Monday, July 20, 2009

canberra and back

The Sams Creek crew headed over the hills (and far away) for an overnight trip to Canberra at the end of last week (its been more than two years since we had a family getaway) .... and we did all the usual touristy things... visiting all the sites (and shops - oops)





I haven't visited the War Memorial for more than 20 years - those dioramas certainly stick in the mind though... I know most touristy places are going for increasingly interactive exhibits - but I hope the WM never does away with those moving static displays.... they are really quite something - I noticed our small ones reacted to these much more than all the bells and whistles displays.




oh and talking of bells - we were out and about on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin very early on Saturday morning - it was CHILLLLLLLLLY! but through the mist and fog on the lake came the glorious chiming of the Carillion... it was only visible for a few moments - then disappeared into the mist again - so that it seemed as if the music was eminating from the lake itself!





Whilst the Carillion was still chiming away we headed into the scultpure garden at the National Art Gallery - I LOVE this place - and really adore the collection of Klippel works set in the little pond there


I was surprised to see all the lights in the garden covered with their own little knitted covers....




How sweet - I don't know what the story is - I initally thought - ooooh maybe the guerilla knitters have been through here overnight (how exciting)...

but when we arrived at the AG entrance I saw they were also encased in decorative knitted sleeves...


so I expect it is an endorsed activity (I'm feeling a bit let down now...I like the thought of knitters sneaking into the garden through the night and leaving a special little treat.... none of that authorsied arty-farty stuff)


ahhh well - I still enjoyed all the bits (inside and out) and then it was back into the old car for the journey back down the hill to home...

Monday, July 13, 2009

recent work (from the paddock not the studio)


If you have been checking out the contents of my flickr site you may have noticed a couple of firey pics....


these are some of my recent works - stacks of old unwanted encyclopaedias that I've set on fire - then photographed the process of their demise... as I mention on my flickr site, these books were actually destined for landfill - they are unwanted funk and wagnall encyclopaedias that I collected at Rotary book sales...

yes I know its still disconcerting to see books burning (that is of course a part of the work) this was the first stack I torched - just after the Queens Birthday long weekend last month - traditional time of the bonfire. The work existed for a few hours (as it slowly burnt to the ground) and now remains as a photo...