This year I've been running between casual jobs, study and various projects. It's been almost impossible to think about making art, let alone do it. But I have managed to squeeze in a weekend workshop at Megalo doing some lino printing and this little fella is one of the results. I also got some embossing done and another couple of images carved out. The luxury of two full days in a studio just playing with materials is something I haven't experienced in years - gotta get a bit more of that into my life.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
musiked
Ahh live music - It feeds my soul and causes me to injure my knees. This weekend I've been to the Baterz tribute gig on Friday and the Wedded bliss CD launch on Saturday.
The Baterz tribute was nicely chaotic with Fred Smith doing a stirling job as MC and Mal Webb pulling off a most entertaining version of the song Spider Mother. Highlights included versions of Zombie Girl and On Come the Men. The gig was held to launch a CD of covers of Baterz songs, sung by a diverse range of excellent Aussie talent, called Great Big Squiddy Fun - it's ace - I listened to it all day. You should definitely buy it.
The Wedded Bliss gig was also a CD launch for Swinging Arms Hotel - I haven't heard it yet - but the gig was a lovely affair and the bonus was getting to see local group Hashimoto do an intimate acoustic set with a piano in the middle of the room.
In other news it's cold here and I need some ugg boots and a new hot water bottle, and maybe an electric blanket - I've always thought electric blankets were a bad idea but now I'm not so sure...
The Baterz tribute was nicely chaotic with Fred Smith doing a stirling job as MC and Mal Webb pulling off a most entertaining version of the song Spider Mother. Highlights included versions of Zombie Girl and On Come the Men. The gig was held to launch a CD of covers of Baterz songs, sung by a diverse range of excellent Aussie talent, called Great Big Squiddy Fun - it's ace - I listened to it all day. You should definitely buy it.
The Wedded Bliss gig was also a CD launch for Swinging Arms Hotel - I haven't heard it yet - but the gig was a lovely affair and the bonus was getting to see local group Hashimoto do an intimate acoustic set with a piano in the middle of the room.
In other news it's cold here and I need some ugg boots and a new hot water bottle, and maybe an electric blanket - I've always thought electric blankets were a bad idea but now I'm not so sure...
Monday, May 18, 2009
Iceberg mirage
I've gotten hold of one of those fab retro orange Penguin books and been reading South by Ernest Shackleton. I'm loving the mirage descriptions:
"At the same time the ice cliffs of the land were thrown up in the sky by mirage, with an apparent reflection in open water, though the land itself could not be seen definitely. The effect was repeated in an exaggerated form the following day, when the ice cliffs were thrown up above the horizon in double and treble parallel lines, some inverted...
Bergs and pack are thrown up in the sky and distorted into the most fantastic shapes. they climb, trembling, upwards, spreading out into long lines at different levels, then contract and fall down leaving nothing but an uncertain wavering smudge which comes and goes. Presently the smudge swells and grows, taking shape until it presents the perfect inverted reflection of a berg on the horizon. These spread out into lines until they meet, and are girdled by lines of shining snow cliffs, laved at their bases by waters of illusion in which they appear to be faithfully reflected.
So the shadows come and go silently, melting away finally as the sun declines to the west. We seem to be drifting helplessly in a strange world of unreality."
"At the same time the ice cliffs of the land were thrown up in the sky by mirage, with an apparent reflection in open water, though the land itself could not be seen definitely. The effect was repeated in an exaggerated form the following day, when the ice cliffs were thrown up above the horizon in double and treble parallel lines, some inverted...
Bergs and pack are thrown up in the sky and distorted into the most fantastic shapes. they climb, trembling, upwards, spreading out into long lines at different levels, then contract and fall down leaving nothing but an uncertain wavering smudge which comes and goes. Presently the smudge swells and grows, taking shape until it presents the perfect inverted reflection of a berg on the horizon. These spread out into lines until they meet, and are girdled by lines of shining snow cliffs, laved at their bases by waters of illusion in which they appear to be faithfully reflected.
