sticky situation...

 in the studio

I've been arranging those bits of paper

and sticking them down

so with the addition of a few bits and bobs

I go from this...

to this...



I love how you can start a collage without any real intentions
and as you stumble over random images and paper bits
*something* emerges



One of my ways of working is to start with an interesting image

and see where it takes me...

add a few bits from maps and a pocket ready reckoner?

draw some lines?

(and I think it's done)

connections. ecosystems. community. economy. history.

At other times things get a lot messier and layered

with gesso and fabric

and rice paper and 'bits'

(and more gesso and more bits)

until I ask myself - is it finished yet?

(hmmmmmmmm....)

looking looking looking

and while I look and think

I work on another piece...

what more does this need?

do I add things? (or take things away?)

hmmmmmm


looking looking looking

long looking is one of my main strategies in art making -
I may make rapid movements at times -
especially when the glue is drying out on my brush

but I take a looooooooong LOOOOOOONG time

looking looking looking

and 

thinking thinking thinking

in between the sloshing of paste and paint...

 Sometimes, rather than layers and layers
of paper and paint and concept and meaning

 I just play with the original image by filling the voids with patterns...

I find it therapeutic and soothing
to systematically fill in a white space

and let go of all that thinking

....

slow work...

long hours with quiet work...

cutting, folding, bundling, adding wood to the fire, cutting folding, bundling, watching old movies, listening to new podcasts, cutting, folding, bundling, helping with kiddies homework, listening to deadly trombone practice, cutting, folding bundling, moving lap cat,  cutting, folding, bundling, thinking, breathing, loving process....

cutting, folding, bundling...

getting down to work....

I've had a strangely productive time of things lately - I say strangely because I've been almost overwhelmed by an avalanche of jobs and life stuff that in theory should mean that I'd have no time or space or energy for anything else...... so I have no idea how I've managed to get any artyworks completed.....

(I took advantage of some recent very wet weather
to make book-water-works in an ephemeral waterway....
this volume of funky-wagnalls is opened to the entry on the water cycle....
I suppose you could say I'm allowing the water to add it wisdom to the words....)

I spent all day Saturday helping set up for the living artist art auction in Bermagui (I've uploaded a couple of pics sent to me from the night on the fsclap facebook page and you can see some pics of the works on offer on the living artist blog). I've really enjoyed working with and getting to know local arty creatures - like Mister (Matt) Jones - a finalist in the previous living artist award.... and Poppy Benton - the inaugural award recipient and current president of fsclap.... (and all-round witty and wonderful human bean - Poppy also has a lovely hole-in-the-wall, gem of a gallery in Tathra)

But come Sunday it was time to get back to things in and out of the studio (its only 2 weeks until I have to make my annual pilgrimage to monash uni for the winter symposium..... gulp.... whilst it's my 4th journey, it's my first as a HDR student...)
I know that some of my booky-bloggy friends (and ALL of my family and other friends) have questioned my sanity in tackling HDR studies at this time and the arty-making that is emerging..... what can I say - I'm on a journey of sorts where the destination isn't totally in view (actually it's one where even the mode of transport is questionable!) but somehow I am compelled to continue making my booky-arty objects and interventions.......

(in a remnant puddle of the disappearing waterway

I opened an encyclopaedia year book to an entry on photosynthesis....

and then set the pages on fire.....

as you do....)

* and aside from these small book-works - some regular visitors to my little space here may have noticed the dramatic change to my blog header...... yes it's a sneak view of some larger works in progress.... but more about that another time....

why kids are fantastic

Reason number four billion and twenty seven why having your own kidlins is fantastic.....

they make SPECTACULAR (free!!!!!) studio assistants!


Here's my Sassy boy throwing books into the little (rain water) stream next to our bush....

... and it's not just that he can chuck the books into the water just right
(ahhhh the undefeated discus champion).....

... he can then run full pelt over slippery rocks and up a muddy hill
(ahhhh that's my champion cross country runner) to get out of shot.....

....and what's more he's willing to throw and fetch and throw and fetch
(over and over again)


Now who wouldn't go through childbirth for that!


meantime my darling EJ goes on a nature hunt......

.... and found this little froggy between some rocks
(it's no bigger than a man's thumbnail) - what eagle eyes she has!

I love creating things it's true -
but our two kidlins are without doubt the greatest creation I'll have take part in.....