Thursday, June 23, 2011

there and back...

Monash Uni - Winter Symposium (and boy was it ever WINTER!!!! f-f-f-f-f-freeeeeezing!!!!!)

thank goodness for the smart folk in our shared accommodation who had the idea and the know-how to make a mighty nice mulled wine to fortify the troops...



mulled wine ...
red wine + diced apple + orange + cloves + cinnamon + cardamon + warming stove
= warmed little arty bodies!


Winter Sympo is the time that all we coursework Masters and HDR distance students get together to present our work (semi-formally in daytime sessions) for critical discussion.... and for us then to make mulled wine and be merry - and sit around most of the night informally discussing life and death and ARRRRRRT!

mulled wine at table centre.... pilfered food at periphery... arty conversion flying over and under and around the table!



Much as I miss my home something fierce every second I'm away - the wonderful spirit of sharing and
helping and humour meant that of course I loved the company and conversation. This year in a break from the usual format of all day talk talk talk (then eats and drinks in the gallery foyer each night) - one of my favourite Monash peeps (a book loving artist) had the whole mob undertake a small 'making' exercise.... each artist was given a carefully folded piece of paper to 'do their thing' with the view to making a couple of very simple little books to capture the moment (and to get us all away from all the talk talk talk for a moment)

It was meant to be a quick thing, without pretension or ego.... all the students and lecturers together in the print room with a few minutes only to get the task done....

here's a few of the completed pages laid out for selection/ integration/ ordering...

 



(here's my quick little contribution..... its nothing grand....
yep that's a burnt hole.... of course... I think you can click the pic to make it a little bit bigger...)





Clever Rosalind Atkins, Monash Uni lecturer (and soon-to-be co-supervisor of my research project), created some gorgeous covers for each booklet - and then turned the disheveled masses into lovely little books. (I only got to see this book that my little page is featuring in .... I'm sure all three books will be a delightful record of our passing) I can't say what others thought of the exercise, but I certainly appreciated the chance to think with my fingers....

In and around the semi-formal talk talk talks, I had my little book project to occupy my fingers....

look its growing....






And then it was time for the very long drive home again home again....





here I am stopped on the road in the forests between Cann River and Eden
- trees had fallen over the highway and we are waiting for the road crew to clear the way.
On this part of the journey its just forests and more forests
and log truck after loaded log truck heading to the port at Eden....


Oh but it's good to be home!



.....

5 comments:

  1. Oh! the memories this post of yours brought to surface... Very similar questionings, yearnings, joy and guilt blend together while totally immersed into art studying, art making, art dreaming. All that was ages ago, in London, my two young children at home with my wonderful mother who in total devotion came to stay with us easing my guilt and adding joy to my children's life.
    I wish you all the best! What you are doing is HUGE, but you are THE most capable and worthy to carry it through; your children are fortunate to have this kind of a mother!

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  2. Mmm mulled wine! I've only had it once, but it's perfect for winter. How to great to see the use of artists books within post-grad courses here. Glad you enjoyed yourself, and made it home again safely.

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  3. ahhh anna - you are such a generous thing! thanks for the abundance of compliments!

    (this was my first mulled experience amanda.... mmmmm!) and it WAS nice to see post-grads of all stripes and persuasions being introduced ever so gently into the world of artists books.... may its the first year of a new tradition for the winter sympo (I hope so!)

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  4. Sounds like a cold time but a good time was had by all. The little project is coming along very nicely by the looks - but maybe not so little anymore? Sounds like a long trip back as well - but grand to be home.

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  5. i bet your brain isall filled up with new things to ponder and work it's way around. enjoy home.

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thanks for all your lovely comments - your words are greatly appreciated xx