So the shadows come and go silently, melting away finally as the sun declines to the west. We seem to be drifting helplessly in a strange world of unreality."
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Things to see and do
After months of long working hours I managed to escape home last weekend and made a nice little art and food trek to Sydney. Food highlights were introducing friends to bacon and maple syrup french toast in Mittagong, Dhosas and goat curry in Newtown, Yum cha in Chinatown and oh so many cakes from Caketown. Marrickvillia has written an excellent post on Caketown giving the lowdown on the couple who own and run the business. I try to get there any time I'm in Sydney along with Martini cafe, down the south end of King St who do great breakfasts.
On the art side we got to the drawing show at the MCA which has inspired me to get my pencils sharpened up and get drawing again. There's a really nice range of work, from really simple pencil and pastel on paper works to video and a great big drawing machine. I was particularly enamoured with the video work by Gabriella and Silvana Mangano a beautifully choreographed drawing performance that kept me watching through several repeats of the video loop.
We also popped in to Brenda May Gallery to see the work of our mate Joel Bliss - who works with timber and metal creating raw, dark and imposing sculptures. Nice to see the whole body of work in that space - the high ceilings and lighting worked really well, giving the works enough space for walking around and some great shadows.
Time to get out and see more art!
On the art side we got to the drawing show at the MCA which has inspired me to get my pencils sharpened up and get drawing again. There's a really nice range of work, from really simple pencil and pastel on paper works to video and a great big drawing machine. I was particularly enamoured with the video work by Gabriella and Silvana Mangano a beautifully choreographed drawing performance that kept me watching through several repeats of the video loop.
We also popped in to Brenda May Gallery to see the work of our mate Joel Bliss - who works with timber and metal creating raw, dark and imposing sculptures. Nice to see the whole body of work in that space - the high ceilings and lighting worked really well, giving the works enough space for walking around and some great shadows.
Time to get out and see more art!
Monday, April 13, 2009
work in the Phoenix prize
This image is a detail from a video installation I've currently got on show in the Phoenix Prize for Spiritual Art. The work that won was Loft by Kensuke Todo - beautiful piece of wall mounted sculpture. I'm thrilled to be showing in this exhibition, it's got some really lovely works in it. It's on at the ANU School of Art Gallery Ellery Cres Acton until 25 April.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Golden dog
I recently spent a couple of weeks in the north of Thailand at the most excellent Compeung village of creativity. While there I managed to cram in visiting temples, art galleries, craft shopping, cycling 'round rice paddies, eating as much Khao soy and banana rotis as I could manage in the limited time available, and on top of it all, squash in some actual art making time. This image is one of a series of golden dogs made and taken to temples in Chiang Mai. At this stage it's the beginning of a work that I'm planning to continue once I improve my extremely clumsy gilding skills...
Sunday, January 04, 2009
falling
Thoughts for the day
I've been thinking about falling lately...
falling and walking...
what it means to fall, the different meanings of the word, the associations it has with control, lack of control, of being able to reverse your actions...
fall over
fall out
fall in love
fall from grace
fall asleep
fall apart
My interest in falling led me to track down a feldenkrais cd by Alan Questel specifically on the subject of falling. Listening to it this morning I was fascinated by this thought:
'Every time you take a step when you walk you prevent yourself from falling...' A Questel
I've been thinking about falling lately...
falling and walking...
what it means to fall, the different meanings of the word, the associations it has with control, lack of control, of being able to reverse your actions...
fall over
fall out
fall in love
fall from grace
fall asleep
fall apart
My interest in falling led me to track down a feldenkrais cd by Alan Questel specifically on the subject of falling. Listening to it this morning I was fascinated by this thought:
'Every time you take a step when you walk you prevent yourself from falling...' A Questel
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Light work
I've set myself the task this holidays of going through the piles of old cds and disks to sort out my very disorganised archive of image files. Today's gem unearthed from a cd burned in 2000, of work made in 1999 is this detail of an installation I did at Strathnairn Gallery in Canberra. I spent a number of weeks covering the walls of the gallery in tiles made from slivers of Sunlight soap - the windows proved particularly challenging but the result in the lighting in the room was a lovely yellow glow.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday, July 07, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
New work
After a long absence I'm finally posting again. I started this blog originally to post about work in progress and anything art related - a bit like an online art journal. I then went through the most unproductive art making period I've ever had, aided by a full time public service job. Well there's nothing like a deadline to get me working again and here are a couple of stills from a new dvd I'm making for an exhibition in May. I've been playing around with shadows, sign language and i movie.
