getting there, getting there...

some eagle eyed bloggy friends have already noticed
that I've started announcing the news

May 5th 2012
 I'm opening the doors to Sams Creek Bookworks...

a year behind schedule
(sigh)

yet there's still so much to do...
(SOOOOOOOO much!)

in the next couple of weeks the exterior of my funny little studio 

is going to get a a lick of paint to complete the renovations and repairs
and then it will look and feel all brand new
(welllll at least it will be fresh and clean and bright and cheerful)

I'm still organising what's going to be happening on the day

so far I'm expecting to have:

* demonstrations in the studio of all the yummy booky gear

*guided tours of the emerging permaculture garden systems

*an 'under the eaves' art exhibition

* 'kids art in the courtyard'
(with lots of arty goodness from the local school kiddies!)


proceeds from the day are going to the Cobargo P&C fund
for the school garden/kitchen/outdoor learning area
and the P&C should be here with delish tea and coffee and treats



I'll have details on the sams creek bookworks blog or fb page


if you are in the area why don't you come along

 I'd love to see you here!

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art gesture sunday - week 8

a day at the beach

seventeeen encyclopaedias in the sand

long beach (camel rock) bermagui

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feathery pile

 

 

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paper feathers...

 These past few days I've been creating 'map' feathers 

I'm amassing quite a pile

Initially these were for a proposed installation

but I'm changing my mind about the direction of the work

think I'll just stockpile the 'feathers' for the time being

 

....

 

 

 

 

an arrival...

in the mail today

an unexpected treat

 a small jewel from amanda

(thanks - you've made my heart glad)

....

a gesture and some words...

I hold a red-edged book to a stormy sky

I hold a red-edged book

then I let it fly...

fly red-edged book

soar, love, live

(little red-edged book has so much yet to give)

litle red-edged book cast aside, all alone

and there's nothing to be done, 

can be done, 

or undone 

little red-edged book you are gone

you are gone

....

for R & N & M

with love

from a sad town

xxxxxx

....

showy...

Bega AP&H Show today

Bega Show is your typical small country town affair.... 

v. high on the dag factor 

(which accounts for almost all of its appeal as far as I'm concerned)

 

Love watching kiddlies wrangling calves 

(and cows - and one very well behaved bull)

 

 Love the baby animals barn 

(that's where we found our Bootsie cat many years ago...

now if there was a goose on offer today I swear I was going to take that baby home!

it was not to be)

 Love the poultry shed 

(but don't love that each year there are less and less exhibitors)

 I notice that the pool of fruit and veg exhibitors in the show pavillion gets smaller each year too

and the really experienced ones are fast disappearing - 

just imagine all the knowledge these folk have of local growing conditions..... 

and its all slipping away.....

Its the animals and produce, 

jams, cakes and handicrafts that I think are the beating heart of a good show

(up until 2 years ago we took commercial beef cattle to the show each year.... 

damn but I miss those great prizes - we won lovely crystal wine glasses one year)

I was 11yrs old before I went to my first Bega Show 

(I got food poisoning from a sideshow food van....)

I didn't go back to the show until I was 17

(that time I got sick after riding the Cha Cha)

so I've avoided all amusement rides (and food...) ever since!

there's isn't a chance in hell you'd ever see me get on this thing...

indeedy I must admit - the colours, sights and sounds of 'sideshow alley' 

scare the bejezus outta me!

(seriously!)

I fear that in an effort to draw crowds, country shows these days 

are becoming less about agriculture/ horticulture etc 

and more about spectacle

(to pay for those ridiculously HUGE insurance bills I suspect)

Sass and his mates take in the lunchtime entertainment this year....

EEEEK!

oh boy!!!! 

and I thought the Cha Cha was scary!

(am currently figuring out how to put a lock on sassy's motor bike before he gets 'ideas')

.....

reconnect...

I'm currently preparing body, mind and spirit for a heavy duty year of making....

out came my long book

and I spent some quiet time stitching sections together.... 

thinking of work ahead...

digesting things read....

imagining new garden bits and more studio renovations....

I've been aware for a while now 

that quiet binding is an important part of my process

or as I've previously said - 'I bind therefore I think'

(time to go stitch/think/make some more...)

...

blush...

welll golly me!

yesterday Christi (at sweetpea path) dropped this my way....

Now I NEVER know what to do in in those rare moments someone passes a little bit of blog lovin' my way but I'm actually quite touched thanks sweetpea.... 

oh this is apparently the basic gist of the little Liebster (German for 'dearest' or 'beloved' or 'favourite' or so I'm told)

"In the spirit of fostering new connections, the idea of the Liebster Award is to bring attention to blogs with less than 200 followers.  Just a few rules for the recipient which come with acceptance of the award:

Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

***

Copy & paste the award onto your blog.

***

Reveal your own five picks for the award & let them know by leaving them a comment on their blog.

***

Have faith that the love will spread..."

hmmmmmmmmmm oh boy!

Today it's Valentines Day in Oz - so it seems fitting to share some lurve around the bloggy universe...

so here goes

("and the liebster goes to....")

Feather and Nest Kim is a local gal (we went to the same high school - but at slightly different times) Kim has a serious nesting instinct! On her blog she likes to share delish pics of interiors (and exteriors) and talk about homseschooling (or unschooling) - we don't homeschool our kidlets but I fully respect those peeps who do (our kids best mates come from a monster sized family who are all homeschooled)

Gemma Black  - is a calligrapher of breathtaking ability and it was via calligraphy that we met (golly it's probably close to 2 decades ago now!) We have quite a different style and approach to the craft but I think I can safely say that at our core we share a passion for all things calligraphic - Gemma is also a wonderfully supportive gal (love you Gems!)

