on from next Thursday night 8 August until Saturday 10 August.

Opening night 7 pm Thursday 8 August

Exhibition opening times

Friday 9 August
9-11 am and 2-5 pm

Saturday 10
11 am - 4 pm

If you live in eastern Melbourne this might be a great way to pick up some art and support a primary school at the same time.

Here's my work wrapped and ready to deliver. This represents a ridiculous amount of time to get these ready to go.... ah the joys of exhibiting!

Black and White

Black and white is not even normally in my spectrum, I am a colour girl!!

So for me to accept the challenge of working in black and white is progress of sorts.

The reason for this madness??? well, travelling to Switzerland in early spring is the motivation. There was still heaps of snow and the magnificence of those snowy alps just drew me in.

I have been working steadily on various experiments in order to depict the beauty and awe I felt when in the alps.

I will give you a peep at the experiments. These involve wood engravings on slices of fruit tree wood, printed in white on a black background.

printed on paper

wood engraving, printed on black silk 

                                                   lines in the snow

                                           
                                                        paintings for idea making

                                                    birds, painted and stitched on silk

                                                 snow covered village from above, painted and stitched on silk