I've also been playing 'round with that feeling you have when there's a word or thought on the tip of your tongue but you can't get it out your mouth - check out this Washington post article I found when I was trying to find out if there's a single word to describe the experience. The concept has morphed into working with images that seem familiar or recognisable but contain a certain level of abstraction. I'm not going to post actual moving images until I've shown them in the exhibition because I have this weird superstition about showing new work in public just before it's due to be exhibited. The work is called Touching space and will be on show at Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House, Canberra starting 23 May. In the main space will be Erica Seccombe's fab work Nanoplastica
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Adeladies
Here they all are post bout - battered but glowing. They put on an amazing game with the VRDL (Vic roller derby league) and the final score was 86/83 with the Vic Ladies winning the day.
It's many years since I've been to a sporting event and got completely wound up - yelling, clapping and cheering - the atmosphere in the audience was electric. I hope this is the first of many bouts to come.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
6.03am Adelaide airport
It's very early in the morning and I've just heard my flight is delayed and I'm deeply, deeply exhausted.
We flew in just 48 hours ago and we seem to have packed in as much as is humanly possible in two days. From running my little legs off to make it to the flight (closest i've ever come to missing a plane, longest distance I've ever run in my adult life) out of Canberra, we then got a taxi driver in Adelaide who asked us for directions to our destination.
Taxi drivers at airports should not be asking their passengers for directions - we knew there was a real problem when I noticed that there was $30 on the meter and we were circling back past the airport. Needless to say some vigourous discussion ensued and when we finally got the the suburb we were heading I asked cabbie to pull over thinking we could jump out and call our friends to come and collect us. He insisted on finding the place and after going 'round in a few more circles got us to our destination. Cabbie did offer to give us the ride for free in the end.
We then decended on the home of Barrelhouse Bessie - star jammer of the Adeladies - roller derby team. (I'm not at all biased when I say this) We did a bit of work on Bessie's outfit for the bout and the dropped her off at the showgrounds for a pre-match practice. While Bessie was doin' derby busniess myself, Mr T and Mr W did a spot of op shopping at an excellent men's op shop. Mr W found a fab tiki shirt and Mr T a superb brown 70's suit. I picked up a coupla nice men's shirts for myself.
More costume sewing was followed by a walk to Bracegirdle's choclate shop to purchase some tasty supplies and then an afternoon nap to recover from the early morning flight.
The pre-bout dinner with some of the Adeladies and partners threatened to get raucous but was kept under control by much loud shushing and stage whispers reminding everyone we were IN A BISTRO.
(Oh I'm overhearing a loud 'phone conversation by the lady in the next booth she's telling someone about some fella in her house who was dancing in a pub with his pants off - when kicked out by the security he smashed a window and ended up arrested - apparently she wants him outta the house...)
Saturday night we headed into town to check out the Adelaide Fringe - we found some friends in the park and, on the spur of the moment went to see the Porno Puppets from Prague - Mr T saw them a few years ago and said they were great. Sadly Mr T was deeply embarrassed - the show was crap - not a scintillating or erudite critique by any means - but accurate nonetheless - Crap.