Helen Malone is new to blogging - which you'll realise when you swing by her spot - but she's an outstanding Australian book artist so I selfishly hope she's going to share a bit about her bookiness on her new blog as soon as she catches the blogging bug big time (and in following a theme - yes I met Helen in 'real life' many years before blogland)

Helen has recently signed up to be a card carrying member of BookArtObject - and it is via this amazing blog/group/book project/book artists gathering spot that I have met some of the loveliest folk anywhere on the planet (yep - my handing of this little liebster to group blog is my way of acknowledging every blogging person who I've met via that group... so here's to Sara, Amanda, Carol, Di, Abigail, Angela, Caren, Fiona, Anna.... and all the new comers to the group for edition four (there are mountains of them so I really need mountains and mountains of little liebsters to cover everyone)

yes I know - that's four not five little liebsters but that last liebster is a multi-liebster (well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)


now whether or not you're into Valentines Day or blog awards or what not - I think every day is a good day to spread a little kindness and lurve around....

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art gesture sunday - week 6...

fifteen assorted books with red covers

arranged as a heart

....

psssst....

did anyone notice that I recently added a new page of my 'artwork' here on the blog?

the new embedded slideshow makes it easier for me to add new works at any time
and at the same time its just a wee bit harder for wanna-be piccie pinchers
 ....

 

(but trying to gather all the pics of my artwork into one place is like herding cats...

and I'm sure I've left a moggie or two behind somewhere...

ahh well...)

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TEXT-u-alise...

Thanks to my generous mate Gemma - I've been invited to teach at Sturt Winter School (July 2-6 2012)...

I've suggested a rather open-ended, free-wheeling workshop I've called TEXT-u-alise!

here's what its all about...

 ('Maternal Instinct 3' - mixed media collage from 2005... I think!... 

wellll at least it kinda illustrates SOMETHING of my approach to 'text' in art...)

 

TEXT-u-alise with Rhonda Ayliffe

"A guided exploration of the potential of TEXT in art: Using personal handwriting as a departure point, participants will be encouraged to explore various ideas and techniques to include text in artwork – including free lettering, collage, stamping, embossing, transfer and of course calligraphy (instruction will be individualised to cater for beginners to advanced calligraphers)

We will try various traditional (eg paper, stretched canvas) and non-traditional (wood, stone, metal) supports as well as a range of tools and media. The emphasis of the workshop is experimentation through individualised project work – participants will be encouraged to work towards completing a small piece that incorporates text and utilises new technique(s) and/or media and supports.

Bring your favourite resources (collage materials, inspiring words, ephemera) for potential inclusion and a spirit of adventure"

I'm really thrilled to be asked to offer a class and excited about doing something 'calligraphic' in content - I'll be over the moon if I have enough punters to make it happen (mind you - the southern highlands in winter can get mighty nippy.... brrrrrrrr!) so feel free to spread the word!

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art gesture sunday - week 5...

blue...

 

one blue pot holding lots of blue rocks

nine blue volumes of 'the british encyclopaedia'

 (blue embossed british lion)

 but wait - what's that trying to escape?

   

an old black and white photo of four unknown boys 

with 'bikes' is revealed/released

ahhhhh what a bonus!

I wonder who they are? 

and how long they have been lurking undiscovered between the covers?

(I suspect time, like knowledge, is more circular than linear...)

.....

black wattle....

Opening tomorrow in Cobargo

Black Wattle is a 'hole in the wall' gallery/artsy hang out

yep - it plans on selling art to passing punters

 

but the initiative also aims to rekindle local community involvement in creativity

(of all kinds....)

 (here's a couple of happy snaps of some delish-ous morsels by local lass - robyn williams)

hard working volunteers are all pitching in to paint and hang and otherwise install works for
le grande opening bright and early tomorrow morning (I'm reliably told there will be drinkies in the afternoon.... I think you can guess when I'll be arriving to partake of the festivities...)

'Black Wattle' is the first signs of life from the newly incorporated 'creative workers and producers of Cobargo' association which has some cool ideals and objectives*

most things 'black wattle' things are still arriving and being arranged.... 

so I can't share all the makers details 

 

other than to tell you these are all from folk who live in and around my itty bitty town

I'm tickled all shades of pink and purple that some caring creative folk have put their heads together to make this all happen - and yes I've taken up the offer of membership - so there are a few of my arty wares included in the black wattle mix - and I'll be participating in a very low key way - and supporting them all in a much bigger way!

* Objectives of the Creative Workers and Producers of Cobargo Association (Inc)

To foster the development of traditional and modern creative skills 

To provide a space for people to showcase these skills and to share ideas, knowledge, skills and enthusiasm 

To contribute to the vibrancy and economic health of the community  

To help promote Cobargo as a centre of excellence in creative, cultural, environmental and community development  

To be an information and resource centre for Cobargo creators and producers 

To continually contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment through reuse and recycling where possible 

To collectively manage and develop and not for profit 'Cobargos Creators' centre that reflects the above objectives

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nature hunt...

Yesterday our EJ celebrated another birthday 

(happy birthday EJ!)

she had 3 girlfriends (three sisters) come to play after school

and rather than the usual birthday games - I gave our mob the challenge of a nature hunt 

 here's their (completed) collection

EJ's birthday nature treasure hunt

1x wild bird feather

2 x red rocks

3 x purple leaves

4 x three-leaf clover

5 x different pieces of bark

6 x kikuyu runners

7 x pieces of wild fruit

what fun they all had completing the challenge and working together as a team 

(everyone a winner!)

and talking of everyone winning - thanks for all the comments regards blog comments 

 I appreciate your words (and I'll be in touch soon with a small something something for one of you)

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