Walking back up to Rundle Mall we ran into a guy handing out fliers advertising discount tickets to the late show of La Clique at the Masonic hall. Another spur of the moment decision found us inside this gorgeous old deco style building watching some of the best circus performance I've ever seen. Completely turned our night around and had us bawling with laughter, holding our breaths with suspense and gasping at the performers' virtuosity. Sound's like I'm writing a media release I know, but it's true! Captain Frodo the contortionist was ouchy impressive, the two English Gents doing acrobalance like I've never seen before and Amy G doing ukulele slapstick comedy on rollerskates had us in tears. It was a lovely surprise to see Mikelangelo - of the Blacksea Gentlemen doing an intense version of his song Formidable Marinade.
I'll write a roller derby report in a separate post as that deserves not only a post on it's own, but some pics and a bit of video footage and I'll need to get home and download it all.
We flew in just 48 hours ago and we seem to have packed in as much as is humanly possible in two days. From running my little legs off to make it to the flight (closest i've ever come to missing a plane, longest distance I've ever run in my adult life) out of Canberra, we then got a taxi driver in Adelaide who asked us for directions to our destination.
Taxi drivers at airports should not be asking their passengers for directions - we knew there was a real problem when I noticed that there was $30 on the meter and we were circling back past the airport. Needless to say some vigourous discussion ensued and when we finally got the the suburb we were heading I asked cabbie to pull over thinking we could jump out and call our friends to come and collect us. He insisted on finding the place and after going 'round in a few more circles got us to our destination. Cabbie did offer to give us the ride for free in the end.
We then decended on the home of Barrelhouse Bessie - star jammer of the Adeladies - roller derby team. (I'm not at all biased when I say this) We did a bit of work on Bessie's outfit for the bout and the dropped her off at the showgrounds for a pre-match practice. While Bessie was doin' derby busniess myself, Mr T and Mr W did a spot of op shopping at an excellent men's op shop. Mr W found a fab tiki shirt and Mr T a superb brown 70's suit. I picked up a coupla nice men's shirts for myself.
More costume sewing was followed by a walk to Bracegirdle's choclate shop to purchase some tasty supplies and then an afternoon nap to recover from the early morning flight.
The pre-bout dinner with some of the Adeladies and partners threatened to get raucous but was kept under control by much loud shushing and stage whispers reminding everyone we were IN A BISTRO.
(Oh I'm overhearing a loud 'phone conversation by the lady in the next booth she's telling someone about some fella in her house who was dancing in a pub with his pants off - when kicked out by the security he smashed a window and ended up arrested - apparently she wants him outta the house...)
Saturday night we headed into town to check out the Adelaide Fringe - we found some friends in the park and, on the spur of the moment went to see the Porno Puppets from Prague - Mr T saw them a few years ago and said they were great. Sadly Mr T was deeply embarrassed - the show was crap - not a scintillating or erudite critique by any means - but accurate nonetheless - Crap.
Walking back up to Rundle Mall we ran into a guy handing out fliers advertising discount tickets to the late show of La Clique at the Masonic hall. Another spur of the moment decision found us inside this gorgeous old deco style building watching some of the best circus performance I've ever seen. Completely turned our night around and had us bawling with laughter, holding our breaths with suspense and gasping at the performers' virtuosity. Sound's like I'm writing a media release I know, but it's true! Captain Frodo the contortionist was ouchy impressive, the two English Gents doing acrobalance like I've never seen before and Amy G doing ukulele slapstick comedy on rollerskates had us in tears. It was a lovely surprise to see Mikelangelo - of the Blacksea Gentlemen doing an intense version of his song Formidable Marinade.
I'll write a roller derby report in a separate post as that deserves not only a post on it's own, but some pics and a bit of video footage and I'll need to get home and download it all.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Bessy 'n Betty on the radio
Bessy and I talking Roller Derby on ABC Radio 666 Canberra - anyone out there in the ACT who'd like to get on a pair of skates let me know!
Saturday, February 09, 2008
playing 'round with photoshop
I've been looking through a bunch of old photos I took at a vintage car show a couple of years ago - this was originally some pinstriping on a very dusty redish-brown car.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
new roller skates
Ahh it's a long time since I've dropped in on this blog so I thought I'd load up a fresh pic. My new SPARKLY roller skates, and my first ever ebay purchase.
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